[Supermomma]

I've been taking Lyrica for 6 months or so. I gained 40 lbs, which I was warned would happen. Last month I stopped taking it because I was just gaining weight too fast and it was getting expensive buying new clothes. My pain became too much and I am back on the Lyrica. I didn't loose any weight while off Lyrica, but I didn't gain any and my stomach wasn't as big. Honestly, I've never had a big tummy except for being pregnant so it's weird. Does anyone else have experience with Lyrica and weight gain? Does it eventually top off and stop the gain or will I just keep gaining weight?

[Hockey]

YES!!!!!

OMG, I think there's a cheese cake in every pill.

I'm off that wretched drug, now, but I'm still saddled with the weight.

[Supermomma]

Ha ha Yup! What really stinks is that my other meds make me sick to my stomach and I really don't eat much - I even keep track of everything I eat and have trouble making my "quota" of calories each day. But it looks like I just sit around eating bon bons and pigging out. Ugh. Oh well. It is better than being in so much pain.

Originally Posted by Hockey

YES!!!!!

OMG, I think there's a cheese cake in every pill.

I'm off that wretched drug, now, but I'm still saddled with the weight.

[zorro1]

I gained 50 and lost 40..10 more to go, all whilst on the same dose. How? Every doctor I went to in the last 4 years has commented on my weight affecting my health and they were right, I developed knee problems and had trouble climbing stairs and that now has cleared up with the weight loss.

The thing is my doctor refused to accept the weight gain on Lyrica theory and insisted it was all about choice, nobody forced chocolate through my lips.

But the biggest reason to get serious is because Im a sensitive bastard lol I couldn't handle fat remarks from people I HAD ONLY JUST MET.

[glenntaj]

--most of the anti-epileptic drugs used for neuropathic pain (with the exception of Topamax, for some reason) tend to promote weight gain, both by causing some degree of fluid retention and by subtly shifting the metabolic balance is favor of "the hibernation response"--the quieting of the central nervous system tends to promote appetite and carb-craving, as if one were soon to settle down for a long winter's nap.

Many people on these meds (I was certainly one) realize they have to considerably adjust their diets to keep this effects under control--not that cutting back on carbs wouldn't be a good idea for most neuropathy sufferers anyway, and, indeed, for most people in general.

[nilram]

I've been on Gabapentin without much weight gain, but tried Lyrica at the encouragement of a pain doc. Yes to weight gain -- and I didn't find it to be as effective for me as Gabapentin so I switched back.

[skutters]

I was warned about the weight gain but have not yet gained weight. I was loosing weight in the first month and I don't have enough weight to loose. At this point I'm just happy to have stopped loosing weight again but I still need to put some weight on! I will have been on Lyrica for 6 months by the end of this month.

[Hockey]

Originally Posted by nilram

I've been on Gabapentin without much weight gain, but tried Lyrica at the encouragement of a pain doc. Yes to weight gain -- and I didn't find it to be as effective for me as Gabapentin so I switched back.

Yes, the drug companies push the doctors to push the Lyrica because there is more profit in it.

In addition to the weight gain, the Lyrica was not very effective. Cheap, generic, tried and true Tegretol is doing a better job of controlling my symptoms, with fewer side effects.

As Tegretol has been around since the dinosaurs, I also won't get any surprises in the long term. Nobody knows what the long term consequences of Lyrica might be.

Just because a drug is new, doesn't mean it's better.

[Supermomma]

I'm not familiar with Tegretol - I'll look it up. I need to know if it interferes with my other medications. :/ But if it helps with the pain and I can loose this weight I'll be a happy camper!

Originally Posted by Hockey

Yes, the drug companies push the doctors to push the Lyrica because there is more profit in it.

In addition to the weight gain, the Lyrica was not very effective. Cheap, generic, tried and true Tegretol is doing a better job of controlling my symptoms, with fewer side effects.

As Tegretol has been around since the dinosaurs, I also won't get any surprises in the long term. Nobody knows what the long term consequences of Lyrica might be.

Just because a drug is new, doesn't mean it's better.

[Hockey]

Originally Posted by Supermomma

I'm not familiar with Tegretol - I'll look it up. I need to know if it interferes with my other medications. :/ But if it helps with the pain and I can loose this weight I'll be a happy camper!

Tegretol is also known as carbamazepine. It controls epileptic seizures, but can also be used for nerve pain.

Sadly, it is also linked to weight gain. Maybe that's inevitable with any drug that's trying to slow down your system, so to speak.

However, when I had to stop it, for a bit, not withdrawal issues and, for me, it works better than Lyrica.