Lyrica and Weight Gain: What Users Say (Page 2)

• lau...
• August 24, 2016

For Fibromyalgia "I will start off by saying it did cause weight gain. My clothes fit the same, but the number on the scale went up about 7-10 pounds depending on the day. I cannot say this is solely because of the drug, I think I can safely say that this is because my pain has improved so drastically that I have an appetite again. I can keep the weight off if I really want to, but I am not overweight, and I am content with my appetite finally being back after years of struggles that I don't think it's a problem. Regardless, I have been on Lyrica for almost a year now. It has drastically improved my nerve pain, joint stiffness, and swelling (along with a gallon of water a day), appetite, energy, and sleep. I am not pain-free, but no fibromyalgia patient truly ever is pain-free, my pain has gone from an average of 8-9 down to a 4-5 on my good days. My flare-ups are far less frequent, and I only experience them once every two or so months, which is a huge improvement over every other week. The length of the flare-ups is also shortened from 3-5 days down to 2 days maximum. At the beginning of taking the medicine, I was slightly drowsy, but nothing dangerous. I only take it once a day, and I am trying to keep it that way to avoid moving up to 2 doses a day. Lyrica is my miracle drug and has definitely given me my life back. My biggest complaint is the cost and insurance, but it could be worse. It costs me $2 a day to feel normal again."

• Anonymous
• September 13, 2010

For Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy "I have been using Lyrica for about 2 months now. I originally quit it because I gained 7 pounds in a week. Stopped taking it. Could not stand the pain in my feet, outer thighs, and now along my beltline. I noticed that the weight gain seemed to be from an increased appetite. I have been able to keep the weight off by being very mindful of my hunger or mindless eating. I am 5'10'' and weigh 185 lbs. Without Lyrica, I don't really get hungry. Mind is bigger than the belly when I order food. With Lyrica, I find I could eat a horse, a cow, and maybe a squirrel as an after-dinner snack... LOL. It makes me lose whatever normal appetite suppressant that I may have. It does wonders for my nerve pain that started 6 months ago and seems to get worse without Lyrica."

• Gyp...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 25, 2017

For Fibromyalgia "I have spinal stenosis, my spine is cracked on both sides of my spine, as well as a bulging disc pushing on the cracks, fibromyalgia, and some form of arthritis. Lyrica packed on the pounds, blurred vision, constantly tired, my body aches more when I take Lyrica. I use cannabis oil CBD form, it helps with inflammation, it sure helps considerably better with no side effects! The CBD form does NOT get you ‘stoned, high, or buzzed’, it removes the pain. I am extremely grateful for my cannabis oil, the effects last longer than Lyrica too! I can enjoy my grandkids again!"

• Jam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 5, 2016

For Neuropathic Pain "I have had neuropathy for some time and tried a host of other medications before trying Lyrica. I was on it for slightly over 3 months, with my dosage starting at 75 mg twice a day to 300 twice a day. Initially, the pain was approximately 7-8, and the Lyrica got it to about a 5 routinely, with some days worse. However, I suffered from some of the side effects stated by its manufacturer, including dizziness, being off-balance at times, problems with sleep and concentration, and weight gain (approximately 20 pounds over 3 months) and its resulting effect on increasing my A1c. The worst part was an increase in anger. After no subsiding of the side effects, my doctor suggested I cease using it. We are looking for alternatives."

• Luc...
• August 18, 2013

For Fibromyalgia "I was prescribed Lyrica for fibromyalgia. The first hour after I took Lyrica, I felt better, and at night, I slept like a dream. I was on it for a total of two weeks, in which time I started feeling bloated and put on weight. I am a heart patient, and I started getting angina. My blood pressure started to rise. I started getting headaches. My only wish was that I could have continued taking Lyrica, as the fibromyalgia pain was gone. But I'll just have to keep looking."

• Gen...
• May 23, 2013

For Neuropathic Pain "I have been on Lyrica for only a few months for neuropathy pain. I also have lupus, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and gastrointestinal issues. Lyrica worked excellently the first few weeks for the neuropathic pain. After a while, I noticed I started to have more lupus flares and joint irritations. It is causing me to gain weight, which is a plus because my other medicines were causing me to lose weight. I have tried a lot of medication, including gabapentin (3600 mg daily), and Lyrica worked best overall."

• Ali...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 5, 2014

For Fibromyalgia "I found this to be very effective in treating the aftereffects of double fusion of cervical vertebrae. Then I found I was having less difficulty with fibromyalgia. I was on 3 a day and the only side effect was weight gain."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 14, 2016

For Neuropathic Pain "I recently stopped taking Lyrica after 6 months. I was taking Lyrica for nerve pain following a terrible car accident. I wish I had never started taking Lyrica. It not only did not help with the pain but only made my condition worse, not to mention the 30 pounds of weight I put on. Also, the horrible withdrawals were worse than I ever could have imagined. I absolutely do not recommend ever starting Lyrica."

