Megestrol and Weight Gain: What Users Say

• HKa...
• April 8, 2021

For Endometrial Cancer "I was on Megace for uterine cancer. I was diagnosed early with stage one uterine cancer when I was 34. I hadn’t had children yet and was hoping to conceive still. My doctor said we could try this medication before doing a hysterectomy since my cancer was a low grade. I was also in the middle of a weight loss journey so the side effect of weight gain freaked me out. I was on Megestrol for 6 months and beat uterine cancer with this drug. Additionally, with a strong mental attitude, I was able to work out and lose weight on this medication and did not let myself overeat. I’m almost 36 now and currently pregnant with a baby girl. I was desperate for stories like mine, but couldn’t find any when I went through all of this. If you’re in a situation like me, don’t give up hope. You’ve got this!!"

• Jul...
• April 22, 2014

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I have large fibroids and had such heavy bleeding that I had to have a blood transfusion. I have been taking Megestrol for 7 months and it has reduced my period to just spotting for a few days. A Godsend, since my iron and blood levels have gone up to normal. I cut the dose in half to 200 mg/day and it still works. Unfortunately, I have experienced weight gain, depression, fleeting pains in my body, worsened vision, joint stiffness, and more susceptibility to Candida. On the higher dose (400mg/day), I had some spontaneous bruising and ankle swelling. I am having a hysterectomy soon and will stop using this but thankfully the benefits outweighed the risks for me--at least short term."

• Jay...
• April 24, 2016

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I had heavy bleeding for several years, but within the last 3 years, I ended up in the hospital twice, in which I had to get several blood transfusions. I have only 1 fibroid, the size of a dime. I've had a DNC and ablation surgeries. I was prescribed megestrol in January after leaving the hospital. I was told to take 2 pills a day instead of 4. In February, when my menstrual came on, it has not gone off since, even though it is light. So I was told to take 4 a day, no change. I am getting tired of wearing pads every day. The side effects are some mood swings, every night, about 3 times, I wake up drenched in sweat. I've gained over 20 lbs. I really do not want a hysterectomy, but it seems I have no choice."

• Sto...
• April 1, 2017

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I was prescribed this because of heavy bleeding with my period because of a fibroid. At first, I was amazed because as soon as my period started, I took them, and it stopped within a few hours or a day. Then I started bleeding again after two weeks. I took it again. Two weeks later, spotting again. Now my period was heavy, but it was predictable before Megace. The only time I was ever late was when I was pregnant. But now, it's all over the place, when I don't take the Megace at the start of bleeding, it will be nonstop. I've had a light period for the past two weeks! Doesn't work anymore and causes weight gain. I hate it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 8, 2012

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "This medication has taken me on a roller coaster ride. I am oversensitive, moody, hypersensitive. I can't sleep and I have gained 8 lbs in 30 days. It does control the bleeding, but it is not worth putting up with the side effects."

• Car...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 3, 2018

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I started this drug exactly 4 weeks ago for stage 1 endometrial cancer. I’ve gained 17 pounds, mostly water. Trouble breathing, wheezing terribly. 4 doctors agreed this was the only option, now they are pushing me off of the other since my side effects started. Vision is blurred, and headaches are terrible. I was healthier with the cancer. This drug is horrible. It can cause scar tissue in your lungs on top of so many other things. It’s a very dangerous drug. Be careful. Pulmonologist in 2 days to go for a CT scan with contrast. This drug should be taken very seriously. The ER doctor said it could very well be a blood clot, but still wouldn’t do the CT scan. Ugh! It’s frustrating. Good luck."

• Che...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 3, 2019

For Unintentional Weight Loss (Underweight) "I was on Megace for over a year. Worked well for me at first. Gained a lot of weight rapidly. I ended up having the side effects after long-term use, and my adrenal glands became suppressed. I was sick for a few months after that and lost some of the weight I gained."

• Amb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 10, 2015

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "Given megestrol 40 mg twice a day after D and C. I started bleeding after 45 days of using it, weight gain, too much anger. Also, even hair started falling out. Very bad experience with it. Doctor gives me progesterone 200 mg, and still after taking it for 9 days, bleeding is still on. I don't know when this will stop, but I have the progesterone for 14 days and then stop it and see what will happen!"

