Prescriptions that pack on pounds - WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-

Belinda Marsh with Centerpoint Energies is surrounded by numbers, including her own.

"This was 30 pounds ago," she said.

Then the mother of two started taking insulin.

"I quickly gained about 20 pounds within three months," she said. "Of course no woman wants to gain that type of weight."

It turns out many common prescriptions can cause weight gain. Like mood stabilizing drugs or what we call anti- psychotics as well as anti-seizure medications and hypertension meds.

Scientists know weight gain happens, but sometimes they don't know why.

Doctors tell us there is some good news on the horizon-- newer classes of drugs for many conditions.

"They are weight neutral or encourage weight loss," said Dr. Anoop Agrawal of Baylor College of Medicine.

And of course old-fashioned hard work works to get rid of the pounds.

"It takes a strong-willed patient who's willing to work hard," Agrawal said.

And that is Belinda Marsh. Her company, Centerpoint, actually has a gym in her downtown office building. She is there at least 4-5 times a week.

Of course doctors always recommend exercise and suggest a 5- to 10-pound weight gain is more typical. But each person's body, any medications they may taking and the amount of exercise they can do all varies from person to person.

For Marsh that's meant not putting on more weight, getting buff and frankly looking pretty good.

"I'm 52 years old and I have other issues as well," she said. "I'm just not going to give up."

Click here for a list of prescription medications that can put on unwanted pounds.