I gained at least 30lbs when I was first diagnosised because I was switching meds so much. I think it's just plain tough to lose when you are taking several anti-depressants, much less anti- seizure meds. I don't know what the solution is, but if I do I'll be sure to post it here.

I remember hearing and reading of some very nasty things with Lyrica, and was reluctant to go that route. I discussed this option at length with all of my doctors (different fields) and my pharmacist before agreeing to the switch. I also heard from a co-worker of my wife and a “friend-of-a-friend” about how wonderful their results were.

MsL, the reason for the switch was that the old stuff was not working as well as it use to, and we are looking for better results. I wouldn’t change for the sake of changing. The Trileptal worked pretty well for many years, and was still working somewhat. But either my pain is getting worse, or the effectiveness of the Trileptal has decreased over the last year or so. It just hasn’t worked as well as it used to.

Thanks to all for your responses. It gives me a better idea of what to watch out for as I “ramp up” the dosage. In particular, I will watch out for the munchies. That is the kind of side-effect that sneaks up. I generally am much more aware of things like fog, fatigue, and confusion.

Thanks again,

Mike