I am not familiar with the alternative drugs available to treat your condition.

I was given Lyrica to lessen nerve pain following an MVA that left me with, among other things, an incomplete spinal cord injury and TBI.

For me, Lyrica was a complete disaster. It did next to nothing for my pain and withdrawal was a nightmare. I did better on the old standard, Tergretol. I wish my neurologist had started with that drug. It's been around for donkey's years, so all its long term side effects are known, and available as a generic, it's much, much cheaper.

You're doing the right thing by researching your drugs, not just swallowing them unquestioningly. Consult some authoritative sources (ie, not me ), ask your doctor why Lyrica, rather than something else, weigh the pros and cons, then make the decision you feel is right for you.

The ideal would be not having to take pharmaceuticals. However, the reality is that, without some form of medication, many here would be rendered completely incapacitated by our pain.

Good luck and welcome to NT.