Spiriva Weight Gain Side Effects (Page 4) (Top voted first)

I've talked about this problem before concerning the side effects from Spiriva. The only side effect I've experienced was a sudden, and seemingly permanent weight gain. In spite of efforts to lose the weight I've had no success whatsoever. I've gained weight from other medications in the past only to lose it when the medication was discontinued. Not so with Spiriva. It has been almost three years since I've used the inhaler but yet the added weight persists. I should mention that all of the added weight has been on the midsection and nowhere else! To make matters worse has been a disended abdomen to go along with it. I contacted the drug company right after it happened and, naturally, they acted as if it was new to them! I'm not the only one this has happened to. Although a rare side effect it has been a problem for others, the same as mine. This thing is ruining lives, and should be pulled from the market. It won't be though...profits are the name of this terrible game. Bill.

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I have been on spiriva for about 5-6 months. In that time I have gained 35-40lbs all in the midsection. I just stopped taking spiriva on my own and will be talking to my lung doctor. I have bad knees and now with this weight gain they hurt more then ever and I figure it's from the weight gain. I'm glad I read this and I hope I caught mine in time to lose this weight.

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There are other options, including both steroid inhalers (which are known to cause weight gain) and non-steroid inhalers. Unfortunately, I have no choice as I had an anaphylactic reaction to one of the non-steroids and since there is more than one medication in it then my pulmonologist has no idea which one caused the problem. Finding out could be detrimental so I'm stuck with Spiriva. Such is life! But I AM losing weight on a low-carb/high-protein/low total calorie diet - a whole 9 lb. in 14 months, but it's better than nothing.

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You described my problem exactly ! I have always been of slim build but I now have a huge stomach and look pregnant and have been blaming it on my hernia operation . I had no idea that it may be caused by something else like this !

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I have been on Spiriva for almost 10 yrs and I can tell you without a doubt that there has been weight gain all in the midsection, extreme bloating and a stomach that looks so pregnant it's pathetic. The bloat has increased over the years...it started below the navel and continued through the years to where it now pushes up on the diaphragm..the distention has actually made the stomach itself bloat. So I can't breathe because of the COPD and asthma but this you know is causing me undue stress on my lack of air. Whatever is happening to me is absurd...I look absurd. Everyday looking at least 8 months pregnant...exhausted lugging this big old gut around. The abdomen actually is weighted...very heavy....like the entire abdomen has sucked in every ounce of water and holds onto it.

Recently called Boehringer Ingelheim the pharmaceutical company and I did register this complaint...I asked the intake nurse if this was ever reported before and she said no ....I told her that I knew that was what she was going to say because others in this chat room said that happened to them when they called and reported these reactions and asked if anyone else reported it they were told no. I have had it checked out with the gastro Doctor and I passed all his evaluations... My pulmonogist isn't aware of this side effect nor is my cardiologist who I see for Afib and Aflutter ......these arrhythmias started 2 years after being on Spiriva. I'm a female, age 73 ....lung function 33% ...On oxygen support 24/7 ...drug sensitive. The meds I'm taking are: Cardizem, Ranexa, Eliquis, Lasix, spiriva, ventolin, asthmanex.

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Thank you for the telephone number, I have been taking it for about three weeks and my stomach is swollen as well. I am hoping that it will go down because I am only taking it a short time.

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Unfortunately, there is nothing to be done if, like me, Spiriva is the only med for emphysema you're not allergic to. The drug companies deny that weight gain, especially in the mid section, is a side effect no matter how many people contact them about it. They even denied it when both my primary care physician and my pulmonologist contacted them after asking their other patients on Spiriva - and all of them complained of weight gain. Welcome to what is probably the unhappiest forum on the web! Happy New Year.

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I'm on 1200-1500 calories a day - have been for about two years now - and exercise aerobically 20-30 minutes a day four and sometimes five days a week on the treadmill. All I've managed to do is lose a whole 9 lbs. but I've kept that off. However, that's it. Apparently your pharmacist is not on Spiriva. My pharmacist isn't, either, but he has heard the complaints about weight gain from many of his customers who are on Spiriva. My pulmonologist has heard the same from his other patients who are on Spiriva and has even called the drug companies, both the manufacturer and the distributor, about it.

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Refer your pulmonologist and pharmacist to this forum. They might just learn something. My pulmonologist did when I referred him to this forum; he asked his other patients on Spiriva about weight gain and when he found that many of them had the same problem he called the drug company. They denied they had ever heard of it despite the fact that many people on this forum had contacted them about it.

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The exact thing happened to me......was put on Spiriva back in 2006 and in 7 months time I put on 20 lbs all in the mid section...plus the bloating is horrible.
Never had a weight problem in my life until this.

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Hello, I have been diagnosed with a diastasis recti,which I relate to the taking of Spiriva.

