Have any of you experience of this drug. If so what were your initial reactions and later how did it work for you.
Dawn
Hi Dawn
I don’t have secondary’s, but have experience of this drug. I was first prescribed it for leg cramps in 2007, it worked wonders. I only took it for a short while then, it did make me feel quite tired at first and as I took it at night I slept like a log.
Last year, following pain in my ribs after my 2nd or 3rd chemo I was diagnosed with neurological pain so was again prescribed Lyrica. Two days after taking it the pain had gone, I was prescribed 75 mg x 2 per day (one morning, one evening) and I carried on taking Lyrica until just recently, it helped with neurological pain after my mx.
I think it is a “wonder drug” with no side effects other than tiredness at first, but the reason I stopped taking it was because I felt my weight gain wasn’t helped by being on Lyrica. However, that said I haven’t lost any since coming off of it so maybe I ought to carry on. If you check out the Lyrica website it is very good, and gives quite a lot of information.
It is prescribed for diabetic neuropathy (and I am a diabetic too), shingle pain, and any pain related to nerves such as fybromyalgia.
If you need more help please ask.
P xx
Thanks for that Peacock. I have only just switched to Lyrica this week after being on amitriptyline for almost a year now. I felt it was not working so well for me and was loathe to increase the dose. I asked the oncologist if I could change and she was very happy to do so. My pain is quite severe nerve pain from my spine and affects my lower back and hip/thigh. One of the reasons I have been nervous to switch from the ami is because it also resolved my spasm/cramp problems. These were quite severe too, causing my feet and hands to lock up for 20mins at a time and so painful. It seems from what you say that is not going to be a problem on Lyrica.
Dawn
xx
Is it too early to say whether the pain is better on Lyrica Dawn?
I still get dreadful cramp so my GP put me on Rivotril, which is in drops, one of the “pam” products. It has helped with the cramp but I’m reluctant to keep taking it because from what I’ve read it is very addictive and with 4 drops of the stuff I still don’t sleep very well.
Good luck with the Lyrica, what dosage are you on? I found the 150 mg x 2 per day was too much, I was like a zombie. Maybe for you and your extensive pain it will be better though.
Hi Peacock,
Yes it is a bit too early, especially as it is replacing amitriptyline, and the effects of the nerve block I had are wearing off as well so I will persevere for a while and see how it works. I am on 100 mgs 3x a day. The amitriptyline + oxycontin was making me sleep a lot anyway. It is a bit soon to know because I only started a few days ago and have just doubled the dose.
Dawn
xx
Hi Dawn,
just wanted to wish you well on your new drug and I hope it gives you some more effective pain relief.
Best wishes
Tess
Yes Dawn
I will watch what happens for you on this drug.
best wishes
Jane
I had a proximal femoral replacement in Oct 2007. My pain was so bad, they had me on an epidural!! Once I was taken off that, they had me on morphine… that didn’t work at all. Then they gave me Pregabilin and it was amazing!!! It took all the nerve pain away!!!
I only have good things to say about this drug!
Deleted.
Hi,
I’m on 300mg Pregabalin twice a day and 80mg Oxycontin twice a day with 25mg Oxynorm/Paracetamol as and when needed for breakthrough pain.
I have got a collapsed vertebrate due to a tumour on my spine which is pressing on the nerves and giving me terrible pain.I have also lost some of the use of my left hand.
I will be having an operation to pin my vertebrate together in the next few weeks,so have come off the Capecitabine for the moment to get my immune system back to normal for the op.
Hopefully the op will cure my pain and I will need less or no meds afterwards.At the moment I have no quality of life because the meds make me fall asleep all the time.I can’t read a book or watch a film because I’m constantly nodding off.
Alli x
Hi Alli,
Have you a date yet for the op. That is going to make such a difference to your life - to come of those meds! When I got up to 80mg am & pm of the oxycontin it was terrible how often I fell asleep. Before they upped it I was on 40 and said I couldnt live my life like that if they were upping it to 80 so they have given me dexamfetamine to take - one at 9a.m. and one at 12 noon. I thought well - i get up late in the morning it won’t hurt to take them later!!! later meant I didnt get to sleep at night. I don’t take them now on 10mg oxycontin although I still fall asleep a lot I think cos of the lyrica. My problem as yet isn’t one that surgery can help but I will probably book another nerve block soon.
Dawn
xx
Hi Dawn,
No,I haven’t got a date yet.I only saw my Onc yesterday who is going to talk to my surgeon today.I hope it’s soon because I don’t want too much time to think about it.I’ve never had surgery before so I’m really scared.
Alli x
Hi Alli,
Having surgery for the first time can be very scary - I have had quite a lot of experience now in that area. When you see the surgeon mention it is a first time for you and you are very nervous - can they make sure to give you a sedative beforehand - that helps. Ask him also how you can expect to feel after the surgery, and how long till you can get about normally. When can you come off the other pain meds (some may need to be done slowly - like the oxycontin. I would want to know these things if it was me.
Just remember from the moment they put that canula in your hand for the gen.anaes. you won’t know anything till you wake up and it is done. I think there are others here on the 2ndary forum who have had spine surgery. I hope they will post for you as well.
Dawn
xx
Thanks Dawn-that’s very reassuring.
Alli x