Gabapentin and losing weight

BettyBlueEyes

I started taking gabapentin (neurontin) in August for neuropathic pain and since then have found it really hard to lose weight. I'm exercising like mad a controlling what I eat, but it's not shifting like it did before. In the last week I have noticed my face looks swollen. Has anyone else had these problems? Or do you have any advice? I kow it's a common anti-seizure med as well so I'm sure there are lots of people on it.

Thanks for your help, much appreciated

Betty

dicoveringwhoIam

Gabapentin can cause loss of appetite as well as hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. It can also cause facial edema and generalized edema. Sometimes after an extended amount of time taking these kinds of meds the s/e subside and of course sometimes they dont. Most people who have a problem with this med try Lyrica which essentially does the same thing however it can cause edema too. Good luck!

BettyBlueEyes

Thank you for your reply. This looks like being a long-term thing; I've had headaces for 11 years and for the first time ever I'm hardly ever getting them, it's such a relief that I can't imagine going back to that again. Let's hope the side effects subside as you've suggested. Shame about not having the loss of appetite thing though!

yma_g

Hi, I have been on Gabapentin before and found it really difficult to lose any weight, in fact I actually found it really easy to gain weight while I was taking it. I also found the side effects really difficult to cope with, especially the dizziness and eventually this led me to change my meds to Lyrica, this I found a lot less challenging for both the side effects and weight control. I take it for a neuropathic pain which come in spells so I can manage to be off meds for a period of time before I have another attack and have to re-start the meds. For me the side effects do get easier with time and i did find that both worked for the pain (although Lyrica worked slightly better for me). I don't know about you but I will take pretty much any side effects over the pain! Good luck with the meds and hope the side effects settle soon.

avir8

bump

Lesa_Sass

I took it for a little while this summer and it did not effect my weight but it DID effect my mental state of mind.

I got nasty with people (my sister said there is a reason it is called NEUOROTTEN) and then one night I had the side effect of suicidal thoughts, which I laughed off when I first started taking it. After all, I have a great life, there is no way I would ever feel that way. Well I did.

The reason I am telling you this is so you can beware and be aware. The stuff is poison to me.

I have horrible chronic pain as well, I hope you get the balance you need to live a healthy and pain free life.

ashski82

Just wondering if you have any luck with maintaining weight loss while on neurontin? I've been on it for about 6weeks and had gained nearly 15lbs. I'd been exercising 7x's/week and felt so discouraged that i was still gaining. 10 days ago i started exercising 2-3x's/day and began using my fitness pal to track the calories because my brother has had great success. I found that while on the neurontin I was still gaining if I met the calorie goal so I dropped 500cal/day and have been able to lose 5lbs (of the weight I've gained on this miracle/curse of a drug) BUT I was away on vacation and it is not realistic to exercise 3x's/day, and I can live off specialK With strawberries while away but find that to be a competing interest with my desire to cook delicious food for my husband. I think I could get us on a pretty decent calorie regime for the 1820cal/day or so, but I'm not sure I can keep my calorie intake so low and exercise so much, especially with the drowsy, dizzy side effects of the drug, I find I have very little energy and often feel sick... but I have tried everything for the nerve damage/pain...

Would love any feedback because two GP's and the neurosurgeon think this is a long term deal...

Hoponopono

Hi...I am brand new to MFP and just acquainting myself with the boards...when I noticed this posting. I am a T2 Diabetic with severe neuropathy pain in my feet. My medical provider prescribed Neurontin (Gabapantin) 100mg BID...but it quickly became apparent that it was not going to be effective at such a low dose on 200mg daily; so I went back and they bumped it up to 1200mg spread over three doses daily. So I took the time to do some research on Neurontin and some of the things I learned were that it has a notorious half life...in other words it wears off quickly, it is most effective at dosages above 1200mg daily, the top safe limit is @ 3600 mg daily and it is best distributed/taken 3 times a day to counter act the half life. It is also known for making you nauseous, unstable on your feet and can have negative mood side effects.

Also, and I think this is where some of my weight gain might have come with after starting the higher dosage, Neurontin (Gabapantin) is affected by the ingestion of food and eating can give a temporary boost to the medication of up to 18%. I started to notice that I was eating more around an hour after taking a dose and I would seriously feel the medication kicking up a notch....I also noticed that the higher dosage changed my mood from feeling energetic right after taking a dose to becoming negative as the medication started to wear off. I really loved how it helped me literally get back on my feet and become more mobile (it worked fantastic at controlling the horrible neuropathy pain in my toes) but I didn't like the "drugged" feeling I was having while on it and coming off it was absolutely horrible.

