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Lyrica for migraines?

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Posted 9/28/2006 8:02 PM (GMT 0)
Hi RMM,

Welcome to Healing Well. I am glad you have found something that works for you. Please keep in touch, and I look forward to getting to know you.

take care

Ann
Posted 11/26/2006 10:52 PM (GMT 0)
I have been dealing with migraines for so long. I have been taking Lyrica since last Spring. My neurologist is happy with the results for my fibromyalgia, but no decrease in number of headaches. What I do find, is better response to imitrex and IB. My general practitioner wanted me to increase my dose from 100 mg at night to 150. I sleep better but way to long and didn't get immediate relief. It is a sad world when all the women in my family at Thanksgiving discuss their migrains and what they have to do for them. I stick with my physical therapy (old neck injury, cause of most head aches), proper diet, rest, and my thyroid meds (which has alot to do with my headaches).
I and my daughter and my son have all been to various head ache specialists. Genetics seems to be the strongest link, and as soon as the magic bullet is found, we all will celebrate. In the mean time, no banana's, very little wine and chocolate, no onions or melons.
Posted 11/27/2006 1:48 AM (GMT 0)

I posted a while back, when I started taking Lyrica.  My neurologist put me on it to help with my migraines, but it never did squat.  I finally just stopped taking it.  It wasn't doing anything for me, and it was really expensive, so I just quit taking it.  Just one more in a line on drugs that didn't help.  I'm going to see a Neurology Specialist at the University of Virginia Medical Center in a few weeks, since my PCP cut off all my headache meds due to a policy change at the clinic I go to.  I've started seeing a new Pain Specialist at UVA, since my one here in town doesn't do migraines.  My new pain DR is trying out Occipital Nerve Injection of steroids in my head.  They hurt like a big dog, but if they will help, I'll do whatever I have to.  I have another set scheduled next week.  My new doctor might want me to take the Lyrica again, but I doubt it will work, since it didn't last time.  Anyway, wish me good luck.

Leigh Ann cool

Posted 11/27/2006 4:51 AM (GMT 0)
Leigh Ann, I'm curious how you do with the injections. My pain doc ordered them and my HMO denied his request. I'm in the middle of some big life changes and haven't had time to "appeal." I'd love for you to keep me posted. I posted a new thread on this a while back. Yours is exactly what I would have done and if it works for you it might be worth the time and effort of making an appeal. Thanks.
Posted 11/28/2006 7:04 AM (GMT 0)

Hey Hopefulmigrainer,

I'm due for another round of Occiptial nerve injections on Dec. 1st.  I saw my local pain specialist, who has set up another round of epidurals for my back problems.  I think he was kind of hacked off when I told him I was seeing another pain specialist.  But that's on him, since he told me he wasn't going to treat my migraines.  I stopped taking the Lyrica after four months, since it wasn't doing me any good.  I'm hoping the direct steroid shots in my head will make more of a difference.  I'm also getting referred to a migraine specialist at the University of Virginia Medical Center, about an hour away from home. 

God, if I could just get my old abortive back, Stadol Nasal Spray.  It's a narcotic, but it's the only one that has ever worked for me in a very long time, and I've tried everything else before and since then.  I've never found a preventative that worked.  I also used to use Lorcet Plus 7.5/650's for breakthrough pain. The clinic I was going to decided that they weren't going to prescribe narcotics for people with migraines.  I'm glad I'm going to be seeing a new doctor.  I'm just sick of these headaches.

Will let you know how everything goes.  Be well.

Leigh Ann cool

Posted 12/11/2006 3:39 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, I have been prescribed Lyrica for migraines.  I found another forum that talks about this on Health Boards.  It is becoming more and more prominate for migraines.  It takes a week or 2 before it really starts to work.  Hang in there with it but I will say after reading some of the responses on-line about getting off of it, it sounds distrubing. I guess you have to weigh it out if it works.
Posted 12/16/2006 10:58 AM (GMT 0)
i have recently been prescribed lyric for migraines but it seems like i am going to be at a much higher dose than anyone i've read about. my doc wants me to build up to 8-10grams a day (3x doses) if it doesn't have any effects at lower doses.

