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Losing Weight

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lynbrown | 18:25 Sun 18th Aug 2024 | Body & Soul
3 Answers

I've been taking Nortriptyline for 8 months but they're not helping my sore back and I'm going to stop them. In the short time I've taken them, I've put on 20lbs weight, I've never been that heavy in my life.  Also various other side effects. Will the weight fall off once I stop? 

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Could it be because you are moving much less due to your bad back and eating a bit more?

Quote:
"Nortriptyline can change how hungry you feel. Some people feel more hungry when they're taking it, and others feel less hungry. So your weight may change when you first start taking it.

If you start to have problems with your weight while taking nortriptyline, talk to your doctor or pharmacist."

Source:
https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/nortriptyline/

So there clearly is a known link between taking nortriptyline and gaining weight for some people.  Therefore stopping them might help you to lose some of that excess weight.

Note that you shouldn't stop taking them suddenly though.  Quote:
"If your doctor decides to take you off nortriptyline, they will reduce your dose gradually to help prevent withdrawal side effects such as muscle pain or feeling sick or tired"

(Source as above).

Speak to your GP about trying an alternative drug, such as amitriptyline, duloxetine or gabapentin.

'Might' may not mean 'will'. Meanwhile take a note of what you are eating each day. Counting calories can help, but limiting sugar and other carbs seem to have particular effect. Consider replacing high starch ingredients with bigger portions of vegetables of your choice.

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