Lyrica

mp70

Lyrica works GREAT.. I have fibro and lupus.. however, i gained 40 lbs on it within 5 months. I was taken off of it, given neurontin and cant lose the weight. Many people have no weight gain on it, you may be one and I will really be honest and say if the actual added weight wasnt making the pain in my joints worse, Id have stayed on it . Cymbalta is sometimes used for pain though its an antidepressant, check with your doc and see if it may work for you. ALso for me the "out of it" feeling went away in about 2 months.

Basicallly I have found NOTHING that takes all the pain away completely besides passing out on a fentanyl patch ... and thats no way to live for me

I hope you get relief soon, constant pain is terrible.

bain in my pack

My husband's PM put him on Lyrica until I made him call the doctor who said "yeah, some people can't tolerate it" so go ahead and stop taking it. He would wake up in the middle of the night and start yelling. It was like he was dreaming that he was having an arguement, and acting out his part of the converstion. It was scary as heck at the time.

SpineAZ

I'm on a similar medication called Neurontin which is available in generic under the name gabapentin. I use it for nerve related pain from my cervical and lumbar spine issues as well as due to pain from my nerve affected by my recent spine surgery incision on my hip.

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Rt thumb fusion '13. R&L thumb arthroplasty '12 ; RT TKR & Bilat CTS' 11. Fusions: L5-S1('87), L4-S1('93), C5-C7('06), L3-S1('10), C4-C5('13). C5-C7 foraminotomy '08

tandycipps

I have cronic neck and shoulder pain. I take lortab 10/500 but about a year ago I had back surgery and was put on lyrica. It helped so much but I gained about 25lbs. I decided to try dieting to see if I could lose the weight and it is coming off fine. I've lost 10lbs per month average. I take it at night close to bedtime and it really helps me to sleep. If I take it during the day I can hardly stay awake. Good luck!

nochange

Hello newcamaro. I would try lyrica for couple of months and see how it goes for you.

For me Neurontin(gabapentin)works better. I believe it works better for chronic neck pain but everyone is different.

While I was on lyrica I've gained some weight but for me it's OK, I'm skinny anyway. My doctor was really happy I put on weight but lyrica didn't take the localized pain I have in my neck so I'm now on neurontin. It's BETTER but it's not perfect. I found percocet and oxycontin much better.

Have you tried clonazapam?. It suppose to help, but you need to go back to your doctor and anyway. If I was you, I would give lyrica a try for couple of months(3 months like I've done) cause anyway you're on 75mg lyrica which is nothing and in order to see if it REALLY works there is a need to increase your dose but that it is done gradually.
It does makes you sleepy but it usually goes away.

So that's basically what I would do:
1) keep taking lyrica for say couple of months and see what
happens but taking it at night time.
2)Try gabapentin(neurontin)chances it will work.
3)Try clonazapam or valium.

Good luck and keep us posted.

P.S don't be afraid if lyrica puts you on weight, I used to eat 3 times as much but if you changed your diet, say eats salads etc you won't put on weight.

allanbruce

I have been put on Tegratol 2 X 100mg morning then 2 X 100mg at night. Has anyone had success with this medication? It is Carbamazepine tablets which I don't recognise. Allan

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25-Nov-2010: ALIF fusion L5-S1. 9 years of Chronic lower back pain. Nearly 18 months of pain across my upper pelvis, through my butt and down my left leg into my foot. Sciatica relieved by surgery.

Crash4honda

Been on 150 mg Lyrica for about 2 yrs now, take 2x a day for nerve pain in my right leg due to an accident. I was at a #10 pain level for over 1 1/2yrs every day, every 12 seconds, non stop prior to going on Lyrica. All other nerve meds didn't work for me. I gained some weight but this was more due to diet and lack, of exercises than the Lyrica.

Lyrica itself did not control the pain. After asking a lot of questions and going to different doctors, I found out that certain pain meds combined with other meds can control chronic pain. So now I take Effexor, which I have been told is an older drug, along with Lyrica and this seems to work. If the pain flars up I take Vicodin as needed, which usually never more than one a day.

As for side effect, I had dizziness for about 3 months but my body adjusted. The only time I get crazy dreams is when I have to take the Vicodin.

nochange

Tegretol is an anti seizure medication, it's for nerve pain. I've never tried that one before. I've tried trileptal if you've heard, they say this one has less side effects then tegretol but after 2 days of using trileptal I've stopped using it(also anti seizure med)cause it increased my pain level. It might have caused me a seizue altogether.

They usually start with: Lyrica, then neurontin then trileptal and then tegretol.

It takes time for this type of medication to work. From what I understood it takes about 3 weeks. So be patient.
It's not like Oxycontin. With Oxycontin we don't need to wait at all.

Good Luck!

allanbruce

I have gone off Oxycontin now and I am trying the Patches again 2x 50mc/gr/hr every 3 days . I tried Lyrica for about 4 weeks and didn't feel any effects and it was costing me $100 a month where the Tegretol is only the pension rate $5.40 So I thought I would try that. It all takes a while to settle in.

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25-Nov-2010: ALIF fusion L5-S1. 9 years of Chronic lower back pain. Nearly 18 months of pain across my upper pelvis, through my butt and down my left leg into my foot. Sciatica relieved by surgery.