I've read a lot of the questions and answers about the weight gain caused from Gabapentin and some said it was a water or bloating reason, and I was wondering if it is a water weight gain, can your physician prescribe a water pill like Lasix, and would that help with the weight gain. The reason I'm asking is I have severe back pain and was taking Lyrica 75mg for about 6 months and went from 110 lbs to 130 lbs, now I'm taking the Gabapentin and having a hard time getting the weight back off, even though I really don't have an appetite most of the time, and I exercise every day including walking a mile every morning first thing, the weight just doesn't want to go away, and everyone know who suffers from lower back problems knows the more weight you gain the harder it is with the pain in your back and legs. So if anyone has an answer or a suggestion I'm willing to try. Thank you MACarson
Is most of the weight gain caused from Gabapentin a water weight gain?
Question posted by MACarson on 25 Jan 2015
Last updated on 20 February 2019
This question has also been asked and answered here: Does gabapentin cause weight gain?
7 Answers
Hello! I have been on Gabapentin for Neuropathic back pain only for one month and am at the max dose of 3600 mg a day. It is helping with the pain however I am seeing the water retention. I work out daily and my clothes fit tighter and I can see swelling in my legs and abdominal bloat. As these pills are working I do not want to change it and my Physician is willing to try me on a Diuretic (water pill). I am also aware staying lean is the best thing to do for joint/back pain so this is important to me not to have all the excess. My Pharmacist explained water weight is a side effect in only 8% of patients on this, so lucky us! Good luck with it all... I don't want to add another pill to my regimen but I definitely need to give this a go! I was hoping to hear from others who started a water pill to see if it helped... I will continue searching for more answers.
Had the same issue. I ended up adjusting how I take it. First I got off Gabapentin for 6 weeks. I lost nearly 40 pounds, without doing anything. I was rapidly gaining weight on a less 800 calorie diet. I shot up from 160 to 210 in 6 months.
I adjusted my dosage to start taking less Gabapentin. I noticed eating makes the bloating and weight gain worse. Now I make sure I do a few things that helps me tremendously.
First, I take krill oil in the morning and magnesium @ nightttime. Second, I eat warm/hot meal only every other night. The day I dont have a hot meal, I will eat snacks; green banannas, mixed nutes, dates, and etc. Lastly, I wake up early. I noticed the more sleep I get on gabapentin - it makes my bloat worse. Lastly, I learned to only take Gabapentin when I need it. Sometimes I take it for two weeks, then I stop taking it for a few weeks. Sometimes every other night and etc. I learned to recognize when my body needs it.
It helped my pain alot too but the tradeoff ia severe. Since wieght gain will could make your pain worse. Also, Gabapentin can cause stomach ulcers. I had to limit how I take it drastically. I only take 500mgs at night now.
MR . She is probably referring to Metabolic Rate. So, Gabapentin may slow this down, causing a decreased utilization of calories. How sad. So you would have to cut back on your intake. Guess you need to weigh the benefits (pain relief/whatever) versus the weight gain. Frankly, I think fluid retention is huge. At least, that is MY experience. Puffy all over. Awful. But if you have severe nerve pain, Gaba sure hits the spot.
Hi there I dont have the answer but I literally have the same exact issue with it. I gained 50 lbs in 3 yrs and I'm miserable. It helps me soo much but the weight gain is bad. I felt like I was really bloated too. My dr thinks it's water retention too. I'm thinking about trying it again with water pill. Hope you get answers too.
What is MR? I would like to also know
Was put on Gabapentin for accute sciatica in January and suffered from terrible side effects: put on 10kg + horrendous brain fog :-( Nothing seemed to help until I discovered the MR! Lost over 12kg in 4 weeks and was able to stop that dreadful drug! The weight gain is caused by the fact that Gabapentin affects the brain, hence why no exercise will make any difference! The only way forward I have found is the MR because it resets your metabolism. Get in touch if you would like more info! I have testimonial of other people on it, who all have lost their weight :-)
Hi there , just started gabapentim two
Weeks ago and have significant swelling in my hands and knees and feeling extremely bloated and can no longer fir into my clothes . I ve gained weight and cannot seek to take it off . I have not changed my food regimen and eat healthfully and exercise regularly and usually stop weight quickly . I have some significant cognitive side effects including immediate memory issues forgetting where I just placed something and cannot back track to rediscover it by promoting my memory . I get confused . I have word finding difficulty . The water retention is horrific . However my daily severe migraines are GONE which is a huge relief . I m also on brand name Lamictal which facilitates weightoss . My neurologist would like to try topomax bit I m well aware of side effects I have seen in my patients ( I m a bipolar specialist clinical psychologist ) with cognition at higher doses do we opted for GABA .
Mood stabilization is fantastic on GABA but I also feel a bit lackluster and nbdt I on 100 mg three times a day bit just dan t stand the weight gain uncomfortable bloated feeling pain exacerbation of arthritic in hands knees and back ( early onset arthritis ) and my within normal range blood pressure has gone up . Amy comments would be greatly appreciated . Oh yes , my face throbs have that throbbing sensation sometimes and I get disoriented w direction and forget details and quite confused . Help!! Thanks much !
What is MR
Gaelle,
What is MR? I'd like more info. I have the same problem as the weight will NOT come off with exercise! Feel free to send me a private message.
Can you please explain what is MR? I am struggling with gabapentin weight gain and would really like a solution. Thanks :)
What is MR please?
I gained weight also on Gabapentin along with joint/muscle pain/stiffness and twitching. I'm also hypothyroid and need to loose the weight!
Please tell me what Mr is
What is MR? Im gaing allot of weight since in this mes and have found no answers on how to lose it..i eat practicly nothing. And my eating habits havent changed either so im st a loss..please help, any info is appreciated
I am interested to find out what MR is.
Like many others asked, what is MR? I am on 600mg 3 times a day or as needed of Gabapentin. Having a struggle trying to get my weight off to hopefully relieve some of the pain in my back, knees and feet. Also I have to have a knee replacement in march.
Jules51
I would like to know what MR is you took. Instead of gabapentin.what is mr.muscle relaxer??
Again what is MR??
What does MR mean???
I desperately want to know what MR Is as well! I have been on Neurontin 600 mg 3 to 4 times a day for many many years for fibromyalgia and it helps with my peripheral neuropathy as well so I can’t be with out it. I have also had weight gain from it so please let us all know what that is and I will be willing to try anything! Now I will say I did lose the weight while taking it once but I went to a functional medicine doctor and she had me eating no gluten, dairy, soy, GMO’s and eating only organic meats with no antibiotic‘s or hormones in it and all organic fruits and vegetables. Pretty much clean eating and the weight just flew off of me. Now that is extremely hard to do and very expensive but the way I looked at it was it was saving me a lot of money on doctors appointments the gas getting there and medications and quality of life. But, I started gradually sliding back eating things I wasn’t supposed to and the weight just started coming right back on.
So, I would love to know what you were talking about and any other option that is out there that could help with that!
What is the MR?
What is MR? I've been on Gabapentin for about two months and have gained about 5 pounds. I am having difficulty losing the weight. I also do not eat a lot of food and exercise 3 times per week. I am attempting to exercise 4 days a week to see if I can lose some weight. What is MR and how does it help to lose weight?
Research Gabapentin and Weight Gain. You may find answers right on this
site.
Good luck to you.
Trish
I'm on a water pill. Its not water weight.
Related topics
weight loss (obesity/overweight), abdominal distension, gabapentin, weight
Further information
- Gabapentin uses and safety info
- Gabapentin prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Gabapentin (detailed)
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