For some reason, I've been gaining weight at an incredible rate this year, mostly in the last two months.

About a week ago I was wondering what was the difference between this year and previous years. The one thing I could think of was that this year is much wetter and I'm having far more allergy problems and taking far more antihistamines.

So I did a search for weight gain and antihistamines on Google. It turns out that there is sometimes a strong correlation between using antihistamines and weight gain.

For example, from http://www.aaaai.org/ask-the-expert/antihistamines-weight-gain.aspx:

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It has long been known that the administration of antihistamines can cause weight gain. In fact, one antihistamine, cyproheptadine, has been used for this purpose. There are many postulations as to why this occurs. One reason, which may be the most reasonable, is that histamine is known to reduce the appetite, and antihistamines, therefore, counteract this effect.

In a recent NHANES survey, antihistamine use was associated with obesity, and a study in the journal "Obesity," (see abstract copied below) confirmed this and analyzed the use of over-the-counter antihistamines and their effect on weight gain. They found, as in the NHANES survey, that the use of over-the-counter antihistamines, including both fexofenadine and cetirizine, was associated with obesity.

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In summary, to my knowledge, there is no specific antihistamine which will not potentially cause the well-documented side effect of weight gain with regular use

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Obesity
Volume 18, Issue 12, pages 23982400, December 2010
Abstract
The incidence of obesity in the United States has reached epidemic proportions. Previous research has shown several medications exert noticeable effects on body-weight regulation. Histamine-1 (H1) receptor blockers commonly used to alleviate allergy symptoms are known to report weight gain as a possible side effect. Therefore, we investigated the association between prescription H1 antihistamine use and obesity in adults using data from the 20052006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Adults taking prescription H1 antihistamines were matched by age and gender with controls and compared on the basis of body measurements, plasma glucose, insulin concentrations, and lipid levels. Prescription H1 antihistamine users had a significantly higher weight, waist circumference, and insulin concentration than matched controls. The odds ratio (OR) for being overweight was increased in prescription H1 antihistamine users. H1 antihistamine use may contribute to the increased prevalence of obesity and the metabolic syndrome in adults given these medications are also commonly used as over-the-counter remedies.

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I've now quit taking antihistamines completely.

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For some reason, I've been gaining weight at an incredible rate this year, mostly in the last two months.

About a week ago I was wondering what was the difference between this year and previous years. The one thing I could think of was that this year is much wetter and I'm having far more allergy problems and taking far more antihistamines.

So I did a search for weight gain and antihistamines on Google. It turns out that there is sometimes a strong correlation between using antihistamines and weight gain.

For example, from http://www.aaaai.org/ask-the-expert/antihistamines-weight-gain.aspx:

quote:

---

It has long been known that the administration of antihistamines can cause weight gain. In fact, one antihistamine, cyproheptadine, has been used for this purpose. There are many postulations as to why this occurs. One reason, which may be the most reasonable, is that histamine is known to reduce the appetite, and antihistamines, therefore, counteract this effect.

In a recent NHANES survey, antihistamine use was associated with obesity, and a study in the journal "Obesity," (see abstract copied below) confirmed this and analyzed the use of over-the-counter antihistamines and their effect on weight gain. They found, as in the NHANES survey, that the use of over-the-counter antihistamines, including both fexofenadine and cetirizine, was associated with obesity.

...

In summary, to my knowledge, there is no specific antihistamine which will not potentially cause the well-documented side effect of weight gain with regular use

...

Obesity
Volume 18, Issue 12, pages 23982400, December 2010
Abstract
The incidence of obesity in the United States has reached epidemic proportions. Previous research has shown several medications exert noticeable effects on body-weight regulation. Histamine-1 (H1) receptor blockers commonly used to alleviate allergy symptoms are known to report weight gain as a possible side effect. Therefore, we investigated the association between prescription H1 antihistamine use and obesity in adults using data from the 20052006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Adults taking prescription H1 antihistamines were matched by age and gender with controls and compared on the basis of body measurements, plasma glucose, insulin concentrations, and lipid levels. Prescription H1 antihistamine users had a significantly higher weight, waist circumference, and insulin concentration than matched controls. The odds ratio (OR) for being overweight was increased in prescription H1 antihistamine users. H1 antihistamine use may contribute to the increased prevalence of obesity and the metabolic syndrome in adults given these medications are also commonly used as over-the-counter remedies.

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I've now quit taking antihistamines completely.

