My pain consultant has said it might be worth me trying Lyrica/Pregabalin, as it can help with fibro pain and also generalised anxiety disorder (which I also have) he has left it up to me to think it over, but I would very much welcome your views, from the people who know!
If I do decide to go ahead....am seeing the doc on Jan 7th....what might I expect re side effects etc when first starting it?
Plus....do any of you get real benefits from taking it.....I already take quite a few meds but don't want to add a new one if it's not really going to help.
I'm unable to take codeine based analgesia as it makes me feel unwell so I only take paracetamol and Ibuprofen which are not really very effective.....hence his suggestion of Lyrica.
Thank you in advance and I hope you had as good a Christmas as fibro allows! and wish you all a Happy New Year.
Hi Lucy,
I was allergic to Lyrica ( rash) , but I have read many times of members saying their Lryica helps , my thought is give it a try , if it don’t help atleast you tried it. I remember seeing comments like I couldn’t live with out my Lyrica and others say it did not help.
If you tap on ALL DISCUSSION at the top left you can type in Lyrica and read old discussions about it
I did great taking 75mg twice a day but when my dose was increased I had a 75 pound weight gain and the fibro fog got a lot worst. My friend takes it and hasn't had any problems she says it is the best medication she has found.
Talk it over with the doctor when you go it may work great for you.
Well Lyrica is indeed very good and has helped me with with my fibro pains quite a lot. Although it makes you drowsy (if you have been taking codeine then I guess that's something you will be accustomed to), it really helped me at work and I would usually be able to make it through the day with little or no discomfort.
There is however an unpleasant side to this (although I am sure that not all that take it will be affected - your pain consultant should be better able to advise) - But even from taking 1 x 75mg Capsule a day, I noticed my weight started to increase. I am quite sporty and active and generally have a good diet - despite this, my weight crept up.
I do still take Lyrica, but only when things get a little too much to bear. I think it's hit and miss with the weight gain, but overall a fantastic drug for the fibro. I hope it works with you! Let us know how things go..
Many thanks to you all for your experiences with Lyrica and your advice......that's why I like this site.....you get help from those who really know.....so thanks everyone.
Will mull it over and chat to the doc, but like dee B says, it might be worth trying, at least then I'll know!
I also tried Lyrica. With my anxiety and depression Lyrica pushed my mental health right over the edge. I became nasty and angry. That happened about 3 days into taking 75 mg 2xs a day. Cymbalta along with savella did the same. I am on antidepressants but i do not know if there is an undocumented report concerning this “cocktail” good luck and keep us updated. Love and hugs. Becky
Hi lyrica is worth trying. For, me it made the pain go away, but I could not stand the weight gain. The best was savella. Unfortunately, it is not yet in Canada where I go to school, so I just started c y m b a l t a. So far, so good…its just been 1 month. Good luck…
HI LUCY IVE TRIED ALMOST EVERY DRUG PERSCRIBED FOR FIBRO.NONE HAVE WORKED FOR ME.TALK TO YOUR DR AND PHARMASIST.ITS WORTH A TRY IF YOU DONT YOULL NEVER KNOW. MY RHEUMI NP. PHYSICAL THERAPIST PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT HAVE PERSCRIBED GENTLE STRETCHING EXERCISES AND AQUA EXERCISES IN A WARM 85-90 DEGREE WATER.IT DOESNT TSKE ALK THE PAIN AWAY BUT AT LEAST I CAN FUNCTION NORMAL EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES EXCEPT WORK.I HAD TO TSKE DISABILITY AND RETIRE VERY RELUCTANTLY.I LOVED MY JOB DIDNT WANT TO GIVE IT UP.I WORKED AS A WAITRESS IN AN ASSISTED LIVING SENIOR COMMUNITY CALLED THE KENSINGTON.ITS A CHAIN OF 12 INCLUDING ALL DEMENTIA RESIDENTS.I WIRKED IN THE DININGROOM.I LOVED BRING AROUJD RHE RESUDENTS AND THEIR STORIES.IT MADE MY DAY WHEN I WALKED IN AND INTERSCTED WITH THEM AND MY WORKPARTNERS.LET ME KNIW WHAT YOU XECIDE AND THE RESULTS.'
I gained thirty pounds on Lyrica 75mgs. x 2. When I first started it and for about the first 2 weeks I woke with a very stoney feeling that hung on mildly through the day. This didn't mix well with my fog. The weight gain was what led me to go off the med plus it didn't work for very long and increasing it wasn't an option for me when I hit 265 pounds! I am back down to my pre Lyrica weight and using cymbalta, neurotin, requip for fibro symptoms but am on stronger pain meds for other issues and they cover most of my "pains"
Everyone is different though and I've had other specialists try to prescribe it for arthritis and the terrible pain I get in my feet. Lots of folks have had good luck with it and it just may work for you. Good Luck with your decision and I hope you get to feeling better real soon.
