Lyrica And Weight Gain

I have been taking lyrica for 7 weeks now for severe nerve pain. I began to gain a lot of weight immediately but because the drug is so effective at relieving my pain, I was very reluctant to come off it. Three weeks ago I began the 5:2 diet - eating 500 calories on 2 non-consecutive days each week and normally for the rest of the week - ('The 5:2 Vegetarian Diet Made eZy' by Polly Fielding and `The 5:2 Diet: Single Serving Vegetarian Recipes' by Belinda Price are books I bought to help me). I was amazed at how easily the pounds dropped off after only a couple weeks. I am on 150 mg twice daily. I do hope this helps someone with the same worries I had about the side effect of weight gain whilst taking lyrica .

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Yes I agree, I too was able to control my weight while on Lyrica, though it didnt help my pain at all, so I came of it with doctors advice and help.
Im just now worried somewhat about beginning to start Serqueol a mood stabilizer drug ive now been prescribed today. I begin tonight by taking 2x25mg Im just hoping it doesnt now put weight on me, as when I used to take Lithium I had that problem and I really cant afford to gain anymore, as am already a stone over weight as it is, well, Im really more than that, but I can manage my back pain at a stone lighter than the 10st 7lb I am now.
Its awful the way these drugs make weight gain happen, I dont like them for that, I dont like being overweight and finding my usual clothes getting tight fitting, grrrrr it annoys me something shocking. Plus it increases my lower back pain and I cant bear that.

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I am on a low dose of Lyrica which is very effective in controlling the RSD pain in my feet but I also immediately started gaining weight, 10 lbs the first month and it seemed to continue. I've always been slender and have never had to really diet. I'm also a nutritionist with a degree from a Naturopathic College so I knew exactly what I was eating and I was eating less than normal trying to avoid the weight gain. I decided there has to be a way to control this and this is what I've found that is working for me.

First - some of the weight gain is water , I noticed my ankles swelling by the end of the day which had never happened before so I added a herbal diuretic to my daily regimen. I find dandelion tea works well for me, or you can buy capsules or tincture. Dandelion contains minerals and is good for you because it doesn't cause you to lose potassium the way that prescription diuretics do. Nettle and Burdock are also good when trying to eliminate excess fluid and I sometimes add those also. The herbal diuretics got rid of that bloated belly feeling and helped to flatten my belly again. Take them in the morning, if you take them to close to bedtime you'll be up often heading for the bathroom.

Second I went on a pretty strict low carb diet. Most of the carbs we eat are in the form of grains ( bread - pasta - cakes, etc. ) and if you think of it grains are what they feed livestock to fatten them up. Staying under 150 carbs per day I have actually lost most of the weight I gained since starting Lyrica. You need 130 carbs per day or you'll go into ketosis so if you want to know more about this, read up on low carb diets. This was a bit depressing in itself at first as I loved my bread, it does take some planning and control but it is doable and if you get innovative the food can be pretty darn good. I also have found it easier as after eating like this for a while my body seems to have lost the cravings for carbs.

I figure I have two choices, stop taking Lyrica and go back to living with pain that controlled my life, or learn to adapt to a new way of eating that lets me take the Lyrica without getting fat. Actually it's no choice, I really had no life before the Lyrica, too much pain to sleep at night and so overtired from lack of sleep and pain during the day that I was antisocial and unable to do much at all.

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Thank you for the response! I am taking Lyrica for epilepsy and obviously it's NOT something I want to stop at all. I have finally found something that works (KNOCK ON WOOD!!!) I am 31 and this is the first time I've gone 10 months w/o a seizure since 2006!! I have gained 18 pounds since starting Lyrica, so I'd deal, but I am happy to hear I can lose the tummy. I hope everyone stays happy and healthy on Lyrica. Take care.

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