• Ric...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 2, 2022

For Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy "Terrible, this med. Caused 20 different things to me, including shaking hands, impotence, bad balance, forgetfulness, memory loss, dizziness, weight gain, bad eyesight, among other things. When I was trying to get off of it, I had real bad anxiety. As far as I’m concerned, it is poison. I was on it for 8 months but didn’t realize that it was causing all of these problems until I got off of it, and all of the problems went away. I actually thought that I was getting to the end of my life."

• Kel...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 16, 2017

For Fibromyalgia "I have been on Lyrica almost 2 1/2 years. When I first started it, I was really skinny, so weight gain didn't bother me, but now I have gained over 25 lbs, which is not good at all. I am going to go back to Gabapentin, which helped me get off morphine. My eyes are dry and blurry. I fart all the time, and I am fat! I was off of it the beginning of the year, and I was hurting, but side effects are too much."

• San...
• May 22, 2017

For Fibromyalgia "I have suffered from headaches for years with relief with Excedrin. However, I was taking up to 8 at the onset to keep it from becoming a migraine. I'm really surprised that the doctors didn't tell me about 'Excedrin abuse' since I told them that I was taking that much. However, when prescribed Lyrica for fibro pain, my headaches were gone to maybe 3 a week. So I highly recommend this for serious headache problems. It does help with fibro pain. But, weight gain and dry mouth are my biggest side effects, and it is to the extent that I almost want to go back to 8 Excedrin a day. Hope this helps someone!"

• cha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 3, 2013

For Postherpetic Neuralgia "I had an attack of shingles last December. I experienced the typical symptoms: rash, burning pain, itching, etc. After the scabs had dried, I was put on Lyrica to ease the nerve pain. I have to say that it worked for me. I am a healthy 46-year-old male. The side effects were some fuzziness and weight gain. This may have been due to lack of movement and also the Christmas eating, but I put on 3 kilos in two weeks, which is a lot for me. I am feeling that I would like to come off it, so I will reduce the dosage and see what happens. At first, I was nervous about taking this, but it has notably reduced the pain to practically nothing."

• Hur...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 11, 2020

For Postherpetic Neuralgia "Got shingles on the right side of the scalp into my right eye on May 25, 2020. Specialist got the infection out of the eye. Prescribed Pregabalin. On max dose - take 200 mg every 8 hrs, and the pain starts back about 6-7 hrs after the dose. It has been 5 months, and I'm still dealing with sharp, stinging pain! I have also gained 25 lbs. Dr. said deal with weight gain or pain. I chose weight gain because the pain is extreme. Want something that will heal the nerve damage. I also get severe itching on the right eyebrow, forehead, which is numb, and the inside corner of the eye. I’m hoping this will end soon, but I have a feeling it won’t. Hopefully, in the near future, there will be something that will heal the nerve pain."

• Mon...
• December 31, 2016

For Fibromyalgia "I wanted to share my experience in combining Lyrica and Neurontin for neuropathy symptoms; I've had fibromyalgia for 25 years. Neurontin was effective, but only at 1800 mg/day, which left me drowsy (fell asleep anytime I wasn't moving). My MD switched me to Lyrica (75 mg), but when I got to 3 per day, I rapidly gained weight - 10 lbs in 2 weeks! As a med student, I knew the two meds worked in a similar way and were metabolized similarly. I decreased the Lyrica to 1 per day, which stopped the weight gain but didn't control the nerve pain, so I added back in one 300 mg Neurontin per day (both at bedtime, to minimize drowsiness) - still not enough pain control. I added another Neurontin, and that was optimal for me. I take it all at bedtime."

• lyr...
• November 11, 2010

For Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy "I was already overweight and went on Lyrica because of the tingling in my hands and feet being intolerable. Three weeks later, it's like I woke up one morning and none of my clothes fit. I got on the scale, and from the time my doctor gave me this pill to the current time, I have gained over 25 lbs. It's a shame I have to decide between being obese or able to sleep and be pain-free."

• kri...
• April 11, 2013

For Fibromyalgia "This medicine worked pretty well for me. I didn't realize how well it worked until I went off of it before getting pregnant. The thing I didn't like about it, though, was that it always made me feel like I was in a cloud. My thinking wasn't clear. I would get dizzy. I didn't notice too much of a weight gain, but there was some. In the end, I chose to try a different med (Savella) after my daughter was born and have been happier with that. Still works and fewer side effects."

