Last post Thu, May 29 2008 12:17 AM by craftymama310. 88 replies.
Hello,
Has anyone tried either of these drugs for fibro?
How often do you have to take it? What are some of the side effects?
DOES THIS ALSO CAUSE WEIGHT GAIN???
I know the last question is rather vain, but I can’t handle gaining any more than the 40 pounds I have gained in the last 6 months on my current meds. Neither can my knees!!
Please let me know. I need some type of relief!!!!
Cranky, tired, irritable and sore,
Monique
Hi Monique,
I tried Cymbalta but it didn't really help me, so I can't say much about it.
I have been taking Lyrica successfully for years and it has helped quite a bit. It's best to start up on it slowly, on a low dose at bedtime, and work your way up. I'm now taking 150 mg twice a day, but I think there are doses as low as 25-50 mg. The first week or so I had a lot of dizziness, sleepiness, and feeling out of it, but once I got through that I haven't had any other side effects. If you decide to go off of Lyrica, you have to taper down as well.
Unfortunately, weight gain is one of the side effects, but I have not found the Lyrica to affect my weight. I find that when I am in significantly more pain I gain weight, and when I get some relief (or some prednisone for RA), I slowly lose weight.
I hope this helps.
Hi Monique
I've tried both of those drugs for my neuropathy....could not handle either of them...started tripping after 3 days time...felt like a zombie.
I take Neurotin (well the generic, a lot cheaper). I can handle it well and it works for me
Joe
Monique,
I thought Cymbalta was pulled from the market for some reason. I might be wrong; perhaps I stopped because it was not providing any positive results. I had to stop Lyrica because of the weight gain side effect. I am a chair user on a strict 1800 calorie diet to SLOWLY lose weight over the year. Lyrica was causing me to gain weight even with an 1800 calorie intake. Yikes! With the change below, I am once again losing weight.
I am now on 1800 mg/day Gabapentin (generic for Neurontin) and has been working resonably well for the burning and stabbing pain without the weight gain side effect. I do have to supplement that with the Fentanyl patch (generic for Duragesic) for a constant level of pain management meds.
Of course, as with all medicines, different folks react differently to and have different needs for any medicine that must be fully discussed with a single doctor that is managing multiple prescriptions. I say "single doctor" because many folks have gotten themselves into great trouble when no one doctor was coordinating the patient's intake of drugs and supplements.
My best to you in finding that optimum combination that meets your needs while at the same time requiring minimal risks to you.
Dave
Yeah, I also take Gabapentin (generic for Neurontin), 1800 to 2400 mg daily...works just fine for me
Hi!
Cranky, tired, irritable and sore is a way of life here!
I'm on both mmedications, both at bedtime. The Lyrica made me too drowsy during the day. I've found both very helpful with the pain and neuropathy. The downside for me is, yes, they cause weight gain- something I don't need!
Best to all of you!
Misha
I am new to Disaboom and just trying to navigate my way through the site. I have been on Neurontin for =years= without much relief. As all of you know, a life of pain isn't about relief but about tolerance. That said, I took what little it did and tolerated.
I am now on Lyrica. It has only been a few weeks so the jury is still out but so far it appears to be working better than the Neurontin did and I haven't noticed any bad effects yet. I am still on a low dose, twice daily.
I hope you fine something to work for you. I went years without anything (I just don't like meds). To see my med list now you wouldn't know it, though. Sheesh.
Thanks to all for the support and answers you provide here.
Eeyore
what is a fentanyl patch do? I have been on oxycodone for atleast 8 years and im sick of the pills so im detoxing from them with a catapress patch. i also take lyrica, neurontin, and cymbalta. But I still have alot of pain. Any sugestions??
I went years without anything (I just don't like meds). To see my med list now you wouldn't know it, though.
Eeyore,
Too funny! I too never took medicine or went to the doctor. but now I feel like I have a mini pharmacy in my house and have a whole medical team to keep up with! My how things change.
petal31:what is a fentanyl patch do?
Look here: http://www.duragesic.com/duragesic/
Discuss that with your doctor. From what you said about the Oxycodone, you would certainly be a canidate. As to whether or not it will work with you; different people react differently to different meds.
Fentanyl patches are an opiate analgesic used when oral opiates don't do the job. The patch releases the drug slowly over a period of days. One of the advantages to a patch is the constant delivery of the drug means, in theory, eliminating the roller coaster ups and downs of oral pain meds.
Lyrica is just the most recent. As I stated, I haven't been on it long and am still at an introductory dose of 75 mg AM and 150 mg PM. It looks as if it is going to be more effective for me than Neurontin. I was on 600 mg AM and 1200 mg PM, less than I had been using but the increase in dosage wasn’t bringing an increase in benefit so I stepped it back down.
I look forward to hearing from others who are taking Lyrica and what dose it has taken to find relief, if any.
I take 75mg of Lyrica at bedtime and find it really helps. It's a low dose but did take away the nerve pain/"jumpiness" I had. I've been on it for over a year now and it seems to be holding well.
Hope it works well for you!
Michelle
I take Lyrica and Cymbalta. It seems as if the Cymbalta really isn't working for me. However, I have doctors who kind of don't want to hear it, when I say so. Now, when I ran out of the Cymbalta, the constant pain in my lower back worsened so...I guess it's doing something. I haven't noticed a weight gain with the Lyrica. I am on 3 100mg caps morning and bedtime. It has helped me and I noticed it right away.
As far as being in "relief", that I believe will never come. NONE of my doctors want to dispense pain meds. I was told by my neurologist that "they wouldn't work" for me. Pish Tosh! lol My pain still "gets my goat" so often, and I do fear becoming addicted to pain meds.
Hi Eeyore
