Weight Loss

I am on Humira and Methotrexate and have been suffering weight loss every since adding the Humira in November.  I realize most folks would be rejoicing, but I have always been VERY petite and right now I'm down to 77 pounds and I'm starting to look anorexic.  My doctors are stumped so far.  Has anyone else out there experience weight loss on these meds?

Thanks,

Jannie

I'm on mtx and Enbrel, but I haven't experienced weight loss. Are the meds making you nauseous? Is fatigue affecting your appetite, or is your eating unchanged? Maybe try a protein shake like Ensure? I wish I had better advice!

Hi,

As I've written on a previous post about the same subject, I lost a lot of weight when I started my meds.

My specialist nurse wrote it off as my metabolism being in overdrive due to inflammation and my body dealing with a flair.   The strange thing is I was at that point a lot better than I had been for the previous three years when I couldn't get my RA under control.

I lost 28 pounds quite quickly and if my appetite had changed in any way then it had got larger.   I was constantly hungry and I satisfied that appetite with all the food I wanted.   I wasn't nauseous, I didn't even feel unwell and I certainly wasn't aware of a flair compared to what I'd experienced over the previous three years.

After more than a year I gradually put half of the weight back on and look better for it.   The weight I'd dropped to was a weight I could never have pushed my body to if I had tried in previous years or when I was younger.   Apart from cycling around the village where I live, I do no exercise whatsoever

RA and similar diseases are very suprising when we can't always see what is going on inside.   The disease can be active and we could be suffering inflammation but on the outside is doesn't always show.

Dozey.

Thanks Carolan.  I wish it were something as simple as nausea or an upset stomach.  I'm still eating regularly.  In fact, I feel like I'm eating more than usual.  Snacking between meals, which is something I never used to do.  My Rheumy is considering sending me for a catscan and maybe even an endoscopy.  YIKES!

Hi Dozey,

Thanks for your encouragement.  It's nice to know I'm not the ony one who's been through this.  I'm glad to know you got better.  Hopefully, things will balance out for me too.

Jannie

Previously Jannie Baker wrote:

I am on Humira and Methotrexate and have been suffering weight loss every since adding the Humira in November.  I realize most folks would be rejoicing, but I have always been VERY petite and right now I'm down to 77 pounds and I'm starting to look anorexic.  My doctors are stumped so far.  Has anyone else out there experience weight loss on these meds?

Thanks,

Jannie

hi janine! right now i am only on prednisone because i recently had a really bad reaction to remicade. i also have been in a really bad flare for a little less than a year and have lost 40 lbs. i weigh only 80lbs. and i'm also starting to look anorexic. unlike you, i guess, my appetite has not been very good. i'm pretty sure that weight loss can be a normal side effect of RA or in my case Still's disease.

good luck

alicia

 

 

Hey All,

I never thought I would say this but I'm going to have to join the too much weight loss wagon.  I started to have a very decreased apeitite this summer when the RA took over after I briefly came off the meds.  They put me back on meds (no change in the RA at first), and then recently upped the dosage.  Remicade went from 3mg to 5mg.  My apetite has done nothing but decrease through all of this, even as the RA seems to improve again.  I lost 8 pounds this week.  I went to PCP, and he noted I'm 11 pounds down from July. I'm nowhere near 80 pounds, so they are not wildly alarmed yet, but he did tell me not to lose anymore.  (As if I'm controlling it.)  I must say, I think I was more comfortable 5 pounds ago.  Now if anyone touches me, I feel like it is direct contact to my bones. 

Anyway, they think the weight loss and decreased apetite is a side effect of the meds.  So first it was the RA, now the meds for the RA!  I can't win.  I think I will try the ensure drinks.  It is really hard to force yourself to eat when you are NOT hungry at all!

Has anyone else lost weight on Remicade/Mtx?

- Kati

Hi,

I experienced dramatic weight loss just before I got my RA under some sort of control which took four years.   Two years on from there I have managed to regain the 20+ pounds that I had lost which has been a very slow process, but great as I have really been enjoying my food with very slow weight gain.   I am now at a weight that I would like to maintain and certainly not gain any more especially as I am now 47 however, I don't particularly want to start watching my weight as I have never done so in the past.

Dozey.

Wow, i didnt realize so many of you have lost so much weight with this disease... I have had this disease for 30+ years and never had weight loss.  Actually I have way too much weight and because of the Hypothyroidism I have gained too much weight and the more I try to lose the more I gain. 

I have no appetite but still gain weight... 

Has anyone that is losing the weight had your TSH Levels looked at and make sure your thryorid isn't OVER ACTIVE.  I remember reading somewhere that Sjogrens and/or RA can effect the Thyroid in both the Hyper and Hypo isim's ..  I would take a look I know that the more my RA Flares up the more my thyroid is off and they keep increasing the meds about every 6 months...  JUST A THOUGHT Remember I am no medical profssional just someone with too much time on her hands... 

I will see you all in about a week going to visit with my mum for a week and she doesn't have any internet access..

Hi Tess,

Long time no speak.

I have had my TSH levels checked a couple of times and especially when I dropped 21 pounds quite quickly whilst still eating all my favourite things and plently of them.   It's taken two years but I have just put all the weight back on and look better for it.   I didn't have a derierre for two years so trousers and jeans were a nightmare, now I have my cushions back

Dozey.