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Lyrica and weight gain

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Posted 8/1/2008 9:44 PM (GMT 0)
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/youropinions.php?opinionid=11339

My doctor just prescribed me Lyrica, 75 mg once a day.  well.....first I saw Poco's post...then I went searching.  If you go to the above posted site...it's some scary stuff!!!  I dont know if the weight gain is from overeating or not...but...yippppes...not sure if I should try it.  I struggle enough to keep my weight down, how could a drug for pain, make people gain incredible amounts of weight???  Has anyone here on Lyrica gained weight?

 

Now I dont know what to do

 

Hugs

Diane

 

Posted 8/2/2008 1:42 AM (GMT 0)
Diane, you know I've never tried lyrica. It is a big decision but as bad as you have been the past week or so it might be worth a try just for awhile. Everyone doesn't have the side affects. My sister has been on neuronton for years with no weight gain or any side affects. It sure works for her diabetic neuropathy.

 

No matter what you decide I sure hope you sleep tonight.

 

luv and hugs

Marlee

Posted 8/2/2008 3:14 AM (GMT 0)

Diane, I tried Lyrica, for about 4 days, gained 6 pounds and stopped it...really scared me...I can't afford to gain any weight. It was definitely not the right medication for me.

take care,

Miriam

Posted 8/2/2008 3:26 AM (GMT 0)
I'm on it. Gained weight. I'm not sure where the weight came from on me. I guess my appetite increased at first. I also have some fluid off and on. Or maybe it just decreases the ability to burn calories. Not sure, but my pain and life were out of control and I was desperate. I'm started trying to loose the weight when my pain became better, then the tendonitis in both feet happened, so not sure what to do, but Lyrica has greatly helped me with FM.

Posted 8/2/2008 12:00 PM (GMT 0)
I have been on lyrica for a little over a month now. Have I gained weight? I'm afraid to check the scale. My appetite has grown and I am trying to pull the reins on that, but the benefit of the drug has been tremendous. I am actually out of pain now for long lengths of time!!. I wouldn't give up lyrica unless I really had to. But I don't plan on that happening any time soon.

Hope this helps.

Lindaloo
Posted 8/2/2008 3:38 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Diane, I just tried Lyrica for the second time and I don't care for it any more this time than I did the last time. The 1st time I was given 25mg 1x a day. It didn't do anything helpful. I have had a bunch of stuff go wrong as of late, had to go to ortho dr. due to my body developing tendenosis. This dr. gave me Lyrica at 75mg 1x a day, w/ the plan to up it to 2x a day in 2 wks.

I have heard so much about the weight gain, I decided to limit myself to what I could have - food and drink. I have a bland diet as it is but I made myself drink tea, herbal instead of iced tea. My usual tea is decaf w/ lemon skip the sugar. I also upped my water intake, I usually have my water bottle w/ me at all times. I have lentil soup for lunch usually every day. I can't stand the smell of beef anymore, so basically I eat mostly chicken, sorry Chutz lol. I do not own a scale, I can feel the difference in my jeans.

As annoying as the weight gain is, I am concerned w/ another aspect. I had been getting pains in my head, left temple area. My pcp dx w/ Trigeminal Neuralgia. Since it wasn't TOOOO bad we were going to hold off w/ meds. Since this last try w/ Lyrica, the TN has been horrible. The pain is more frequent, several times per hr. I spoke w/ ortho dr, asked if Lyrica could be causing this increase in pain. He said it might, he hasn't heard one way or the other re this. He then said it could be an aneurysm, maybe not, didn't think I was having a stroke, bring it to my pcp's attention so she could follow up. What kind of an ans is that?!

I know this doesn't ans any ????, but I thought I would share my experiences w/ this drug. Hope you have a good day. God bless. Alice 

Posted 8/2/2008 4:56 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for starting this thread, Diane. My foggy brain missed it this morning.

My concerns are the same as yours. The link you posted was an eye-opener. I don't want the weight gain or the possible 2 weeks of hell getting used to the drug.

That said, if I don't at least try it, I may be missing out on something that would really help my FM. I wish I wasn't so wishy-washy :)
Posted 8/2/2008 5:03 PM (GMT 0)
Diane, I have been on lyrica since October. I have gained 30 pounds and I was already way too heavy. But lyrica is the ONLY med I've taken in 24 years that has actually helped my sleep (a lot) and decreased pain. That includes almost all narcotics. Diane
Posted 8/2/2008 6:10 PM (GMT 0)

 HI Diane,

 I've had good results using Lyrica.   I have been taking Lyrica for serveral months now.  I did gain about 10 pounds the first week but I haven't gained anymore since then.  Before I started taking it, I had this terrible pain and a burining sensation in the back of my neck on the right side.  That lasted for a about a year.  Once I started taking Lyrica the pain and burn went away.  No other meds had helped before that.  I even had steriod shots directly in the neck but that would last only about 3 to 4 week and then all the symptoms would come back.

