Lyrica...
 

I have been taking lyrica and have gained 20 pounds!!!! :confused: I'm thinking about going off lyrica. My question is....once you go off lyrica, do you lose the weight you gained??



Best wishes,

Katie:hug:

my husband has to take lyrica because of after spinal fusion last year and he gains then loses it. he said that it makes him hungery and i do noticed that he ates alot more. his biggest problem with it is sweeling of hands and face ans legs and feet when it gets hot outside

Hi Katie and Welcome,

I assume you are on Lyrica for your RSD Pain and or spams, jerk, jolts/It is in the anti-convulsive family of meds. Many like myself were given Neurotin and then changed over to the newer one Lyrica. Both have the side affect of gaining weight for most people. I had dailey electric jolts,thru the brain, jerks and spasms in my limbs. Was on 3200 mg. of Neurotin and then changed to Lyrica 400 mg which seems to help a little better for the pain. I had always been very very active in sports of various kinds and small, so the weight gain was really hard to adjust to. I asked to try and go off of it after about 5 years. Very slowly Took about 3 months and so far no jerks, etc. I'm so happy. They made me tired, sleepy, lacked energy too. I've lost 20 lbs so far and am happy about that. But if my electric jolts thru the brain come back, I would go back on. They were very violent and scary.

I have full body 12 years, following surgery. How long for you? This forum is full of wonderful caring compassionate RSDers. Please join in any time you feel up to it. Take care, Loretta

Hi Katie,

I was also on Lyrica for about 3 months and gained 60lbs. I went off but the weight did not. I am now trying to loss the weight. I usually don't have a problem losing weight if I stick to eating right and exercise. Good Luck...

Hi Katie,

I was on Lyrica when I was first diagnosed with RSD (about 18 months ago now) and I also put a LOT of weight on! I think I gained about 30lb's in weight whilst I was on it in the space of about 2 months which isn't very good for anyone, let alone a teenager lol. Before I was put on the Lyrica, I was a "normal" size for my age - I was a tad overweight but only a little!!

After speaking to my Pain Management Doctor, he said that it was probably best that I came off the med altogether as it wasn't helping me at all and the side-effects were worse than the benefits!! I had a real hard time coming off the Lyrica ... I had awful panic attacks that thought like I was having a heart attack and would snap and be sick ALL the time. It wasn't nice at all but I DO feel that I am better off it! Unfortunately, I didn't lose any of the weight when I came off the drug BUT I didn't have to deal with the fatigue as much once I was off it!!

I would definitely speak to your Doctor and see what he/she say's - IF the Lyrica isn't working for YOU, it might be worthwhile coming off it and trying something else that might help. I'm personally not on any meds other than Ketamine when I can't cope with the pain any longer but that is only because nothing worked for me and I personally felt better off my meds but everyone is different!!

Take care and please keep us updated when you can! If you need anyone to talk to, I am here for you!:hug:

I was on Lyrica for about a year give or take a month or two. I gained about 25lbs total all in the first 2 months. Then leveled off. I started to gain again about 9 months into it & decided it wasn't really helping me any. The side effects were worse than any gain I had from taking it. I was always sleeping. I would sit down to read or watch TV & I slept. And I have RSD in both feet so I sit alot. I had no energy & was lethargic. The reason I didn't gain too much after the first couple of months is because I stopped eating constantly. It made me more hungry & I just can't afford to gain weight as I am a bit over weight anyway. Once I quit taking it I started to loose the extra pounds by watching more closely what I ate & when I ate.

I take Neurontin. I am on a high dose of it & my PM doc was hoping by talking Lyrica I could come off Neurontin or atleast lower my dose. Even while on Lyrica I couldn't lower my dose of Neurontin. I had no problems coming off Lyrica but then I was on a low dose anyway. 50mgs 3 times a day is all. When on a higher dose I never stayed awake. I am completely happy with Neurontin. It helps with the burning pain & also with the numbness & heavy feeling in my feet. I am glad to be off Lyrica & have been off for almost a year now. I also have Fibromyalgia & it didn't seem to help that at all either. RSD pain mostly over rides the Fibro pain anyway now.

Good luck going off of it.

DebbyV

Hi Katie,
 

I haven't been on here in forever due to other issues but I too took Lyrica for only a week and started gaining and dropped the med real quick but not the weight. I am working on that now. I steadily gained for months though after I got off of it due to not being able to get back into my regular eating habit.

I actually think it's what brought on my Metabolic Syndrome and Motility related Dyspepsia which I am now dealing with. My intestines started slowing down around the same time. I just went through a colonoscopy and endoscopy to figure out what was going on. My cholestral is back up to 345 and my blood pressure is too high now. All just started after the Lyrica and the weight gain. I gained 17 lbs in all.

I don't come on much anymore due to trying to get myself in better shape with this, due to exercising now.

I also deal with pelvic pain and the lyrica didn't help with it anyway. My RSD is doing much better it's just other issues.

I am glad to see it helps so many people but when the weight gain comes on and then other issues pop up then you think which is worse. My Dr. is worried over my high blood pressure and cholestral now. He thinks I am in danger of a heart attack and I can't take med for either due to the pelvic pain getting worse. I would never take it again though.

Ada

To all of you other girls and guys, I think of you often.