How to take Lyrica without gaining weight?
By
Dr Milena Locci de Oliveira (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Milena Locci de Oliveira is a Pharmacist and Doctor of Philosophy in Sciences from the University of São Paulo (USP). She has experience in microbiology, analytical toxicology, and clinical pharmacokinetics. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Milena’s Highlights:
-PhD in Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2019.
-University College London (UCL) – Semester of remote collaboration in the areas of Pharmacometrics and Population Pharmacokinetics, 2018.
-Bachelor in Biochemical Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2013.
“Science can be translated, and it is essential that everyone has access to quality information to make informed decisions” – Dr Milena Oliveira, PhD.
Professional Experience:
With a decade-long career as a researcher, Dr Milena has amassed extensive experience in conducting research projects in microbiology, analytical toxicology, and clinical pharmacokinetics.
Her expertise also extends to the preparation of technical and scientific reports, literature reviews, data analysis, and scientific communication, both oral and written.
Dr Milena has served as a Clinical Pharmacist, providing expert supervision and guidance to teams during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the ICUs of two reference hospitals for patient hospitalization.
In her most recent role, Dr Milena worked on the implementation of the deliberatives of the São Paulo State Government Pharmaceutical Assistance Coordination. These decisions were aimed at ensuring medication access within the Unified Health System.
A widely multidisciplinary background enabled Dr Milena to become a professional capable of integrating scientific knowledge into private initiatives, education, and healthcare, delivering consistent services in patient safety and population health.
Professional Memberships & Affiliations:
Dr Milena Oliveira is a member of the Regional Council of Pharmacy of the State of São Paulo, Brazil.
Education:
-PhD in Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2019.
-University College London (UCL) – Semester of remote collaboration, 2018.
-Bachelor in Biochemical Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2013.
Relevant Published Work & Citations:
Oliveira ML de, Rocha A, Nardotto GHB, Pippa LF, Simões BP, Lanchote VL. Analysis of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in plasma and urine with application in the evaluation of total, renal and metabolic formation clearances in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. Nov 2020. 191:113-124.
Abstracts. CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology. 2020 Nov; 9 (S1).
Pippa LF, Oliveira ML de, Rocha A, de Andrade JM, Lanchote VL. Total, renal and hepatic clearances of doxorubicin and formation clearance of doxorubicinol in patients with breast cancer: Estimation of doxorubicin hepatic extraction ratio. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. 2020 Jun 5; 185:113-231.
Godoy ALPC, De Jesus C, De Oliveira ML, Rocha A, Pereira MPM, Larangeira DF, Lanchote VL, Barrouin-Melo SM. Determination of Allopurinol and Oxypurinol in Dogs Plasma by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with an Ultraviolet Detector: Application for Pharmacokinetic Studies. J Chromatogr Sep Tech. 2017; 8 (4).
Clímaco EC, Oliveira ML de, Pitondo-Silva A, Oliveira MG, Medeiros M, Lincopan N, et al. Clonal complexes 104, 109 and 113 playing a major role in the dissemination of OXA-carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii in Southeast Brazil. Infection, Genetics and Evolution. 2013 Oct;19:127–33.
Conference Papers:
Oliveira, M. L.; NARDOTTO, G. H. B.; PIPPA, L. F.; ROCHA, A.; SIMOES, B. P.; LANCHOTE, V. L. . Daunorubicin metabolism and urinary excretion in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In: 84th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (DGPT) and the 20th Annual Meeting of the Association of the Clinical Pharmacology Germany (VKliPha), 2018, Göttingen. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg’s Arch Pharmacol, 2018. v. 391. p. S76-S76.
Oliveira, M. L.; NARDOTTO, G. H. B. ; ROCHA, A. ; SIMOES, B. P. ; LANCHOTE, V. L. . The low contribution of urinary excretion in the elimination of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In: 49th Brazilian Congress of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics., 2017, Ribeirão Preto. Livro de Resumos, 2017. p. 64-64.
Oliveira, M. L.; PIPPA, L. F. ; ROCHA, A. ; SIMOES, B. P. ; LANCHOTE, V. L. . Quantification of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in human plasma by LC-MS/MS. In: I International Meeting of Environmental Health and Toxicology (IMEHTOX), 2016, Ribeirão Preto. Livro de Resumos, 2016.
Oliveira, M. L.; Clímaco, E.C. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Lincopan, N. ; Darini A.L.C. . PFGE typing of Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from different University Hospitals. In: V International Postgraduate and Research Symposium, 2012.