  If I take it during the day, it really makes me loopey and I can't focus at all so I take 150 mg at night before bed.   It does help me sleep better as well as keep the burning ensation away.

 Hope this helps too :o)

Posted 8/2/2008 11:01 PM (GMT 0)

thank you sooooo very much for all your input!!  I went to the mall with my youngest son today and we stopped at Burger King, as I was waiting for him to get our food, all I could see around me was overweight people...and I am like...whoa..that might be me in a couple of weeks or months should I decide to take this drug. It's not vanity, I have struggled to keep the weight down for 5 yrs..and now that I stopped the prednisone..the weight is comiing off.  I gained 15 - 20 lbs during my 5 yrs on prednisone.                        

 

Alice, I think there was something on that site I posted about a woman experiencing excruciating head pain..but not sure if it was before or after her Lyrica treatment.  I will try to find it, and if I do..I will post it here for you.

I am more afraid of taking the drug, then finding out that it is dangerous, and end up with another disease because of the extreme weight gains.

 

Still thinking about it......LOL

Hugs

Diane

Posted 8/3/2008 5:56 PM (GMT 0)
My doctor prescribed me Lyrica 75 mg 2 x daily for one week than 2 twice a day thereafter. Im really worried about gaining weight. Ive had a weight problem for years. Ive been on the medicine for 1 week. My left temple has been hurting and my right hand feels like its asleep. I also experience something weird last night. In the middle of the night I woke stretched out like my muscles were spasming. It scared me but only lasted a few seconds. Im really afraid to take anymore of the Lyrica. I plan on calling the doctor first thing Monday morning. Anyone else have these problems. And I really dont want to gain a pound, I felt worse when i was heavier.
Posted 8/4/2008 11:47 PM (GMT 0)

Diane, thank you. If you do find it, I would be very interested. I don't blame you for being careful, it is a concern.

Agravesgirl, the left temple was just horrible, but I didn't have the prob w/ my hands. I had the pain in temple before I started on the Lyrica, but not that intensity. I stopped the Lyrica but I am still getting the clenching in my temple. I'm going to get a hold of my pcp to discuss a few things. Did you contact your dr?  I hope you got an answer and I hope it was good news. Pls let us know how you are doing.

Hope you both have a good night.  God bless.   Alice.

Posted 8/5/2008 12:08 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Alice,

 

I found that thread, here it is

 

 experienced 'severe' pains in the right side of my head for 5 months last year, due to Occipital nerve damage. There was 'nothing' available that came near to relieving that pain, until the LYRICA was released in the Fall of last year. (2005) Yes, I have gained weight. about 18 pounds. Enough to not fit in most of my clothes anymore. Also the BP went up, and am on meds for that. I enjoyed wearing a size 'small', where now it's 'Medium' or 'large'. BUT, the Lyrica has been a miracle med to me in that I don't suffer anymore from daily severe head pains. For me....there is no choice. It's a love/hate relationship with the Lyrica that's for sure!

Hope this helps hon :-)

Posted 8/5/2008 12:20 AM (GMT 0)

Thanks, Diane.  I had the opposite effect from the Lyrica, the pain was even more intense and frequent. AND my jeans felt snug, not happy w/ either side effect. I'm glad someone had a good response to the med.

I do appreciate you hunting this down for me. Hope you have a peaceful night.  God bless.  Alice.

Posted 8/5/2008 2:17 AM (GMT 0)
HI,

I have been on Lyrica for a year with no weight gain. In fact, I have lost 3 clothing sizes, from a size 22 to a 16 wide. However, I do exercise in water almost every day for a couple of hours.

Lyrica made it possible for me to swim.


I am still reducing in clothing size every 4 months or so.

You can lose weight, three years ago I was a size 28. all I do is water aerobics or swim, no dieting. Plus, it reduces my pain.
Donnaeil
Posted 8/5/2008 7:06 AM (GMT 0)
I am on lyrica and zyprexa both are renoun for weight gain and I have gone up a dress size and had people remark on it which was hurtful , but they have reduced my pain by 70% so I just try excersize bit more walking,  the weight gain is nothing compared to the pain.  If you have burning Lyrica really does help.

