Pregabalin for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome User Reviews

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 29, 2012

Lyrica (pregabalin) "I've found this medication to be helpful in calming down the sharp pains I feel throughout my body. I notice that at the site of my initial injury (foot), I still have constant pain, but the pain has decreased. I also notice that if I'm stressed the medication seems to not work as well so I don't know if I need the dosage increased, but there is a major difference in how much pain I feel. I do not like the side effects, but which would I rather have - sharp pains or side effects? For me they're headaches, drowsiness, dizziness, fatigue, odd stomach upsets initially after taking the medication, unfocused attention, euphoria, and that "high" feeling. I don't get all of these side effects each time I take it but it can be any of them."

• Evie5...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 16, 2014

"I have full body RSD for 10yrs. It is not a disease you can live with. I was on Morphine and Valium for the 10yrs & decided to stop them. I lost those yrs of my life sleeping 17 hours a day and the pain was horrible even taking 90mg a day and 30mg of Valium. I went to Wilmington Treatment Center to stop the medicines & so they started me on the Lyrica 450mg per day. It saved my life. Without the Lyrica I was awake for 3 days crying in pain, could not lay in a bed due to the sheets touching me, my core temperature would not come up, I was freezing but everything burned my skin if it touched me. The Lyrica within 2 hours gave me hope and I started turning around for the better. My life is so much better now. My family is glad to have me back!"

• Oh...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 15, 2014

"Lyrica the wonder medicine. After having a nerve crushed in Afghanistan, I had RSD/CRPS in my left leg. Doctors put me on Neurontin which just made me neurotic...and did not help the pain. A month after switching to Lyrica, I was able to lose the crutches, and a few weeks later the prosthetic supporting my leg. After four months, yes I still have a crushed nerve, but pain and hypersensitivity dropped to bearable levels and after six months off all medication but Motrin. Four years later... I have a resurgence of RSD due to a back injury. Lyrica had me back walking in two weeks and has continued to reduce the pain levels."

• CRPSer
• April 27, 2020

"When I developed CRPS/RSD, after a reconstructive hand surgery, I hadn’t even taken pain meds after the surgery. Nor with broken bones/hardware, ruptured appendix. This RSD pain is a whole different animal-It nearly broke me! I was sleeping less than an hour a night - couldn’t put my arm down anywhere. I resisted Lyrica at first but after a few weeks (still refusing opioids), I had to do something. Lyrica was a miracle! It took 600 mg/day. It made my memory terrible but 0 other side effects. I gained 16 pounds in 15 months, but that was due to 2 more surgeries, spreads to each of my legs, not being able to work and not being able to lift weights/ride a bicycle, etc. I recently decided to try to slowly wean down from Lyrica as much as possible, only because I don’t want to be on medication. I’m now down to 150mg a day, with no withdrawal symptoms. Yes I am having more pain but nothing like I did 12/2018 when this first developed. My memory is back to normal too."

• Veteran...
• October 20, 2015

"I have Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome and to those who actually have to feel the constant pain that we do, knows just how hard it makes our daily life. I have been on neurontin and amytriptiline and have had nerve blocks. I cry after I have a nerve block because I for a short time feel normal. These blocks are dangerous and I have had some complications. My family physician prescribed Lyrica and I see a huge difference in my pain. I now have hope to live a normal life!"

• ladys...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 1, 2018

"I have had RSD for over 25 years now. What helped me the most was that for 22 years I was on Fentanyl patches two - 75mcg every 3 days, or 150mcg total. Now after 22 years the states are cracking down on opioid use, as maybe all of you know. So went from 150mcg to 100mcg to 75mcg to 50mcg and next will be 25mg. The 50mcg did not work and I was crying to my doc that it was not enough. I thought I was going to die and wanted to. The burning was so bad I felt like a pig on a spit. Hot, cold, hot again and cold again. Doc gave me gabapentin, but after reading all of your comments on Lyrica, maybe I have some hope and he will let me try that. I am on workman's comp and at least this medication is much cheaper than the fentanyl, so maybe they will okay that. I loved reading all of your comments on this drug and hope I can also get some relief. The fentanyl worked like a dream, but because of all the addicts dying here, we are being punished for being dependant and not addicted to this drug."

