Those extra seven pounds you just gained might not be due to what you're eating. It could be the pills you're taking that are packing on the weight.

Surprisingly, certain medicines can cause significant weight changes, which can be challenging for anyone wanting to shed pounds or maintain weight.

Weight side effects are common in medicines used for diabetes, high-blood pressure and mental health conditions. Significant weight gain can be caused by steroids for cancer treatment and birth control pills, while some antidepressants like Prozac® and Wellbutrin® are known for weight loss.

"Because of the stigma of weight gain, patients may tend to stop taking their medicines or decrease their dosage without talking to their physician," says Ryan Roux, PharmD and chief pharmacy officer of Harris County Hospital District in Houston, Texas. "Doing this is a bad thing. It can affect your health in a number of negative ways."

It's important for patients to tell their physicians about any weight changes. The weight gains or losses could mean reassessing types of medicine or dosages taken. Additionally, gaining weight could increase the chances of developing type 2 diabetes, hypertension or high cholesterol.

Here's a list of some common medications and their weight side effects listed by brand and generic name, courtesy of the Harris County Hospital District's Drug Information Center.

Diabetes
Weight promoting:

• Actos® (pioglitazone)
  
• Amaryl® (glimepiride)
  
• Insulins

Weight loss or weight neutral:

• Byetta® (exenatide)
  
• Januvia® (sitagliptin)
  
• Symlin® (pramlintide)
  
• Metformin
  
• Precose® (acarbose)

Hypertension
Weight promoting:

• Lopressor ® (metoprolol)
  
• Tenormin® (atenolol)
  
• Inderal® (propranolol)
  
• Norvasc® (amlodipine)
  
• Clonidine

Antidepressants
Weight promoting:

• Paxil® (paroxetine)
  
• Zoloft® (sertraline)
  
• Amitripyline
  
• Remeron® (mirtazapine)

Weight loss or weight neutral:

• Wellbutrin® (bupropion)
  
• Prozac® (fluoxetine)

Antipsychotic
Weight promoting:

• Clozaril® (clozapine)
  
• Zyprexa® (olanzapine)
  
• Risperdal® (risperidone)
  
• Seroquel® (quetiapine)
  
• Lithium
  
• Valproic Acid
  
• Carbamazepine

Antiepileptic Drugs
Weight promoting:

• Carbamazapine
  
• Neurontin® (gabapentin)

Weight loss or weight neutral:

• Lamictal® (lamotrigine)
  
• Topamax® (topiramate)
  
• Zonegran® (zonisamide)

For more information about the effects of your prescription medicines, consult your physician or pharmacist.

--From the Editors at Netscape