Several years ago, when my migraine headaches became unbearable, I switched to a hotshot neurologist who had written several books about migraines and lectured all over the world. He tried me on 22 different medications, none of which helped, but many of which caused weight gain. Finally he prescribed decadron, a powerful steroid, to break the headaches. After ten years of this I developed the "moonface" typical of steroid users, and got so fat people would say, "Oh its you! I almost didnt recognize you!" Recently I roamed around on the Internet and found out that many different medications can cause people to put on weight, including other types of steroids (e.g. prednisone) as well as birth control pills, anti-depressants (e.g. Elavil, Paxil, Zoloft), anti-psychotics (e.g. Zyprexa), anti-seizure medications (e.g. Depakote), drugs for high blood pressure (e.g. Inderal), medicines for heartburn (e.g. Nexium, Prevacid), and even drugs for diabetes (e.g. Diabeta, Diabinese). I even found a story about another woman like me who was being treated for migraines. When she hit 190 pounds, she went to an obesity clinic. Even after going on a drastic liquid diet, she was only able to lose 10 pounds. Being obese was not her fault it was her medications fault. When her doctor switched her to the migraine medicine Topomax, she dropped 50 pounds and stabilized at a healthy 133 pounds. (Unfortunately for me, I cant tolerate Topomax. Believe me, I tried!)
So some drugs make you gain weight while others help you lose weight. I started to wonder: what else can prescription drugs do to alter our appearance? As you read the following examples, please keep in mind that drug side effects are very individual. You might not experience any of the symptoms cited below. In fact, I hope you dont! After our size, one of the first things people notice about us is our smile. Imagine if you were like the next case study, and you developed BLUE GUMS. According to the Journal of Periodontology, the gums of an otherwise healthy 29-year-old woman turned blackish-blue! It turns out she had been taking minocycline, an antibiotic prescribed by her dermatologist for acne, four times a day for almost a year and a half. This medication, which is also commonly prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis, can cause the bones and teeth to discolor. After the dentist contacted the dermatologist, he switched the patient to a different medication. Unfortunately for her, the discoloration of her teeth will most likely remain. DARK SPOTS ON YOUR TEETH (dark areas of tooth enamel not to be confused with tooth decay, or stained teeth) can also be caused by the tetracycline family of antibiotics. Either your mother took the antibiotic before you were born, or it was given to you while you were still young. Fortunately, tetracycline does not affect teeth after they have finished growing (unlike minocycline, above, which causes grey stains on the teeth not only while they are developing, but also after they are fully formed).
DRY MOUTH doesnt sound like a big deal, but if you have it, you know it. There are literally hundreds of drugs and drug combinations that can cause it. While you can always chew gum or drink water to wet your whistle, dry mouth is very hard on teeth. It is associated with tooth decay and gum disease (gingivitis), and makes it harder to wear dentures. Do not simply overlook it or your next dental checkup could be a shock. After your bright smile, people probably notice your hair. Here again, a prescription can change its thickness, color, and appearance. HAIR LOSS is usually associated with chemotherapy and immunosuppressive drugs, but a huge number of medications can cause it. The American Hair Loss Association has a thorough list on their website. There may not be any warning about this side effect on the package insert of your prescription. Some people can experience a little hair thinning, while others may get full-blown alopecia. If you do have a reaction, it may not occur for several weeks, because of the cyclic way hair grows. Watch out for steroids and all hormone preparations (e.g. birth control pills), cholesterol-lowering drugs, medications for arthritis and gout, Paxil and other antidepressants, naproxen and other Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS), atenolol and other beta blockers, Coumadin and other blood thinners, Synthroid and other thyroid medications, and ulcer medicines like Pepcid, Tagamet, and Zantac. Some other recognizable drugs on the list include Accutane, Depakote, Haldol, Klonopin, Lithium, and Ritalin.
