Anyone gain weight using naproxen (Aleve)?

[roz]

Originally Posted by kaia

Around wintertime (the exact date escapes me at the moment), I was put on a prescription med for arthritis, and my doc also had me taking 2 Aleve twice a day. I noticed I started gaining quite a bit of weight and mentioned it to my doctor, since I assumed it was from the presciption med, but she said that it doesn't cause weight gain. It baffled me a bit, but then I just attributed it to my stupid body or some other meds I was on for a different problem. Anyway, long story short, I stumbled upon this site last night that talks about rapid weight gain from naproxen use, and it was like I finally had an answer!
http://www.topix.com/forum/drug/napr...PNVAMSMFALQATD

I thought I'd share it for anyone else who may have the same experience. Anyone notice this?

This talks about "rapid" weight gain which I associate with swelling and water retention. Rapid weight gain can have serious consequences with the heart. Is that what you had?

[TexasMama]

Originally Posted by pbnj

Sometimes I take aleve for joint pain. I noticed that when I take it close to my period, it makes it almost non-existent. I wonder if it does something to hormones?

Years ago, I read that Nsaids, including Aleve, taken before the onset of your period, actually reduce the number of prostaglandins in your body, which has something to do with triggering the onset of menstruation, as well as cramping itself. Apparently, the more prostaglandins your body produces, the more cramps you experience. Not sure if that's really true, though, but it makes sense.

[Sara1000]

If it is true, I wonder if that is a healthy use of the medication?

[Yelly]

Originally Posted by roz

This talks about "rapid" weight gain which I associate with swelling and water retention. Rapid weight gain can have serious consequences with the heart. Is that what you had?

I'm not sure, but I wondered about that too. I have an appointment with my doctor this month, and I'm going to ask her about it. Before I went on that medication, I was down to one of my lowest weights ever (115 lb). When I went on the meds it was a fairly fast weight gain, and at first I never suspected the meds - I just thought it was me. I went up to around 130 lb. I went off the Aleve for a short period of time to see if I could do without it, and I started to lose weight. Around a month ago I had to go back on the Aleve for the arthritis and I shot back up to 141 - which is more than I weighed when I was full-term with my 2 boys! I never suspected the naproxen could be the cause till I came across that article and read of others experience with it. I'm curious to see if the weight comes off easy now that I'm off of it again. It could just be me, I'm not sure, since this past year has been one hell of a year with stress. But it seems strange to go from one of my lowest weights to my heaviest weight in that short of a time. I guess we'll see what happens.

Thanks for everyone's comments

[2ndgen]

I have taken Aleve for years and years and lost more than 100 pounds (way more) during that time. I've put some back on, taken it off, etc., in somewhat recurring bouts, now working on 10 pounds (bah) and still take Aleve frequently (probably too frequently but it works). I have never attributed any weight gains I have had to the Aleve and this is the first time I've seen anything on a website where people have said Aleve made them gain weight so it seems kind of anecdotal to me but bears thinking on in cases of unexplained weight gain.

My weight gains, in all instances, have been because I got careless with counting calories or even when not careless, just ate too much.

Sigh ...

[roz]

Originally Posted by TexasMama

Years ago, I read that Nsaids, including Aleve, taken before the onset of your period, actually reduce the number of prostaglandins in your body, which has something to do with triggering the onset of menstruation, as well as cramping itself. Apparently, the more prostaglandins your body produces, the more cramps you experience. Not sure if that's really true, though, but it makes sense.

Well, the AI in NSAID is for antiinflammatory. Prostaglandins are a mediator or inflammation.

[susan p]

Kaia, I remember reading this thread a couple of years ago, and it came to mind for me this week because my doc put me on a high dose of diclofenac for an inflamed ganglion cyst.

That was two weeks ago, and I have gained 4 pounds in two weeks. I thought "I vaguely remember someone at VF bringing this up. . . " so I searched and voila! Here you are.

Unfortunately the link is dead now. So I don't know what it says!

But I guess you can at least know that you are not the only one. I was watching my weight creep up, and it was weird because I had been working successfully on losing a few pounds. I was dropping a half pound a week or so, for four weeks in a row, then suddenly, for two weeks, I was gaining two pounds a week.

I log my food at MFP, so I knew I was eating the same. . . exercising the same. . . doing everything the same for the past 6 weeks.

Weird. I had never heard of NSAIDS causing this problem (with the exception of your thread) and really, as far as I know about how they work, there's really no physical REASON for NSAIDS to cause weight gain. And obviously, based on responses, they don't in everyone.

I was on a higher dose than is used for arthritis because I had an acute inflammatory process going on, maybe it is the dosage or maybe it is just a quirky thing that happens to some and not others.

At any rate, you're not alone and I hope you're doing well! I'm quitting the stuff now (it's been two weeks and the cyst is still painful, but not swollen, red, and hot).

We'll see what happens. *shrugs* Weird.

[toaster]

I was on an NSAID last year (meloxicam) to reduce some possible hip inflammation. During the time I was on it, I noticed some weight gain of about 3-4 lbs. I did research at the time and found that weight gain was a side effect. However, I think it was mainly anecdotal reports.

[suegy3]

This thread is almost three years old so there has probably been more research or at least more people noticed the problem since then.

[sunday]

I take it nearly daily and have for years. No gain whatsoever.