I have gained so much weight since taking Spiriva, just this past month, 12 pounds. I have serious back issues, and I am scheduled for back surgery next month. Having this distended stomach makes my back pain unbearable.

My weight is all around my midsection. I am a female.

I went to the doctor, yesterday, and no one recognized me as I now look. I felt so ashamed inasmuch as I used to model, so my humiliation was astounding.

Today, I am starting a fruit only diet!

I cannot bear carrying all of this stomach weight around.

I am thinking that the plague of the appearance of a distended stomach, among all of us, may be diastasis recti, caused by the Spiriva.

I would suggest being examined by your doctor for diastasis recti, that is caused by all of the midsection weight gain.

Let all of us grossly affected by Spiriva, start a class-action against Spiriva, to force Spiriva off of the market, and to prevent anyone else from being cursed with the unsightly body one gains as a result of using Spiriva.

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Re: shirty (# 164)

Same problem we're all having and the drug companies still will not admit that Spiriva causes weight gain. I don't know about anyone here, but I have no answers for you. Nothing has worked for me to get rid of the excess weight but at least I'm staying fairly steady on a very strict 1000 calorie diet. I can't go without Spiriva for more than 30 hours or so, I've tried - I start having difficulty breathing after that and the last time I tried to go longer, like maybe 48 hours, my husband bodily dragged me to the ER where they gave me a rescue inhaler and oxygen - and I got a good tongue-lashing from my pulmonologist. I can't even change medications because I seem to be allergic to other medications used to treat emphysema except steroids - and steroids are KNOWN to cause weight gain, so what's the use.

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Re: Kdawg (# 124)

Hi im 64yr old in Australia dr put me on.spiriva for on set asthma ,took it 7 weeks stopped a mth ago still bloated weight gain ,im just using ventolin i need something else that doesnt swell my stomach heat wave here makes breathing harder .please cont me if you have any ideas thanks.

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Re: David (# 170)

I don't know exactly what impact brush fires and sugar cane burning have on someone with lung disease, but I have heard about what they do to the air even temporarily and imagine it's awful. As long as you're doing well on your Ventolin, stick with it. Finding a caring doctor isn't all that easy, which is why I no longer have a primary, but my pulmonologist is a gem! Take care!

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Re: William (# 1)

I recently started using Spiriva and I know what you're saying about weight gain. I didn't realize it was from the inhaler but it has started recently. Also, bloated. What do I need to do.

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Herb (# 188) --

once again Herb, Have you ever taken this med? are you with some drug company? just wondering, there are deep side effects to this drug, and it is a last resort kind of a med, there is nothing else many of us can not take this drug does make you gain weight, we users of this drug see it, once fit individuals gain absorbent amounts in only one section of the body, not arms or legs, if we were over eating it would go through your body not in one area, so please listen to Judith and kindly exit your views as someone who does not know personally, how this drug effects people, and yes, the dry mouth is a huge issue I am constantly drinking water, but 5 pounds a month water gain is not what is going on, I know I do not have 100 pounds of water weight, it would not all be in one certain area

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Re: William (# 1)

Please pass on any information. I'm having same problem.

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Re: Herb (# 197)

It's not a pill Herb, if you were on the med you would know, and what weight gain from eating only in on section of your body, you are NOT reading comments that we are directing to you,

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Re: Herb (# 197)

Enough already! Spiriva is not a pill, does not make anyone hungry, does not cause water retention. Please, just go away and let those of us who actually do take Spiriva exchange our experiences without having to bother with someone who thinks he knows it all about the medication but actually knows nothing.

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Judith (# 201) - Ive done extensive research on spriva and i am bloen away by what i found out. over extensive use it can lead to catarcs high blood pressure in the eyes.and a few other things i cant remember it has a list of stuff that happens to people who use it over a peroid of time. none of this is even on the leaflet you get with your spriva box . i have decided to quit using all but my rescue inhaler. and i feel great. i can finiallty breathe like a normal person. 2 yrs ago i questioned my pulmp dr. if i really had copd or if it was just adult asmath. he got sooo enraged that i questioned his diahniosis. i told him look i was just getting over phamonia when you had me do those breathing test i still couldnt breathe normal yet. he didnt wanna hear any of it and said the test dont lie.what ever. i'm in hte process of getting a second opinion on my copd diagniosis. in the up comming months. i have been off my inhalers for 2 wks now and i have energy like i never had before . dont tell me it doesnt effect you metabolism oh yes it does.

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Re: jessee (# 202)

Hi Jessee, i also had bad effects from spiriva i stopped using it ,just using ventolin otc ,my dr doesnt seem to know much about onset asthma except told me probly caused by smoking ! Iv put on so much stomach weight since spiriva bit scared to quit smoking ( iv cut down ) that i will put on more weight ,i just dont know iv lost faith in medical world .stay well.

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