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Suggest Treatment For Weight Gain While On Gabapentin
Question: I've just been prescribed Gabapentin for some neck pain I've been dealing with. I haven't started taking it yet. I also have been Cymbalta for only a couple of months for the same neck pain. My doctor tells me these two medications work very well together. As 63 year old women, I'm concerned about the weight gain as one of the side effects. What approx. are the percentages that I'm likely to gain weight? If so, they tell me it could be as much as 10-20 lbs!! Is this true? I'm 5'5" tall about 175lbs, (about 25-30) more pounds then I'd like to be already. I'm pretty active.
Brief Answer:
Weight gain occurs in less than 2% of persons on Gabapentin!
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks so much for this query.
I am so sorry to hear about this neck pain and back pain that you have reported. True that gabapentin causes increased body weight but this only occurs in a tiny proportion of persons who are on treatment. Weight gain in itself is not sole accounted for by the medication but greatly enhanced by diet and lifetsyle. With you being an active person, there is reason to believe that your habits wouldn’t predispose you to this. My advice would be for you to maintain good diet and exercise often. Monitor your weight weekly and report any increases of more than a pound for further review.
I hope this helps. I wish you well. Feel free to follow up with me for more insights and guidance if need be.
Weight gain occurs in less than 2% of persons on Gabapentin!
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks so much for this query.
I am so sorry to hear about this neck pain and back pain that you have reported. True that gabapentin causes increased body weight but this only occurs in a tiny proportion of persons who are on treatment. Weight gain in itself is not sole accounted for by the medication but greatly enhanced by diet and lifetsyle. With you being an active person, there is reason to believe that your habits wouldn’t predispose you to this. My advice would be for you to maintain good diet and exercise often. Monitor your weight weekly and report any increases of more than a pound for further review.
I hope this helps. I wish you well. Feel free to follow up with me for more insights and guidance if need be.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
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