Lyrica and or Methadone
 

I have two questions:

What has anyone's experience been with Lyrica? My husband is currently on a Fentanyl Patch, 125mcg/h, every 48 hours which for the last 2-3 months is not providing him with enough pain relief. He had been on the usual Gabaptentin, amitriptyline etc. for about 8 years, but that too stopped working last Spring.

On Monday 75 mg x 2 per day, doses of Lyrica was added to the equation. He had tried it quite a few years back but it did nothing. However the pain doc said maybe the does wasn't high enough, or he didn't try it for long enough. By Wednesday he said he hadn't felt that good in a long, long time, but yesterday he was in acute pain again. Today is somewhere in between.

Was the good day just coincidence, because I find it hard to believe the Lyrica worked that quick, and why the sudden crash yesterday?

Also any weird side effects from it? He felt a bit spacey and slightly nauseous, but nothing he couldn't handle.

The other option the Pain Clinic had mentioned was a low dose of Methadone - this seemed like a pretty drastic option to us? Anyone on this, had experience with it? Side effects??

Just wondering what the future may bring?:)

I started Lyrica in January 100mg 2X per day. At first I thought it was doing nothing but my doc told me for some people it can take up to 6 weeks to really start having an effect so I stuck with it. I have not had the all over body sensitivity since. It does not seem to effect some sensations (like water trickling down my legs) but it does seem to be helping with sensitivity and pain. I will say I have tried gabapentin and cymbalta and this by far has the least side effects. When I first started it made my very tired and spacey but I waited and these went away too. When I say spacey I mean I would be trying to have a conversation with a friend and literally just forget what I was talking about! But this passed. I am sure it doesn't take as long for everyone but it probably did take about a month for it to kick in. Hope that Lyrica helps your husband out with his pain :hug:

For me helped a small amount with pain, a lot with sleep, and side effects have been mild. I'm still looking for other options though.

I'm on methadone. originally I was put on oxycodone but the side effects became problematic so I was transferred to methadone. the pain I have is very severe and almost completely treatment-resistant so the doctors considered using opiates. I haven't had any problems with side effects on Methadone but I am now coming off it after several years. Withdrawal has not been easy but I have no regrets about trying methadone. I think for some people there is definitely a place for the use of opiates and I guess it's an individual choice. At the time it enabled me to do a lot more as it contained the pain at a manageable level. I'm coming off it now for a range of complicated reasons but I would be open to trying an opiate again in the future. All the best with your decision making.

Thank you all for the input - it seems that Methadone is not the scary option we perhaps thought. He's on Fentanyl now, so how much worse can it be. It's primary the constant, high level pain he cannot cope with, as opposed to the weird sensations.

He's never really had any over the top side affects with any of the other drugs he tried, so I think he does have a high tolerance.

The last few days have been an improvement, so we have our fingers and toes crossed.:wink:

Linda

Try Kratom it helps me out.

I've been opioids for quite a number of years (6 or 7). While I still do have 24/7 pain; other than the constipation, they have enabled me to get thru each day with 5-7 pain. I do have spikes that occasionally go higher. If I am on my feet too long, they will begin burning.

Early on, my first PM had be try Lyrica and Cymbalta. The Lyrica made my legs feel like bugs crawling on them. With the Cymbalta, I was so tired, could hardly function. After a short time, I received a notice thru the Pharmacy that provided information about those who were taking Imitrex or migraine medications that Cymbalta can be lethal. I stopped the Cymbalta. After a few weeks stopped the Lyrica as well. It seems the only thing that gave me some quality of life were the opioids. The downside of the opioids is the constipation. I take Miralax daily
to keep things moving.

As you mentioned, it is an individual choice. Sometimes tho, choices are limited to what will control the pain to a level of a better quality of life.


Gerry