I'm off it and staying off...I am still on my feet and moving...it is painful but I have a clear head, I'm steady on my feet and I'm back to stabilizing my carb intake; lowering my BG to much more manageable levels.

I don't know if any of this helps but I thought I'd offer my experience with it.

Best

Tracegreen

Hi guys, ive never posted to MFP boards before, but this is such a problem i just had to. Ive been on both Lyrica AND Gabapentin for a while, im having lots of pain in my legs from my M.S. I not liking the side effect much at all. I feel 100% better regarding the pain, but HOLY MOLY... gain weight much??? lol. Yeah im back on MFP hoping to lose some of it, just wondered if any of you had any luck??? Thx Trace. x:happy:

cafeaulait7

I'm on gabapentin, but I like a low dose only because of the half-life issues (my mood/energy would change). The low dose helps me and causes no problems at all.

But I also take a heavy-duty NSAID and Tramadol and Skelaxin for the pain, because mine's mixed pain. I don't know if that helps folks who have purely neuropathic pain going on

Maybe ask if a low dose 3 times a day is possible to try. The docs seem to jump from a little to a ton with not much in between.

edit: Oh, and if you've never tried the Rx patches (lidoderm for me, but there are opiates) and/or topicals like Voltaren gel, give them a shot if your spots are fairly localized. They do help me. The Lidoderm was made for shingles pain, so it might work on other neuropathic pain.

whhth

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natalieoraw

Hi I'm new to this message board stuff . I suffer from chronic back pain . I've had one op already but basically in agony 24/7. I take 2 tramadol , 2 co co damol , 2 300mg gabapentin and 20 mg of citalopram . I function ok . My biggest concern is the amount of weight I have gained especially in my legs . I have gained over a stone in weight in the last year . I work out like a fiend and don't eat that much but yet I still gain . I feel like my legs are full of water and do not belong to me . I have tried to stop taking them but the pain is unbearable . I am so highly strung about my weight that I think now I never want to take them again . I'm sure they are the reason for my weight gain . I have even resorted to buying thyroxine online in the hope that it shifts some weight . Sometimes I get so down . My head is foggy . Suicidal thoughts do cross my mind but that's when I feel really low . Here's hoping I can stop the gabapentin and the pain will be manageable . I take diclifenic too . Forgot about that .

Tammyhiles

I've been on Gabapentin for awhile and have not noticed any significant weight gain. I am on it for my fibromyalgia. My doctor also thinks that my migraines are caused by my fibro. He prescribes Motrin 800mg, for my migraines. Unfortunately, my pain pill is a regular in my life as the Gabapentin, now. It also works as a mood stabilizer in me. It helps that anyway. I recently ran totally out of my Gab one time, only for a day.

KerrySayers27

Hi. I take a high dose of gabepentin AND Lyrica. I have been on it for a few years now and have gained 5 stone. I have a friend in the same position as well. I find it very hard to lose weight. I manage to lose about 8 pounds then it comes to a stop and quickly goes back on again

yguerne

Betty, I'm curious to know how things are going with you. Are you still on the Gabapentin? What dose do you take? Are you still struggling with your weight? I've been on GP for 8-9 months and have gained 33 lbs, despite clean eating. It's taken a lot of my energy, so I'm not very active these days, but I'm getting back into regular exercise. My weight continues to climb despite reducing my calories to my BMI requirements. I would love to hear if things have gotten better for you over time.

teresaCW1

I was losing weight until I switched to Gabapentin. Since then the weight loss has come to a halt and I'm starting to slowly put it back on regardless of keeping count of my calorie intake and workouts (which are pretty light still, maybe 30 minutes at a time). I can't find a answer as to why it causes the gain which I wish I could and then maybe I could work on that. Some have said it causes you to eat more but I don't find that to be my case and others have said water weight but I haven't noticed that anywhere else other than how swollen my mid section stays. So I'm hoping to find a answer posted one day on this post. It fits me to a T.

leex143

I was prescribed gabapentin to use only when I felt like I was having a panic attack. This does not happen often so I would say I would probably need to use it once or twice a month. It is only at 300mg. After reading all of these posts I am very concerned about it causing weight gain. Does that only happen when you take the drug often or at high doses?

cafeaulait7

I was prescribed gabapentin to use only when I felt like I was having a panic attack. This does not happen often so I would say I would probably need to use it once or twice a month. It is only at 300mg. After reading all of these posts I am very concerned about it causing weight gain. Does that only happen when you take the drug often or at high doses?