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Interesting data. I have used cyproheptadine to cause weight gain in skinny little ADHD kids with some success but I wasn't aware of it being listed as a side effect on the newer antihistamines. I'll do some literature searches at work tomorrow to see if there is anything other than the quoted article to support it.

In the meantime the intranasal steroids are proven to be superior in all ways to antihistamines anyway and do not cause weight gain.

For the past couple of years I've been taking a generic version of Allegra D.

Thinking back on it, anytime I took Allegra D I never really felt like I reached the point of being full. I wasn't hungry, but when eating I just didn't feel like it was time to stop eating. Now that I haven't taken any in more than a week, I once more reach a point relatively quickly where I've eaten enough.

Of course, that could be due to the mind trying to see a difference in taking and not taking the antihistamine.

Flonase is OTC now, so that's my go to for allergies. Antihistamines weren't working anymore anyway.

There really is very little data on this side effect meaning it is likely a relatively rare side effect or it is just hard to isolate and study since weight gain is so multifactorial and antihistamine use is so ubiquitous.

If you are noticing it for you personally I would avoid them. I will be more alert to this for my patients in the future as well. It is not even listed on epocrates as a side effect for the newer antihistamines though and they usually have everything listed.

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There really is very little data on this side effect meaning it is likely a relatively rare side effect or it is just hard to isolate and study since weight gain is so multifactorial and antihistamine use is so ubiquitous.

If you are noticing it for you personally I would avoid them. I will be more alert to this for my patients in the future as well. It is not even listed on epocrates as a side effect for the newer antihistamines though and they usually have everything listed.

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Thanks.

It will be interesting to see if my weight gain changes now that I've quit taking them. Of course, if I quit gaining weight, it could be largely out of awareness of the issue.

I have been taking prescription strength Semprex D (combo antihistamine/decongestant) my entire life for allergies. I can say that without question it means almost nothing in comparison to your diet. As soon as I got my diet under control a few years ago, I stopped being fat. It may have a slight effect on weight gain, but hell if you're lifting weights and your diet is solid, this is actually a good thing.

If your diet is complete **** and you eat 3000+ calories a day, you will be obese no matter what kind of drugs you are taking unless they have to be steroids or clen, T3, or DNP.

Diet >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> drugs in terms to importance.

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I have been taking prescription strength Semprex D (combo antihistamine/decongestant) my entire life for allergies. I can say that without question it means almost nothing in comparison to your diet. As soon as I got my diet under control a few years ago, I stopped being fat. It may have a slight effect on weight gain, but hell if you're lifting weights and your diet is solid, this is actually a good thing.

If your diet is complete **** and you eat 3000+ calories a day, you will be obese no matter what kind of drugs you are taking unless they have to be steroids or clen, T3, or DNP.

Diet >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> drugs in terms to importance.

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Not everyone is the same.

By the way, I came across one saying years ago that I thought was interesting: "Diet and exercise works almost as well as exercise alone."

Exercise alone is not the key.

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I have been taking prescription strength Semprex D (combo antihistamine/decongestant) my entire life for allergies. I can say that without question it means almost nothing in comparison to your diet. As soon as I got my diet under control a few years ago, I stopped being fat. It may have a slight effect on weight gain, but hell if you're lifting weights and your diet is solid, this is actually a good thing.

If your diet is complete **** and you eat 3000+ calories a day, you will be obese no matter what kind of drugs you are taking unless they have to be steroids or clen, T3, or DNP.

Diet >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> drugs in terms to importance.

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Not everyone is the same.

By the way, I came across one saying years ago that I thought was interesting: "Diet and exercise works almost as well as exercise alone."

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This is a complete myth and one of the biggest misconceptions about fitness. Your weight is determined about 90% by your diet and 10% by exercise.

The reason why it doesn't work? When you workout you will maybe burn a few hundred calories, so if you're eating way above your total daily energy expenditure (tdee) then it won't matter at all if you workout. This is why many people get discourage when they do workout. They don't change their diet at all and then they see little to no results.

So you go right ahead and eat 4000 calories a day while working out and see how far you get.

Weight loss appears to be mostly diet. Weight loss maintenence and overall mortality are much more dependent on exercise.

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Weight loss appears to be mostly diet. Weight loss maintenence and overall mortality are much more dependent on exercise.

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Everything is dependent on diet. You cannot change your diet and maintain anything. That is, you will always have to be vigilant in your diet once you lose weight or else you will suffer from the yoyo problem that many people have issues with.

Physical fitness is 90% diet and 10% exercise. That is, if your diet is solid you can hit virtually any goal you set for yourself provided that it isn't unrealistic.