• ann...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 9, 2022

For Unintentional Weight Loss (Underweight) "I was put on megestrol because I needed to gain some weight, and I had a very low appetite. I gained about 30 lbs in one month on 5 ml daily. My appetite was great. However, I had some not-so-great side effects. My nose and mouth were very dry, my period never came, I had low energy and rapid breathing most of the time, and developed what I believe is Cushing’s syndrome. My face ballooned up from moon face, and I gained a significant amount of stomach weight. I have now been off the medication for about a week, and most symptoms have receded, still waiting on the swelling to go down. But appetite is still good. Needed to be done. But side effects are brutal. I also had frequent urination and sweating when I would wake up. I also had difficulties staying asleep and falling asleep."

• Pep...
• November 6, 2017

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "58 years old and still having a period with heavy bleeding and clots due to fibroids. FSH and estrogen test results show no sign of menopause happening soon. Starting this medication, 3 days, 3 pills each day, then 2 days, 2 pills each day, then next 7 days, 1 pill per day. Just finished this pill cycle and no bleeding. I have a second prescription, but I always want to eat on this medication, and fighting not to eat all day is just wearing me out, along with chest pains and tired. And oh, did I mention eating... gained 5 pounds. Abdominal hysterectomy in 2 months."

• mac...
• December 3, 2014

Megestrol for Endometrial Hyperplasia "I took this after I had surgery on my ovaries. It gave me bad insomnia, hot flashes, and really bad weight gain. Once I was off of it, I was okay. I am once again on Megace for hyperplasia, and I am experiencing hot flashes and weight gain once again, but now within the month that I have been taking it, my blood sugar is going up, and I am fatigued all the time."

• Bri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 6, 2018

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I started this medication upon finding out I had PCOS. My OB prescribes progesterone for heavy bleeding, but it did not work. I ended up going to the ER for low hemoglobin due to constant bleeding and was given megestrol. It worked immediately, but I was told to stop taking it if trying to have a baby. My husband and I want to try, but two weeks after stopping, my period started again. I tried taking it again to see if it would stop, and two weeks later it hasn’t. Seems like it works the first round, after that, it isn’t effective. I did gain 12 pounds very fast while on it."

• Kat...
• August 6, 2016

For Endometrial Hyperplasia "Began taking this medication in April and still on it in August. I was bleeding heavily for 5 months. A biopsy revealed hyperplasia with atypia. This medication stopped my period but gave me intense night sweats, headaches, breast pain, and weight gain. I'll be having a hysterectomy in September."

• Amb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 10, 2015

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "Given megestrol 40 mg twice a day after D&C. I started bleeding after 45 days of using it, weight gain, too much anger. Even my hair started falling out. Very bad experience with it. Doctor gives me progesterone 200 mg, and still after taking it for 9 days, bleeding is still on. I don't know when this will stop, but I have the progesterone for 14 days and then stop it and see what will happen!"

• Sti...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 25, 2017

For Endometrial Hyperplasia "I was diagnosed with complex endometrial hyperplasia with atypia on 8/9/17 and began megestrol on 8/12/17. I slowly began experiencing common symptoms such as weight gain and increased appetite, but then I slowly started experiencing increased mood swings, irritability, insomnia, itchy body, and shortness of breath. What made me finally call the doctor on 9/19/17 was being up at 3 am with the inability to breathe. I was informed to discontinue due to allergic reactions. On 9/21/17, I began with joint pain and swelling in my hands and wrists. By Friday, 9/22/17, I couldn't function for myself at all. My entire left arm and both hands were useless, and I ended up in the ER where I learned this is all allergic reactions as well."

• sil...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 6, 2023

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I started taking it in 2019. I started out taking ten tablets a day, which was horrible for me. I can barely take a Tylenol. But I had been bleeding every two weeks, lasting two weeks. I thought I was gonna bleed to death. I had become anemic. My doctor prescribed it. It took a while to work. I have thickening of the uterine lining causing bleeding. I gained 20 lbs :( quick. But it stopped bleeding. But now it's raising my blood sugar. I can't have that. So back to the drawing board.:("

• DGa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 13, 2021

Megestrol "Megace makes me get hungry and look for something to eat! I gained 10 pounds since I have been on it. Works great!"