Hi Sydney,

I am sorry to hear your story.
I have just done a trial of Lyrica (pregabalin) - only got to 75 mg before adverse effects.
I call it "son of Gabapentin". Same family of drugs.
The cramping (which is pretty extreme gets much worse ranging to INTOLERABLE) and no other symptoms are reduced.
But ...worst of all under Gabapentin or Pregabalin my mood changes to that of an unpredictable cranky & frustrated person. I am already there due to CRPS - don't need help in that department.

I become even more difficult to live with for my wife & I get depressive....this is not me. I become so frayed around the edges and I become so depressed that my mind wanders to dark thoughts bordering on self harm.....giving up. That is just NOT the real ME.

So....it does not help me but these are precisely the same signs & symptoms I had under Gabapentin. I actually have trouble finding words to describe just how poorly it made me feel. My brain is like scrambled eggs & logical thought is even more difficult than under the effects of CRPS alone. A wise person recently said to me they feel like they have a head full of rocks (they will know who they are) g'day mate.

It does nothing to relieve the pain & I cannot tolerate it well enough to titrate the dose. These effects are not all that well known not publicised but when I experienced them, the first time Gabapentin was the only drug we were trialling.

I am sorry but I cannot help with interactions without much research. It is intereesting that if you look up the PHARMACOKINETICS of Pregabalin & study the graphs the reponse range is 300 mg approx & it is a fairly flat chart re reponse.

ALL drugs that are proposed for me now, I study the pharmacokinetics, drug hal-life etc. It is very interesting reading. Also PHARMACODYNAMICS are worth looking up - some interactions will come to light with study (usually) of these terms with the drugs "real" name.

There appears (from memory) to be a ceiling on Lyrica dosage.

I'm not trying to treat by any means just suggest but have you tried the Lignocaine (Lidocaine) sore-throat sprays? I'm guessing you have as no-one here hasn't been through the mill of every possibility for relief. It also might help you get a pill down.

Hope this helps.

Best regards
Auberon