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Lyrica vs Gabapentin

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Chronic Pain
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Posted 6/15/2013 7:14 AM (GMT 0)
So, I have nerve pain in my spine (and I don't know why, but I imagine that will be figured out eventually.)

Right now, I'm a student at a college where there's a free clinic, and I've been put on Soma for my muscles (I know it sounds silly but my butt hurts so badly, and the Soma clears that right now) and Gabapentin for the nerve pain (which helps in large doses.) So, it does work, and I think I can live like this,

What the clinic CAN'T technically do by law is treat students with chronic illnesses; I need a primary care doctor and I'm working on getting coverage (CMSP, california aid for medicine.) So, if that goes through, I'll have a Primary.

Gabapentin makes me very, very hyper. Mom says "manic" but points out that's it's not in a negative way. I can still function and do normal things...but I talk way more than I used to.

So I'm wondering if anyone has taken Lyrica, and when I get a Primary, should I make the switch? I'm thinking, why not try? Gabapentin gets rid of the pain but I hear Lyrica is WAY better.

Please, any feedback. -Nike
Posted 6/15/2013 9:35 AM (GMT 0)
Hello Nike. I was initially on neurontin and didn't tolerate it well at all. Was switched to lyrica and after the adjustment period have done very well. Coming up on a year and would hate to stop it for fear of having the sciatica come back full force.

You will however hear all us "oldies " tell people every day that each of us is different in how we respond to different meds.

Im from the old school of if its not broke why fix it? Other then talking too much are there problems with the neurontin?
Posted 6/15/2013 12:55 PM (GMT 0)
Nike,

If the meds are working.... I would say just to stay on what you are on. Unless the side effects start affecting your day to day life, etc.

How long have you been on the gabapentin? (I'm on it as well)... Side effects often do fade over time....

Lyrica works really well for some; for others (like myself) - it doesn't work. So, it would just be a trial/error sort of thing to see if it works for you.

Anyway - that's why I would personally do..... but support whatever choice you end up making! Good luck on getting a primary doctor....

--Tina
Posted 6/15/2013 3:43 PM (GMT 0)
I have been on gabapentin twice, from 2 different doctors for 2 different reason, I never tolerated it well, and it made me feel very aggressive, instead of my normal passive self. And both times, it did nothing for the pain I was being treated for.

As well said above, different drugs simply work differently patient by patient, definitely not a one size fit all thing.

Good luck,

david
Posted 6/15/2013 5:53 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there,

I also have nerve/neuropathic pain and was on Gabapentin for about eight months, eventually up to a pretty high dose of 2700mg per day. Since it wasn't working well enough I wanted to go higher and the neurologist recommended being on Lyrica instead, so I switched to 300mg Lyrica per day.

I have found it to be a little more effective but the main thing is hugely less side effects i.e. drowsiness, brain fog, etc, didn't quite realize until then how badly the Gabapentin was affecting my cognitive function. So I can take more of the equivalent Lyrica dose and function far better in day to day life.

So I have found it to feel like a smoother, more efficient version of Gabapentin. My neurologist told me that at the higher level of dosing the two drugs have basically the same effect in terms of relief for patients, just that Lyrica is has a more linear bio-availability (i.e. higher percentage is absorbed in to the body with each dose) which makes it a little easier to find the right overall dose.

It is certainly worth giving it a try if you feel Gabapentin is either not working well enough or the side effects are too heavy. Hope that helps.

Post Edited (holydiver) : 6/15/2013 11:59:44 AM (GMT-6)

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