I have heard from people on this board that couldnt take Lyrica. Anyone find that it is of great help for their burning pain? I am wondering if anyone has taken it and found:

1. Lessening of burning symptoms
2. Little to no weight gain
3. No swelling

If so, how long and what dosage do you take in order for it to be effective for you? Does the Lyrica increase your appetite or slow down your metabolism?
I saw my Neuro and am not sure what I am going to do yet. I do beleive in the old adage, " if it ain't broke"... I am on Neurontin 2200 mg and Elavil 20mg, and find that it works for me, but I do have days where I am on the couch with ice for 3 days because the burning increases. I think it may be becuse of PMS or a flare. It almost seems like it gets in my head where I start negating all of the good days. My Neuro says I can try the Lyrica, so I am not sure. I don't have side effects on the Neurontin, but I guess I am just curious if it would be even better, so I thought I would ask people's thoughts.
thank you Jess

Jesse i have had PN for ten years. The best thing that has helped my burningfeet is to put a 1/2 inch of water in a container. Then add ice a little
bit at a time . The colder you can stand the better.This also helps the swelling.


George

Jesse i have had PN for ten years. The best thing that has helped my burningfeet is to put a 1/2 inch of water in a container. Then add ice a little
bit at a time . The colder you can stand the better.This also helps the swelling.

Lyrica did nothing for me. I then tried Cymbalta and it is working to keep my pain low.


George

are chemically related (and very similar). In fact they are even metabolized the same way (that is excreted WHOLE via the kidneys).

The difference is that Lyrica needs lower doses, and costs a bundle more. They work the same way however.

Some people like Lyrica better, some cannot tolerate it (it can cause a serious shortness of breath issue that Neurontin doesn't seem to), some get terrible swelling from it.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...ad.php?t=27839
The breathing side effects are being reported more frequently now since the drug was approved for Fibromyagia (which results in more people using it)

If you are doing well on Neurontin, I wouldn't change that.

I am going to repeat my recommendation of Lidoderm patches. Placed correctly over the area of the lower back where the pudendal nerves enter the spinal cord (cauda equina) may give relief. They do not work instantly but do numb that area and prevent transmission of pain signals.
I used them for 14 days for my MP pain before they really kicked in. In fact, they STOPPED the misfiring of the lateral femoral nerve for me, so I didn't have the pain anymore so intensely. I still get mild twinges esp when I use my thighs like on the recumbent bike, or in stretching, but the stabbing pain I had for 10+ yrs is gone, the stinging gone, and 80% of the numbness gone.
This was nerve damage from a C-section.
I would try one patch cut in half and placed over that lower coccyx area on both sides of your bottom spine (just at the butt crack beginning).
If these work for you -- you may be able to get off the oral meds, entirely.

Here is a link to the anatomy--- http://www.pudendal.com/
you can see in the first illustration there that the nerves can become entrapped in several spots.
But they all run together at the spinal origin. This is where you try to interrupt the signals with the Lidoderm patches.

Thank you George and Mrsd.
I know about the Neurontin and Lyrica being similiar in action, and know that Lyrica is stronger. Also, the biovailability is higher with Lyrica than Neurontin. I knew about the higher you go on Neurontin, the less is absorbed and found that interesting, but yet wondered if that was the case, why did people go much higher on the Neurontin. Anyhow, I suppose I was wondering if I would have more of an even stream of " good days" with less burning on the Lyrica, than some unpredictability on the Neurontin. I do have good days, but then I have weeks where I spend 4 days on the couch.
I have tried lidocaine ointment, and liocaine/prilocaine cream ( EMLA) but combined with my current regime. I could not see only taking them and nothing else. I do see what you mean about the patches and the area of the spine, so it will be something to consider.
I suppose my original question should have been do people consistantly have more "good days" with a dullness or less burning on the Lyrica than they do on the Neurontin?

thanks

The Pfizer and ParkeDavis companies were the ones who encouraged doctors to use those massive doses of Neurontin.
Never mind that more than 1/2 of those high doses were not absorbed. It made them alot of money, and people just pooped out what was not absorbed.

Lyrica is not "stronger"....it is more potent, milligram for milligram. That means you use just less. It is not "more efficient for pain". It is easier to dose, and compliance on the patient's end is easier. When people have to take more pills, they often mess it up or skip. The fewer pills the better the compliance. That is why many drugs end up as Long Acting dosage forms.

I do not think I have seen any reports that Lyrica is "stronger" or more efficient at comparable doses. It is basically the same.
In general it appears that patients have to get to the really high doses of Lyrica to see good pain
relief. This is very expensive and some insurances will not pay for it still.

The fact that you do not see much relief from topical lidocaines at the local tissue level you are applying them at suggests the pain trigger is not there, but higher up along the nerves.
I found Lidoderm patches very ineffective when applied where I felt pain, and far more effective higher along the axon paths where the nerves go to. Topical lidocaine on mucus membranes may cause a rebound throbbing when they wear off. I never had a rebound when using the patches like that. (you have to take the patches off for 12 hrs each day.--you only wear them 12hrs at a time).

Thanks MrsD. Ok. I have a better understanding of the dosages. I was under the impression that becuase Lyrica had a higher bioavailablity, that it was more effective than Neurontin in that way. I understand about the dosage and taking more. My doctor mentioned that I would be starting on 2 ( 75mg tabs a day) ..
I keep a journal so I am really not sure yet. I have had some success with Neurontin. Not a level 2 pain though, more like a 3-4 with the meds.
I am also doing PT for pelvic floor so i want to see how that helps I have alot of hope that is may help the nerve and the GI issues too.
I will be seeing my gyne in december, so I can ask about the patch. That sounds like something that may work well. I do believe it is higher up the nerve as I am not sensitive to the touch ( burning) but more internal.

Thanks again, and I will see about the lidoderm patch and let you know if I get it prescribed how it works. I didnt think to put it back there.

Very interesting stuff. My Neurontin was making me hungry all the time and I did end up gaining about 20lbs in a couple months time. But now that I'm on Methadone as well (Tramadol just wasn't working and the ins. co. wouldn't approve Lyrica), its seems to counteract the hunger and I have lost the 20lbs over the last month or so without any behavioral changes other than that I'm not so hungry all the time. Of course with all the chocolate left over from Halloween, we'll have to see! lol

I'm very scared of patches. That Fentinel (sp?) patch nearly put me in the morgue! But I have from a couple of my clients in the medical field that said they have had some reported problems with that stuff.

Anyway, I sure like this Board and the interesting info and story I find here.

Jay

I have been taking Lyrica for over 2 years and have had no side effects. I am small (5'3", 110lbs) and never experianced the weight gain some people speak of. I am on 600mg/ day. I would not be able to function with out it. It greatly diminishes the sharp, stabbing, shooting and burning pain I feel in my right leg, a result of damaged nerves from a car accident. I would reccomenmd trying it if your doc. thinks it would help you.

Good luck!

Isnt it interesting how we are all so different...I have the burning feet, legs, hands and arms and thought I'd try putting my feet in cold water (no, not icy or anything like that) and experienced absolute agony with terrible burning when I removed them. For me (go figure and makes absolutely no sense) a nice HOT bath helps my burning. Have no idea why. Maybe the hot water cancels out the burning?! Just goes to show what works for one may not work for another.