Lyrica side effects

[Simmeke83]

Anyone has got any problems while on Pregabalin /Lyrica. I am wondering because I have started it couple of months ago and now over 4weeks I am suffering from lower back pain, left side and abdominal and under ribcage. My GP done urine sample thinking it may be kidney infection but it came back satisfactory. Now I am left in pain needing to go back to work after couple of days off I had to take. I am hopefully seeing gp tomorrow but it most likely gonna be a different person.

Just wondering if it could be side effects of Lyrica or not?

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards

Kami

[rosewine]

I am on Lyrica (Pregablin) the symptom I had for the first 6 weeks or so was a very fuzzy spaced out feeling. If your pain is around the rib cage area it could possibly be costo chondritis which many people suffering from fibro seem to have including myself. It is a type of inflammation of the connecting tissues around that area and it is really painful. Good luck at the GP's tomorrow hope they can give you some answers.x

[Simmeke83 in reply to rosewine]

Thanks for the info. Not sure if it's costochondritis in my case it's more of under rib cage pain and only on one side, but as you have mentioned it it made me think I do have a pain from time to time in my ribcage. It's is a sudden pain very sharp hard to breathe and it feels like something 'clicks' back and it feels better after and hour or so. Very weird I keep having it since I was a kid and no one ever knew what it is. So thank you for mentioning it. Very interesting. I thankfully haven't got many cognitive side effects on Lyrica, unlike on any antidepressants that I have tried. Thank you for your answer and I hope your side effects go away with time! Btw I just started 50mg two days ago.

Regards

Kami

[Naturegirl in reply to Simmeke83]

Hi,

I have been taking Lyrica for three years and didn't have any side effects. However I don't think it helps me with pain, but it sure helps me to sleep. If I forget it, I lie awake the whole night. I am on 150mg at night only. Long term it is supposed to influence getting Alzheimer, but I cannot sleep without it. Went right down to 25mg, but without it - no sleep. The crazy thing is if you don't get proper restorative sleep it also causes Alzheimer, because at night your brain detoxes, but only if you are in a deep sleep.

[Sandcastle27 in reply to Naturegirl]

I'm hearing you. I'm on same dose Lyrica for same reason. My doctor talked me into going off it, stepped down for about 6 months then off for 6 months, insomnia made me go nuts. I also started getting more symptoms. Now back on it, sleeping better, and the stabbing pains and muscle spasms and twitches have gone. She was concerned about addiction. The only thing I'm addicted to is sleep!

[Simmeke83 in reply to Naturegirl]

Hey

Thanks for reply. It's worrying about the Alzheimer's. I never get restorative sleep probably for over 20years now. This is why I was put on it due to chronic fatigue. Are there any other meds you could consider instead for sleep?

Kami

[Naturegirl in reply to Simmeke83]

Hi Simmeke83,

If you can afford it try 5HTP, Gaba and Theanine - all natural products to try and calm you down at night. I also drink two glasses of red wine - is supposed to be good for the brain :).

[Simmeke83 in reply to Naturegirl]

Hi

Haha I am real good with the wine part as well

Kami

[rosewine in reply to Simmeke83]

My doctor started me on 50mg split into two 25mg doses as sometimes I don't tolerate drugs very well eg me and Tramadol are a no no. I have now been on Pregablin for some time and as long as stick to the same dose I don't seem to have any side effects apart from a slight fuzziness but if I increase of the initial side effects start again so unless the pain is unbearable I stick to a dose that suits me.x

[softekcom]

Hello Simmeka83,

I have been taking Pregabalin since 2013. I started out with 75 mg at night. The immediate side effect was drowsiness, but that vanished once i got used to it. The only other two side effects I have experienced are weight gain and bloating. TBH the long-term effects are more worrying. On the plus side I have to say it has certainly helped with pain. Over the long term Pregabalin seems to become less effective, so you have to keep increasing the dosage. I am now taking 75 mg three times a day.

Re the pain under your ribs, if it is on the right side it may be an idea to check for gall bladder issues.

All the best. Take care.

[Simmeke83 in reply to softekcom]

Hello

Thanks for the reply. A lot of people seem to be reporting similar effects to yours from what I am reading. I don't have them with Lyrica amazingly was so happy cause I always suffered with sleepiness etc with antidepressants before.

The pain under my ribcage is on the left side unfortunately...