that seems like a lot to me.
Posted 12/16/2006 5:31 PM (GMT 0)
I take it 3X's a day at 100-200mg it I need it. I don't know if that helps but that is what I take. It has caused some side effects I don't like. Weight gain and things I just can't feel because is deadens nerve endings. But for now I am going to take it until I can see my new Nero.
Posted 12/16/2006 8:38 PM (GMT 0)
how long have you been taking it? does it help with your migraines? what kind of side effects?
Posted 1/2/2007 7:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hello fellow Lyrica takers. I hope you're all doing fine. I've been on Lyrica (50mg) a night for about three months now, and I it worked for me for that time, but out of nowhere, I experienced the second episode of extreme head, neck, and back tightening and tensness w/ knots. Last time this happened was the reason I started taking Lyrica which might have been the reason it ceased. But, the pain is back again, for over a straight week now. I bumped up to 75mg tabs a few days ago so we'll see. I'm not really experiencing any frontal pain, just something I like to call "brain burn". And no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to calm my neck and back muscles. I even had my massage therapist friend come over and give me a massage, that did wonders but the pain was still there.
As far as Lyrica side effects, I find that weight gain has been the biggest problem for me. I've gained roughly 15-20 pounds since I've started it. And I can deal with that, but the worst part is that my stomach sticks out like its swollen! I work with kids and they're always asking if I'm pregnant. And they have every right to, I do seriously look pregnant. It's weird. Also, I there's a lot of activity in my eyes. I'm not sure if thats migraine related or a medicine side effect but it weird too. Like little floaties.

Thanks for Listening :)
Posted 1/6/2007 12:03 AM (GMT 0)
Hi all

There does eem to be more and more evidence that Lyrica can and does reduce chronic pain. However do remember to not stop suddenly taking it as this can cause severe headaches and nausea!!

Has anyone ever tried Vitamin B supplements? as that is what I have been recommended...at high doses

best wishes all
Posted 4/3/2007 8:09 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, My Mom was recently put on this 1 month ago and it hasn't helped at all. This is the 4th medication if I recall correctly that she has tried for her "cluster headaches". Nothing seems to work. I as well cannot find anything that says this medication should be used for any type of headache. confused
Posted 4/3/2007 8:19 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Frustrated Daughter,

Welcome to Healing Well. Sorry to hear you Mum suffers with Cluster Headaches. What preventatives has she tried and what abortives does she use? Does she use Oxygen? I wouldn't be without it!!!

Does your Mum see a Neurologist who is a Headache Specialist?

take care

Ann
Posted 4/10/2007 10:18 AM (GMT 0)
I've suffered from migraines since age 3. as a teen they turned into complicated migraines, 3 times I have had them that have mimiced a stroke for many hours. I can't take any of the triptans because they have classified my migraines as hemiplegic. I've tried every migraine med known to man. Botox gave me alot of relief but its costly and some insurances will indeed pay for it. I took Trileptal for prevention and zanaflex and percocet for the actual attack along with 2 extra trileptals and it works wonders but I also have neck and shoulder damage. My doctor gave me Lyrica to treat the neck and shoulder problems resulting from a car accident in of all places Mexico. I've been on it for 4 months and haven't had but 1 headache and I wouldn't classify that as a real migraine. I do find it make me crave sugar. But I'll take the good and the bad to be pain free and off the pain killers
Posted 5/3/2007 12:23 AM (GMT 0)
I was on this for 4 months. I experienced ALL side affects;
Rapid weight gain of 15 pounds
Inability to sleep
Swelling of my face
bloating.

Please look at yourself carefully if you take this medication! I got off as soon as I could.
Posted 6/24/2007 4:46 AM (GMT 0)
It is so nice that you all seem to have good results with Lyrica. I was getting migraine in the kiddy pool arena apparently compared to you all. Only one every 2 to 3 months. I have fibromyalgia and my doctor put me on Lyrica for that. It works wonderfully!! I can walk and it doesn't hurt. It is great! Unless the payoff is getting more migraines. I've had the absolute worst migraine I have ever had in the last two weeks. The pain lasted four days. The numbness down the arm and leg stayed from the third day of migraine to day number seven. Then I got another headache for two days. Skipped one day and yes, you got it, got hit again. these last two we not as bad as that first one in the last two weeks, but 3 in two weeks, for me is insane. I started Lyrica three weeks ago. I'm seriously hoping these migraines are not a side affect of the Lyrica. According to my pharmacist, not likely. More likely due to stress. Unfortunately, the stress cannot be reduced, without throwing my entire personality out the window. And I don't want to become a cold hearted *****. Stress comes from caring too much for other hurting people. So,, basically, just wondering if anyone else got an increase in migraines from the lyrica?
Posted 7/15/2007 11:33 AM (GMT 0)
New to the forum... I've been getting migraines since 2nd grade, classic migraine with visual aura. I get them bad, several times per week if untreated. In 2004 the situation got out of control and I developed anxiety disorder on top of daily migraines. My doctors originally gave me Lyrica as an antianxiolytic but I quickly noticed that it was a powerful migraine preventative. I now take depakote 2000 mg/day and Lyrica 800 mg/day (yes, 800) and am back in the realm of the living. I'm still getting migraines 1-2 per month but I consider that acceptable. I was taking Axert as acute treatment but have recently upgraded to Relpax, which seems to work better. I take Frova the next day if there is still any hint of pain. This medicinal coctail works well for me so far.

