Taking Lyrica and Neurotin
 

So I'm trying to switch over from neurotin to lyrica because I can't take the brain issues from the neurotin. I am taking them both simultaneously so I can wean myself of the neurotin and build up the lyrica dose. I had tried the lyrica before but I think I was started on too high of a dose instead of starting low and building it up because the side effects was too much for me to want to take it-dizziness, feeling of being hungover, crappy, etc. I'm hoping that the second time around will be better. The neurotin doesn't have side effects of making me feel crappy, it just makes me tired but more importantly the fact I can't remember things and say words to explain what I'm saying which is very difficult for me and it also doesn't take the pain away as much as I would want if I have to take these side effects.

So I'm in 75mg lyrica at night only to start as well as taking my 600mg neurotin twice a day. I am totally out of it and feel like crap and just sound like I'm hungover and exhausted during the day even though I'm taking the lyrica at night. The one thing that is really interesting is I have so much more relief from my nerve pain while I am taking both meds which is awesome! But I know I can't take both at the same time continuously since I sound like I'm drunk and that is concerning and could get me in trouble while I'm driving.

I'm thinking that maybe the hungover feeling is once again the lyrica but maybe I should just go back to the neurotin but take more to get more nerve relief or maybe it's still too much lyrica and I could maybe take less at night with my neurotin and have less side effects but the nerve relief I'm needing.

Does anyone else take these meds at the same time to get better pain relief than taking them alone?

Thank you. :)

I've never taken them at the same time. I took Lyrica with tramadol, meloxicam, and doxepin...the mix worked well for me in the beginning. The first week I was on Lyrica I was totally wiped out by it...but that ended after about a week as my body adjusted to it.

Often...it's about finding the right combination of meds rather than finding the ONE that works for you when it comes to RSD. Takes time but if you find anything that works well for you then definitely speak to the doctor about it. Even if they don't want you on the Neurontin and lyrica at the same time they might have some ideas about what to add to your list of meds that could provide the same or similar relief.

I dont know why the dr,s dont just take you off the neurontin cold, its such a low dose and then they can raise lyrics a little.
I know I "TOLD" the drs when I knew the neurontin was screwing with me .
my family called me ten second tom. and I couldnt remember squat . They would take me to the movies and I didnt remember seeing them(wasted money) but when the decision was made to drop neurontin i told them im stopping all together and I was on 1600 mg a day
its worth at least mentioning, at least them you can define the issues you are having to one type of drug
Good luck I hope this is short lived for you. Be well

I've had both, Neurontin messed up my head and my intestines, I stopped it very suddenly due to another bout of intense vomiting and gastric pain. I was on 900+900+1200 mg per day and having had to stop it while being so ill I noticed no increase in CRPS pain, and I decided to just continue not taking it. A week later I started taking 50 mg Lyrica morning and night, and it did more for my pain levels than months of Neurontin! I find the low dose much better to live with than when I was on it over a year ago at the highest dosage - that really messed with my head and life.

Some folk get on really well with Neurontin/Gabapentin, others hate the stuff. Same with Lyrica - both drugs seem to polarise opinion... You have to find what is right for you and your body. At the end of the day, all drugs have side effects, and the more you take of them the more likely you are to have other issues because of them.

Between a rock and a hard place, that's us :rolleyes:

Good luck,

Brams.

I am taking Lyrica and yes it does give you that hung-over/drunk feeling, but for me it only last for a couple weeks till I am "normal" again. We just raised the dose and so I have those feelings again, but my pain is definitely better. Gabapentin didn't work that well for me, so pushing through that drunk feeling is worth it.

Thank you all for your replies. The side effects of the lyrica, (the crappy hung over feeling), is so horrible and almost unbearable for me but I did notice being on both helped a huge amount in my pain. I stopped taking the lyrica two nights ago because I just couldn't handle feeling that way anymore-yes my nerve pain was more tolerable but I wanted to do nothing but be in bed all day and sounded like a drunk. :( I increased my neurotin to three times a day but the pain has come back with avengance. I was more active than normal yesterday and very well could've overdone it since I haven't figured out what is too much so who knows. The pain is ridiculous, I can't get comfortable and I'm so tired. I'm having the stupid muscle spasms when I try to fall asleep from the neurotin which is just plain annoying. I gave in and took the lyrica just to try and get through the night but I'm dreading the side effects. I'm hoping like some of you have said, that the effects may fade after a while, but I know I tried it a long time ago for a month or so and they never went away. That was so long ago now though maybe I have all those time frames mixed up lol ;)