How long will I need to take Lyrica for foot pain after total knee replacement?

Hi, the fact that you have been prescribed Lyrica would suggest that your podiatrist also thinks the pain is nerve related. I haven't actually used it myself, but as the drug is also recommended for use in epilepsy, you can take it for a long time, many years. I would suggest an MRI scan to see if the nerves are damaged.

Hey farmingtonhousewife,

Glad you getting pain relief from the Lyrica. You can stay on Lyrica for many years. What may be nerve pain can heal so whether you will have to stay on Lyrica, only time will tell. Do not stop taking the Lyrica aburptly. Stop taking Lyrica only after being instructed by your physician.

It will not to heal from taking Lyrica. Im being straight up with this cuz i had to take it..and threw it out in 5 1/2 days. Good luck with that. .Be blessed.

I had lower leg and foot pain and swelling after my partial knee replacement. After months of hearing "everyone heals in different ways and at different rates" and a Lyrica prescription, my surgeon finally ordered an MRI. Results showed that I had places in that had never totally healed and joint fluid was leaking down into my leg and foot. After a full replacement was substituted, it was eventually discovered that I was allergic to a chemical in the dissolvable stitches.My story is never - ending on this subject but I guess the moral is to keep trying to find answers. In my case Lyrica was a bandaid for a much bigger problem. Good luck & God bless!

Your doctor should have informed you that nerve damage is irreversible, the symptoms can be treated but you will need to take lyrica on a daily basis FOREVER. My nerve damage was caused by medication taken to control the progression of rheumatoid arthritis in my knees (both knees have since been replaced) but I did not know why I had the pins and needles, feeling of frosted feet, unbearable pain on the bottom of my feet until it was too late, the damage was already done. My Rheumatologist referred me to a Neurologist who diagnosed nerve damage. This was before the days of lyrica, I was given Tylenol #3 which helped but lyrica is far more effective, one tablet twice daily. If you stop the lyrica your symptoms will return.
PARTNER IN PAIN

I have shocking pain that go from the front of my knee that feel like electric shock and pain that go from my knee to my feet. My primary care physican told me it sound like nerve damage also, but my surgeon denies it.

I developed tingling and numbness in my feet a year after double knee replacement. My doctor sent me to a podiatrist who diagnosed it as neuroma. Gave me metatarsal pads which were worthless. The tingling and numbness moved up to my lower legs. Now I have been diagnosed with myasthenia gravis. Tried Lyrica and all of the other meds for foot pain but could not tolerate the hives and rashes. This week I am seeing another specialist who treats neuro-muscular problems. No one told me that this could happen after knee replacements, nor does anyone connect the two situations together. Has anyone out there developed myasthenia gravis after knee replacement???

I have the same problem. I had a total knee replacement Jan 2016. My knee heeled up fine, but I now have a constant pain in my foot that I didn't have before the surgery. They first told me the nerves had to heal, after 6 months they said it was my back. Had a MRI and they said L4-L5 had stenosis. They then sent me to a pain management doctor, where they did 3 sets of injections in my back. No relief, they put me on Gabapentin 600mg 4 times a day, which reduced the tingling, the pain is still there. Doctor suggested Lyrica, however Medicare doesn't cover it, even though I have the best supplement available. The pain doctor wants me to go back to the knee surgeon, and I said for what? I suggested they do a MRI on my foot and requested a second opinion.

I had a TKR in April 2016. After surgery there was a strange sensation in my foot. once I got mobile the sensation in by foot turned to pain the more I waked on it. I can now walk about a mile before the pain stops me. My foot also becomes painful by simply wearing shoes. I often kick them off in the afternoon and they calm down. The surgeon said there was pressure on a nerve in my knee and once the swelling had gone the sensation would go. This never happened. The swelling has gone but occasionally returns. The pain in my foot is always there unless I am resting, i.e. sat down, feet up.
The Podiatrist thought I might have plantar fashitus (please excuse the spelling) but no treatments have made a difference.
I had a ultra sound scan but this showed nothing wrong in my foot.