Weight gain is one of the most common side effects of Lyrica. You can lose the weight if you stop the medication, get your diet right and exercise. You can manage the weight gain somewhat while on the medication, but it takes a very strict high protein/high fiber, low fat, NO processed foods/junk food/sugars/carbonated beverages/alcohol, etc. diet and daily exercise. But most people even when doing all that still have weight gain with Lyrica.

With a very strict diet and exercise routine you should be able to lose 30 lbs safely in 4-6 months.

I think this happens because how these meds work is in the brain and it stimulates the appetite. OlderCPer wrote about ways to control your portions and eat cleanly. I notice that on gabapentin if I have more than 300 mg once per day, then my appetite zooms up and I am mindlessly eating junk. I read a research paper on how gabapentin works in the brain and how it can calm anxiety in post menopausal women. I suspect Lyrica works similarly. If you feel you can't control your appetite you can try eating healthy soup before your meals or for a snack. This would be vegetable soup not noodle soup. You can drink a large glass of water. Set up your meal to be caloric correct and don't leave the bag of chips next to the plate. Put out a very few on your plate and stick to just the few. Add those little petite carrots or apples or berries. Don't go through the drive through and super size everything.

When I say eat cleanly, I mean even more cleanly than that. I've been on Psych meds for BiPolar for 31 years and also have Kidney and Liver Disease, so I learned early on its really easy for me to gain weight and not easy to get it off once its there....because I can't just stop my meds. I also have a Degenerative Joint Disease and Advanced Osteoarthritis that dictate/limit what kind of exercise I can do.

So I don't eat any "Drive Thru/Fast Food", no Junk Food, nothing made with High Fructose Corn Syrup and nothing "pre-made" with tons of preservatives. Like frozen crap or microwave meals.

I only eat foods that I know are fresh, homemade and know exactly what is in the dish. I snack on "Zero Calorie super foods" like cucumbers, apples, carrots, that fill you up with good fiber, but you don't have to worry about gaining weight from. I throw High Protein, Zero Calorie Greek Yogurts in the Freezer and eat them like normal people eat Ice Cream. I only eat chicken breast or very trim certain types of beef and only eat beef a few times a month. I never eat any kind of ground meats. I don't drink coffee, soda, any type of sugared juice, alcohol, or anything with caffeine. I rarely eat breads or any kind of carbs, rice or pasta a couple times a month. Mainly its just meat and fruit and veggies and a few high protein dairy items.

My diet is probably considered extreme to most people, but I've not gained weight from any of the meds I've had to take for half of my life and will have to take for the rest of my life and I take anywhere from 18 - 22 meds a day depending on the Season/State of Illnesses. I'm also not a big foody, so it doesn't bother me. I love to cook and do cook a lot for others, but eating food isn't a big deal to me, I've just trained myself out of caring about it over the years, food isn't something I relate to happiness.

Hi Aronia & OlderCPer, it is good to hear from some of the old gang again!

I have been taking Lyrica for a several months (150 mg 3x per day) and have not noticed any weight gain, but no loss either. I have been on a Keto diet for about 1 1/2 years and my weight loss has stalled maybe because of the high dosage of Lyrica (I started at 75 mg 2x per day), no improvement of my pain with the higher dosage. I will discuss with pain doc at my next visit.

For Keto, I am trying to stay near 20-30 net carbs per day. The eliminates about everything it seems. No holiday goodies for me for the second holiday season in a row.

Carnivore may be the best for all since it will eliminate nearly all diet-based inflammation. But Carnivore is really a tough one. I do not think that I could go that extra step.

Hey Sptrout! Glad you sound well. Yeah I'm not a big Carnivore, I have to push myself to eat meat a few times a week...I'd never be able to do it every day. I was never really good at following a "set" diet plan, because there are so many things in them that I'd be told to eat...that I don't eat. So I just worked with nutritionists to make sure I eat healthy in the limited foods I eat that are clean and healthy.

It actually got a little easier when I had kids because I never let my kids eat junk or fast food so if they couldn't have it I wasn't going to eat it either.

I have so much swelling that I had to go on Lasix, couldn’t even make a fist, my skin hurt because it was so tight.
I don’t think I will ever take it again.

I have had some weight gain from Lyrica as well.. I’m trying to lose some of the gain. I wish I could stop taking it, but unfortunately Lyrica in combination with other meds is the only thing that has helped with nerve pain from a spinal injury.