Generic Name: Lyrica for Neuralgia (pregabalin)
Lyrica for Neuralgia Reviews
"Lyrica/Pregabalin was prescribed to me when I had a swollen and non-diagnosed node on my neck. After 10 months, and nearly wiping out 6 months of research during my PhD, I visited a doctor in Chicago who warned me to taper down and get off the drug. I do not normally take medicines of any kind, other than antibiotics in the event of a serious bacterial infection. Based on my experience with Lyrica, I would not recommend it to anyone. Pfizer's multiple trials for this drug have been designed to try to offer it for every imaginable and even unimaginable problem. It numbs the brain and turns a person into a blithering idiot while also catalyzing side-effects that range from nervous tics to suicidal ideation. Ten years later, I still have a mild, but irritating bruxism and semi-uncontrollable mouth movements. Rating the drug effective or ineffective is irrelevant. It will produce a numbing euphoria so that a person doesn't even have the sense to stop it. DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG."
"I got severe trigeminal neuralgia 40 years ago. After 10 years on Tegretol, I had MVD operation. It was quite an experience on its own. From the moment I opened my eyes, the pain was gone - until 2 months ago (nearly 30 years later). It's not as severe as before, but it was back, and moved from the lower jaw to the top one. I went on Lyrica starting at 25 mg twice a day, slowly increasing to 75 mg doses. It took about 3 weeks to work, but now I am pain-free. The side effects haven't been too bad to date. It is a winner. I missed a dose once and got slight tingling reminders. Don't miss a dose."
"I take a low dosage of Lyrica paired with another drug to manage my pain levels for Trigeminal Neuralgia. Nothing was working until I tried this one. I even had gamma knife surgery. I'm slowly getting my life back. I do get headaches, but it's much better than the pain in my face. Without Lyrica I'd have no hope left."
"For the last 22 years, I have been suffering from severe trigeminal neuralgia. I had the alcohol block as well as the Gamma Knife procedures, but to no avail. Help came when I was given a high dosage of Lyrica in combination with Carbatrol. With time, I was able to reduce it to half of the quantity of both medications. For the last 8-9 years, I have been taking 900 mg of Lyrica and 600 mg of Tegretol. Before Lyrica, I was disabled. I couldn't talk, eat, open and close my eyes, touch my face, shave, have a haircut, or have my teeth cleaned. The list is too long. Basically, nothing could touch or move on the right side of my face. When I tried to eat, tears would stream down my face. I have been taking Lyrica since February 2002, and it saved my life."
"I have been on Lyrica for 6 months for trigeminal neuralgia. At first, I didn’t want to keep taking drugs, so when I felt a bit better, I stopped the med. Then, very horrible pain attacked me after two days. The attack was so unbearable that I had to go to the hospital emergency. The doctor told me that is because I didn’t take Lyrica regularly. Since then, I have continued the med without any break. Sometimes when the pain is increasing, I take 100mg*3 per day. When it is in remission and totally pain-free, I still take 25mg*2. I feel very dizzy and unstable while in high dose. However, I thank Lyrica very much! Lyrica is my lifesaver. Without it, I might have committed suicide."
"After suffering from horrible post-herpetic neuralgia in the trigeminal nerves on the left side of my face, I went to a neurologist who put me on Lyrica. A small dose of 50 mg each night keeps my symptoms under control. I tried adding a morning dose, but it made me giggle at inappropriate times, so I went back to only taking it at night. For over two years, my pain has been controlled well. One night I forgot to take my medicine, and the next day I had a painful attack. I'll never forget it again! I'm so thankful for this medicine. There are so many other medicines that I tried and could not take, but this one works great for me."
"I just started taking Lyrica 50 mg 2x a day for trigeminal neuralgia. Before I started, I was having awful facial pain, especially on the right side of my jaw and teeth. I thought I had some cavities or something. I was crying from being in so much pain. I went to the dentist, got an X-ray done, and there were no cavities and nothing wrong. So, I started doing my own research (googling my symptoms) and read about nerve pain. I immediately got in contact with my neurologist to come in and get seen. I also have epilepsy, chronic migraines, and the list goes on. When I picked up the medication from the pharmacy, I asked how long it would be before I could get relief, and the pharmacist said probably 3 or 4 days. I was feeling great after 2 doses of Lyrica. I am scared about the weight gain, so I'm watching how much I eat, but just not being in pain is so great right now!!! Thank you, Lyrica!!!"