I would think so (but I wouldn't know for sure). I haven't had a problem with it at all, and I do not take a high dose, even though my doc wanted me to. I do take it daily for years and years now. I got really fit and tiny a few years ago and I was taking it then.

If you rarely take it and take your 300mg, you'll probably get sleepy Just a warning! The sleepiness was my original reason for not going high on the dosage.

Manouche66

I looked it up and these are the side effects:
•back pain
•constipation
•coughing
•dizziness
•drowsiness
•dry mouth
•erectile difficulties (problems getting or maintaining an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse)
•fatigue
•heartburn
•increased appetite
•itchy skin
•muscle pain
•nervousness
•runny nose
•sore throat
•swelling of feet or ankles
•tremors (shaking)
•twitching
•weight gain

I have been on it for at least 3 years and find it hard to loose weight as well. I lost 3 pounds in 1 month.

leex143

Thanks you I'll have to look out for the sleepiness!

DebbieLyn63

DebbieLyn63

Hi I'm new to this message board stuff . I suffer from chronic back pain . I've had one op already but basically in agony 24/7. I take 2 tramadol , 2 co co damol , 2 300mg gabapentin and 20 mg of citalopram . I function ok . My biggest concern is the amount of weight I have gained especially in my legs . I have gained over a stone in weight in the last year . I work out like a fiend and don't eat that much but yet I still gain . I feel like my legs are full of water and do not belong to me . I have tried to stop taking them but the pain is unbearable . I am so highly strung about my weight that I think now I never want to take them again . I'm sure they are the reason for my weight gain . I have even resorted to buying thyroxine online in the hope that it shifts some weight . Sometimes I get so down . My head is foggy . Suicidal thoughts do cross my mind but that's when I feel really low . Here's hoping I can stop the gabapentin and the pain will be manageable . I take diclifenic too . Forgot about that .

Just curious, if you are in agony 24/7 with back pain, how do you work out like a fiend?

I have cauda equina syndrome, (the nerves at the base of my spinal cord are all stuck together and scarred over). Neurontin helps greatly with the deep intense leg pain. But even on the medicine, I cannot work out strenuously because it will increase the swelling in my spinal nerves.

Perhaps you should cutback on your intense workouts and maybe that will help with your back pain, and help you lower all the meds you are on.
Eating a non-inflammatory diet helps immensely as well.

Workingwithwhatigot

I know this is an old thread, but I wanted to login to tell my story : Gabapentin has been a miracle drug for me....but the weight gain is a pain in the *kitten*!! I lived at healthy weight until a car accident last September. Since then I've had four spinal surgeries and between the Prednisone, the Gabapentin, and being unable to move, I've gained nearly 50 lbs (well, almost 4 stone - I think I've figured that correctly). I'm only just now able to walk a bit and am looking forward to normal exercise.

I hate the fact that this drug seems to cause weight gain, but it DOES help with pain. I'm off narcotics and hope to someday be off the Gabapentin as well. For now, I'm just happy to be off Prednisone/all steroids!

Hang in there, friends!

caddy365

I have been using Gabapentin for about 1 year consistently for neuropathy in my feet and as long as it is working, I feel very good. I have little to no pain or that buzzing/bee stings feeling and I am able to be active that way. I agree it has side effects including weight gain (21 lbs for me in 12 months) but need the relief from the pain so I can't stop taking it. I plan on lowering my calories to about 1800 and increasing exercise by riding my new bike my husband bought me as soon as all the snow is gone...bad winter.

I am fortunate that I do not have most of the other symptoms many of you have mentioned except occasional drowsiness and coughing. I take about 2400mg /day. My biggest complaint is how long it takes to really kick in (about an hour or so) and it wears off quickly without much warning. I have found that if I take the next one with about an hour to go on the previous one, I can stay pain free most of the time and sleep well all night...but when I wake up in the morning and it has worn off completely -that can be miserable. I have not tried Lyrica and I see many of you have switched to that. Does anyone know if it is more expensive compared to Gabapentin?... which is very inexpensive.

I wish you all improved health and a lot of pain free days ahead.

