Lyrica vs Gabapentine

DejaVu · 08-10-2015, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LMPinkereton

I read these forums daily, but rarely post. I really appreciate the feedback. As I said, I'm getting desperate.

Regretfully, I tried antidepressants for about a year. They helped (very) slightly (in that I slept better), but on the other hand I just sat around all day and didn't care about doing anything all at. So I stopped them.

Several years ago, I did the no sugar, supplements, lost 30 lbs, etc. and after 9 months, I felt worse, so I stopped that too. None of my labs showed any improvement either.

I have resigned myself to the fact that I'll never be able to do anything again. What ever I have to do to get through the day I do, even if it means staying in bed for several days in a row.
Just chimed in here in hopes of something new for the pain.

(Wish people would try to understand how this disease works, instead of my having to explain myself at every turn.)

Thanks

Hi LMPinkerton,

I understand your frustration with needing help with pain and finding some options too sedating.

There are often additional options for treating the pain. There are antidepressants, as you've mentioned. There are anti-epileptic meds, too.
There are various types of pain medications as well. There are many approaches to treating pain.

In order to get more help with pain, I had to be very direct and also argued "quality of life." I was met with understanding and cooperation.

Please discuss your options with your doctor.
Your quality of life is very important.

DejaVu

Sandy04029 · 08-10-2015, 12:35 PM

I was on Lyrica and due to the cost and the weight increase factor, I switched to Gabapentin. I did not have the results with Gabapentin that I did with Lyrica so I have been back on Lyrica for over 2 years now and I quickly increased to the maximum allowable dose of 600 mg per day, however lately, I am not having any relief with it and will ask my doctor at my next appointment what we can try next. I have run through every drug except two, Amitryptaline and another which name I do not recall. I have numbness now going up to my knees. My big worry is that I will lose all feeling in my legs and feet and become wheelchair bound for the rest of my life.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LMPinkereton

I tried Lyrica for a few weeks several years ago and it didn't go well.

So I tried gabapentin.
With the gabapentin, every time I increased the dosage, the pain subsided for a week or 2, but always came back 100%. I was up to 3200mg/day and after a several months, it was not effective at all and the side effects became unbearable. So I stopped that.

Right now I am to the point that I can't live with this pain and am thinking of trying Lyrica again, since going back to gabapentin is not an option.

My question:
For those who are successfully using Lyrica, can you describe how much it helps. That is, does it just take the edge off, or does it really help with pain significantly? How significantly? What dosage is the sweet point for you?

Thanks

icelander · 08-10-2015, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glenntaj

--as an anti-seizure medication (as was Lyrica)--an anti-epileptic, if you will.

Both are designed to upregulate inhibitory neural transmitter levels in order to stop damaging overpropogation of neural impulses, such as happens in seizures, and in situations in which nerves are damaged and can't stop firing, which is why they are used for neuropathy so often.

But certainly, both these drugs act with different mechanisms than the standard anti-depressants, which are designed to keep more of the feel good neurotransmitters at the neural synapses (and/or inhibit the enzymes that break those neurotransmitters down).

I believe I read that gabapentin was a failed anti depressant. It was found however that it was effective for nerve pain and so began to be prescribed for things it was never intended for.

mrsD · 08-10-2015, 01:03 PM

Gabapentin was approved for epilepsy. It is still used to control some types of seizures. It is also approved for shingles pain.
Here is an article listing the off label use of it for other non-approved conditions:
http://www.amcp.org/data/jmcp/Contem...ct-559-568.pdf

It was illegally promoted by sales reps (Pfizer was fined millions for this) to help with Bipolar disorder off label. It failed at this and that situation is over.
Here is an old paper illustrating that:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12781355

Patrick Winter · 08-10-2015, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icelander

I believe I read that gabapentin was a failed anti depressant. It was found however that it was effective for nerve pain and so began to be prescribed for things it was never intended for.

Funny thing is, the clinical studies done on Gabapentin show it's actually not very effective for the majority of people who take it for neuropathy (only 30% success rate in patients who take it). Just goes to show how difficult it is to treat this sickness with any kind of pharma drug. Supplements and dietary changes seem to be just as effective if not more so. Not saying it doesn't have a place for some people but the key word there is "Some". The long term effects of Gabapentin concern me greatly. The other 2 most prescribed options (Lyrica and Cymbalta) are even scarier.

Sandy04029 · 08-10-2015, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LMPinkereton

I read these forums daily, but rarely post. I really appreciate the feedback. As I said, I'm getting desperate.

Regretfully, I tried antidepressants for about a year. They helped (very) slightly (in that I slept better), but on the other hand I just sat around all day and didn't care about doing anything all at. So I stopped them.

Several years ago, I did the no sugar, supplements, lost 30 lbs, etc. and after 9 months, I felt worse, so I stopped that too. None of my labs showed any improvement either.

I have resigned myself to the fact that I'll never be able to do anything again. What ever I have to do to get through the day I do, even if it means staying in bed for several days in a row.
Just chimed in here in hopes of something new for the pain.

(Wish people would try to understand how this disease works, instead of my having to explain myself at every turn.)

Thanks

I am with you - though I am new to these forums. I have been attempting to post, but it seems only my very first post went through. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.
I am with you in that I also have resigned myself to the fact that I'll never be able to do much in my future. I also do whatever I have to in order to get through the day, even if it does mean several doses of pain meds. I am on 600 mg Lyrica a day with no relief but am afraid to stop it for fear that the pain would be even worse. With the numbness now creeping up my legs to my knees, I lie in bed fearing that I will spend what I have left of my life in a wheelchair. It is depressing-especially when I finally came to the realization that I will never get better. Anyway, that's all I have to say....and I hope this actually posts.

Lara · 08-10-2015, 03:45 PM

Hi Sandy,
If you click on your Username next to your last post, it will come up with the option to "Find more posts by Sandy04029".
Just click on that and you'll see your posts.

Another way of keeping track of posts is via the Subscriptions option in your user profile.

Subscriptions - from FAQ

take care.

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