Been Taking Lyrica for Migraines for over two months

I found this forum while searching the net for more information about Lyrica. The first site I came across was an attourney who is currently taking cases of people who have suffered severe side effects from Lyrica.  One of which was suicide. Which is why I thought it neccessary to bring it to your attention. I've been Lyrica for migraine prevention for over two months now, and it's been working quite well. The only side effect I've noticed (which I guess could be caused by anything) I've been experiencing a lot more aura activity in my peripheral vision and I'm wondering if anyone else feels the same way. But the big reason I was on the net today, looking for more info. on Lyrica, was that I've had a very emotional and grumpy day today, brought on by virtually nothing. But I've spent the whole day feeling out of control upset and even smashed an heirloom plate on the kitchen floor that meant a lot to me. That scared me.... hence the research. And then the first thing I fnd is that Lyrica causes anxiety and, in some cases, can lead to suicidal thoughts. If anyone would like to comment on their own experiences with Lyrica, that would be helpful. Thanks!

 Worried

Thank you Ann

I appreciate your hospitality. I also appreciate your invitation to vent. Today, I had my first nuerologist appt. I had been seeing a headache specialist but wanted to get a second opinion from a "professional". I've waited three months for this day, hoping I could gain some more insight into what was going on with my body. The appt. was a half hour long. He checked my eyes and reflexes and balance. Then asked me a few questions; does anyone in my family have migraines, do I have aura, how often I get them, weather or not they interfere with my life (I have recently been fired from a job for migraine related absences), and whether or not I get them around my period. Then he told me that I have migraine (something I've known for years, thank you very much for that profound sentiment). He then asked about anxiety and depression (both of which I experience) and proceeded to tell me in not so many words that I have "migraine personality". For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, the "migraine personality" is an older theory that has been used for generations to keep women's problems from seeming important. Women who have migraines are told that they have migraine personality and therefore, the migrines they experience are their fualt, having absolutley nothing to do with brain chemistry and chemical processes. Anyway, that was a huge bummer for me, as I had wanted a second opinion b/c the headache specialist's latest idea was that I have mood disorder and needed to see a phychiatrist. Well, the one she reffered me to was not covered by my insurance and I have yet to seek out one that is. Expecting that I would gain more insight in today's appt. with the "professional" opinion that lay ahead, I decided to put the phychiatrist visit off. Now I'm wishing I hadn't. The nierologist also said that I should get more in tune with my innner feeling and thoughts and body processes (all of which I spend more time doing than focusing on the outside world), and that I should keep a journal of heaaches and the days that surround them (which I do and it just pisses me off because I can't find many patterns in my headaches - and the doctors never want to read it anyway). Needless to say, at the end of my precious thirty minutes with a nuerologist (who, by the way, suffers from migraine himself), I had the left the office with no more information than I had had before I walked the through the door thrity minutes ago. The only thing I did leave with was a renewed sense of sadness as I cried all the way to my car and on the drive home, as I realized that the only person who can really help me ... is me. This book has helped me a lot. Paula Kamen "All in my head...an epic quest to cure an unrelenting, totally unreasonable, and only slightly enlightening HEADACHE." I read about it in "*****" magazine, a feminist response to popular culture. It too new to get from the library, so I had to buy it off her website, but it was worth it. Here's the site - interesting, her site is no longer there, more info. later I guess - sorry

Cronk

Hi, I tried Lyrica for about 6 weeks but had to discontinue it. It made me tired, cranky, spacey and only minimally reduced my headaches. After stopping it , i had a three day migraine, but now am back to normal.(??)  I know we are all different, but I really did not like the way it made me feel. I started at one, then two, then three 3 75-mgs a day. But I felt cloudy in the brain and feel so much better after being off of it.

I hope you have better luck with it, but if the mood swings continue, I'd reconsider.

Hi everybody,

I usually post on the chronic pain and fibromyalgia sites, but I stumbled across this thread about lyrica. I didn't know it was used to treat headaches! hmmmmm learn something new everyday. I take it for the fibro and it is sure working. The funny thing is, for this first week, I have had a headache that I'm sure is related to the drug. Having waited it out for a few days, the headaches have stopped and all I'm left is with the fibro pain relief in my legs and feet.

I do suffer from migraines from time to time and mine are triggered by intense emotional responses. I know this for a fact. I get angry or terribly sad and bam,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, a few days later, I have a migraine. It takes a few days usually before it rears it's ugly head and then wow! I take percocet for my fibro and that is the only medicine that works for my migraines too. I have tried other migraine medications, but they do not work.

Thanks for letting me share here.

Lindaloo