Mrstuggy

I'm taking it and I've actually lost 3 pounds in the three days I've been on it! I hope this continues! :happy

proudmomash

I have been on Gabapentin since 2010 for chronic migraine issues. My Rheumatologist just bumped me from 600mg a day to 1200mg a day to help with my Fibromyalgia pain. I just now am realizing the connection between my 70lb weight gain since starting it and my inability to lose weight (even with taking diuretics and diet pills, not together...). I spent about 2 months researching all the meds I am on (Gabapentin, paroxetine, clonazepam, Modafinil, simvastatin, and tomazepam) and came to the conclusion that it is in fact the Gabapentin causing me to be unable to lose any weight no matter how hard I try with diet, exercise, stretching, etc. Does anyone know if there is something else out there like Gabapentin that does not have to weight gain, extreme hunger, etc side effects? I am apprehensive to switch since it really helps my mood, but I need to get my BMI down and lose weight or I will never get off of my blood pressure meds. Help!

gwest514

I've been on gabapentin for about 7 months now for chronic migraines. Since I've started the medication, I have gained about 25 pounds. I eat right and try to work out, but can't seem to lose any weight. I have always been one to watch what I eat, and I still do, even more so, but cannot lose this weight. I also have no energy. I constantly feel very lethargic, which makes it hard to workout, but I walk and still manage to fit in a core workout even if only for 10 minutes. IT was helping my migraines at first, I used to have about 3-4 migraines a month lasting about 3-4 days each, and it cut down to about 1 a month. Now it's starting to go back up to 2-3 migraines a month. So the migraines are starting to frequent again and I'm gaining weight like crazy, not sure it's worth it for me anymore.

peepsqueek

I have the same issues with Gabapentin, I have been taking this medication since August when i pinched a nerve in my hip after making firewood then I stopped taking it for a bit when the nerve pain felt better but the doctor told me to start taking it again for my migraines and severe neck pain... ok the migraines have settled down and neck pain isn't as severe but since August 2013 to April 2014 I have put about 20 lbs on. I have less energy than I have ever had before and I feel like I am living my life in a mental haze with the dosage I was prescribed 600 mg three times a day which is way to much for me to think straight. I have cut back my dosage but it doesn't matter what I cut it back too I cant seem to lose a pound at all, I am counting my calories each day and eating healthier but it doesn't seem to matter my scale goes up two pounds drops two pounds very frustrating. So time to stop the meds and see what happens and maybe find an alternative if it flares up again.

Arkansas27

I am new to this site and just started taking gabapentin (neurontin) 100mg at bed time for chronic leg pain, on top of Oxycontin 10mg every 12 hours along with Percocet 10/325 and I am small but have trouble with belly fat. When I was on the 100mg fentenyl patches (6 months) I gained 23 lbs and never weighed over 110, which I got off the patches and dropped back down to my normal weight. I do watch my carb intake as the only place I seem to gain is in my stomach. Now that my PCP put me on this Gabapentin (neurontin) 100mg at bed time, will I start gaining weight again? If so I'll not take it and this is my 1st night of taking one and I read blogs about mood swings, I sure don;t want either of that again as the Fentenyl made me a devil and gained more weight than 9 months pregnant. Please help, if this medication makes you gain weight I want to know and the side effects people have had, both are very important to me. I will stop taking this medication ASAP! And my doctor is aware I will before it gets started. Thanks for any help!

RodaRose

I am new to this site and just started taking gabapentin (neurontin) 100mg at bed time for chronic leg pain, on top of Oxycontin 10mg every 12 hours along with Percocet 10/325 and I am small but have trouble with belly fat. When I was on the 100mg fentenyl patches (6 months) I gained 23 lbs and never weighed over 110, which I got off the patches and dropped back down to my normal weight. I do watch my carb intake as the only place I seem to gain is in my stomach. Now that my PCP put me on this Gabapentin (neurontin) 100mg at bed time, will I start gaining weight again? If so I'll not take it and this is my 1st night of taking one and I read blogs about mood swings, I sure don;t want either of that again as the Fentenyl made me a devil and gained more weight than 9 months pregnant. Please help, if this medication makes you gain weight I want to know and the side effects people have had, both are very important to me. I will stop taking this medication ASAP! And my doctor is aware I will before it gets started. Thanks for any help!

It is not in the same class as the other medications you mention. In addition, it is a tiny dose. Check again with your PCP and also check with your pharmacist. Most of the time, pharmacists are very helpful about these kinds of questions.

pattylynn727

After having successful lap band surgery 5 years ago and losing 60 lbs I had another baby. Since then I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and I've been on gabapentin, indomethecin, valium, tramadol as well as a few other things. I now weigh more than I did post partum and its extremely frustrating. I originlly had the surgery due to health issues and secondary infertility. I'm now considering having the and removed and going for gastric bypass. I know I would definitely lose the weight that way and pray my pain would lessen.