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View Full Version : Great to finally have a support team online.


Karma
10-25-2007, 01:17 AM
Hi, I'm relatively new to this sight and feel very fortunate that I have found so much information and support by so many people who have been also been diaginoised with TN. For many years I went back and forth from Dr. to Dr. Facial Pain specialists, ENT(had sinus surgery), Dentists, Endodontist (had 2 crowns, and 2 rootcanals) Neurologiststo the Mayo Clinc 3 times and still had no diagnosis. :confused: Like many people many of the doctors looked at me as if I was completely crazy. Many refered me to see a Shrink!

It wasn't until through my NUCCA Chriopractor that I met a man named James Tasomi who is a TN sufferer himself and has also written a book of his ordeal that I realized this may be what I have. The next time I saw my Neurologist I brought up the possibility that this may be what I suffer from. He felt completely satisfied with all my symptoms and medical past that I truly did have this disease. My life has made a complete turn around in the last year !/2. After suffering a Grand Mall Seizure due to complications with my medicaitons. My Neurologist and I made a plan to change my meds to a more healthy remedy for me. I completly came off of Neurontin, and many Narcodics. I was able to eat again and started to slowing gain back some weight to where I didn't look anorexic anymore. I finally started to live my life and got out of my bed, which I had layed in for nearly 3 years. I went back to work P/T and have been feeling and looking so much better.

My concern at the moment is that I have been taking Lyrica and Tizandine and have felt better, however I have gained quite a bit of weight (50lbs), just last week we upped my levels of both these meds due to the horrible ear pain that I suffer from. I'm fearful that I will continue gaining more weight on these meds. Granted I needed to regain 30-35 to look healthy again, but now I surpassed enough weight gain to appear healthy. Now I am getting a little heavy and find myself hungrier and eating more. I am trying to limit myself to eating smaller/healthier portions throught the day.

However I am still hungry and the weight is still packing on. I am looking to get a treadmill due to the fact that I am unable to walk in the cold weather because it can cause me painful attacks. Is there anyone else who has suffered weight gain from Lyrica and what else can I do to keep the weight from packing on.

EE03
10-25-2007, 06:50 AM
Welcome but sorry you have to be here.

I was on Lyrica twice and both times I gained weight, the last was approximately 30 pounds. Both times, I tried dieting to prevent the weight gain without any luck. Once I was off of it, the weight started to come off. From my experience with this drug, its futile to try to control your weight. I think the drug works on your metabolism given the weight gain and the fact that the info sheet warns about it. It also didn't control my pain and I had to use other meds in conjunction with it. I wish I had more positive comments about the drug but sadly, I don't. Hopefully, others will post their experience soon.

Take care, Ellena

baywatcher
10-25-2007, 08:11 AM
Unfortunately, my experience has been that almost all of the drugs cause weight gain - and that it's really difficult to control it with diet. The only one that I've heard does not act this way is Topomax. However, I haven't taken it and can't say how it works. I am on Trileptal, before that on tegretol, and they both have made me gain weight. But at least you're diagnosed now and perhaps as life gets more normal you'll find a way to achieve your ideal weight. Nancy