Ok, who's taking it? Why? Side effects?

I just got prescribed Lyrica for my feet/lower leg pain - due to peripheral neuropathy.

I know I've seen this drug before. Maybe just on commercials during the evening news, but I think I've seen it discussed on MS boards too...

Tom

Sorry I can't answer your question but my Neuro suggested I take it.

When I got home I went online and researched it and it has some side effects I don't need. Weight gain, sleeplessness, swelling of hands and feet and a bunch of other bad stuff which is why I refuse steroids.

I called the office back and said "no thanks".

I don't need any more drugs and especially bad side effects thank you.

I'll just stick with my 10mg of baclofen and only one before bedtime so I can sleep without pain. It's the only drug I take so far.

Holding my hand up high - I take this medicine !

Just like AZJanie, I looked it up and I didn't like anything that I read about it. My Neurologist prescribed it for my foot pain that keeps me awake during the night. When she gave me the presciption, I had it filled before I came home and read about it. After reading, I refused to take it. Also - I tend to have reactions to medications so I am very careful with new meds. Months passed, my foot was even worse, I went to my GP who tried to prescribe Lyrica for me, I told her I had the drug but refused to take it so I got a presciption for pain meds also instead and I lived in misery. I had another Neuro visit, told her I wasn't taking the Lyrica - but I was complaining even more heavily about my foot at this point. She was probably frustrated with me at this point.

Are you still with me ???

By now, about 6 months have passed and a friend from out of town called, I mentioned my foot, low and behold, she has the EXACT same burning / freezing / stomped on pain - I told her that I had been prescribed Lyrica and refused to take it. She had been prescribed Lyrica, was taking it and said that it worked miracles in her life because her foot was now tolerable with little to no pain if any. She is a nurse also and I have a lot of faith in her opinion for several reasons. She asked me to just give it a try so I agreed.

OMGoodness - I hate that I have to take this drug, but I am thankful for the drug - my foot is mostly normal now and I am now able to sleep at night again. When I think about it, like now, yes, I feel the spot and there is still some pain/buring etc... but wow it is nothing compared to what I was dealing with.

I am overweight but have not gained any additional weight since starting the drug and I have had none of the other side effects - luck maybe.

There are now 2 drugs that I will never be without: Imitrex (for my migraines) and Lyrica for my foot !

So that is my experience, best of luck in whatever decision you make - I understand all too well what it is to decide on a new drug !

Snoods

Like Snoods said, Tom, Try it and maybe you'll like it. Watch the sides, to see if you have any of the bothersome ones and call me in the morning..

hey Tom, I have tried it for my numb/tingling pain...tingling pain anyhow like you have. I did not get any help from it, and was feeling the high as a kite effects...(which some may like, haha I dont)

try it, see if it helps after a month or so, give it time...if not I am on neurontin now, 300mg three times a day..and I feel numbness like before..but NO tingling pain. I had lived with the tingling painfully for far too many years. So when the neurontin helped WOW!!

either one watch for side effects and how you are doing...hugsss and good luck some have great results with lyrica while others have great results with neurontin.

hugss,sarah

Tom, baby Maddie wants to type you a message too

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhbbbbgggggggggggggggggggggggggg gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg ggggggggggggggggggg gg ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg love, maddie

Tom,

A couple of years ago, my wife (has since passed away) had a lot of problems with the pain and discomfort caused by her MS leg spasms during the night. She went to the pain clinic here and the neuro prescribed Lyrica.

The drug has to be introduced slowly into your system, starting with a small dose and gradually building up to the optimum level. My wife, who was very sensitive to most medications, started with the small dose and remained on it. The results were very good with few side effects. After a couple of months on the drug, she was able to wean herself off it and the spasms and pain did not come back. The neuro said that in some cases, the nervous system needs a "jolt" from a drug like Lyrica and it can correct iteself.

As is the case with most drugs, they work differently for each person. One has to try the medication and see what results they get. What works for one person can be bad for the next. The best of luck whatever you decide to do.

Harry

Hey there Tom.......

Since Lyrica is prescribed for fibromyalgia which I have along with the nerve pain of MS, I asked my GP about it and he would not give it to me. He said it had too many bad side effects and I have a sensitivity to meds like others have mentioned.

The low dose with a gradual increase sounds like a good idea to me. Those doctors who say "NO", don't have to live with this excrutiating pain like we do!! Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Tom

The best hallucinogenic drug I have ever tried.

Needless to say, I am not taking it. It's one of the lesser known side effects and not for me! And that was on 50mg and so I tried 25...same result!

I am taking neurontin now. Only 300 mg.

Yeah yeah yeah, I know...drug lightweight.

I don't have MS but have a condition that is fairly similar and I have taken Lyrica before for pain.

It didn't help for me at all and one of the main side effects I had was weight gain - I put about 30lb on during the 3 months I was on it which isn't good for anyone, let alone a then 12 year old!! Lots of the people I have spoken to that have been on Lyrica have also reported weight gain.

The other side-effect I had was feeling really fatigued - I couldn't get up at all and it was a LOT of effort to try and do the simpliest of tasks!! Eventually, my Pain Management Doctor decided that it wasn't work the side-effects so decided to take me off it!

Everyone is different though and I wish you the best of luck and really hope it helps you ... please keep us updated when you can!