I spoke with my neurologist this month and he told me that Lyrica was now one of his top migraine preventative drugs, although he typically sees results in the 200 - 250 mg/day range. I have noticed that if I miss two doses in a row I am guarenteed to get a migraine. It is unclear if this is a rebound effect from the Lyrica, if it is a withdrawal symptom, or if it is me simply reverting to my "unmedicated" frequency of migraines.

At any rate, I am a big Lyrica fan and seem to have no side-effects. Hope it works as well for you.

I

Posted 7/20/2007 3:14 PM (GMT 0)
Hello. I am new. I see these messages are from last year! Anyway, I was given Lyrica for the post-procedure "creepy burning sensation" after my doctor performed a radio frequency ablation on nerves in my neck that she thought were triggering my migraines. The procedure did not work, but the Lyrica made me feel great, sort of like being on steroids, but without the angry reaction I get to them. I tried taking Lyrica for my migraines, and it worked better than the Ultram. I have a bad one this week, and I combined Lyric (75 mg) with one Ultram (50 mg), PLUS two Excedrin Migraines. I can function pretty well, but feel pretty zonked out. I wouldn't dare drive right now. I should NOT try to "doctor myself" like this. I just went to a new neurologist who says since I don't eat any of the trigger foods on the list, my migraines are most likely connected to my hormonal surges. I had a partial hysterectomy over two years ago, but I still have my ovaries. I'll be 52 in September, and I get wild mood swings. Since I am bipolar, it is hard to tell when it is perimenopause or the bipolar! tongue Anyway, I can't tolerate steroid shots to the trigger points on my head, though they DO get rid of the headache. I go into "steroid psychosis."

Lyrica makes me crave sweets, makes me have excess energy, but also feel tired and "drugged up" at the same time, like "WOW, MAN!" yeah I've gained four pounds in just the past two days alone, and I've barely eaten a thing! Ironically, I'm on a high dose of Topamax for my bipolar, but it doesn't seem to prevent my migraines at ALL. The new neurologist I saw wrote me an Rx for 25 mg Topamax and told me to take one the minute I got an aura, and then every four hours after that. It didn't help, and then I read on the pharmacy flyer: "WILL NOT HELP ABORT A MIGRAINE: FOR PREVENTATIVE PURPOSES ONLY." What is this guy, a quack?
Posted 7/21/2007 2:54 PM (GMT 0)

mrsmagloo, as far as I know, Topomax is not an abortive migraine med - used for preventitive only.  Unless there is some new study out there that I haven't heard about (which is very possible), I think this guy is a quack or at best, just distracted and wrong when telling you this.  Others on here may have had more experience with Topomax than me. 

As far as Lyrica goes, I have never taken it but my mom was put on it about 2 months ago, and we have just weaned her off of it.  Her mental status worsened, she had horrible swelling in her legs and she was gaining weight by the second and never eating.  I believe that others have had good results but when she started on it, no one warned us about the weight gain, the fluid retention or the change in mental status.   So, just be cautious and tell your doctor about any of the side effects.  I will be interested to hear how well Lyrica works for migraines.

Posted 7/23/2007 12:38 PM (GMT 0)
I found a website several weeks ago that I have found to be invaluable when it comes to prescription meds.  So I went to Drugs.com and looked up Lyrica.  The prescription name is Pregabalin.  You can look up the medication under that name, too.  This web site is great because it not only gives information for the consumer (us) but also a description for the medical professional. 

