DD & DH both came to my rescue. They KNOW my Mother. She really upset me. They both say I look beautiful, happy, perky and they think I'm doing really well. Since I live with them, and they are always honest with me...I feel much better.

Does nothing for the back pain, but will fill Lyrica tomorrow and give it a try. I'm also contacting the new Neurosurgeon that came to town a few months ago and getting help from what is SUPPOSED to be the best in the State now. See what he says. I bet if they removed the bone spur, I'd be fine...



PS: I'm also going to ask the PCP tomorrow to schedule me for a "Sleep Study" so someone can watch me in pain while I sleep...and what its doing to me. Anyone ever done this? I know it sounds odd, but this is when I have the most pain...at night. I think, FWIW, that my bone spur is pressing on my spine only when I lay down...or try to pick things up....makes sense to me....

I am not sure if lyrica is exactly like neurontin, but if it is you can not take it on an irregular basis.

Yes, that is right. Lyrca doesn't work if its not taken on regular basis.

Lyrica is the newest generation of Neurontin....

The patent on Neurontin had expired so was available to become generic... Lyrica supposedly has less side effects than neurontin and is higher strength at lower dosage.


I've been on it for almost.... wow... almost 3 years.

I gained weight but can't/won't say it was directly related to Lyrica alone.

Also... it took me longer than a week to know if it was working or not... I take it for RSD. No Fibro, No Diabetic Neuropathy....

Also you can't take it off an on.... you have to take it consistently and not stop suddenly.



Abbie

Julie,
Since you have a Fibro DX, I'm wondering how that came to be? Here is a list of SX I found, and I suppose I could fall under some of these descriptions:

Muscle pain--yes--most in the back
Fatigue--yes--because I don't sleep
Trouble sleeping--yes
Joint pain, stiffness (sometimes worse in the morning) --yes
Headaches -- Never a big complaint, but yes, come and go
Restless legs -- I have a DX for this
Tingling or numbness in hands and feet -- YES
Problems with thinking and memory (sometimes called "fibro fog") Comes and goes
Leg cramps-- Not really
Feeling nervous--Not really
Depression-- At times
Feeling dizzy or lightheaded--yes, more if I'm down and getting up
Painful cramping during your period --what is painful? It hurts sometimes
Jaw pain --I clench my teeth at night...so yes
Upset stomach, cramping, bloating, feeling constipated or diarrhea--if I eat the wrong foods, yes
Trouble swallowing --never, but a phobia
Frequent or painful urination --frequent, but not painful

It also says you have to have these 'points of pain' throughout the body. Not that I've ever thought about, none that I'd say yes to except my back....so when I've looked at Fibro in the past, I could not wrap around it because its mostly my back.

So I ask you....WTH to YOU think???

I'm not dx'ing myself, but since the doc wants to do a Nerve Conduction study and wants me on Lyrica, I feel he's leaning this way now, maybe he just has bad bedside manners, but knows his stuff (His resume makes him look like a highly educated doc)....

What is your opinion of this Fibro thing that SOME doctors don't think exist?

Just to be clear, I'm going to my PCP tomorrow...going to bring all this stuff up...and was thinking a sleep study and a neurosurgeon...but what about a Rhumy? I've never been to one....is that worth a try?

Does Fibro exist or is it a name for a loon? <grin>

How does low back pain turn into this? I'm so darn confused today....someone shoot me now!!

All with personal knowledge are welcome to provide input

It could be that he's trying to rule out fibro..

Hi,
Thanks for answering...does it make you feel bad? Does it make you feel high? Does it make you sleep? I don't want my personality to change on a drug, and I hate taking any drug...esp one I'll become addicted too. Do you know why its addicting? Does it make you HAPPY is that why its addicting? I know I'm full of questions today, but I take seriousely any new drugs I introduce into my body, esp without a dx...

I may be over reacting....because I feel like my pain is centralized in my low back with pins/needles in hands/feet....I'm confused how these few sx become a Fibro thing? I know you may not know, but does someone?

Sorry I'm asking so many questions...and I'm going to the doctors...I'm just exhausted, confused, torn and suspicious of a doctor just throwing drugs at me without a REASON.....I know Lyrica is for other things besides Fibro...but the list is pretty small and I'm not Diabetic....

Can anyone talk about Neuropathy?

Good Point....hmmmmmmmm.....

1st off have you even had the tender points tested? Do you have bad fatigue?

Fibro is VERY real and I'm not just saying it because I think I have it, some Dr.'s don't like to belive what they can't see. Fibro doesn't show up on blood test, MRI, x-rays, etc so some Dr.'s don't think it's real because they can't "see" it.

LOTS of people that have other issues (MS, diabetes, cancer, etc) have fibro also.

I got DX by a Rhumy, I had back aches and headaches that never ends and muscle stiffness and awful fatigue that had been going on for years and was only get worst.

If I were you I would see a Rhumy and tell him/her your SX and that MS (and anything else) had been ruled out but you Know sometime is going on. If you do have fibro that still might not be the only thing you have.

I have read and the chiro told me that my fibro could be caused by my neck problem.

You know I have had back & neck aches forever I didn't even know it was as bad as it is, I just thought everyones back hurt like mine did. I though most of it was just muscle stiffness from the fibro. I NEVER remember a time my back didn't hurt.

I don't want to take up a LOT of room here and post my SX list again but if you want to see it again just let me know, I can even just PM it to you.

Thanks Julie,
I did read up a bit, and found it very interesting that people with a DX of Fibro, also have MS....There is a connection...also Rhumatoid Arthritis and a few others. But anyway...I saw you write about that too, I had no idea.

Autoimmune diseases are TERRIBLE. I'll see the PCP tomorrow and let you know what he says.

Anyone who knows what is wrong is darn lucky.

The rest of us? It never ends, you throw money at dead ends, You constantly question yourself AND your sanity....and I could just scream. You want to quit, but when the pain is always there and ruining your sleep...What else can you do? Its wrong, its unfair and I hate it.

Compassion is greatly appreciated

Night all