Lyrica?

[Hawkgirl]

bump! Does anyone take Lyrica and been on it for a while? Please help me. The abdominal distension is what I'm primarily concerned about. I'm having trouble getting any info about it, because apparently there is a band called Lyrica.

[april may june]

Hello Hawkgirl, fellow Lyrica taker here. I've been on it for two and a half, maybe three years now.
I take 150mg twice a day. It unfortunately doesn't relieve all of my pain, but it does help.
The main side effect I have is that I have trouble focusing while on it. It makes me very "scattered", for lack of a better word. I haven't experienced any abdominal distension or continence problems.

I hope this helps, and please let me know if you have any other questions. I'm happy to help.

[erica1000]

Hi Hawkgirl,

I have been taking Lyrica for about 18 months now. I am hyper sensitive to medication so my dosage is extremely low, I take 25mg 3 times a day. My doctor says I can go up to 50 mg at a time if needed. I do see a pain reduction when taking the Lyrica (I really notice the difference if I forget to take a dose).

As for side effects - because my dose is so low, I don't get the dizziness or the shaking but I have seen a good bit of weight gain.

[Hawkgirl]

erica, does it seem like real weight gain (like, equally over your body) or does all the weight gain seem to be showing in your belly?

That's what's happening with me. My face, arms, legs, and behind all are about the same as before, but I'm starting to carry around this big belly, almost like I'm pregnant. I would've thought if I were gaining weight, there would be weight gain other places, like my face, my chin, my thighs. Maybe it's just because I don't have anyone who can view me objectively. I need someone who hasn't seen me in a couple of weeks to look me over and tell me if I'm gaining weight.

Otherwise the Lyrica is really helping me. I have gone from being at almost 8 or 9 for pain *every single day* to being at a comfortable 3 or 4. Sunday morning I woke up with no pain at all. That was wonderful. Then about 11:30 or so the pain came back, but still at the lower, bearable range.

I still feel shakey in the morning, I still get the blurred vision, but I don't feel as out of control as I did at first--not as impulsive and manic. Also, I don't know if it's from Lyrica, or muscle relaxers (which I only take at bedtime), or just MS, but my incontinence has worsened quite a bit.

[Hawkgirl]

I had a sort of terrible day today! I felt like a shakey 70-year-old woman! You know those poor dithery old ladies you see at the grocery store, who don't seem to know what they're doing? That was me, today. My hands were shaking, I felt like I didn't know what was going on. I was just doing a couple of easy errands, but I was a mess. Talking to myself out loud. It may have been that "scattered" feeling that april may june was talking about. I took some Valium and calmed down. But then I felt bad because I'm just like a drug addict, popping pills to get the rush I want.

I hope tomorrow goes better.

And I've had to give up on the abdominal distension thing and just admit I'm getting fat. I ate a quarter of a pumpkin pie today. Fat.

[Hawkgirl]

Holy crap, I am going off the rails on a crazy train! When I took my morning dose, I felt the "rush" when it kicked it, and it was like everything was swooshing past me. For the first time I have realized that this is heavy-duty stuff. I'm taking 150 mg three times a day, and it is still not killing all the pain. But it is killing most of it, so I guess I'll have to get used to being fat and feeling like an old jittery chihuahua.

Otherwise it's back to being doubled over gasping for breath from pain. Gee, do I want the fire or the frying pan? The fire kills you fast, but the frying pan hurts a little less.

[GandalfRA]

For me Lyrica made me feel weak in the legs, I felt high and could not focus at work. Also very sleepy. I decided to stop non DMD prescription drugs (4) and began the MS Recovery Diet. I still have problems and pain but I feel a lot better than with all the drugs.

Good luck.

[WALKINGHORSEWOMAN]

no lyrica for me

I tried it for several months but it just made me dazed. Like everything in my life was on a 10 second delay, which isn't good when you are trying to work and have conversations with customers.

Didn't experience any of the hyper sensations or other symptoms that everyone is mentioning though.

[derrie]

I haven't had any side effects from Lyrica, though it has given me what appears to be ADD. Which is kind of horrible, since I'm a lawyer, and my job is to focus and stare at a computer all day. Which may explain why I'm typing this post right now instead of drafting a brief.

I have not yet experienced weight gain. Some of that may be because the I eat a vegan diet and the reduction in pain has allowed me to go on more walks. We'll see though. I'm paranoid about the weight gain.

But other than the ADD, I'm sort of in love with Lyrica. Like you, Hawkgirl, it's dropped my pain a LOT. I would say from daily 7-8ish to daily 2ish, with it creeping back up toward 4 in the evening before my evening dose. In short, it is -- so far -- my miracle drug.

My doc did say the side effects may fade as my brain gets "used to it." Which would be nice. Because I honestly think I was still more productive (though miserable) when I was in pain than when I am with my Lyrica-ADD. But there's no way in the world I want to go back to that pain. I'll work longer hours to make up for the ADD or something.

Hawkgirl, you mention being jittery-- do you get the attention deficit thing, too?

