T1

kept me thin most of time. I kept not eating in order to get a better high. NOT GOOD for the old immune system. Gained an easy 10lbs since I've been clean.

MyGirlMimi

I got fat because of my opiate addiction. Sure, eating kills the high, but I felt I would die if I didn't eat. The sugar cravings are insane. It has a lot to do with the upset within your liver and it being overloaded with toxins. So too is the issue with the swelling (I have edema in my ankles and now lower calves and it gets really bad if I am abusing). It is signs of an overtaxed liver, the inability to relieve oneself (fellow opiates know what I mean on this one!). Also, opiates themselves can cause this, not just liver issues but it's one that scares me.

I DID get overweight from using. It is the reason for my weight issue right now and as soon as I get clean, I drop weight. You'd think that alone would be a catalyst for a successful recovery. But it just goes to show how powerful this disease is.

TRUTHSAYER

Thanks for the info. Much appreciated. Well, I woke up this morning & I'm achy allover, but starting to feel alive again. I'm always suprized @ how emotional I am when I start to "wake up". It's a gorgeous California day, & I'm going to get outside w/my little on today. It's always good to do that, it keeps my mind off the wiggles.

I'm suprized that so many of you LOST weight on opiates? Maybe it's that I was never all that interested in food before AT ALL, & on opiates I have a favorite resturaunt, I watch cooking shows, & I'm a freking Betty Crocker! So, is that the difference w/all you "weight-gainers" too? Just curious

bval

Yeah, there are no 'absolutes' when it comes to opiates and weight gain. I suspect a lot of the variance comes into play from 'other drugs' people are also using (pretty common), along with whether one or not one is completely BROKE due to their addiction or not ... you're more likely to lose weight when your unemployed and copping smack off the street than if you still have a job and get your meds from your doc with your insurance, IOW. Individual body chemistries also clearly come into play, as they always do with weight.

This being said, it's almost universal that opiate addicts look 'puffy' due to retaining water, they tend to get the circles under their eyes (making their eyes look sunken), and they tend to crave sugar and salt and just generally eat like s#it. As I say, how that diet affects them is determined by how much they eat overall, and their body chemistry.

Personally, I lost weight, but it didn't show that much cause I looked bloated. Course, I used to crush up my oxy's into my speed for the last year of my addiction, so ... plus I'm very tall and have never been remotely 'fat' in my life. Fast metabolism I guess But people who'd see what I would eat would always be like 'why are you not FAT?!?'. Hehehe. Never gonna happen

Lily

When I first discovered opitates in 1999, I lost 25 plus lbs. Now when I use them I blow every diet I am on. Of course, I too take them on an empty stomach, but after they kick in and "peak" I pig out! Sugary, junkie bad for you type of food. I gain when I use.

I am off them now for 46 days and am losing again. Sheila

peachy1005

so interesting to see the differences here- some lost/some gained - I think that I stayed about the same- but I would get the munchies too- I think I must just have the fast metabolism like bv- but so weird that so many had different responses in weight b/c of the opiates- I wonder if there is a scientific study done out there somewhere.

marle

Since I posed this question a year ago, I found out the real reason why my AD put on so much weight a year ago. She was smoking crack (her abf's DOC) and drinking heavily to come down from it. She stopped that and lost weight when she went back to "just" using opiates, mainly heroin. She did tell me though that when she is high she junks out and when she is jonesing she doesn't eat, so I think her weight still goes up and down 10 lbs or so. Marle

kari08

I have found that to be me too.. seem to think about snacking all the time. I have trouble with taking pills on an empty stomach (cause I don't have a stomach nor half my intestine) so the pills tend to sit there and just cause havoc. So once I start snacking I just keep it up. Salt then sugar, salty then sugary. And more pepsi than one should have in a week I think. I think I have actually had a weekend where I woke up with a pepsi at bedside and went back to bed with a fresh one and that was the only thing I drank all day.. eww.. that is bad now I look at that.

butterflylover

Hi marle. I'm addicted to Lortabs and wondered the same thing. I've been on them since about 2003? When I'm taking the pills I don't have an appetite, plus, as someone else said "I didn't want eating to ruin my buzz". But, in the last year, my belly hasn't gotten bigger. I'm still slim but have a belly. My liver isn't enlarged because the doctors have checked (I have Hepatitis C). Maybe the opiates are the reason. But, I don't know for sure...

mikke321

Hello MARLE,

I barely ever chime in on forums such as these, but more use them as a source for answers and information, but for the first time I coudn't help but registering and posting a reply simply becasue I was EXACTLY, and i mean exactly, in the same boat as how you are describing your daughter. After what i've been through - 50 lbs gained from over-eating on an opiate addiction - I sincerely don't think anyone can be of anymore help than I can to possibly assist in answering some of your questions and concerns you have about your daughter and the weight problem stemming from her opiate addiction.

I was an opiate addict myself, and I also had (I would say) the biggest "reverse" effect out of anyone or any case I have ever seen, where I gained approximately 50 lbs over a very short period of time. I always complained to others about this but they never understood it or believed it because no one thought any type of addict can actually gain weight and over eat.

Please dont hesitate to ask me anything as I can probably be of great help and insight to your daughters problem. I know i'm responding to a really old post, but if she's still dealing with this problem, I can give some great advice on the subject.

summernightfawn

I have to agree with the people that say they've gained weight. I was a very skinny child, and always underweight. Max, in my 20s I was 108. I was prescribed morphine and oxycodone by my doctor for fibromyalgia in 2007, and ever since I have been 130. It doesn't sound like a lot, but I am only 5'1". I apsolutely HATE the way I look anymore. I used to be so athletic, into modeling, even. And because of these opiates, the weight just seemed to stick to my bones.

On Saturday, I ran out of morphine. I am in withdrawal now...and in a lot of pain. But I actually don't feel hungry. For the first time in many years, I don't feel hungry all the time! I am going to ask my pain doctor if there are any other drug classes other than opiates that will help kill my pain. I've tried OTC meds, to no avail. Maybe barbituates? Has anyone gained weight on those?

Summer

threegirls

i definitely have been struggling with the weight thing since coming off opiates. i gained at least 15 in treatment and have 3 months sober and i know i have never weighed this much before. it's depressing, but i would rather have my sobriety and i know i can work on the weight thing daily. But it does suck how quickly it all came on at once. Carbs, carbs, carbs, and sweets. i also snack alot at night time. Especially when i can't sleep.

jazz66

If you have the cash you will put on weight when using opiats
if you dont opiats come first.

mumbai78

Opiate killed my appetite completely. I can't remember a day I ate when I was high. The only time i had a huge appetite was when I was off them for more than a day.

bellomello

I gained weight over the years. I've found that my appetite goes when I have not had any pills but the second I take them I want to munch on stuff all day long.

Zee413

I recently got off heroin that I started in february of this year. I'm only 5 ft 1 and I've always been on the. Igger side due to drinking... 140 lbs. After I had my appendix removed I lost 25 pounds in a month. i got down to 118 pounds! Then started school and ate like crap and got back up to 130. Once i started doing heroin i only ate cereal. Sometimes other things but I was never really hungry cuz i was always high. i was 117 pounds when I quit. that was 2 weeks ago. now im 130. I feel heavy and tight from the weight gain in such a short amount of time. WHY am I gaining like this?? It's awful!! The onky pants i can wear are sweats cuz all my jeans and shirts are for someone who's 120 pounds. I'm def. not a size 4 anymore... More like a 8. I'm so sad. I've been eating healthy and everything but i just keep gaining....