Weight gain

[frost1375]

I've been having trouble the past few years losing weight. I gained about 20 pounds two years ago and have been trying so hard to lose it. I've seen a nutritionist, physical therapist, I've gone to the gym, I've dieted, I've gone to weight watchers, and nothing seems to help. I lose some weight here and there but I get discouraged because of my stomach. My stomach literally looks like I'm pregnant. It's round and hard, not soft and jiggly like I would picture a fat person's stomach to be. I was wondering if this bloated, pregnant looking stomach has anything to do with IC. Does anyone know anything about this? Any advice or information would help. Thank you.

[SharonA]

It could very well be what we not so affectionately call IC Belly. It can be caused by your bladder being irritated and inflamed which in turn can cause you to feel bloated.

[loraleena]

I have the same thing. It is an IC thing. I am 5' 9" and 132, but often look 5 months pregnant!!

[Berkshire Road]

If you're really having trouble losing weight, you might want to sit down with your doctor and take a look at whatever meds you are taking. A lot of them can cause weight gain and make weight loss difficult.

If it's just your stomach -- well, it does sound like the IC Belly. If anyone ever finds a cure for that, I'm going to nominate him or her for a Nobel Prize! :)

[JanL]

I am going through the same thing. When I complained to my uro that I had been consistently working out since the beginning of December and watching what I ate and still am not losing any weight, he suggested going off of the elavil, but doubling the amt of Neurontin (have not done that yet) that I am taking. Well, I am on my second night of no elavil and it is 5:20 a.m. and I have been awake since 2:00a.m. with LOTS of pain. I took a muscle relaxer at 9:00 p.m., a valium (low dose) at 3:00 a.m. and finally a pain pill at 4:30 a.m. I rarely have to take any pain pills these days, but I overdid it at the gym yesterday. I decided to do intervals of intense work out on the eliptical and then walked on the tread mill for 15 minutes. Not the brightest thing I ever did. My belly, which is never the flatest, looks like someone put a bowling bowl in it. It is so swollen and painful right now. The pain pill doesn't even seem to be fazing the pain. So... yes, I can really empathize with you. I will continue to try to exercise, but I know that I need to baby step it back down some. IC is so frustrating sometimes!!:mad: Oh well, I know from experience that this will pass, but I will have to be kind to my body for a few days. Hope you get to feeling better.

Janice

[lisabar36]

Hi, I would talk to your doctor. There are alot of meds that can cause weight gain and maybe its one of your meds? I have also had the IC belly. I think irritable bowel causes that belly to. Good luck. :)

[frost1375]

Thank you so much for the replies. I've talked to my primary care doctor before and she didn't know anything about my "pregnant" belly. But, all the meds I'm on, I always specify that I don't want any that will make me gain weight. It's not more the weight gain, but it's the belly. I had a suspicion that it might have to do with IC, and I guess I'm right. It just sucks that there isn't anything to do about it. Has anything helped anyone? I just feel so gross in my clothes and I usually keep my jacket or something on my lap to hide my stomach. Blah. But, thank you all. If anyone has any ideas that has helped them with the IC belly, please let me know!!

[loraleena]

I wish I knew what to do about it!! Anyone??

[born2swim]

Yeah... I have the "prego belly" look too. Someone actually congratulated me on being pregnant. It sucks!

[tango]

nortriptaline has been helping me-- it is in the same class as elavil (tricyclic) and has a lower side effect profile (including the weight issue)

See this chart
http://www.rxfiles.ca/acrobat/cht-Psyc-Antidepressant.pdf

[born2swim]

nortriptaline has been helping me-- it is in the same class as elavil (tricyclic) and has a lower side effect profile (including the weight issue)

See this chart
http://www.rxfiles.ca/acrobat/cht-Psyc-Antidepressant.pdf

It amazes me how people react to medications. I took Elavil and it gave me horrendous gastroparesis. I then took Nortriptaline and that made me so depressed (like having thoughts of "If I died, I wouldn't have to feel my bladder"). So, it is important to try the meds, but let your family know when you start a new one... you could have a very bad reaction to some of them!