[Bubbi]

Hi Everyone,
I am new here but not to Drugs.com. I came here to get info on Lyrica and was reading the many positive comments made by people taking this med.
I have questions and so here I am.

A little back ground first. Back in 2001 I was diagnosed with Lyme disease that has progressed to the chronic stage due to finding it late. After extensive treatment of antibiotics I didn't get better--just worse. I am a nurse or I should say I was because by 2002 I ended up having to leave all 3 of my jobs and on disability.

I then had the DX of FM added to the mix and I was in so much pain I could not get out of bed. I was put on Oxycontin and now this many years later I am up to 40mg 3x per day. I now also have severe arthritis and 3 ruptured discs in my back. My knees are both bone on bone. I will say that in the beginning the OC was like a miracle for me--it gave me back some of my life.
But it no longer works as it once did and I do not want another increase. In fact it is my hope to reduce or get off the OC altogether.

Slowly but surely I am once again loosing activity levels which creates its own problems--weight gain--now high BP etc...
I am in bed by 7 pm because I simply hurt and if I am blessed I will get 6-7 hrs of sleep which beats the 3 I used to get.

I am 57 and I have tried many different meds. My problem is I am very sensitive to meds and have had bad allergic reactions. My insurance company approved the Lyrica after going through the Neurontin which made me so ill that after 2 weeks I had to stop.

So now I am staring at my new bottle of Lyrica scared to take it. 50 mg capsules 2x a day.
Sometimes I think I should not read the inserts that come with a new med.

Right now my med list consists of the OC, oxycodone 15 mgs for breakthrough, clonazepam 1 mg at night, remeron 15 mg at night, atenol for high BP that just came out of no where about two weeks ago, and prevacid.

If there is anyone out there taking this med who also tends to be sensitive to medications could you please advice. The weight gain concerns me as the Remeron too has done this to me. I put back on all the weight I had lost in less than 2 months.

I know this post is to long so any info from those with experience with this med--please help.

[magsj]

Dear Bubbi-

We call our nephew Bubby....hehehe. I haven't personally taken Lyrica, but my best friend takes it for back pain and ?myofascial syndrome (I think it's kind of like fibromyalgia). She was taking Vicodin but once she got on the Lyrica she didn't need to take the Vicoden anymore. They just doubled her dose because she was having a little more pain (she has taken Lyrica since it first came out) and she has had no untoward side effects. I would give it a try. In fact, I am going to talk to my gp next Wednesday about possibly trying it. I am on Suboxone after being on Methadone and Norco for back pain and diffuse muscle/joint pain. I made the switch almost 2 months ago and am trying to taper off of it. If you are not familiar with it, it is an opiate, but doesn't affect your brain so much and, from what I understand, it is easier to taper off of than Methadone.

I hope this helps. If you decided to take the Lyrica, let us know how it goes, or feel free to write anytime. I am also a nurse but have been on SSDI for 4 years now, ugh....

Mags

[Bubbi]

Thanks for responding Mags. Everything I have heard about Lyrica has been good and I will take it at some point. I really should not read the inserts lol.
I will try it because I really want off the OC or at least reduced. I think I will wait until my daughter comes by. I live alone and dont want to start it with out someone around just in case.
Bubbi