Does Inderal LA Cause Weight Gain?
There are a number of possible side effects with
Inderal® LA (
propranolol hydrochloride sustained-release). Gradual weight gain, however, does not appear to be one of them. This data comes from clinical trials that extensively studied this medication and documented its side effects; however, gradual weight gain has been reported rarely with other
beta blockers. Rapid weight gain, on the other hand, is a reported side effect with all beta blockers, including
Inderal LA.
Understanding Clinical Trials
Before medicines are approved, they must go through several clinical studies in which thousands of people are given a particular medicine and compared to a group of people who were not given the medicine. In these studies, side effects are always documented. This way, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine. Side effects are then usually separated into those that occur in more than 1 percent of people (common) and those that occur in less than 1 percent of people (rare).
For people taking Inderal LA, gradual weight gain was not reported as either a common or rare side effect.
Rapid Weight Gain With Inderal LA
One very important point to keep in mind related to Inderal LA and weight gain is that all beta blockers, including this one, may make
congestive heart failure worse or, in some cases, even cause
heart failure. One of the main symptoms is unexplained weight gain. In fact, people with
symptoms of congestive heart failure can often have rapid weight gain over a couple of days. This is often combined with other symptoms, such as a cough and/or swelling in the ankles, feet, or legs. Make sure to contact your healthcare provider if you notice unexplained weight gain or swelling.