Hey there, I take Lyrica as my main pain medication. There is definately a weight gain. I had to alter my diet drastically to get the weight off. But I am almost back to my pre Lyrica weight. I think this is one of those meds that work for some and not others. I would say you could give it a try but have your doctor monitor you on it. Good luck. Scarlett
Hello, each and everyone of you! Wishing you the best and no pain, ever! I tried Lyrica five years ago - I had lost 50 lbs. went down to 130 which made me very happy but I gained it all back in six months. . . it also made me very dizzy. . . since I was taking care of my granddaughter - 4 months old at the time, I decided to stop it; there were more side effects which I do not remember but I stopped Lyrica for the sake of my granddaughter. . . By the way, I have not been able to lose the weight gain. . . had to buy new clothes, etc. . . I love you all - Irma
I was on Lyrica for almost 2 years. I had a huge weight gain and my depression was worse. I was also taking 120 mg of Cymbalta. I did not notice any pain relief and did some research. I found out that the success rate for Lyrica treating fibro pain was only slightly higher than the placebo rate. Many people have side effects. I eventually told my doctor I was no longer going to take it - it took me a month to wean off of it because I was on such a high dose. I am still on Cymbalta but only 60 mg. I now take Curicumin (Tumeric) with Boswellia Serrata which I get from Swansons Vitamins online. I find this much more helpful for the pain. I am also allergic to codeine but I can take synthetic codeine (hydrocodone) without issue. I take low dose. Please be careful with Lyrica. It is not a wonder drug for fibro and is a reformulation of Neurotin which has been around for awhile.
Aloha Lucy: Tell you the truth, at this point, in my opinion, I really don't think any of the medications for fibro work, not for me anyway. When I first was diagnosed 5 years ago, they gave me Savella, Cymbalta and Lyrica, of course at different times since I told the doc none of them helped me. Then we got into the more higher levels of medication like vicadine, ocycodone…..can't tell you how many meds I have tried and nothing works even the oxycodone. I'm frustrated and sick and tired of being in this condition. Since I can hardly walk I got myself a scooter so I have not been walking very much and now my bones are cracking and popping like crazy! I feel like if I bend I just may crack in half! Every step is unbearably hard to take. Now they tell me I have to get hip surgery both sides. What the…………was it my hips all this time or is this in addition to my fibro, nobody seems to know. So, if I don't do it, it won't get better on its own. The doc said it would help my hips not to hurt but not my spine or back, great news, right? Not. I guess I have no choice but to do it.
You take care and I know how frustrating it is to find a med that relieves the pain. I hope you try it and it works for you. Otherwise tell your doc you want to try something else. that's what he is there for; he is suppose to help you so you don't have so much pain..
I had a horrible allergic reaction to it. My eyes, lips, nostrils, were swollen shut almost in 2 weeks and I had gained 30 lbs. my neurologist had a fit that I had not called him earlier. That’s just me. Many people do very well on it. I don’t want to scare you.
Lucy, Lyrica has been a Godsend for me & it is truly an individual drug. I was officially diagnosed 5 yrs ago. My PM PA & rheumatologist both think I am a rare childhood onset person. It was a 2 yr trial & error process for me w/ 3 mos each on such drugs as Cymbalta, Gaba, Neurotinin, etc. I began w/ 75mg bid for the 1st yr. I am now on a maximum dosage of 150mg tid. Did I gain weight, yes; but I was always active when I could be so as soon as the drug really kicked in I was able to get out of bed. I eat healthier to keep the weight down as best I can & I weigh less than 180 @ 5'7". It is a timed release drug & I encounter the kick in effect ( a couple of times a day) which causes some momentary speech, balance probs but nothing major. Lyrica is the only thing that got me out of bed & back to work! The pain subsides 30 minutes after taking it in the morning (it never really goes away, but there are times when it's bearable) so I am fortunate. I do also take a muscle relaxant- Soma & Hydrocodon in addition- that's my cocktail. I would really have done a disservice to myself had I not tried it; 1 of my daughter's had severe vision probs & it didn't work for her. I thank God I did not allow her bad experience affect my experiment. I pray ALL the best for you & each of you in this upcoming New Year; His Peace & Blessings! Judi
It works great for me…no more daily pain and helps with sleep. The lowest dose is 25 mg capsules so i started out very slowly, splitting the contents until i could handle the 25. I am ultra sensitive to meds and the first time the doc prescribed it he started me on a 75, it made me so drugged out. Anyway i now take a whole 25 mg capsule plus 1/4 th of one…thats all my body needs for pain relief and my brain cant take any more. Its worth a try.
I dont take meds for my fibro exept pain relief as I had too many side effects but I have cut wheat and gluten out of my diet and have noticed a difference in my health worth a try guys
I take Lyrica. I think it does offer some relief. I would recommend trying it. It does have notable side effects. The one that many people seem to complain about is changes in their vision (this is one of the main side effects listed in connection with the med). The recommended amount for Fibro patients is 50mg 3x per day. I only take it 2x per day because any more than that and my vision was really wacky. I have heard the same complaint from many others. Still......it may be helpful to you and everyone is different. It may not effect you in the same way. And, if it offers relief - even a little bit then its worth it. With Fibro I think sometimes you just have to experiment with what works for you. Good luck and I hope you find it very helpful!!!
I've tried both before, to no avail. Lyrics blew me up weight-wise, and pregab just did nothing for my illness. I have fibro, plus I'm seeing a neurologist for chronic migraines and balance issues. Right now I'm on cymbalta and tramadol, plus an occasional muscle relaxant. You have to try them and see what works for you...I've been on several medications before until this regimen, and I think it's reaching its max now. What do I do next because I've tried savella, elavil, gabapentin, etc. I hear some new meds are coming out...hopefully they'll work for us. All the best.