AboutDr Alan Galbraith Expertise I can answer most questions on most drugs. Answers can be given in either technical or layperson terminology. My main areas of interest are psychiatric, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular drugs.
Experience I have been a university lecturer/head of department for almost thirty years, but am now retired. My research interests were alcohol, smoking and cardiovascular disease.
Organizations Institute of Biology, London.
Publications Author of "Fundamentals of Pharmacology" 5th Edition published in November 2007 by Pearson Education, Australia.
Question Hello, how are you going? My name is Christina and I live in Australia. I was just wondering if either of the medications nasonex nasal spray, or claratyne for hayfever (I think they call it claritin in America) can make you put on weight. I have been skinny all my life (I am 38), and as soon as I started taking them, I put on weight. Do you think it could be anything to do with them? Thanks heaps for your time :-) Kind Regards, from Christina
Answer Dear Christina
Nasonex when used as a nasal spray is not absorbed appreciably into the circulation to cause any weight gain. This group of drugs, the corticosteroids when taken by mouth can cause an apparent weight gain mainly due to water retention. I would therefore discount completely the Nasonex as being involved,
Claratyne, is an antihistamine of the non-sedating type because it does not cross into the brain areas to cause sedation but will act on other parts of the body to decrease allergic responses. The older sedating antihistamines often caused an increase in appetite and thus weight gain and some were actually (and still are) used to help people with low weight problems. As appetite is controlled via the brain the non-sedating ones are much less inclined to have this effect. However, some does cross into the brain and in a few persons who take this drug weight gain does occur. You may just be unlucky to be in this group. I would advise that you change from Claratyne to another of the non-sedating types and see how you get on. In Australia you can buy Xyzal or Aerius without a prescription. I would try Xyzal first as Aerius is more closely related to Claratyne but could be better for you. If you find your weight is still a problem I would see your doctor to exclude other reasons if your eating and/or exercising habits have not changed dramatically.
