I took Lyrica & Gabapentin for 16 years. I tolerated it ok & it worked somewhat for my nerve pain. I had a lot of neurological weirdness. All doctors thought it was from my brain tumour. I was feeling very well and decided to decrease down to the minimum dose I could live with. Well my whole world turned upside down. It took 2 years to work out what was going so wrong with me and then to safely withdraw. It was absolute hell. I have been Lyrica free since Aug2015. My nervous system is still recovering from the ordeal. It was so bad I can't describe it without writing a book. Am now living drug free & putting up with the nerve pain. Anything that toxic to withdraw from has got to be so bad for your long term health!!!

My wife was prescribed this med about 2yrs ago, no relief after 1 month she tried to stop, went into horrible withdrawal. Doctor said "it can't be the drug" I suggested she go back on after a week of terrible side effects(sleepy,dopey,scared,almost suicidal,depressed,nausea complete personal breakdown,no showers,ect) She started back on at 6o pm by 9pm she was a weak normal person almost unbelievable. Called doctor and told him what was going on and he said he would check into it with drug rep. 2 months no response, I called and expressed myself. I got her to try to go off again but after reading here I decided to go very slow and reduce meds by about 10% every 2 weeks we are down to 60% and she is starting to have side effects again she is a wreck ! I don't know if we continue or not, but this is terrible

Like so many of us, I've been dealing with chronic, severe pain for longer than I care to remember and as I get older, it gets worse. I've been to several pain management clinics with little to no satisfaction. I was just referred to yet another pain doc and after discussing ALL the meds I had been on that either didn't work at all, or stopped working after a while, she took me off a high dose of Gabapentin and put me on Lyrica 100mg. twice daily. I've only been on it for one week and I think it has helped me, but I've gained 8 ilbs.....IN ONE WEEK!!! I could not figure out what was happening as I blew up like a balloon until I saw my primary doc today and he noticed right away, then looked at the chart and told me that's what it had to be. Now I'm more discouraged than ever. I'm certainly not going to continue taking something that will have me weighing a ton for just slight pain relief. And the extra weight will cause my back to hurt even more. My pain doc did put me back on Norco 10/325 and that does help but not for any amount of time and I really don't want to go down that road of feeling like I need more and more. Has anyone investigated or tried medical marijuana? I know that it has worked wonders for some people but I'm hesitant to go down that road too. I have nothing against it whatsoever, I just wonder if it would be something I could do on a regular basis and find relief. I'm so tired of all this...like we all are. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated and welcomed...sorry for the rant. Just kinda feelin that way tonight

SJ,
I have not tried medical marijuana. Have tried an assortment of meds, including Lyrica for a few weeks which did not seem to help. Apparently, the only thing that has really helped was when my PM prescribed opioid meds. I am addicted only for the pain relief they bring. I deliberately take less than I am prescribed which makes me feel I have the choice to lessen my pain or continue on a path that will keep increasing the meds. I have been on these meds for several years.

You are far from ranting.


Gerry

Hi SailinJane

Welcome to NeuroTalk .

Recently medicinal cannabis has been approved here by the TGA (similar to the FDA) as a prescription-only drug though some details remain to be worked out.

I don't know if it is legal in Florida but, if so, it is an option which is well worth discussing with your doctors.

Best wishes.

Dropping in to see how everyone is doing. And Gunny who started this thread. I've been thru a lot with a staph knee infection and now off those nasty heavy duty drugs. I've heard and read so many times that : More Pain Meds Cause More Pain. And I believe there is a lot of that theory.

Pain Meds Cause More Pain! The New Silent Epidemic

My daughter went thru a mess on the toxic pain meds and now so clean off them -- long hard journey. She recently had dental work and dentist had her taking ibuprofen for the healing and she had such nasty side effects, edema came on strong too. She said: Mom these pain meds are so hard on the body.

I take MSM powder for years and that helps reduce some pain.

We all have our pain issues and levels of tolerance and there is so much to TRY out there besides all the toxic ones. So much is so toxic to our bodies.

My next big try is Cosamins DS for arthritic joint issues. I found out about it in 2005 but ignored it, now it's come up strong in my view and I'm so ready for it...it's a little more pricey and I think that's what held me back. I buy mine on amazon or ebay. C

Once I reach 3 months post this most recent surgery I am going to request a pain Mgt guided detox program with ketamine infusion for 2 days so I can get back to just relying on my Nevro stim and 1 temgesic a day. I'm not putting myself through the angst of medication withdrawal on my own again. It's hell on earth and I've done it far too many times, I'm 56 now, the thought of it makes me ill. I cried earlier this year when they put me back on endone for breakthrough pain and then in July they upped it along with Oxy, Targin, Endone, Bupranorphine & Diazepam. Highest doseage I've been in in years. Now I've developed abdominal nerve pain as a result of this last Retroperitoneal Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion. I feel as if I can't win. New pain mgt specialist been in this morning pre discharge and suggested Lyrica, said I've been down this path before, no thank you. I've been in hospital 3 weeks this time, my body just can't tolerate these things anymore, allegedly I'm told I came seriously close to dangerous ground in surgery after 4hrs and they had to cease so didn't complete the whole job. They wont go back in through my stomach ever again so no clue what to do now with this pedicle screw peirced thru vertebrae disc space S1 & lying alongside spinal cord. Been told never to bend or twist again... apologies didn't mean to hijack the thread. Lyrica, been there got the T shirt never again..