• Anonymous
• April 13, 2011

Lyrica (pregabalin) "I was prescribed Lyrica in conjunction with Nortriptyline for RSD pain. It has proven to be a miracle worker over Neurontin/Gabapentin. Although both make me very sleepy and tired, Lyrica actually put a dent in the level of pain. While on Neurontin I was at a constant 7-10/10, Lyrica has brought it to (rarely) 0 and at most (during flareups, etc.) 6."

• Anonymous
• November 20, 2009

Lyrica (pregabalin) "Side effects are a bit annoying sometimes, but it's working for me so I'll put up with it. A side note- I'm taking this in addition to Wellbutrin and Cymbalta. All for my RSD... I have only had intermittent pain and it was extremely mild in comparison to before this combination."

• Bluesky
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 15, 2019

"I suffer from RSD (reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy syndrome - severe pain from a damaged nerve in my shoulder. I’ve had the condition for 8 years and when it first manifested itself the nerve pain spread from my right shoulder/head to my left side beginning at the feet until I had a condition called polyneuropathy, which is nerve pain all over the body. Felt like at times my whole body was on fire. After consulting with specialists I was put on Lyrica -600mgs a day. Very high dose but it helped tremendously. Yes there were side effects in the beginning , especially the weight gain - 30 pounds- but when your in mortal pain, you don’t even realize you’ve gained the weight and you don’t care. I’ve tampered the medicine down to 200 mgs a day. I got my life back. My problem is now that it’s gone generic and after 3 weeks of taking the generic my pain is breaking through. I’m praying that with time the new formulation will kick in as my insurance is not wanting to pay for the Brand name Lyrica."

• jason...
• September 8, 2015

"I first started taking this for trapped nerve causing cramps in my hand. I started off 25mg 3 times a day for first week. The first thing I felt was calm all my worries went away second week upped to 100mg 3 times a day feel like a lotto winner walking and talking like a new man. No prob with sex its all still working! Slight foggy brain but got my old job back cramps in hand gone all looking well, booking to go away with the wife soon xx"

• Mizzoh
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 28, 2018

"I’ve been taking Lyrica for RSD/CRPS in my knee and it’s really made a difference. At first I was crazy tired and really spacey but now those side effects aren’t as bad. I’m taking 75mg twice a day right now and my pain is at least 50% better than it was before the Lyrica. I could use a higher dose but I trying to take as little as I can and be functional. I may increase my dose but for now I am happy to say it is really helping!"

• msedory
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 17, 2018

"I switched to Lyrica after using Gabapentin. I immediately noticed the swelling which increased my pain and became unbearable. Also the shooting pains returned. Maybe my dosage wasn't high enough. I was on 1800 mg/day for Gabapentin and only 150 mg/day for Lyrica. After a week I went back to Gabapentin."

• JamieN
• December 7, 2009

Lyrica (pregabalin) "I'm 20 with RSD Lyrica was the 1st nerve medicine they attempted to use on me. I had a really bad reaction and after 3 days of taking the medicine I had incontinence. Not fun when your just trying to be a normal college student."

• Anonymous
• October 19, 2011

Lyrica (pregabalin) "I have full body RSD. Lyrica brings down the burning and helps with the pain especially in my face and upper body. I also have to take Cymblata and tramadol with morphine but like I said I have full body RSD. Only side effect is my vision and I feel like I'm high but the benefits outweigh the side affects"

• OpalGal
• October 23, 2009

Lyrica (pregabalin) "I had a severe reaction to taking Lyrica. I gained 40 lbs in 2 months, and had such severe swelling in my legs."

• spart...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 30, 2014

"This (Lyrica) has been the best option I have tried. It did not make me drowsy and made long days of standing and walking on my bad foot almost unnoticeable."

• mhviz
• December 6, 2011

Lyrica (pregabalin) "Side effects were debilitating, headaches, nausea. Did not experience much in the way of pain relief."

• Anonymous
• July 15, 2010

Lyrica (pregabalin) "Controls a major percentage of the burning and stinging."

• eileen
• June 30, 2010

Lyrica (pregabalin) "Lyrica was the first medication that helped with the nerve pains. It calmed down some of the burning in my toes, especially. It also gave me some hope in addition to pain relief."

• Rhi
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 9, 2020

"pregabalin is probably the most effective pain relief that I take, it allows me to get up, get dressed and live a little bit of a life."