While you may be doing everything in your power to lose weight, certain medications or medical conditions may prevent you from shedding those unwanted pounds. Numerous conditions and medications can affect weight gain or weight loss. To ensure you know the exact cause, talk to your health care provider. He may need to perform laboratory testing to determine why you have trouble losing weight.
Cushing's Syndrome
Cushing's syndrome is a hormonal condition. When your body is overexposed to cortisol you may experience difficulty losing weight, depression, acne, irritability, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, missed or absent menstrual cycles or weak and brittle bones. Cortisol is often referred to as your stress hormone. Your body can produce too much cortisol or you can consume excess cortisol by taking oral corticosteroids, often used to treat inflammation. Inhaled and topical steroids and corticosteroids do not typically cause Cushing's syndrome. If corticosteroids are the culprit of Cushing's syndrome, your doctor will gradually lower the amount of corticosteroids prescribed until you are weaned completely off of them and will switch your medication to a non-steroid prescription.
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a condition that affects your thyroid gland and causes it to produce inadequate amounts of thyroid hormones. Hypothyroidism is commonly caused by inflammation of the gland, but it may also develop due to a congenital defect or as a reaction to certain drugs such as radiation or drugs used to treat hyperthyroidism. Pregnancy can also cause hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism can affect both sexes of all ages, but commonly strikes women older than 50. In addition to difficulty losing weight, you may also experience depression, constipation, heavier menstrual periods, sensitivity to cold temperatures and thin, brittle hair and nails. There is no cure for hypothyroidism; although, it may be controlled by medication. Your physician can prescribe a special drug, levothyroxine, to correct the symptoms.
Menopause
Menopause typically affects middle-aged women. Menopause causes your hormones to drastically change and ends your menstrual cycle. Prior to menopause, your estrogen levels begin to decrease, which may cause irregular menstrual cycles. As your hormone levels continue to decline, you will begin to experience more symptoms such as weight gain, hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings. Menopause is not a disease; it occurs naturally and there is no way to prevent or stop it. Your doctor may prescribe hormone replacement therapy to help control some of the symptoms.
Beta Blockers
Your health care provider may prescribe beta blockers to help treat migraines or high blood pressure. Beta blockers slow your metabolism, which results in difficulty losing weight and may even cause you to gain a few extra pounds. The Mayo Clinic reports the average weight gain associated with beta blockers is about 4 lbs. Beta blockers are usually only prescribed when other medications, such as diuretics or other migraine medicines, have failed.
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