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I believe Remicade has stopped my metabolism!

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 8/14/2008 3:41 PM (GMT 0)
I weighed 165 for 20 years. Lost down to 20 with my chohns dx, but gained back to 165. Got on Remicade and have slowly gained to 188 pounds! It goes up every time I go to the doctor! I don't get it. I haven't changed my eating habits, I eat very sensibly (never fast food or junk), I run 25 miles per week, weight lift 4 days a week. I should be losing! Before chrohn's/remicade, the weight training/running combo always made weight melt off me.

OK, I'm gonna be 40 in two months, but surely that can't be the whole blame, can it?

Posted 8/14/2008 6:04 PM (GMT 0)
I experienced the same slowing of metabolism while on Remicade. Very frustrating. But since it was the only drug that made me have close to a normal life I think it was a good call to take the drug. There seems to be no easy path with Crohn's.

Remicade also made me more susceptible to brutal respiratory infections...so I was heavier and sick all the time. Remicade gives eith one hand and takes away with the other.

Good luck and try not to let it get you down. It's not a failure of will...it's a serious disease.
Posted 8/14/2008 6:05 PM (GMT 0)
Makes sense to me. I gained 5 lbs the week after my first infusion! And I keep gaining eventhough I haven't changed my diet and continue to work out. I guess the Remicade is working which means food and all that comes with it (nutrients AND unfortunately fat) gets absorbed by our bodies. I look at it as a sign of health actually. Before, I always struggled to keep my weight on. Everything I ate went right through me. So this is a nice change. Crohnnies must be the only people in the world that actually want to gain weight!! cool
Posted 8/14/2008 6:16 PM (GMT 0)
After reading your replies I realized I posted something similar to this one awhile back. I think we mostly came to the conclusion that maybe I was eating too much before but it never made me fat. Now that I'm healthy it's all getting absorbed and I can gain weight! WOW! Weight til I start marketing the Crohn's Diet Plan! tongue
Posted 8/14/2008 9:53 PM (GMT 0)
Ides posted a link to some research a few weeks ago that showed a link between weight gain and anti-TNF meds, so you're not alone, Snappy.

How are you otherwise?
Posted 8/15/2008 12:59 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Ivy6 can you repost that article?
I cant find it in the past posts.
I have been struggling with weight gain as well and just assumed it was because i was absorbing nutrients, but the metabolism link makes sense.
Its an odd change to be worried about weight gain for the first time in years!
Posted 8/15/2008 1:31 AM (GMT 0)

Hey folks,

Yep, snappy started a similar thread in April, "Weight GAIN with crohn's?"  https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=17&p=1&m=1106134

Here's another from March, "Remicade and weight gain!!! Need info"  https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=17&m=1064296&g=1064870#m1064870

I've heard of many folks (on other forums: IBD, spondylitis & arthritis, etc) who gained weight after starting the anti-tnf meds. It's great if/when the meds work, but definitely not fun to have added weight!

Good luck

Jan

Posted 8/15/2008 2:46 PM (GMT 0)
I gained weight, but it was definitely from absorbing food and because I could eat normally again. I've succesfully taken off 20 lbs with weight watchers, while still on Remicade.

I dont think it is a link, i think that we are healthier, and older - so we are absorbing the food and our metabolism changes because of age.
Posted 8/15/2008 3:58 PM (GMT 0)
This is a really scary theory for me - I am supposed to be starting remicaid fairly soon & the complete vanity in me would hate to have this side effect

I have already gained weight since having this DD (only about 7 months now) - but i have been the same weight for the last 10 years so the change can only be attributed to Crohns

Hopefully this doesnt hold true for everyone
Posted 8/15/2008 4:04 PM (GMT 0)
You've gained weight from Crohns?!?!?! That's unusual
Posted 8/15/2008 4:27 PM (GMT 0)
realistically its prob from the medications - but considering my lifestyle/eating habits havent really changed..........its the only explanation i can come up with
for the record i am small to begin with - my weight over the last 10-12 years has been btw 110 & 112. I am currently at 115 & it seems to have all gone to my gut & my clothes are all tight at the waist

for the record i have actually heard of quite a few people with chrons that tend to be on the heavier side so as has been said before this disease really does effect everyone differently.........ie some lose weight & some gain weight!
Posted 8/15/2008 4:45 PM (GMT 0)
i gained 2 pounds between my 1st and 2nd infusions... still eating the same, feeling pretty good. i'm 5'7 and 130lbs though, so a little weight gain would be good for me anyway. i think a lot of it has to do with malabsortion before medication though.
Posted 8/15/2008 10:08 PM (GMT 0)

I guess I wasn't very clear in my post above. The two threads I pasted above include the links to some studies that show the anti-tnf-alpha medications have caused weight gains in some patients. But here are those studies: (the last two are the ones Ides posted a couple of months ago.)

ACG: Weight Gain with Infliximab in Crohn's Disease Confirmed but Not Explained     http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/ACG/tb/6976

Prospective assessment of body weight, body composition, and bone density changes in patients with spondyloarthropathy receiving anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha treatment.   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18381782?ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

Anti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha therapy increases body weight in patients with chronic plaque psoriasis: a retrospective cohort study.    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18005022?ordinalpos=6&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

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