Thanks

Kami

[furgus]

This could be gastritis. I spoke to my GP about pain under my left ribs, into the back couple of years back. It was like a severe stitch, more in the front but also into the back. She hadn't a clue what it was at the time and after a couple of investigations, barium swallow and ultrasound, she decided that it was probably muscular. I was then ill and in hospital and partly due to this pain and partly due to other issues I was referred for a gastroscopy. This showed that I had gastritis, probably caused by NSAID medication that I was on. The person who did the gastroscopy said patients often describe the pain as being under the ribs and some, like me, say it's like a stitch. Gastritis is listed as a possible side effect of Pregabalin on some websites so it might be worth mentioning it to you doctor.

[Simmeke83 in reply to furgus]

Hello

Thank you for your reply. Yes this sound similar and you may be right as I prefer suffered with stomach ulcers and my stomach is sensitive since then. Unfortunately my doctor doesn't wanna hear it. I could not make appointment as they are full and had a phone consultation with no result

Thank you

Kami

[Hidden]

This type of pain relief is not for everyone. And if after several months you are getting nasty side effects a change of pain relief might be in order,have u tried conventional pain relief like co codamol 30/500. Or tramadol?

[Simmeke83 in reply to Hidden]

Hey

I have been prescribed this medication by pain clinic for my chronic fatigue. Unfortunately I have tried the mentioned medication and this wasn't successful. I suffer more with tiredness than pain but recently the pain is catching up

Thanks

Kami

[Simmeke83]

Update:

I could not book appointment today as they are fully booked. I had a phone consultation with my GP and she wasn't helpful. She basically doesn't know what's happening with me and said she cannot prescribe me anything for pain because I take Lyrica so I can only take usual anti inflammatory, which I mentioned doesn't help. She told me to go to walk in centre, which atm I don't think I can face due to pain and travelling on bus. So stuck a bit here...

[Wideawakemummy]

I'm on 200mg 3 times a day. When I first started them they knocked me stupid. But after a few weeks they settled and 12 months on I don't even know why I continue to take them as they do nothing for me. I'm still wide awake all night and still in agony everyday.

[Simmeke83 in reply to Wideawakemummy]

Hey

That is really not good have you considered coming off them I'd they aren't doing anything? I personally still feel tired so do not think they helped me with fatigue. The only difference I have noticed is my headaches and neck pain is gone. But if it turns out my back pain and side pain is the result of them I dunno what to do. Personally I feel the most frustrated about doctors not willing to investigate anything due to them being swamped. :/

Thanks Kami

[stollerydd]

I've had Fibromyalgia for most of my life. Finally diagnosed correctly about 10 years. One of those male folks who are in the small percentage of sufferers trying to deal with this dreaded illness the best I can. Having dealt with this for so long there are very few meds I haven't tried, along with medicinal MJ (I'm in Florida) and Lyrica. (Note: so far liquid MJ hasn't helped.) For me there was no comparison. The side effects f Lyrica were God awful. Worse than anything I've ever tried. Still, it works for some people and for them I'm happy. Lyrica actually increased my pain. I dealt with headaches, foggyness, fatigue, and on and on. We are complicated creatures. I have actually had specialists refuse to take me on as a patient. They cite frustration at not being able to help any of their Fibromyalgia patients so they don't take them on. Probably just as well we didn't hook up, because it wouldn't take long for me to realize with that attitude it would cause me even more stress. What really helps are sites like these where you can vent your frustrations and rarely get criticized. Like what "might" happen here when I report what has helped me "a little, taking off off the edge of unrelenting pain". Oxycontin. Yes, a dreaded opioid. Fortunately through close monitoring, never running out of my monthly regime early, and have been able to prove to my doctor that I can take myself off it for weeks at a time in order to prove I'm one of his patients who doesn't seem to be predisposed to addiction. (Don't drink or smoke either.) At first he didn't want me to even try it, but as I explained, at 71 years of age what his goal should be is to assist me in having as many decent days as possible rather than praise me for not trying something that could help, vice believing it's better to be miserable every hour of every day than prescribing something that could help. For those of us dealing with the daily misery of chronic pain there comes a point where you'll almost consider anything for relief. Lastly, those of you reading this next comment will probably be nodding your heads in agreement. I have tried to explain to my friends what Fibro is like. Most try and understand, though they haven't met "the dreaded beast" that lives within each of us. But when I ask them if they look forward to going to bed each night and of course they say, yes. Eventually I'm asked, "you don't?" The answer most of us give, qualifying it a tad, is that we aren't scared to death to go to sleep, but what awaits us every morning when we wake up. Generally those few hours of pain are the daily wake up call of what our day is going to be like. And it is most always, terrible. Sometimes we wonder how we're going to even be able to make it to the bathroom. Of course when we get up the strength for our morning relief we'll always end up bumping into a door or wall.

Fibromyalgia, you suck!