Anyone take LYRICA?

[Daisy and Delilah]

Today, I started taking this drug for nerve pain. After using Cymbalta for the same thing, my doctor has determined that Lyrica may do a better job.

I would love to hear feedback from users of this drug. Thanks!!

[slick]

I've been taking Lyrica for about 2 years for nerve pain in my feet - neuropathy to be exact. I started taking a low dose but kept having it increased until my pain was manageable. It's important to know that the maximum dose you can take is 600 mg per day. I take 300 mg twice a day. It works OK but does not completely take the pain away. I tried taking 300 in the am and 600 in the pm and my feet were even better, but my doctor advised against that and would not "up" my dose.

The biggest side effect of this drug, and you're not going to like it, is weight gain. Since starting this drug I've gained about 20 lbs. Some sites will say that your appetite will increase and I guess that could be the weight gain comment. I did notice that I ate more for the first month but then my appetite tapered off.

Another one that was/is disturbing for me is the loss in concentration. My memory is not as good as it once was (and it's not an aging thing....ha! ) before taking the drug. I have to write everything down or I lose it. At work it's a joke because if someone asks me something verbally, I always respond with "email me." I don't seem to work as fast as I used to either....generally, a short attention span. I really have to apply myself to get any intense projects done.

So there you have it. I've weighed (pardon the pun) the pros and the cons and I'd rather be a fuzzy-headed fatty than have that intense pain in my feet. I have a very low tolerance to pain.

Edit: I forgot to say that it's also a very expensive drug. Fortunately I have extended benefits at work and get 100% reimbursed but that doesn't help on the initial outlay. Up here, one month supply of 600 mg/day is pushing close to $300. I know you are not taking that much but it's something to consider.

[Daisy and Delilah]

WOW!!! I'm so glad you told me this, Slick. Unbelievable!! 600 mg a day? WOW!!!

My doctor only started me with 50 mg. a night and I'll go to 150 mg. next week. I have exactly the same thing you do. Neuropathy in my feet. They believe it was caused by a thyroid condition. Do you know what caused yours? Is your pain worse at night and especially when you lie down?

I am disturbed to hear about weight gain I know I lost my appetite with Cymbalta and lost some weight too. That was great. Not only did the Cymbalta kill my appetite and help with the nerve pain a little, it made me feel like a new person. I'm already missing that.

How long did you have to take it before you noticed the effect of it and how much did you start with exactly?

Loss of concentration?? This just gets worse. Luckily, I pay $25 for a months supply with my insurance so that's okay.

After hearing this, I'm not so sure I will stay with this drug. Thanks so much for the info I hope you continue to get relief. Have you ever tried Cymbalta?

[slick]

I was on it for a number of weeks before I noticed any difference. Strangley though, when I was in hospital last year for my cancer sir jury, the pain completely disappeared....I mean completely. Mind you, it could have been due to the fact that I was still getting my "then" dose of 300 mg/daily along with Gabapentin which is also a drug for nerve pain but at that time it was for the nerve pain in my chest due to the sir jury. Hmmmm, I have lots of Gabapentin left, I should experiment with that. ha!

Peripheral Neuropathy can be due to many things but more commonly, long term diabetics get it. I was borderline diabetic for years with no treatment and that's what the docs think may have caused this. I'm now a full-blown type 2 diabetic and taking meds to keep that under control.

Yes, loss of concentration and while I'm at it....my typing speed has gone down alot and I need to think about what I'm typing in order to get the words out there. I can't remember what I started off with, could have been 50 mg twice a day. The pain in my feet is constant, no worse at night, just the same all day and night long. Before taking Lyrica, the pain interfered with my daily life and putting shoes on and walking in shoes was terrible. Now, at least I can be comfortable when walking and the pain does not wake me up at night. I've made a conscious choice to stay on it because it does work.

Edit: ...and a word about Gabapentin. As the docs explained it to me "it scrambles the brain so that the pain signals don't get to the brain to say "hey, that hurts". Lyrica is from the same family. It doesn't work exactly the same way but from experience it has to do something similar. Don't get me wrong, you're not walking around with your head in the clouds...it's just a very subtle change.

[DrKym]

Not all neuropathy is from diabetes.mine is from a horse accident, was in a coma for 6 weeks in 99 . I cannot take the meds you are you are on due to my heart issues, but I am looking into something other than what I am on which is Indomethician.... usually prescribed for gout but was working well until the the statins were prescribed.

Will let you know how things stand after the angioplasty in November. I have blockages in 2 arteries so the the Drs. are reluctant to change what I am on.............

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

I took Lyrica during several weeks starting with 2 x 75 g, up to 2 x 150 g.
It was to stop the neuropatic pain in my leg that was caused by a hernia.
BUT..... these drug didn't make any difference for me . I gained lots of weight too, which is hard because I am trying so hard to bring my weight down....
I have a neurostimulator now, and it works 100 % !!