What is Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia (FM or FMS or Fibro) is a debilitating chronic syndrome (constellation of signs and symptoms) characterized by diffuse or specific muscle, joint, or bone pain, fatigue...
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Lyrica or Neurontin
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Hi to all, I am a fairly new member to this group but I have been hanging around long enough to know that I can get some good advice from you ladies.
I was diagnosed with Fibro after an accident in 6/2002. I damaged discs/nerves at C 5-6 and as a result have to live with constant pain. As you can imagine I saw many docs (Neurologists and Orthopedist) at that time and had many tests (MRI, CTs, Nerve Conductions, Spinal Taps, etc,)and was eventually told there wasn't anything they could really do as the problem cannot be fixed by surgery. So learn to live with the pain...Welcome to my life... Fibromyalgia, diagnosed in 6/2003. Since 11/2002, I have been treated by a Pain Management Doc for pain symptoms. The good thing about this is he doesn't give me any of the problems some of you ladies seem to have getting your narcotics. Currently I take Vicoden and Zanaflex for pain management and until recently they seemed to keep my Fibro under control. Mid-September I had a Rhizdomy to relieve some of my neck pain....hey, it worked I have maybe a pain level of 6 in my neck, big improvement! The problem is the Fibro has kicked in so badly I have hardly been able to get out of bed since. My Fibro pain level has gone from a 5-6 just around trigger points in upper body to a 9 ALL over. Some days I felt like I couldn't walk due to the pain shooting down my right leg from my back. I had an appointment with the PA at the Pain Mgt office and she put me on Savella, even though I had reservations due to the fact I already have uncontrolled high blood pressure. I am currently on day 9, with pain relief, but, my problem with Savella, is my blood pressure. It shoots up to 203/141, or just stays elevated and its hard to get down (I do have med to bring down high BP). I have been calling the docs office almost daily reporting my blood pressure and am now insisting I have to get off even though I am getting pain relief (It will do me no good if I end up having a stroke). She has given me instructions as to how to stop the Savella. My next question to her was, "what can I take next for pain relief?" Her answer, " Lyrica or Neurontin"..... My question to you ladies...what you do? Both drugs scare me, but the Vicoden isn't touching the pain. I haven't heard much good about Lyrica or Neurontin. I am already diabetic and overweight so I can't afford to take Neurontin and gain alot of weight like I have heard alot of people do...I am looking forward to your input. Thanks!! Posted on 11/19/09, 11:11 pm |
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Sorry to hear of your difficulties on Savella. I have been taking it for 5 weeks and I've never had blood pressure problems until this med. My cardiologist put me on Coreg and it's come back down to normal.
I'm an RN and I, too, would stop taking the Savella with that BP. You are going to taper, right? I also take Lyrica, which also causes weight gain but my Rheumatologist says it's from water weight. He has me on a diuretic for that. I hope to stop the Lyrica when I can get up to the therapeutic dose of Savella. I could not start Savella at full strength according to the titration pack. I've had to move up very slowly. It's been 5 1/2 weeks and I've just gone from 25 mg twice a day to 25 mg in AM and 50 mg in PM. I don't know what will work for you but I hope your doctor finds the right combo or med for you. Best wishes. 
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Wow. Well I am one who got fat from Neurontin but I have heard the same from many, many who tried Lyrica. My weight wasn't affected until my dosage was over 2000 mgs day so maybe it doesn't do that at lower doses. The thing is we all react differently to meds so maybe worth a shot to try one of these. Oh, I must say though that Neurontin hasn't helped much with Fibro pain but more with all the nerve pain I get which you might have from the damaged discs/nerves so if you do then Neurontin might be better than Lyrica for you. I'm kind of rambling so I hope that all makes some kind of sense.
Sherry
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I have been on Lyrica and nuerotin, but my eyes started getting blurry so I stopped taking it. We have a choice in our life, in what works right and what doesnt, but we do make errors and thats ok because we are able to share on DS. Know your limits and remember we care for you and we are with you
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I have been on Lyrica for over two years. At first I gained weight but have lost it now and my vision was blurry but I am very nearsighted anyways, and now that seems fine.
I also take Cymbalta in conjunction with the Lyrica and I am pretty much pain free with the exception of a flare now and then which I try to avoid. I take Vicodin when the flares happen. Wishing you the best. Finding the right mix of drugs can make a big difference.
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I took Lyrica and gained 50 lbs that I STILL haven't lost. Nothing I try seems to help. I was also left with horrible headaches - couldn't prove it, but I think the Lyrica caused some kind of damage.
Before that, I took Neurontin. It negatively altered my moods. I have a back injury in L4-5. When it happened, I lost an inch and a half in height and my reflexes. I started practicing yoga and I gained back an inch as well as my reflexes. I take Boswellia for pain. The combination of that and the yoga seem to do the trick. For me, drugs just lowered my quality of life and offered little relief.
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I have been on lyrica for about 3 weeks. I have to keep smoking to keep the weight from coming on. The drug itself does not cause weight gain, but the lyrica seems to exacerbate my OCD in a number of ways. I am on 75 mg in morning and evening. It causes me to have general compulsive desires I normally would not. I crave candy and I have not eaten that stuff but occasionally for YEARS. I find it just adds to my already irritating compulsiveness. Good thing I don't drink anymore, haha! I feel I cannot quit smoking because it keeps the weight at a tolerable level, which is very sad. But, the lyrica combined with 2 vicodins a day seems to have given me my life back. I am buy doing chores I could not do ALL SUMMER while trying to find out why I could not use my arms or hardly walk. My baby sister coincidentally jumped off a cliff and killed herself just as I was getting looked at for this mystery illness, so of course, the smoking came in handy for that and now I feel stuck. Smoking or fat, to keep the pain at a tolerable level and also fit my clothes. My heart goes out to all of you suffering from this. And to all of your families who also suffer and worry and wonder...
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its possible that gabapentin makes some of us suicidal..i have to be careful.. but it helps me soooo much with pian..i too feel like i have a least part of my life back now.. just have to be caeful i dont turn around and take it
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Hi there. I am taking gabephentin 1800 mg for some time now. with great sucess for the burning and nerve pain. It can make you drowsy at first and can make you have mood changes ie irritability. This passed with me in a bout two weeks. As long as you are aware of this before hand you should be ok. Yes you should get off savella with a blood pressure like that. I also have diabetes. The pain from your back shooting down your arm sounds like myofascial pain. This can be helped with proper massage by therapist who knows how to correct it. It often comes with fibro and injuries. Hugs and good luck. I am afraid of Lyrica myself and have heard if you can take gabephentin you probably won't be able to take lycrica and vice versa.
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PS I had no significant weight gain with gabephentin. hugs
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Only got up to 600mgs a day a few times. It left me extremely disoriented and drugged out. I had to stop taking it. I gained about 30-35 lbs in about 2 months. Both of these are not an option. I take low dose Naltrexone once a day, along with Acetyl L-Carnitine. Both don't do much but I have not been sick since taking the Naltrexone and have a tiny bit more energy with the Acetyl L.
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