"I have suffered extreme damage to my trigeminal nerve on the left side of my face due to dental implants. I since had three teeth pulled and one implant taken out. My life was full of unbearable pain and suffering. After 17 doctors/dentists, I finally went to a neurologist who put me on Lyrica. After fighting with my insurance company for two weeks, I was approved. Within one week, I have minimal pain! It is a miracle for me. I take 25mg three times a day. Love it! Thank you!"
"Initially put on Lyrica for severe lower back pain, 75 mg twice daily. Miraculous cure. Over time had to increase to 150 mg - still brilliant. About 10 years ago had the first attack of trigeminal neuralgia - which made the severe back pain feel like being tickled with a feather. When suffering a trigeminal attack nowadays, the combination of Lyrica 150 mg twice daily plus six-hourly 50 mg Tramadol and six-hourly 2x 500 mg paracetamol just about reduces the pain to survivable levels. Without the Lyrica, I'd be crying like a baby for the duration of the attack. The only noticeable side effect of the Lyrica is occasional vertigo. A small price to pay, in my view."
"It cured my pain (trigeminal neuralgia), but I had nasty side effects at first: mild headaches, nausea, tiredness, feeling too full and bloated (even when not eating), weight gain, dizziness, etc. I stuck with it, and after two weeks, I was still feeling bloated and had headaches, and I continued to gain weight. I researched ways to counteract the negative effects and started taking a B6 supplement (for weight gain) and an herbal diuretic (for the bloat). I no longer feel bloated, and the headaches are gone. I'm on my 4th (or 5th?) week of Lyrica, and I am feeling much better. I don't think I'm still gaining weight, but it's too soon to tell. I wasn't eating any more or less than usual, so if the B6 helps, that would be nice."
"I was eating a burger in 2011 and experienced a stabbing pain on the upper right side of my jaw. It felt like someone had stuck an ice pick in my face and slowly pulled it out. After two checks with my dentist, I was told there was nothing wrong with my teeth or gums. The pain continued but was always sporadic - when I ate, when I talked, when I shaved, when the wind blew a certain way. The bouts became more frequent, and I had trouble sleeping as I would wake up to sudden jolts of pain. A month later, they were so continuous that I could not go to work. A visit to my GP resulted in a quick diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and a prescription for Lyrica. My dose level was quite high (600 mg). The pain disappeared completely, but I self-medicated the dose down to 75 mg daily and have had great results. For the most part, I am pain-free with short bouts of pain that I cannot find a root cause for. Have not had ANY side effects."
"The only medicine on the market that truly worked for me. I suffered a gunshot wound to the head that penetrated through the brain and hit the spinal cord. Lyrica is the only medicine that controls the pain to a near 0/10. Unbelievable medicine for nerve pain without all the horrible side effects of Neurontin."
"I suffer from trigeminal neuralgia. I suffer from electric shock-like pains in my face that can last up to 2 hours. I was prescribed Lyrica 75 mg twice a day. Did not work. The doctor then increased it to 150 mg, then 300 mg twice a day. I hate the side effects of feeling tired and forgetful, but the medication has helped me up until recently. The pain has returned with a vengeance, and I'm on the maximum dosage already. Nothing helps now."
"I had occipital nerve damage with pressure in my inner ear. Pressure is gradually lowered enabling me to exert myself for about 4 hours but exhausted. I now take 225 mg twice daily and cannot miss one dose. Nothing else worked. I took up to 600 mg but found no difference in relief so I am on the 225 twice daily. This is one medication that does not mix well with alcohol. It induces a coma-like state that lasts for 30 minutes and longer. I was drinking beer and only had 3 beers in 2 hours. Then BOOM goes the dynamite! But am aware of everything going around me but can't move or respond. When it's over, it's over and I am vertical again. So now I know why the ad states avoid alcohol!"
"I take 300 mg Lyrica once per day before bedtime, along with 1000 mg acetaminophen (Panadol/Tylenol) 3 times daily for trigeminal neuralgia. It is a godsend. I love this regimen. Works wonders for my severe facial pain. The side effects I will take gladly for my pain relief. Side effects include unsteady gait, which subsides once my body gets accustomed to the dosage, and lowered libido, which returns within a day or two of not taking this regimen. Otherwise, I love Lyrica."
"After 2.5 years of awfulness from chronic rib pain after liver surgery, I can say Lyrica is a miracle drug for me. The doctor advised starting at 75 mg and doubling after a week, but after reading many bad reviews at high dosages, I decided to start at 75 and see. I needed to increase to 100 mg a day, but the relief is amazing and lifesaving. My pain has been reduced so much - it’s still there, but I can handle it, and from where it was, it’s amazing. Even after 6 weeks, I felt it improve again without upping the dose, so start low and stay with it, and I have had no side effects other than it makes me less anxious and happier - I love it."
