Spiriva Weight Gain Side Effects (Page 6)

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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I have been on Spiriva for couple of years and I have gained so much weight. If you have COPD..what are you supposed to take? The only place my clothes don't fit are in the waist and my stomach is so swollen. I'm always miserable . Sure doesn't help the depression either.

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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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I totally agree with you. Nine years on this drug and it was sudden weight gain and has been continuous right in the mid section.

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I was put on Spiriva about 8 months ago and I have also put on over 60 lbs. I had quit smoking right before that but hadn't notice that my eating habits changed. My doctor tried to convince me that he sure my eating habits did change. But anyways I know its not. I'm going to have my doctor switch me back to Advair.

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I agree on the weight gain conclusion. I have the same symptoms plus edema now

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Me too! I have been on Sprivia for 1 1/2 years and stopped smoking for 6 years. i gained 15 pounds and couldn't figure out why because i didn't gain all that weight when i stopped smoking. it was only until i used sprivia. I use sprivia and dulera. i have been on diets and lost nothing. and, it's all in my stomach. I never had a stomach before.. does anybody have any suggestions other that sprivia? and, i had asked my med doctor when he put me on sprivia if it gains weight and he said no..

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Wow. I am glad I came across this info. I have been on Spiriva for over a year now. I have gained about 50 pounds. I was assuming it was some other medication I was on until my Pain Management Doctor told me it was possibly the Spiriva. I did the Daniel Fast in Jan. 30 Days of no meat, dairy products, sweets or anything leavened. I was sure during that time I would lose a significant amount of weight, but didn't. That is the last thing someone with COPD and spine pain needs is to gain that much weight!

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All to familiar. Has anyone out there with COPD done the Stem Cell treatment? I was prepared to go to Tampa Fl to do it but just learned one was available in Scottsdale. Very pricey and NOT covered by insurance yet. Please, need some feedback. thank you.

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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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It's not covered by insurance because it's still experimental. Furthermore, your emphysema has to be life-threatening to the point where oxygen doesn't help much before you'd be considered. However, there is surgery to remove damaged alveoli, but that's a temporary fix and not too many pulmonologists recommend it.

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Actually money is not the REAL issue. I'm wondering if it works. Of course THEY say it will but wanna hear from anyone that's had it done

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The very same thing has happened to me. Despite trying and trying to lose the weight with every imaginable diet, program, food elimination I cannot lose the weight. I started putting it on right after beginning taking it. I have ALWAYS been a petite woman with a small waist. Now I cannot lose the weight despite all my efforts to diet, eat right, drink plenty of water. I walk 3 miles every day, I really do not know what to do.

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Actually this was put in the wrong place! I,m talking about COPD stem cell treatment

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Yes, we know. I answered that it was experimental and that insurance will not pay. Also, I forgot to mention that the criteria for eligibility in the study are very strict.

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Judith do you happen to know what the criteria is? I've talked to them extensively and they claim 85% success rate. I would like to talk to someone in the other 15% category.

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As far as I know from my prior contact with two clinics and research on the web, the criteria are your age, other serious medical conditions such as heart disease or diabetes, how far the disease has progressed, what prior treatment has been tried, and your pulmonologist's recommendation. However, after I looked into it I felt that the potential risks far outweighed the possible benefits. Here are the risks: autoimmune reaction, cancer, and infection. Then there's the unknown to consider. I discussed it with my pulmonologist and he agreed - and would not recommend it until it is no longer experimental but proven and given full FDA approval. Talk to your pulmonologist; that's the recommendation you should follow, not the word of anyone in this forum, including me. I just gave an opinion based on your question but your pulmonologist knows you better than anyone and that's where you should look for answers to any other questions you may have.

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I have seen a nutritionist, cardiologist, internist, and two gastroenterologists, so I don't Doctor shop as it implies. I was just desperate to find why I had weight gain in my stomach. The pulmonologist has me on spiriva and inhalers for COPD. I use oxygen at night. I researched every conceivable thing except spiriva. Am intolerant of ad air, cymbicort. Seems I am stuck since I need help to breathe! Am 84, active but have been limited for more than a few years. I naturally happened upon this site and so glad I did.

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I know what you mean! I'm 75 and have been fighting the Spiriva weight gain for almost three years, ever since I was diagnosed with emphysema. My pulmonologist believed me about the weight gain, especially after he asked his other patients about it and they confirmed that they had gained weight on the Spiriva with no changed in diet or exercise. Most of them had not made the connection before, however, just like most of the people who found this forum. Anyway, he tried me on Symbicort but I had an anaphylactic reaction to it so I'm right back on Spiriva as he doesn't want to take chances on another anaphylactic reaction with another unknown inhaler, and Spiriva is working for me other than the weight gain. I've been on essentially a diabetic diet (I'm not diabetic or even pre-diabetic) and exercise three days a week, and have managed to lose a few pounds but at least I haven't gained any more, but it's hard work.

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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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