 

It lists side effects, drug interactions, etc. - all that information that is crucial to taking medications.  Sometimes the side effects are worse than the actual medical issue. 

 

This site has helped make decisions about my medications on an intelligent and informed basis.  WebMD is another good site to go to.

 

Hope this helps. yeah

Posted 9/29/2007 2:14 AM (GMT 0)
i am not an expert here, but as a 20-year migraine sufferer, i have seen a lot.  has your doctor every done an CT SCAN of your sinuses for "contact points" ?  surgery might cure those headaches.

CRANKY 1 said...

Hey Hopefulmigrainer,

I'm due for another round of Occiptial nerve injections on Dec. 1st.  I saw my local pain specialist, who has set up another round of epidurals for my back problems.  I think he was kind of hacked off when I told him I was seeing another pain specialist.  But that's on him, since he told me he wasn't going to treat my migraines.  I stopped taking the Lyrica after four months, since it wasn't doing me any good.  I'm hoping the direct steroid shots in my head will make more of a difference.  I'm also getting referred to a migraine specialist at the University of Virginia Medical Center, about an hour away from home. 

God, if I could just get my old abortive back, Stadol Nasal Spray.  It's a narcotic, but it's the only one that has ever worked for me in a very long time, and I've tried everything else before and since then.  I've never found a preventative that worked.  I also used to use Lorcet Plus 7.5/650's for breakthrough pain. The clinic I was going to decided that they weren't going to prescribe narcotics for people with migraines.  I'm glad I'm going to be seeing a new doctor.  I'm just sick of these headaches.

Will let you know how everything goes.  Be well.

Leigh Ann cool

Posted 10/5/2007 9:13 PM (GMT 0)
I am on Lyrica. I take 150 mg 3x per day as a preventative med. I have been on it about 1 year.

It's the most effective medication I have ever taken. I have migraines from a neck injury so, it's helping with the nerve pain. I've tried just about every med. in the past. the side effects aren't so bad compared to life with a chronic migraine 24-7.

I hope you're doing ok or getting some relief. 75 mg did nothing for me. There was a point I was up to 900 mg of Lyrica per day. I tried to stop taking it once. I was off about 4 weeks or so. Omg the withdrawl was hellish. I was in acupunture every day at that point and getting lots of walking in since I didn't have a car at the time. That helped diffuse some of the anxiety I was experiencing. Then, the mother of all migraines hit and you bet'cha!!! I jumped back on Lyrica after a round with Morphine and wanting to just die to get away from the pain.

 

Posted 12/6/2007 10:46 PM (GMT 0)
Today my Neurologist has prescribed Lyrica for Migraines.  Everything I hav tried before hasmade me phychotic.  Sure hope this does not happen.  Also take Valium, xanaz, nexium, sythroid and about 100 Homiopathic rememedys.  My Neuro is clearing it first with my Phychiatrist.   What ya' all think?????? I have M.S.  and am scared of LYRICA.  Also, do not wish to get fat from it.

Posted 12/10/2007 3:12 AM (GMT 0)
after 4 months with a constant migraine, my neuro put me on Lyrica, Keppra, magnesium supplement, and get this.... ridlin. I must say, after taking the combo for about a month, my migraine is less severe and I do not have it every day..... more like 2-3 per week now. He also put me on oxycodone for pain relief and stadol. I know that usually pain meds are a no-no for migraine sufferers, but he did say that he had no other options for me as I have been through many drugs and nothing was helping. He told me that I should look into a headache clinic in NY, Chicago, or Maryland because he did not know what else to try. This is the 4th neuro I have been to in the last 6 months. I don't abuse the narcotics, and they do help me get through the really bad times. I have no problems with rebound headaches.

I really feel with this new combination of meds, It is getting better.

For the person that is on the Nuvaring, I had to discontinue that and I was much better for it. It really made the migraine worse.

I am having the normal side effect of weight gain, but am trying to watch it very closely. I don't have any other side effects from the lyrica, but let me tell you about the ridlin... I have more energy that I ever thought possible, so hopefully that will counter effect the lyrica weight gain!

I hope this helps some of you.....
Posted 12/11/2007 2:52 AM (GMT 0)
tried lyrica too......go to my reply to tweedale....look for headache ann....you will not be sorry....trust me headache ann
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