PAYNE1, I see you're in Goldboro! I am originally from Charlotte but went to college at East Carolina. I loved eastern NC! I live in Ohio now but DH and I plan to retire in a few years to somewhere in eastern NC!

The Lyrica is definitely giving me some pain free moments that the neurontin didn't. I'm still battling a/c at work -- and when I do get a pain attack, it feels like it's been cranked down a notch. I am having a lot more burning on the surface and out one nostril of my nose though. I feel like a dragon breathing fire with hot lava running down my cheek. i Just wish I could find something that handled both the deep stabbing and the burning.. sigh.

I LOVE feeling CONSCIOUS again on the Lyrica! I was so drugged up on the 3200mg of neurontin! It's a wonder I was functional at all!
Mary

I have tried Lyrica and it helped in the beginning. I think this pain is so aggressive and jumps over the initial level easily.

The worst part of this medicine is that it makes you bloat in your waist as if you are 4-5 months preggo. I have really fought weight gain hard and I still put on an extra 10 pounds. It also causes constipation! YIKES!!

I can't stand the side effects of this drug!

I so hope it works for you and you don't have any bad side effects!!

Kimberly

I too have stabbing/burning pains in my hands & feet. I've been diagnosed with TN (March of this year) & in the last couple of months started getting the pains in my hands & feet. The Dr. tested me for B12 deficiancy, but since I didn't hear back from her, I'm assuming the blood work came out ok. I'm wondering if it isn't MS or Fibromyalgia. The Gabapentin doesn't seem to work for the pain in my extremities.

Hi achy
I have ace pain. I have nerve pain in my entire body. Evey inch. Buzzes vibrated iceprick pinches tingling burning stabb. Twitch and spasms too.
I get this all over at the same time all day. Just changin in how bad it it is

I tried lyrica and it didn't work for me.
I get the intense deep throbbing ache with it too.
It's wierd how face can hurt like this. But no fun all over

All my test have been normal.

<<...Do any of you folks with TN also have fibromyalgia? I know it can cause facial pain...>>

I have Fibromyalgia & TN, and was on Lyrica for a long time. At one point, I was taking 300mg three times a day! Ultimately it just quit working for me.

But while it was working, it was Heaven!!

I am only hearing worse case scenarios....has it been good for many? Anyone without significant weight gain?

Rae, how long did the Lyrica help your pain? I hope it doesn't fizzle out on me. It really has knocked out most of the deep stabs but the trade off is horrible burning. At least I can talk through the burning and not have to wince every few seconds like I did with the stabbing. I'm due for a couple of steriod shots and I'm hoping the combination of those with the Lyrica will lessen the burning. They've helped it before. THEN I will be VERY happy even if I am fatter than h*ll! I already gained 25 lbs. from the Neurontin! I can't afford to gain any more!

Ashley, don't let others' experiences stop you from trying something that may help you. Every person is different.
Mary

Hi Bulliemom,

It helped for about 4 months and then the pain was jumping over the dosage of 375mg. I didn't go up bc I was having spells of blurred vision, nausea, sickness in my head, and headaches. My neurologist thought it was the Carbatrol but she wasn't sure. I was only on Lyrica and Carbatrol at the time. My neurologist said it was time to see a neurosurgeon. It seems though the pain always jumps the first intial dose that I get to in about 4 months . . . as if I am taking nothing . . . and then I have to up the dose to get in control of the pain again. I have had no luck with these anticonvulsants (my body doesn't like them all of a sudden) and the pain when it is there is super aggressive.

If it worked, I would buy bigger jeans and continue to eat dried apricots for the constipation (works awesome). Unfortunaltely, weight gain is a common side effect for this drug. Many people also see the bloating around the waist as well. Therefore, I don't see this as a worst case senario but something to think about if you want to try this drug. Certainly, everyone is different and responds differently to medication. It is absolutely worth a try!!

Bulliemom, I hope it doesn't fizzle out either!! I wish the very best for you!!

Kimberly

I'm still on the Trileptal--doing better over all. Except I think I'm having the tiredness side effect.

A friend on mine is on Lyrica. If this thread stays open for while, then I'll try to report on her results over time. She doesn't have facial pain, though.

My husband and now my older son are East Carolina University people....

My brother takes Lyrica. I don't see him often as we live 700 miles apart. When I saw him this past summer, I was surprised at how much weight he has gained. Other than that he has not experienced any adverse side effects. His dosage is only 50mg per day though.