Vivek Sharma Vivek Sharma Asked 4 months ago

Does methotrexate cause weight gain?

I've been taking Methotrexate for my autoimmune condition for a while now. I've noticed my weight has gone up significantly. Could this medicine be causing weight gain?

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5 answers

Kriti Joshi Kriti Joshi Joined Jan 2026 4 months ago
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Honestly, I felt like I put on a bit of weight when I started it, but my doctor said it's mostly water retention and fatigue making me move less. Just try to stay a bit active and don't stress too much about the scale right now.

Aditya Varma Aditya Varma Joined Jan 2026 4 months ago

It doesn't directly cause fat gain like steroids do, but fatigue can lower your daily calorie burn. I tracked my steps and kept an eye on my daily activity using my fitness band, which helped me manage my weight while on this medication.

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Saraswati Iyer Saraswati Iyer Joined Apr 2026 4 months ago

Sometimes the body holds onto water when we are on heavy treatments. Gentle pranayama and light walking really helped me keep my metabolism stable and reduced the heavy feeling in my body during my treatment days.

Thomas Mathew Thomas Mathew Joined Jan 2026 4 months ago

Direct weight gain isn't a very common side effect of methotrexate itself, unlike prednisone. However, if you are feeling bloated or noticed sudden swelling, you should let your clinic know so they can check your kidney and liver functions.

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Sanjay Pandey Sanjay Pandey Joined May 2026 4 months ago

Look, don't blame the medicine completely for weight gain. Often we eat more comfort food because we feel low or tired on methotrexate days. Keep your diet simple and ghar ka khana, and the weight won't go up.

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