HomeAnswersObstetrics and GynecologypcodCan medicines taken for irregular periods cause weight gain?

Is it possible to gain weight because of medicines taken for irregular periods?

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The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

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iCliniq medical review team

Published At February 26, 2018
Reviewed AtAugust 4, 2023

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

I am 25 years old, with PCOD diagnosed three years back. At the start, I took medicine for six months, then my period started becoming normal, with one week late or early. My weight reduced from 149 lbs to 125 lbs . Now, the problem is I got conceived three years back. Then I got an abortion at six weeks of my pregnancy as we both husband and wife were not ready for a baby at that time. It was medical abortion, and the thing is after having the complete dose first time, bleeding was not much. So, I took the medicine again within the second day of the first time. After that, I gradually started gaining weight, headache, back pain, lower abdominal pain, etc. At present days, I am having periods once in two months, food craving, laziness, can lay whole day at bed doing nothing, sudden lower abdominal pain, back pain, headache, mood swing. And my weight has reached to 158 lbs. What can I do? Is it the side effect of the medicine?

Answered by Dr. Balakrishnan R

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

All these effects are due to PCOD. No medicine will cause this, at this young age of 25 years. Your laziness as you mentioned is creating all the problem. PCOD (polycystic ovaries), this is a congenital condition, I mean it is a genetically programmed, you get it from your parents. When you suddenly put on weight, this cholesterol is converted into estrogen hormone (if I may simulate, have you seen obese men developing breast and in young obese girls, who develop periods at a younger age? They all have high levels of estrogen hormone or female hormone). In your body too, when fat, which is a store for tomorrow, is more than normal, this is converted to a hormone which tips the balance between FSH (from the brain) and the ovarian hormone. FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) as the name suggests stimulates follicle from the ovary, but once the follicle is big enough to ovulate, the FSH is suppressed by the same estrogen hormone from the ovary. But when the same estrogen hormone is coming from fat, the brain gets confused and follicle growth stops early at a smaller follicle size and will not rupture. Next scan you will see all these follicles as polycystic ovaries.

This is usually associated with obesity, irregular cycles, no periods for a few months and later heavy periods with clots and fleshy masses, or spotting on and off. Thyroid abnormality and prolactin problem indirectly. You develop that extra-pad of fat around the mid-segment of the body, especially waist, thighs and breast, no fat beyond elbow and knees. Excessive body hair growth, hair fall, a dark shade over lower half of face, acne, oily face skin, the black skin over the back of the neck, inner thighs and under-surface of the breast. May have a family history of diabetes, especially the father or his family. This will not allow ovulation to occur at the time and so you cannot get pregnant, till treated. It also increases your chances of early pregnancy abortions.

But this has a solution. Your expected weight is 134 to 143 lbs. Once you reduce weight to normal range, you will not need any medicine to get periods or to get pregnant and pregnancy will be healthy. To reduce weight, no fasting, no junk food or fast foods or red meat, reduce snacks between meals. Have low calories food, high proteins. Regular exercise (especially for the waist and hip area), aerobics , yoga, brisk walking (swing your hands well), try to reduce 4 to 8 lbs per month. Do not hurry on weight reduction, it will be difficult to maintain. As soon as you reduce at least 11 lbs, you will see the changes.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Balakrishnan R
Dr. Balakrishnan R

Obstetrics and Gynecology

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