Lyrica for pain?

Are you sure the new abx you're trying to tolerate isn't also increasing the pain? I'm new to all this, but the word "new" in the context of adding new drugs to me means "more and worse"!!! I will leave the Lyrica side effects for somebody else to address since I've never taken them. Seems to me a friend of mine takes it and says it makes her sleepy?????

You will probably be better of trying Savella. You will not gain weight on it. It worked for me in the beginning, but somehow, my stomach starting acting up and I cannot take it anymore. Savella is alot safer than Lyrica.

I am on savella, 10 days now and my pain is worse than ever. HOPING it kicks in soon. Its only marketed for fibro in US, but yes, its an antidepressant and very similar to cymbalta...

When I first got sick, I had been taking Neurontin (sister-drug to Lyrica) for several years for migraines. Because no doctor could initially figure out what was wrong with me, I suddenly found myself on a variety of additional drugs, one being Lyrica (I switched from Neurontin to see if it would help any more)... I don't remember having any side effects, other than pretty severe "dizziness" in the mornings, which went away after a while, and tingling in my fingers (also in the mornings), a common side effect of anti-seizure medications (I had also been on Topamax and Zonagran for migraines, so these probably also contributed to the tingling).

The dizziness I experienced was nothing like I have had from treating Lyme with antibiotics and Herxing...hardly even comparable. The Neurontin would make me literally clumsy and have to hold on to things when I first woke up...but the Herx reaction causes severe, actually sickening dizziness in my eyes and head...enough to cause nausea and a very uncomfortable feeling.

One day I just looked down at my pill organizer, full of all different shapes, sizes, and colors, and thought about how terrible I was still feeling, despite taking all the medications. It wasn't worth it to me (and I hate taking pills)...so I stopped everything but the antibiotic and the pain medication. Stopping medications abruptly is definitely not something that doctors advise, but for me it was a way to put an end to any additional insanity!

I have actually recently been thinking about and considering trying Lyrica (or Neurontin) again, without all the other stuff I was taking at the same time (prescription anti-inflammatories, anti-depressants, sleep medications, anti-anxiety medication, etc.)...to see if it might help. Every medication has a chance for side effects, but I would never put it on my "bad list." Neurontin can also really help with sleep... I think they're great drugs, but that's just my own personal opinion!

I hope you feel better - I've been in the same boat for almost three years now. It's gotten a LOT better but I still feel awful...just not spending my waking hours screaming and pacing and pleading with God! Please follow up and let us know how it goes if you decide to try it... One more thing - Lyrica is a LOT more expensive than Neurontin, so you may want to consider that, too!

Rachel

And...Lyrica has lawsuits and recalls too. And this is not the only one. There are plenty.

www.siskiyoudaily.com/news/x665158280/Local-woman-feels-effects-of-Pfizer-lawsuit


Since Deejavu posted the links for Savella, I wanted everyone to see that alot of these drugs have complaints. This lady 's vision deteriorated from taking Lyrica. Everyone needs to understand though, that these side effects are rare. Just like Levaquin causes tendon damage to some. I've been on it many times and it never hurt me in any way. If you have Fibro, the pain is horrendous. Supplements or herbs usually do not help this kind of pain. I tried it all before I ever thought about taking pain medicine or any prescription medication. When you are in so much pain, you weigh your options. Will the benefit outweigh the risk? Sometimes, you have to do what you have to do to function.

I don't know why, but on a forum, you will get more comments on how a medicine didn't work for someone then you will get good comments. I like to hear the negative too though about a medicine just in cause I experience that side effect, but when I first asked about Savella, there was ONE person, only one, that posted how it had helped them. I was very nervous to start it but glad that I did.

Acupuncture is proven to reduce pain levels - maybe you should give it a try!!

I am a little biased here, as I am finally getting the type of treatment I have needed for years, but a person could 'google' acupuncture & pain management.

Here is one link to ' WebMD' on the subject, although I do not agree with this statement that is made about chronic or serious illnesses, as I am finally getting some improvement with this type of therapy combined with Chinese & Western herbals :

""Importantly, don't rely on acupuncture for treatment of chronic or serious illness unless you see a doctor first. Acupuncture may not be the only way to improve your condition."" Bullarkey!!!

Here is the link;
www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/guide/arthritis-acupuncture

I did several sessions of acupuncture when I first got sick and was desperate for anything that might help (I even went to an alternative healer, which was basically a joke - I believed more in Reiki and energy before I got sick...at this point, it's hard to believe that anything other than good old Western medicine is going to help!).

The acupuncture did nothing to alleviate any pain - I think most of the time it was actually more painful to go to the office and lay on the table for the amount of time needed, and get back home to bed. If anything it may have helped relax me for the brief time I was there, and possible afterward, too. The needles didn't hurt at all - I hardly even noticed them. They're so tiny and really don't penetrate very far. I think it's worth giving it a try to see if it might help you - my father quit a heavy smoking addiction through acupuncture about 25 years ago, and I don't think alternative medicine is really his style, so it was pretty amazing. My mom and sister have also used it throughout their lives for neck, shoulder, and back pain - fairly successfully. I know they can also use heat (and possibly cold?) through the needles, too.

Good luck! I hope it helps!!!

Rachel

LOL, Deejavu!!! There are actually quite a few things that I won't even consider doing - bungee jumping (I have no desire to find out just how many times that big rubber band can actually return me safely!!

I also don't see the reason for things like skydiving - why jump out of perfectly good airplane??? Giggle!!!

Okay, I'll get a little more serious!

Deejavu- As Madrivergirl said, the needles are very small & thin. Every once in a while, if the acu doc is being aggressive in my treatment (which is, of course what I'm after) they can sometimes set a needle right down on top of a nerve , which can be a little painful, but they are NOT supposed to hurt!!! So a good acu doc will either re-set the needle or remove it completely. Unfortunately, a lot of docs want to just "help a
little with the symptoms", rather than actually dig in deep to help correct malfunctioning systems. These kinds of acu docs are giving the rest a bad reputation. Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine has bee the only things can help me to get to a healthy & active lifestyle! I was under the care of one back in 2005 - when we were in Ca.- and I quite literally have never felt better in my whole life & at that time I hadn't realized that I was carrying around a bunch of tick-borne infections!

After going through a whole bunch of them trying to find someone who is serious about helping their patients get back to being healthy - I found one in a quaint little town about an hour away from my house! I have experienced more help from this acu doc that I am now under the care of, than any of the 'Western Medicine' docs I have seen in the last 5 years.

I'm not trying to convince anyone to go to an acu doc - I'm just relating my experiences. Please forgive me if I stepped on anyones toes!

Here's a website for those who are curious;
www.acupuncture.com/index.html

On the left side, near the top of the page, click on the 'button' that says "Patients".