Sorry this post is so long.

I am new to this kind of thing, online chatting, forums, etc. I have been an internet technician since 19996, and never really gotten into this sort of online area, never really been much for it. However after reading a little bit of info on here after doing some research on Lyrica yesterday, I figured this was a good place to start.

Now that the basics are over, a little history.

In 1995, I injured my lower back picking up a cola canister at a McDonalds I was working at, they sent me to a few doctors, gave me a lot of pain medication, and after a 5 day stay in the hospital a month later, they told me their was nothing wrong, and I just wanted more pain medicine. Over the last 13 years, I have been to doctor after doctor, Pain Management, General Practitioner, Orthopedic, you name it. Every one telling me the same thing, after MRI (contrast and no contrast), Cat Scan, X-Rays, there is nothing wrong, none of them ever saw a problem.One Pain Management in 1996, finally gave me 2 options, a Facet Injection, or they could cut the nerve causing the pain. Since I didn't want to pay for (no Insurance at the time), or deal with the fact of the problem a cut nerve could cause, I chose the Facet Injection. It did provide some relief for quite some time, but it all came back like it always did.

Where I'm at now.

I finally got insurance last year through my job, and started seeing a General Practitioner, still nothing, he sent me to therapy for about 2 months, and my pain just kept getting worse. Finally he just said he didn't know what to do, and sent me for another MRI, which again he stated showed nothing, so he referred me to an Orthopedic Surgeon.

The Orthopedic Surgeon looked at the MRI report, and the pictures themselves, and 5 minutes later came in and said I see your problem, and know exactly how to fix it, you have a Herniated Disc, and we can fix it with surgery. I have a son that is almost 2, and at that time just found out my wife was pregnant. He said the surgery should resolve all issues with that problem, and he couldn't see anything else where another problem may be, so we did the surgery, a discectomy, and laminectomy. After the surgery he told me the reason no one else could find the problem was the herniation was going straight forward, instead of to either side as normal, and the reason the pain would shoot down both legs instead of one was that the hernia would shift from one side to the other. During the surgery, he had to remove a pice of bone that was just hanging there, and noticed severe irritation to both nerves the sides.

after the surgery, which was in April, I have had a constant numbness all the way down both legs into my feet and toes, the right side only covers the pinky toe and up, and the left side covers the pinky toe and the toe next to it and up. I periodically have pains like bee stings in both feet, and pains like charlie horses in both legs without the cramp associated with a charlie horse.

about 2 months ago, the shooting pains came back, had a MRI with contrast last week, and X-Rays. The Surgeon said there is nothing showing on either so he has diagnosed permanent nerve damage on both legs. I am starting Lyrica on Thursday, not sure the dosage amount, but know I am supposed to take it 3 times a day.

My question is has anyone else had any of these same problems, and any one else taken the Lyrica and had good results with it.

Again sorry this is so long just wanted to give as much info as possible.

Just to add a little more info, to pre-answer some questions that will probably be asked.

The doctor thinks the permanent nerve damage is caused from me having the problem going on for 13 yrs, with no appropriate treatment.

I also have other medical conditions, that are not back related.

I was born with SOD---Septo Optic Dysplasia (supposadly very close to Cerebral Palsy)

I have:
Optic Atrophy
Optic Neuritis
Optic Hyperplasia

I also have part of the fore part of my brain missing, which amazes people since this generally associated with speech I believe.

I have Carpal Tunnel, and they think I have precursor signs to Rheumatoid Arthritis, (this runs heavily in my family).

And I have been told for several years to expect to develope MS because of my other conditions listed above, but luckily no signs yet, just a very likely chance it will appear.

I am Legally Blind, and on Disability for my vision, however still manage to work a full time job as an internet call technician.

[QUOTE=sam_savannah;391327]Sorry this post is so long.

after the surgery, which was in April, I have had a constant numbness all the way down both legs into my feet and toes, the right side only covers the pinky toe and up, and the left side covers the pinky toe and the toe next to it and up. I periodically have pains like bee stings in both feet, and pains like charlie horses in both legs without the cramp associated with a charlie horse.

Syatic Nerve Damage have similar pain, inversion chair gives short relief.

My question is has anyone else had any of these same problems, and any one else taken the Lyrica and had good results with it.QUOTE]

I tried taking Lyrica for several months didnt help at all....sorry! It did blur my vision so I had to quit taking it.

Hi Sam

I take Neurontin, a related med, for chronic nerve pain/RSD of the upper extremities and neck/upper back. It does really take the edge off the pain and helps with the numbness/tingling feeling. I do still require narcotic pain relief.

The Neurontin contributes to my overwhelming fatigue, so I take more at night than in the morning. Since starting it, I also have developed adult diabetes. I do have other risk factors for the diabetes, but when I have weaned myself off of it in the past to check if it was really doing any good, my blood sugars are back to normal with out my oral diabetes med (Metformin)

For me, it's still worth it to decrease the pain.

Others here at NeuroTalk have had similar stories from Lyrica

I hope it works for you !