Lyrica vs Generic. Is pregabalin as effective?
 

Hello, I have fibromyalgia and small fibre neuropathy. My insurance company is no longer going to pay for my Lyrica so I'm going to try the generic pregabalin. Any thoughts on how effective it is for small fibre neuorpathy? Currently I save up my dosage to take at bedtime to dampen the burning sensation in my feet and lower legs so I can fall asleep. I used to take 75 twice a day but I now take 75 at once at bedtime.

I tried Cymbalta in the past and had terrible side effects when I withdrew. Insurance won't pay for that either. Thanks for your thoughts.

its not helping my nerve pain cause by head injury. but that is a different kind of pain and i think preglabin will be just as good as lyrica. good luck with it. also, i think its sustained release so wouldn't it be better to take it as prescribed. whatever helps you the most.

I wasn't aware that Lyrica had gone generic, but if/since it has, there should be no difference.

Doc

Shouldn't be any deference, But after debacle with generic wellbutrin. Learning that the latitude generics are allowed in how close the dosage is, and that the name brand maker often retain the time release patent. Which sometime causes different generic makers to vary how the dosage is distributed all with the blessing off the FDA.:mad:

Thanks for your comments. Yes, the generic has just recently been offered. I've often read of patients complaining that generic drugs aren't as good. Well it's much cheaper so I'll give it a try. I would like to see what life is like without this medication, but I can't sleep with the burning pain of SFN. I tried Cymbalta and found it reduced my neuorpathic pain from 20 to 40%, but I was still taking Lyrica and found my cognition declining, and terrible constipation. Had a very difficult withdrawal from Cymbalta--migraines for 6 weeks, brain zaps, etc.

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones for whom R-Lipoic Acid takes care of the burning as good/better than gabapentin/Lyrica. Wish it were so for everyone. :Sigh: :Dunno:

Doc

R-Lipoic Acid
 

R-Lipoic Acid helped me too but it is so darned expensive, that while I still have medical coverage, I'll try the generic Lyrica/pregabalin.

It's running me about US$8.50/month. I don't know Canadian tax law, but if your doctor writes you a scrip for it, it may be tax deductible.

Doc

Burning is my worse problem and getting worse. I have not gotten on meds yet but I fear its coming close.

What name brand of Rlipoic acid do you use?

I tried Drs Best and got horrid acid reflux, never even got to take more than a handful of pills from the bottle.

I wonder if a different name brand would work.

To hear you say Rlipoic really helps with burning makes me wanna try again even though I spent 30 on a bottle I didnt use.

Amazon and iherb.com have very discounted prices on the
Doctor's Best products.

If the stabilized form (which has high solubility) gives you heartburn, try the old ALA... it has slower solubility and may work if you take enough.

This is the older formulation at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Best-A...st+lipoic+acid