10 Potential Side Effects of Fibromyalgia Drugs

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Weight gain

Lyrica—but not Cymbalta or Savella—has been shown to foster weight gain. For most people, only doses higher than 300 milligrams a day will cause them to pack on a few extra pounds, says Dr. Teitelbaum.

Even a few pounds can be significant, however, since weight gain is a common problem in fibromyalgia to begin with. “The average weight gain in fibromyalgia is 32.5 pounds,” says Dr. Teitelbaum. “Adding more weight gain in a disease that most often affects women really lowers their self-images.”