Posted 8/16/2008 12:44 PM (GMT 0)
My Dr. put me on it, and I thought Yes this is going to be the one that works..
Not it made me gain weight and my feet were so big I couldnt walk. I told the Dr. I was going off of it. So he put me on CYMBALTA and now I have lost that WEIGHT that I had gained from Lyrica. And I can walk now pain went from a 10 to about a 3. THANK GOD....
Posted 8/16/2008 1:07 PM (GMT 0)
Diane, I've been on Lyrica for about 3 months now.  It has helped with pain and sleeping.  I have gained a few pounds but in the last two weeks since I went back to work and started walking more I have lost 5 of it back again.  So I think maybe exercise is the answer to it.  I do take mine at night at about 7:00 so I don't get the loopy feeling that some people report.

 

God Bless!

Shannon

Posted 8/16/2008 2:02 PM (GMT 0)
Diane,
I gained 30 pounds on Lyrica. I went from a size 10 to a 14-16. At 5'2" that was not comfortable. I changed doctors and my rheumy Has had me on Neurontin or the generic gabapentin which was a precursor to the Lyrica. I Have been loosing weight and am down 15 pounds. But, some do not have the problems I did with it. I was also very dizzy and nauseated.
Everyone needs to see what is good for them.
Hugs,
SunnyDotttie
Posted 1/18/2012 11:25 PM (GMT 0)
I was on lyrica for a couple of years 75mg x2 a day at night.  I was holding my weight pretty steady around 145/150 and within a year I am now weighing 171.  Before Christmas I stopped the lyrica.  That was the only thing I was taking that I thought would cause the weight gain.  I had a lot of swelling and retintion as well.  as soon as the weather gets milder and a bit warmer I'm going to work on this weight.  I wanted to cry the last time I got on the scale about a month ago.  I've never ever in my life weighed this much.  I really don't recommend lyrica.  It worked some in the beginning, but just wasn't helping any more before I stopped taking it.
Posted 1/19/2012 2:53 AM (GMT 0)
After reading this thread, Im really worried. I have put on 15 lbs since September--up to 175. It the heaviest Ive ever been, and Im so upset about it. Its literally what I think about for 95% of my day--how horrible I feel. I go back to my rheumatologist on the 21st of next month. Im probably going to ask for something else, after I fought tooth and nail to get this stupid drug with the cost being so high. Im in tears of frustration!!!
Posted 1/19/2012 1:58 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all. I've been on Lyrica for a while now, I'm on 450mg a day. Definate weigth gain but I have found it great for FM. The weigth gain doesnt bother me, I had lost 60-70 lbs over the last few years because of stomach problems which I now know were caused by FM. I have a theory that I am eating more because for some reason Lyrica stops the full feeling. I found myself eating too much at times and I get really bad abdominal pain, I'll never learn. But at least I can eat without fear again.

Sean
Posted 1/19/2012 6:56 PM (GMT 0)
Jaden I know what you mean, I had to fight a bit with my insurance in order to get lyrica.  Even with insurance it still cost $40 to get refilled only to have it have such a bad reaction to it.  I'm sorry I just can't take lyrica.  I know some can and don't mind the weight gain.  For me I really want to get back down to where I used to be.  It just seemed like before I quit no matter what i put on every time i turned around something else wasn't fitting.  I can't have that.  I haven't thrown anything out or donated anything.  I'm hoping soon I will be back where I was comfortably at 145.  It is frustrating though.  I ate all the time when i was lyrica.  Now that I've quit taking it, my appitite seems to be getting back to normal. 
Posted 1/19/2012 9:47 PM (GMT 0)
I would also like to get back down to where I was--150 would be wonderful again, which is where I was before all my stomach issues, before ever having tried the Depo shot, before all the other medications. I also have saved all of my old clothes, just hoping one day to fit back into them. I cannot afford to keep buying bigger and bigger clothing.

I called my doctor today and told her nurse that I was taking myself off the Lyrica. Ill have to call Pfizer, now, because I received the Lyrica through their patient assistance program.
Posted 1/19/2012 10:52 PM (GMT 0)
I tried lyrica for 3 months last year and yes my doctor wants me to go back on it but I refuse at this time.  I felt drunk the first couple of days but it did indeed help my nerve pain in my foot.  I just didn't feel comfortable with the decision because I worried about getting off of it and the side effects.  Anything that deals with brain chemistry doesn't appeal to me.  I have been on weight watchers for a week hardly eating any sugar and what a difference in all over pain.  The only pain eating healthy hasn't changed is my right knee which is full of osteoarthritis and needs a knee replacement.  I am taking two fish oil gels a day and using devils claw and about every other day I take a 600 mg ibuprofen and this is making my pain manageable, not gone, but manageable.

Other than that I haven't used any lyrica, flexeril, tramadol, arthrotec which are all my present prescriptions.

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