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Weight loss appears to be mostly diet. Weight loss maintenence and overall mortality are much more dependent on exercise.

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Everything is dependent on diet. You cannot change your diet and maintain anything. That is, you will always have to be vigilant in your diet once you lose weight or else you will suffer from the yoyo problem that many people have issues with.

Physical fitness is 90% diet and 10% exercise. That is, if your diet is solid you can hit virtually any goal you set for yourself provided that it isn't unrealistic.

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Vander is right. Very little of weight control is exercise. Its diet.

Yeah diet is super important to the lbs issue. One of the struggles with weight maintenence is that formerly obese people who achieved normal weight still require approximately 10% fewer calories than peers. So the extra 500-600 calorie loss from regular exercise means they can almost eat a normal diet! That does not mean a 3000 cal + diet!

So yeah you cannot out exercise a terrible diet but you can maintain weight on a fairly regular diet of you exercise. Of course, exercise had tons of other benefits as well

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Yeah diet is super important to the lbs issue. One of the struggles with weight maintenence is that formerly obese people who achieved normal weight still require approximately 10% fewer calories than peers. So the extra 500-600 calorie loss from regular exercise means they can almost eat a normal diet! That does not mean a 3000 cal + diet!

So yeah you cannot out exercise a terrible diet but you can maintain weight on a fairly regular diet of you exercise. Of course, exercise had tons of other benefits as well

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Why is that?

I think it is due to them adjusting their basal metabolic rate down but nobody really knows.

I first learned about it watching "weight of the nation" from HBO, interesting documentary. Here is a link to that specific part of the documentary:

http://theweightofthenation.hbo.com/films/main-films/Choices#

So your saying all the Blue Bell Icecream I ate won't help me lose weight?

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So your saying all the Blue Bell Icecream I ate won't help me lose weight?

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All about the macros.

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So your saying all the Blue Bell Icecream I ate won't help me lose weight?

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No, but it has dairy right? So 3 servings should be fine.

I was kidding

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I was kidding

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You can eat what you want but its portion control.

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So your saying all the Blue Bell Icecream I ate won't help me lose weight?

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All about the macros.

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If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM)!

In the roughly two months since I quit taking so many antihistamines (just one since and that was a Benadryl one morning when I was really choked up) I've lost five or six pounds without doing anything.

I rarely take antihistimines. Flonase is the go to now for allergies.

Someone mentioned taking xxxxxxx-D. A decade ago I took Claritin-D daily. The D is a 240MG dose of Sudafed which I've been told by more than one doctor causes high blood pressure. I've experienced it causing sleeplessness. Given those two outcomes I decided there had to be a better way. That's when I got my first nasal steroid and I've been much happier.

There may be another reason for my weight gain in addition to the antihistamines.

It appears that my thyroid is working really badly or not at all. I'm now waiting for tests to confirm the problem.

A question regarding flonase: since flonase suppresses immunity, should you not take it for a few days before receiving a flu immunization? It seems to me that if your immunity is suppressed, the flu vaccine will be less efficacious.

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A question regarding flonase: since flonase suppresses immunity, should you not take it for a few days before receiving a flu immunization? It seems to me that if your immunity is suppressed, the flu vaccine will be less efficacious.

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That's an interesting question. I don't get flu shots so i can't comment but I'd be interested in the answer.

Good luck with the thyroid testing. Hope you're able to get it under control.

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A question regarding flonase: since flonase suppresses immunity, should you not take it for a few days before receiving a flu immunization? It seems to me that if your immunity is suppressed, the flu vaccine will be less efficacious.

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That's an interesting question. I don't get flu shots so i can't comment but I'd be interested in the answer.

Good luck with the thyroid testing. Hope you're able to get it under control.

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I've never had a flu vaccination before, but I started coming down with the flu on Christmas day last year and was really miserable. The worst flu I ever had. Plus I ended up with an opportunistic infection as well. I'm planning on getting vaccinated this year.

The flu shot should not be affected by flonase since it is basically a topical steroid that acts locally in your nose/sinuses.

I would have to look into if the nasal flumist vaccination has problems with flonase, but probably best just to hold off on the flonase for a little bit to be safe or to just get the shot.

Also FYI a lot of over the counter sleep aid is basically benadryl. Its all diphenhydramine.

I'm on daily thyroxine now.

From what I've read on the Internet, a number of people have claimed in the neighborhood of 2 pounds a week weight loss for a while after starting thyroxine.