• msp...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 27, 2017

For Neuropathic Pain "Been taking Lyrica for 4 months now for carpal tunnel and neuropathy in hands and feet. It is no good. It has not stopped the pain at all, makes me so dizzy I am afraid to drive my car, legs swell like balloons, and have gained over 30 pounds in 3 months. A clinical research study was recently done in Australia on Lyrica (for Acute and Chronic Sciatica), and the findings stated it had the same effect as the research subjects getting placebos or sugar pills. The makers have racked in 3 billion dollars on it. I told my doctor it isn't working, but he still prescribes it to me, finding another doctor this week. I just got a month's supply, 90 pills 3 times a day, 150 mg at a cost of $1,111.19. Biggest drug ripoff in history."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 10, 2012

For Fibromyalgia "I have only been diagnosed for about a year now. I have completely lost my life due to fibromyalgia pain. My doctor started me on Cymbalta, which worked for a while but then stopped, then put me on Lyrica without weaning me off Cymbalta. Withdrawals, hello. I had to start again and wean off while also taking Lyrica. The Lyrica seemed to help at first too, then wham, just like everything else, it stopped working, except on weight gain and brain fog. I was a zombie. So now I'm worsening day by day even though I try to stay active and have cut all caffeine, etc. because my doctors just don't believe pain medicines help and say there isn't much else they can do for me. I'm glad for the people it has helped."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 26, 2017

For Neuropathic Pain "I was prescribed Lyrica for post-shoulder surgery with continuing nerve pain radiating down the arm. Lyrica caused me to gain 20 lb, slurred speech, and blurred vision. I had edema in my ankles too. Since I would only take it two times a day, I would have rebound nerve pain that encouraged me to take more Lyrica. After my doctor advised me about the weight gain, I decided to take myself off of it. It took 10 days to withdraw from the drug, but I'm glad I did. I'm a clinical pharmacist and advised all on Lyrica to be aware of all the adverse effects of this drug."

• cat...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 26, 2013

For Fibromyalgia "I started taking this at 150 mg twice a day with some relief of pain, no side effects. I've recently increased to 225 mg twice a day, which is the maximum dosage. I'm experiencing vertigo, sleepiness, and weight gain, but virtually no pain. My doctor feels the results outweigh the side effects, and I agree."

• Con...
• March 14, 2016

For Neuropathic Pain "I had cervical fusion at C4-5, 5-6, 6-7. After my surgery, coming out of the operating room, no one could touch my skin. I had loss of sense of feeling in the right arm, left hand, and right shoulder. It was on fire, pins and needles severe, also on the back right side of my tongue and throat. In the hospital, they started giving me Lyrica 75 mg, 3 times per day, that just took the edge off. Then I went to the pain doctor, and it was increased to 150 mg, 3 times a day. I had such relief to the point I could touch my skin. It has worked so great that when it is time for my next dose, I begin to feel the pins and needles severe and the fire on my shoulders and hands. Amazingly, it takes away that feeling as long as I take it every 6 hours. The problem I have had is weight gain."

• Can...
• January 14, 2012

For Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy "I have been on this medication for 4 years now. There has been a 20-pound weight gain so far. My GP is always after me about the weight gain, however, I would rather be fat and happy than suffering from the pain it used to cause. I also take methadone as a painkiller. The sad part of the Lyrica is the price."

• Anonymous
• May 11, 2016

For Neuropathic Pain "I've had problems with my feet burning for several years. Every year, it was worse than the year before. It got to the point that I couldn't stand anything on my feet. Lyrica helped a lot, with much less frequency and severity of burning. Finally, some relief. Unfortunately, I had to discontinue because of side effects. I had almost all side effects listed in the info sheet. Most I could have tolerated, but the ones I couldn't were weight gain, confusion, and fast progressing blurred vision. Also, I had severe clinical depression over 18 years ago until I received the correct antidepressant. I've had no depression since. However, the Lyrica caused it to return, although not as severe. It also caused anger flare-ups, very unlike me."

• She...
• April 18, 2017

For Fibromyalgia "Been on this Lyrica 200 mg for at least 2 yrs. I still have a lot of pain from having the disease of fibromyalgia and chronic pain along with arthritis. They raised it up to the highest dose and still hurt very much. I agree with the lady above, you do gain weight. Trying to hang in there! Hope they find something better for me and everyone else. Blessings to all."

• Nut...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 7, 2015

For Neuropathic Pain "I have taken Lyrica for several years now, and it has helped me so much with nerve pain. I used to take 200 mgs twice a day for spinal and cervical stenosis, scoliosis (spinal fusion), and cervical and lumbar spondylosis. I put on over 10 lbs in weight when I first started taking it, but with correct food choices, I lost what I had put on and more. I did at first have an increased balance problem. I now take 200 mgs of Lyrica 3 times a day because I have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I take metformin 500 mg twice a day, and I've got neuropathy pain. I have no side effects with Lyrica now. The other pain meds I am on are a 500 mg Fentanyl patch, Arcoxia, and Quinine for leg cramps. I live in the UK and get my pain medication free."