Lyrica

[ouchie]

Just joined and scanned a little bit seeing if I saw anyone talk about Lyrica.
Has that been mentioned?

[Silverlady]

Do a search on the toolbar above. I think we have discussed it.

Billye

[ouchie]

After exhausting everything since being diagnosed PN in 1996, I finally ended up at the Pain Clinic. Before that I had been poked, stuck with needles, prodded, had nerve biopsies, CAT Scans and MRI's. I found out that I was allergic to Neurontin and Cymbalta did nothing but make me more cranky. The doctor at the Pain Clinic convinced me after several tries to give Lyrica a chance. I am now on 100 mg. 4's a day. I went through all the side affects including brain fog, etc. My doctor and my husband stayed with me the whole time and eventually the side affects lessened. And, the pain has gone from a 9-10 to a 4-5 which is good enough for me. I am 62 and happy that I have some sort of quality to my life. But, we are all different and for some it may not work. For me it does.

K~

[Silverlady]

I'm glad it works for you. I'm currently on a ramp up for Lyrica. Taking 75mg breakfast and noon, 150 mg bedtime. I can't say that the 75mg is doing much. But the 150 seems to be pretty good. I can sleep most of the time. I don't get another increase until after Christmas and after Mayo. Who knows, they may change it. It does have a drying effect on my eyes and mouth, but I'm tolerating it o.k. Just more eyecare involved, more drops and hotpacks. It remains to be seen if it is worth it all.

Billye

[Laurie43]

I love lyrica. It has done wonders for pain relief. However, I gained over 30 pounds which was shocking to me. Thank goodness I was very thin to begin with. But, I am not used to being chunky now. So, I started to decrease my nighttime dose. I am on neurontin too, so I am taking that and lidocane patches at nite. I hope I can stay off the evening dose of lyrica.

But, again it has done wonders for pain relief for me..

[nide44]

I've been on Lyrica for over a year, now.
200mg 3x day and Tramadol (Ultram) 100mg 4x day.
I was on Neurontin (Gabapentin) 4200mgs a day for 6 years, before switching to Lyrica.
The Neurontin made me go from 220 lbs (my normal weight 6'1-1/2") to 245, then I went on weight watchers and went down to 230lbs, then I started Lyrica and am now up to 248lbs.
BUT............my PN pain & symptoms are being controlled !
Everything in this world involves compromise- a trade off.
I try to watch my diet and keep my weight under control- but I'll live with a 12% weight increase if I'm not in pain. My levels went from 7-9 to 2-3 with Lyrica. I can live with that.

[roz1950]

Lyrica is a weight gainer . There are other meds out there

[nide44]

Lyrica is a weight gainer . There are other meds out there

Yes, but for me - the other have s/e much woorse than weight gain.
I lost weight thru dieting with Weight Watchers, but 'fell off the wagon'.
(Gotta get back on again, I've been lazy)
Topamax caused me to have a total lapse of short term memory for 4 months! Keppra causes Keppra rage! Cymbalta makes me feel happy but still in pain.
I've been thru most of the popularly used PN meds in the past 7+ years - and Lyrica, along with Tramadol, has the best pain control of any I've tried.
Each person is different and reacts differently to the meds, but if I
gotta do a trade off, Lyrica is the best yet !

[annie56]

I agree, Lyrica has changed my life! I have had small fiber pn for six years, and after all the drugs mentioned at high doses - when I was put on Lyrica a year ago my pain went from a 8/9 to a 3/4! I also take oxycontin - but the two of them work great for me! I have had some weight gain, but have just started doing some walking - now that I can! I hope that helps bring down some of the weight and just found out that I am prediabetic, so It can only help my blood sugar also. Lyrica was made for people like ME.
Annie

[dahlek]

YET, but among the options....I'm on Keppra, and doing very well. Neurontin-well, was one's worst nightmare for me.. I have what's left of my brain back [SHUSH! YOU OTHER GUYS!] and only s/e is when I forget to take a dose...I get, well....muzzy?

There are choices out there...It's a good doc that KNOWS them..to me? A lazy doc that doesn't?

Hope you find the best-est one for YOU! - j

[nide44]

j,
Glad that the Keppra works for you. I tried it for about a month and it made me edgy and on the verge of being upset and angry about every little thing.
That was before I found out about the 'rage'.
It made sense to me, after I stopped it.
It didn't have any affect on the pain though-that was why I stopped.

Annie,
I read your other post and wanted to say that Lyrica 'set me free' too.
I started it in Sept & for the first time in 6 years, felt as if I could actually go out & do things - rather than just come home from work tired, then just 'relax' on Sundays.
I went to NYC that Dec, just before Xmas and saw all the windows
(esp .Macy's) and walked around for blocks & blocks. I'd always wanted to see NY before Xmas- decorations, sounds, excitement.
I finally was able to do it with Lyrica.
We walked from 42nd to Rockefeller Plaza then to Central Park. The hotel was at 45th & B'way and I admit, we took a cab back- but just to walk around was totally liberating.