Clímaco, E.C. ; SILVA, A. P. ; Oliveira, M. L. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Lincopan, N. ; Darini A.L.C. Relação clonal entre linhagens de Acinetobacter baumannii produtoras de carbapenemases da família OXA em quatro hospitais no Brasil. In: XXI Latin American Congress of Microbiology, 2012, Santos. XXI Latin American Congress of Microbiology, 2012.
Oliveira, M. L.; Clímaco, E.C. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Darini A.L.C. . Dissemintion of OXA carbapenemases genes in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in University Hospital of Juiz de Fora, MG. In: 8th CIFARP – International Congress of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2011, Ribeirão Preto.
Clímaco, E.C. ; Oliveira, M. L. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Darini A.L.C. . Avaliação do sequenciamento parcial do gene rpoB e de seus flanqueadores para identificação de espécies de Acinetobacter na rotina laroratorial. In: 2° International Symposium on Clinical Microbiology, 2010, Florianópolis.
You can view some of Dr Milena’s work below and links to her professional profile.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dra-milena-locci-de-oliveira-28986042/?locale=en_US
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Milena-Oliveira-6
Escavador: https://www.escavador.com/sobre/5394254/milena-locci-de-oliveira
Lattes: https://buscatextual.cnpq.br/buscatextual/busca.do
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57199779361
Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=list_works&hl=pt-BR&user=1YUBDIQAAAAJ
How to take Lyrica without gaining weight?
There are a few ways that can help you take Lyrica without gaining weight. These include:
- Talk to your healthcare provider
- Avoid sedentarism and keep moving
- Opt for healthy foods
- Stay hydrated
- Cut back on sugar and refined carbohydrates
- Sleep at least 7-9 hours every night
Talk to your healthcare provider
The first and the most important approach to not gaining weight while being treated with Lyrica is to talk to your healthcare provider. Your doctor can help determine some ways to prevent a significant amount of weight gain on Lyrica.
If you have gained some pounds, your doctor can help you figure out the next step to prevent further weight gain. Make sure you stick to your doctor’s recommended dose.
If your dose is too high for you, your doctor may decrease it a bit or may decrease the frequency of your dose administration. Just make sure you always follow your doctor’s advice. If Lyrica is not the right choice for you, your doctor will safely switch you to another mediation.
Some people who gain a tremendous amount of weight on Lyrica may lose some of it after drug discontinuation. However, Lyrica should never be discontinued abruptly or without your doctor’s approval.
Avoid sedentarism and stay active
The second most important thing is to make sure your lifestyle is active enough to burn the extra calories that can get stored in your body as fat and you begin to gain weight. You should work out at least 3 to 4 days a week.
If you’re a beginner, you can simply start by walking 30 minutes a day or as much as you can. The best way to increase your endurance is to gradually increase the duration and your walking pace to increase your heart rate.
If you’re more into workouts, start with no-jump cardio workouts and build endurance. Then you can increase the intensity of your cardio sessions.
Opt for healthy foods
Another way to not gain weight on Lyrica is to eat it all. The good foods or foods that will not fill your body up with loads of unhealthy calories. This is why you should watch what you’re eating. If you follow a poor diet, you will gain a significant amount of weight on Lyrica at a much faster rate.
Stay hydrated
It is important to stay hydrated if you wish not to gain weight. Dehydration can increase the incidence of Lyrica-induced side effects. This is why you should drink plenty of water as water helps draw out toxins from your body by increasing your urine output.
Cut back on sugar and refined carbohydrates
The most important thing to do if you wish to not gain weight on Lyrica is to cut back on sugar and refined carbohydrates. They are enough to cause a significant amount of weight gain on their own. If you combine this type of poor diet with Lyrica, a medication that can accelerate the process of weight gain, the results can be tremendous.
Sleep at least 7-9 hours every night
It is important to sleep well at night. This is because lack of sleep can cause mood disturbances which may trigger an episode of cravings or mindless eating. Make sure you sleep at least 7 to 9 hours each night.
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References
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Cabrera J, Emir B, Dills D, Murphy TK, Whalen E, Clair A. Characterizing and understanding body weight patterns in patients treated with pregabalin. Curr Med Res Opin. 2012 Jun;28(6):1027-37. doi: 10.1185/03007995.2012.684044. Epub 2012 May 3. PMID: 22494020. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22494020/
2.-
U.S. National Library of Medicine. Drug Information: Pregabalin [Internet]. MedlinePlus; [cited 2022 Oct 2]. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a605045.html