[Hawkgirl]

I think you could call it ADD. For me it helps me, except that I find things half done, that I started on and got distracted. Which I guess is what ADD is. For me it doesn't matter too much (unless I'm filling the bathtub for one of the kids).

When the rush hits it's like a manic period, and I can move pretty fast (for me) and get things done. But I also talk out loud to myself and do things I might normally be too shy to do. Again, for me personally that's a positive thing, because I am generally shy and withdrawn.

If these side effects fade with time, I will be okay with that. I'm not taking it for the rush. As long as it keeps the pain at bay, I'm satisfied. But the pain is creeping up on my right now. I think it's because I'm stressed out with the weekend, and the holiday season coming up. I have so much to do and buy and consult about. You know how insane the holiday season can be.

[derrie]

Well, I think I experienced the rush. I upped my dose yesterday (my doc has been titrating me up), and I felt AWESOME in the morning. So awesome, in fact, that I decided I needed to walk downtown and go Christmas shopping. Let's just say I think I should freeze my credit cards in ice while I'm on Lyrica. I'm usually not much of a shopper, but I think I was feeling "high," as the Lyrica prescribing information called it. Ah well. People are getting some nice gifts this year. Tis the season.

So, hmm, maybe Lyrica will help with dealing with all the holiday stuff? But yes, my neurologist said a lot of the initial side effects will fade after the first month or so, once you get on your maintenance dose.

Hawkgirl, have you experienced any more physical symptoms with the Lyrica. I noticed a small tremor in my hands when I started taking it, and now that I have increased my dose, the tremor is more pronounced, to the point where it is a little hard to type.

Regardless, the pain relief is still worth all these side effects to me. I do hope the Lyrica keeps working. I've heard, anecdotally, that its efficacy fades for some people over time. That happened for me with gabapentin (which is why I am trying Lyrica instead), and I really, really hope the Lyrica keeps working.

Good luck with all the holiday stuff, Hawgirl!

[Min]

For Hawkgirl

Hello, well I must say your desccription of a 70 year old going round the shops is nearly right,but add a 71 year old with MS, as I am and the story changes. Weaving from one side to the other, dragging and lagging of feet and legs and if getting too near the wall or person on the left hand side walking into it or them because of ON. Now you have the picture.
Next DH goes into a shop and you reel your way to a seat to wait. Sitting next to you is another old dear who whispers to you"I like to have a little nip or two before I go shopping as it does help,but do be careful how much you have because I noticed you were having trouble walking in a straight line. Don't mean to be rude but thought I'd just let you know"
OK back to other things.
I take gabapentin, not lycria, and the notes with that state increase in weight. I am very slim(OK skinny from the DH peanut gallery). Haven't put on any weight but do hav e a disstended tummy. Also says increase in breast size, still waiting for that miracle to happen, had a right breast mastectomy a few months ago, still flat as a pancake nothing happening there.
Hope you "hug" is not to bad today, I call it my boa constrictor that starts at the top of my chest and can go right down to my abdomen and nether regions!!!

All good wishes to you and yours from the old MSer!!

Min

[Hawkgirl]

^ Thank you for the laugh, Min! So far no one has warned me about having a "nip" too many! I have wondered if someone will tell me to lay off the meth.

I still have shakey hands, especially in the AM. I get dry mouth and blurred vision. I get quite free with my money, as derrie said. I talk with cashiers and salespeople and people in line to check out and anyone who comes in range of me. I have forced myself to not make any decisions about money matters, unless I talk to DH first. I hope I can stick to that. Almost bought myself a $40 Gustav Klimpt Barbie doll that took my fancy at Target. I put it back because we have three kids who all have b-days in December.

I don't always get it, because sometimes I feel very shakey and nervous, and other times I feel very confident and chatty. Maybe that is how the "high" works.

I don't think Lyrica is going to get me through the holiday season, though. DH is off work all week and we are already at each others' throats, and my hug is coming on strong. It's going to be a terrible Thanksgiving.

[Hawkgirl]

Hug is terrible today, plus my good eye is out. I can already tell this holiday season will be rough.

Today's tale of Lyrica lunacy: I took a shower, washed my hair, and then without combing it, just got dressed and went to the store. I didn't even realize until I got to the store that I hadn't combed my hair. It was just a big snarl of wet curls--and not cute curls like kids have on TV! I was just riding the crazy train off the rails, and seriously and truly, bought THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MARSHMALLOWS. ??? And now I almost need to wash my hair again so I can comb it. It has dried in a crazy snarl now.

[derrie]

Ugh, sorry you're having a tough time Hawkgirl. I'm traveling for the holidays and have to manage a trip that involves changing planes twice (traveling small town to small town). I'm a bit concerned I'll be a disaster by the time I get to my friends' place tomorrow.

Have you experienced jerking with your Lyrica? My doc increased my dose since I was having pain again, and the hand tremor is mostly gone, but now when I sit still, my muscles jerk, sometimes rather violently. I have never experienced this before. I also have a rash on my face, across my cheeks and nose, like I'm blushing horribly.

So, what gives, Lyrica? It's helping with the pain, but these side effects are just weird.