Pregabalin

[Goldendoodle1972]

Hello I have just been to the Drs and he has prescribed me Pregabalin. Has anyone been on this ? I really don’t want to gain weight as that defeats the objective of keeping weight down to help your joint etc. But every site says it puts weight on. I asked specifically if it did and he said no. X

[LoneEra]

It seems to vary from person to person. Yes, some people seem to put on weight. But others don’t. I think it’s a question of trying it, seeing how you feel, and assessing the side effects. If you do feel you’re starting to put on weight, chat with your GP. It can be a very effective drug for some people though, so I wouldn’t rule it out before trying it.

[FibroInFormaldehyde]

I wouldn't say that pregabalin is really the worst for weight gain, I've been on it now for 4 years now, my weight has gone up and down just as normal but I've personally not found it to be a huge problem! I hope you do well on it, takes a little time to build up in your body but the effect are worth it, It's a good pain killer to be on. Take care and stay safe x

[Cat00]

I found it hugely made me put on weight, as did Gabapentin both increased my appetite a lot. I would say this happened immediately with Pregablin so you could probably tell fairly quickly whether it was going to be that way for you and come off it, that way you could try it out bc obviously it might not have that effect on you and you could benefit from it?

[Nannainpain]

Ive only been diagnosed a few months ago with fibromyalgia & I put 10lb on in a matter of weeks with PREGABALIN, although initially it helped the pain it gradually stopped working. I can’t afford to put on weight like that and months later I’m still struggling to lose it.I’ve stopped all medication atm as I just want to see how I can control you he pain & changes to my body myself without the need of them all & to be honest I’m managing it! Epsom salt baths are wonderful & I constantly use a hot water bottle. I do hope you find some relief with or without medication.

[Chloe_x]

Hi!

I've been of pregabalin for three months and I've found it a mixed bag. I've got a lot of side effects- memory loss and sleepiness have been the worse for me for sure.

With weight gain, I think there may be slight fluid retention, but my understanding was that the medication doesn't cause weight weight, it "only" increases your appetite. When I first started it, I gained a little weight, but then I figured out how to ignore the increased appetite. So it's a little tricky for me, but overall not too bad. I'd probably just suggest watching your weight as you start the medication and being careful with portion size, normal stuff.

Also, as a side note, this may be controversial but I wouldn't trust your gp when it comes to knowing the side effects. Of course, yours might be different, but mine just had no clue. I had done a lot of research, and I asked her about certain side effects and whether I could drink alcohol. She didn't know much and what she did know contrasted with the NHS website and the leaflet you get with the meds.

Anyway, that's just a cautionary note to say make sure you've done your own research. I understand GPs can't know everything about every medicine, but as long as you've Googled it you should okay.

Good luck! x

[Blun01]

HiI’ve been on pregablin for 2 weeks now, the first 3 days I was like a zombie and very giddy but it soon passed.

Good luck with them, I too was worrying about gaining weight, I’ve yet to see if I have.