"Lyrica gave me my life back! The only side effect that may have been due to Lyrica is vision loss, but I have worn glasses for 30 years, so no big deal for my eyesight to slightly worsen over 2 years on the drug. Some of the side effects that people mention could be due to menopause rather than Lyrica. I gladly spend $60 for a monthly supply. Other meds I took previously left me like a zombie. With Lyrica, I actually feel good."
"I am 36 yrs old and have suffered from trigeminal neuralgia (TN) attacks for 4 years now, they have totally changed my life, and I hate the disease for it! I have both typical and atypical TN, and nothing has helped so far. I have tried medicines such as Tegretol and numerous different combination anti-seizure medicines, amitriptyline, narcotics for pain, and topical creams/ointments of many different medicinal makeups, all after having 2 MVD surgeries. I have continued to work a very high-stressful career with a wonderful understanding company, but each day I am fighting some type of attack in intensity. I have fought against having Botox injections or even now reading, trying Lyrica to see if it works."
"Had neuropathic pain in the right upper jaw after dental work. Tried many different medicines, including tricyclics, eventually put onto Lyrica, went up to 900 mg, as well as Endep 40 mg. Couldn't tolerate Endep, worked my way back down to 600 mg Lyrica, and after 6 months, the nerve pain is tolerable. What I didn't realize was all the side effects that I now believe stem from Lyrica: severe bloating, sore eyes, memory loss, word problems, hand and feet pains, plus more. I have now found that it makes little difference between 75 or 300 mg for pain relief. I have difficulty sleeping without any, 75 will eventually help, but 300 gets me to sleep faster. After reading so many people complaining about the same side effects, I will be seeing my doctor."
"I've been prescribed Lyrica 300 mg morning and night, also Amitriptyline 10 mg for TN pain. Before taking these meds, life was near unbearable to live. The meds do come with some side effects, short-term memory loss and sometimes blurred vision being the worst. I've thankfully not had issues with weight gain. You have to take the good with the bad sometimes. Without the prescribed meds, life would be hell."
"I have suffered from migraines for nearly 30 years with no relief from other medications. I also suffer from degenerative disk disease at C5/6, with bone spurs growing laterally, pinching the root nerves leading down to my thumb. I can literally feel the nerve from my neck running through the shoulder down the arm and into my hand. Each of these problems triggers the other, causing severe pain and constant chronic migraines. I had been on gabapentin for several years and did not see any help with recent increases. I hurt 24/7 at an average of 6/7 with all the medications I was on, including gabapentin. I had started Botox in January 2018. I had also started experiencing symptoms pointing to fibromyalgia but have not been diagnosed. Too many doctor visits as it is. After requesting to try Lyrica, I felt like I had my life back. I started at 50 mg in the morning and 100 mg at night. I had also gone for an epidural steroid injection. Now taking 100 mg twice a day."
"I have been on Lyrica for only a bit over a week. Small doses were recommended; 25 mg, twice a day. I found this not to work, so I tried 50 mg at night, with some success. Increasing the dosage to 75 mg at night, resulted in the first time in a long while I can say I felt no pain. I feel a little listless, but I hope this will resolve itself. I find taking Magnesium Malate in the morning to energize me. For potential bloating I am taking B6, and monitoring my weight preparing to adapt my eating habits, and increase my physical activity with Yoga."
"I didn't experience any side effects at 50mg 2x per day. After my knee replacement surgery, I started taking 100 mg 3x per day. Almost right away I noticed vision blurriness, and mental fog. After about a month I started noticing weight gain, and swelling I'm ankles, legs, feet, and my hands are puffy. I have been on it 7 weeks now and have already gained 10 pounds. The swelling in my feet is nearly intolerable."
"Lyrica has helped greatly in sharp pain related to my arthritis in the hip. I am on a waiting list for a hip replacement, and it works so well, I will postpone this operation as long as I can sleep at night and get around okay. My brother tried it for his osteoarthritis in the hand, and it has given him the same relief. It stops the sharp pain, you still have the dull pain that lets you know you have a problem. If it is good enough to stop the pain to sleep at night, it has done its job. Tony."
"I had minor back surgery, and one result was nerve damage to the nerves from my right leg socket to my hip. Severe burning several times per year. Lyrica stops the severe pain slowly and reduces it to tolerable pain. I use 75 mg on a nine-day regimen: 3x for 3 days, 2x for 3 days, and 1x for 3 days. It works well. The pain slowly subsides and is gone by the 6th day. No serious side effects. Slight vision blurring and minor lack of mental focus. Very minor. Overall, I think it works for me. It has not affected appetite, weight, mental attitude, or sleeping habits."
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