CHANGES IN HAIR COLOR, and changes in the way your hair responds to hair dye, can be caused by a new medication. If your dye job looks different, consider if you have changed your meical regimen lately. Sometimes hair dyes simply will not be effective until you stop taking the offending drug. Some antibiotics, such as doxycycline, may cause portions of your hair to turn a different shade, or may fade your hair color in general. Thyroid medications sometimes make hair darker. Other drugs that can affect hair color include blood thinners and diuretics, as well as the medication heptaminol (used with dialysis). Changes in hair color may affect eyebrows, eyelashes, mustaches and beards.DRY, DULL, BRITTLE HAIR can be caused by medications that target the skin, such as dandruff shampoos and medications for psoriasis and eczema. Also on the list of culprits: blood-thinning medications, hormones (e.g. birth control pills), heart medications, cholesterol-lowering drugs, diabetes medications, certain antidepressants, medications to combat hepatitis, immunosuppressive medications, and anti-cancer drugs. Although they dont fall under the category of drugs, major illnesses, surgery, and gastric bypass can all cause brittle hair. Now that people have noticed your bright smile and shining hair, they will undoubtedly notice your skin. These medications can affect the look of your complexion.
DRY SKIN can be caused by acne medicines (which dry out the skin on purpose), diuretics (which are used to draw liquid out of the body), thyroid medication, cholesterol-lowering drugs, and antihistamines. Some antidepressants, but not all, can cause dry skin (e.g. Zoloft, Paxil). If you notice a new prescription is drying out your skin, see if your doctor can switch you to a different drug before you go out and buy moisturizer ACNE can be a side effect of many different prescriptions, as well as a side effect of combining drugs. Anyone who has been a teenager or had a menstrual period knows that hormones can cause acne, as can steroids (which affect hormones) and oral contraceptives (although some birth control pills can improve skin). Acne can also be caused by barbiturates, lithium, some anticonvulsants and anti-seizure medicines, certain antidepressants, sobriety medications (e.g. Antabuse), preparations used to stimulate the thyroid, medications that contain iodine, and immunosuppressants (e.g. Cyclosporine). INCREASED FACIAL HAIR can be caused by steroids, because they affect your hormones. PHOTOSENSITIVITY is sensitivity to the sun. Certain drugs either applied topically or taken orally can cause your skin to react when it is exposed to sunlight. This is actually a tricky subject that includes phototoxic, photoallergic, and other types of skin reactions that can extend to parts of your body that were not even exposed to the sun. Symptoms can range from redness to blisters and worse, depending on the specific drug and your individual response to it. Most doctors will remember to warn you to stay out of the sun if you are going to be taking antibiotics from the tetracycline family (for example, doxycycline for Lyme Disease). Other antibiotics that can cause sun sensitivity are the fluoroquinolones (e.g. Cipro) and the sulfonomides (e.g. Bactrim). I was surprised to find out that some NSAIDS, such as ibuprofen (e.g. Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (e.g. Aleve), can cause problems with the sun. Other medications include acne treatments, antidepressants (e.g. Elavil, Prozac), anti-fungals, antihistamines (e.g. Atarax, Benadryl), anti-psychotics (e.g. Compazine), anxiety medications (e.g. Xanax, Sinequan), benzocaine topical anesthetic, lidocaine (e.g. Lanacane), blood pressure medications, chemotherapy drugs, cholesterol and triglyceride medicines, diuretics, heart medications, hormonal preparations (including estrogen patches, oral contraceptives, and the Depo-Provera injection), and drugs for diabetes, epilepsy, mental disorders and rheumatoid arthritis. Last but not least are drugs that prevent malaria and yes, certain sunscreens!
Believe it or not, I could keep going. So my advice is that before you take a new prescription, ask your doctor if there are any side effects to watch for. Doctors sometimes dont bring these up because they are afraid the patient will worry unnecessarily about them or, worse, imagine they have them. Read the fine print on the package insert that comes with your medication. If you dont receive a package insert, just ask the pharmacist for one, or go online and retrieve the same information. Pharmacists are also a great source of information about side effects, since they deal with people taking myriad prescriptions all day. Talk to your pharmacist before you have your prescription filled. If you do notice a side effect that troubles you, talk to your doctor. He or she may be able to switch you to another medication that is just as effective but does not affect you the same way.Nellie Sabin is a freelance editor and writer who has published ten books on a variety of subjects. She can be reached at www.nelliesabin.tumblr.com.
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