Lyrica is mainly use for nerve pain, not for mechanical pain. Are you having numbness on your legs? Are you having numbness on any of your extremeties? If you are, I agree that Lyrica might help you, but if you don't have nerve pain, prescribing Lyrica to you is absolutely crazy!

Lyrica can make you very dizzy, can make you gain weight, and a lot of people stop taking it because of the side effects. I couldn't handle it! I was not even a week on it, and I told my Doc, take this away from me!!!! So, if you don't have nerve pain, Lyrica is NOT for you, you should be on something for pain; like Tramadol, Darvocet, Percocet, etc....
Take care,

I've been on Lyrica since the 7th of this month. I really haven't noticed any side effects at all yet, but it hasn't really done anything for my pain either!

i don't have any numbness in my legs, but my legs and feet do ache A LOT when i lay down to sleep. my mom was very iffy when i told her that my doc wanted me to start taking lyrica. i took it last night and i don't feel any different today, so i guess i'll give it a few weeks and if it doesn't help i'll stop taking it. thanks for your comments!

It helped my pains in my arms and legs which I thought were a part of arthritis. I was overjoyed at the relief! I stopped it once, and boy was I sorry! Needless to say, I now take three pills daily.
I hope it helps you as well.

had a pretty rough time last night. my whole left leg was in horrible pain. the pain was coming from my back and going down my leg. it happened after my second dose of Lyrica, my leg hurt a little after my first dose, but i thought nothing of it since it hurts every once and awhile. Could this have been a reaction to the medicine?

I have been taking lyrica for several months now and it does absolutely nothing for my pain. I have to take a seperate medication for pain.

Hi EmmaKate, I'm sorry you are experiencing such pain, especially your freshman year of college where you should be enjoying life and taking in the "college scene". I have horrible lower back pain (lumbar region) and at some point my back pain began to shoot down my right leg. It felt stinging, burning, and after a while it started to feel like an electric shock down my leg . . . Not Fun!! I could not sleep and was experiencing the same frustration as you. The first medication my Dr put me on was Lyrica 50mg/day.
I was started at a reasonably low dose and throughout a few weeks period, was raised to a much higher dose. At first I did not feel much- good or bad! As I gradually went up on the dosage, I began to get some relief as well as some side effects. Everybody is different and so are the side effects, yet I experienced some dizziness, sleepiness, blurry eyesight, and almost a "high" happy feeling. As my dose was leveled off on where my Dr thought I should be, the side effects gradually subsided. I now experience NO side effects, including weight gain, which honestly scared me quite a bit. Now that I am on a higher dose, it has definitely relieved my nerve pain. It is not a medication that will help with aches and pains not related to nerves. You said you had back pain- Lyrica will not work on back pain unless it is nerve related.
I haven't heard of nerve pain being experienced only at night- but I guess I haven't spoken to too many people about this. Check out something called Restless Leg Syndrome. I have a friend who thought she had nerve pain yet it only happened when she was in certain positions- especially at night when she was laying down. I guess it also happens when sitting for long periods or in certain positions. I don't know a lot about it so PLEASE look it up. Once my friend's Dr put her on a medication for Restless Leg Syndrome, she said that it was a "miracle drug" because all the pain stopped.
However my so-called "miracle drug" is Lyrica for my nerve pain. Once you make it through the adjustment time period at first where your dosage is being elevated, it really helps decrease the pain with no side effects. It just sucks because I also have to take medications for my back pain. :) Oh well!
One last thing Emmakate, I know that I had a miserable time sleeping and felt like I was on a spinning wheel twisting and turning all night long. Some more comfortable positions I have found are either on my back with two pillows under my knees to support your lumbar area, which might be the area causing your nerve pain. I also like laying on my side with 1-2 pillows between my knees (whichever is more comfortable to you) and then "hug" one pillow between your arms to keep your top arm elevated . . . leaving your body in alignment. I know it sounds weird . . . but it REALLY works for me.
Good luck Emmakate and I hope your pain subsides and your sleep resumes to what it was before the pain started. Make sure you enjoy and appreciate your college experience and I wish you the best!!! By the way, what college are you going to?
JenLilly

Thank you for all your advice Jen!!!

I'm going to UAH, the University of Alabama in Huntsville, majoring in Studio Art with a focus in photography.

I also have had 2 knee surgeries this past year so sleeping on my side is sometimes pretty painful. i've tried a pillow between my legs, but i've never tried hugging one. Will defiantly try that tonight! I've tried a pillow under my legs, but it just increases my pain.
I think my doc put me on lyrica so that when i see a specialist on the 27th if it is nerve pain i could have gotten the first few weeks of starting out of the way. I'm fine with starting it as long as i don't gain 50 pounds haha i'm taking 50mg for a week then going to 100mgs the next. after that i'll have seen my specialist so he'll adjust it from there.

i will defiantly check out restless leg syndrome. i've had it suggested to me before but never remembered to look it up.
-Emma

Well I'v had 3 L5-S1 back desectomy's I have been on lyrica for almost 15 months now I take 1- 200mg pill in the AM then I take 2-200mg pills in the PM. and have been told its really to help calm the nerve in my back (CYATIC) ? I have had prob. sleeping as well so my doctor put me on Zolpidem 10Mg @ nite this helps me sleep very well. also check out Cyclobenzaprine as well for spasm'salso amitriptyline I have taken all these for some 2.5 years the lyrica has made me gain 15-20 lbs. over time but I think is does help me.. you never know till you try it I guess..

my new back specialist took me off the lyrica. he said my pain is caused by an 8% curve in my spine. he said to start swimming 3 times a week and come back in three weeks. he said it its not better that we could try trigger point injections or an epidural.