Your doctor will prescribe you with a drug called Lyrica when you are diagnosed by seizures, nerve problems or fibromyalgia. These diseases can be treated by Lyrica, however the drug has some side effects like increased appetite, food cravings and a slow metabolism rate. You should avoid the foods that are responsible for gaining weight during the course of your medication. You should have a diet that is healthy for your body and also do some exercise or workout. If Lyrica isn’t working, then you should consult your doctor for an alternate medicine. Do not use Lyrica without consulting your doctor, to make sure that it is suitable for you or not.
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Maintaining a Healthy, Balanced Diet:
- Create a weekly diet plan and cook at home as much as you can: Make a weekly diet plan including breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Make sure to cook all your meals at home. Use healthy ingredients in your foods. At the start of the week, make a grocery list and go shopping for the food that will be used in your meals. Take guidance from online websites or cook books for new healthy dishes and recipes. Have these meals which are healthy for you and rich in nutrients.
- Eat Fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains: Add fresh fruits, vegetables and grains to your meal and diet plan. These foods are healthy and contain high quantities of vitamins and minerals. Eat fresh meat like beef, mutton, chicken and fish for protein. Use herbs and spices in your food for good taste and flavour.
- Have small portions of your meal: Eat small portions of your meal to make your stomach feel full and satisfied. Use small bowls and plates to eat smaller portions of your food. This will help you to reduce your appetite and stay healthy and fit. It will reduce your body weight. Take an equal portion of carbs, protein and fats for a balanced diet. Avoid eating too much food or big portion sizes in your meal. Take small bites and chew it slowly to get the pleasure of taste.
- Go for healthy snacks between your meals: If you feel hungry between the meals then eat healthy snacks instead of unhealthy snacks. For example, after having lunch your body feels hungry in the evening, then opt for healthier options in your evening snacks like nuts, salad or fruits and avoid unhealthy snacks like French fries, chips etc. However, don’t have too many snacks at the same time.
- Avoid foods high in fat, sugar, and salt: Processed foods and fast food contain high quantities of fats and sugar, which is harmful for your health. Avoid these sugary and fatty foods in your diet. Sugary foods such as ice cream can cause diabetes. Salty and fat foods such as chips will lead to heart diseases. Take sodium in your diet less than 2.3 grams daily. Avoid processed and fast foods that contain too many calories that cause weight gain. Try to have less calories in your meals and use less sugar and salt in your diet.
- Drink water instead of sugary sodas and juices: Drink water as much as you can and stay hydrated. Keep away from sugary drinks and soft drinks. Drink water before every meal so that you feel full and eat less.
2. Staying Active and Relaxed:
- Exercise at least 30 minutes daily: Add at least 30 minutes of workout routine to your weekly diet plan. Do exercises or workouts that make you happy and you enjoy doing them. For example walking, running, cycling, weight lifting, swimming, or playing some sort of group games. Your body will be higher on endorphins and will increase your emotional fitness too. If you find it difficult to follow up your workout, then start with 10-15 minutes of daily workouts twice or thrice a day.
- Get at least 8 hours of sleep a night: In case you’re a teenager, try and get 8-10 hours of sleep at night; in case you are older than 18 or have crossed your teenage, aim for 7-9 hours of sleep. Fall asleep and wake up at the same time each day to get your body into a habit. Put up an alarm for 30 minutes before you need to be in your bed. While the alarm is going off, switch off all your electronics and start your bedtime routine, so that your mind and body can start to follow the night routine. Keep your room dark to fall asleep faster.
- Take up cycling or swimming for a low impact workout: Workouts that are hard can be different and hurtful for you. Start with moderate exercise daily to stay healthy and lose extra weight. For example, go cycling or swimming daily for 30 to 60 minutes, it will help you lose your calories. Swimming is a combination of many exercises and is healthy for all your body parts. It will lower down your weight faster.
3. Talking to Your Doctor:
- Speak to your doctor about lowering your dosage of Lyrica: Taking Lyrica has a side effect that you will start gaining weight quickly. If you are taking Lyrica and you notice that you gain weight from 10 to 20 pounds (4.t to 9.1kg) then you should consult a doctor. Tell your doctor to suggest a lower dose which is suitable for you and doesn’t have any side effects. Take the medications that will treat your medical problem but you don’t gain too much weight. Before leaving Lyrica, you must consult a doctor or you will face serious medical issues.
- Talk to your doctor about other medications you are on that may cause weight gain: If you are taking other medicines like SSRIs or antipsychotics with Lyrica, then you should tell your doctor to change your medicine or lower your dose because these medicines also lead to weight gain. Your doctor will prescribe you stimulatory drugs that counterbalance the side effects of Lyrica and help you reduce your weight that you gain from Lyrica.
- Ask your doctor about switching to a different medication: Lyrica has many benefits as well as it has some side effects. If you’re facing a problem like gaining weight, while taking Lyrica, you should tell your doctor to change your medicine with some other medicine that would treat your medical problem. Lyrica is very beneficial for treating problems like fibromyalgia. Try to follow a healthy diet and lifestyle to overcome side effects of Lyrica. If you are worried about gaining weight then you have a right to ask your doctor for another medication.