Lyrica and Emotional Numbness

[GeorgeIliadis]

Hello,

I have a morphoma along the length of the right sciatic nerve, specifically an image of a schwannoma or neurinoma of the lumbar plexus (L5 root) before the formation of the sciatic nerve. Its size is 20-25mm. It causes me pain almost daily, numbness in my foot and a sensation of electrical discharge. It hurts when I sit, when I drive and when I lie down, when the weather is bad, meaning it significantly degrades my daily life quality.

I have been taking pregabalin for a year and a half. My dose is 2*150mg per day. And it has helped me significantly.

However, I feel that it affects me emotionally. I feel that I am becoming very apathetic. I do not feel the feelings of happiness overwhelming me. I do not feel either intense joy or intense sadness. I feel that I am losing touch with my people. Is there a possibility that Lyrica is responsible?

Has anyone had a similar experience?

I'm thinking about quitting for a few months but I don't know if that will be easy either.

Thank you so much for your time!

[gillianTS]

I personally think that you need to discuss this with your consultant and GP. Although not a common side effects this drug can have some side effects that include emotional loss of interest or enjoyment in hobbies and activities. Feelings of depressed mood that doesn’t go away. Feelings of guilt or worthlessness.

I can definitely relate to your feelings although I do not take pregabalin. I would say is a mix of feelings for me. Being out of control in being able to manage my symptoms, no real interest from consultants about my emotions and the effects on my daily life. Feelings of sadness deep inside. I want to feel happy and enthusiastic but my body just keeps kicking back every time I think I am getting on top of one thing then something else takes it's place. Two days are never the same, sleep is rubbish and very disturbed which is adding to the problems.

Help is not easy to negotiate and even ask for. I hope you can get some answers.

[pieper in reply to gillianTS]

i didn't have that problem but i did gain 20 lbs. Stopped taking it. I'd rather be in pain!!!

[RobertVerde]

I have been taking Pregabalin - 150 mg 2 times a day - for about 5 years. I had weight gain at first but got that under control. I also am generally pretty tired towards the end of the day. The side effects are a tradeoff for control of Pudendal Nerve pain. I never noticed nor has anyone else noticed a change in my personality.

[Konagirl60]

Lyrica made me inflamed and it did NOT control my pudendal nerve entrapment pain at all. I bloated considerably. I had brain zaps and it made me feel weak physically. I stopped using it after three months. Good luck.

[CherylVacc in reply to Konagirl60]

Yikes, I had brain zaps but didn't know it was a thing, I normally experience them when I'm tired, they are rare but do happen. I love the "brain zap" title, now I know how to explain them, thanks.

[Konagirl60 in reply to CherylVacc]

You are welcome.

[GeorgeIliadis]

Thank you very much for your answers. The truth is that it has helped me with the pain. It has not eliminated it but it has reduced it. Maybe I am tired of the daily pain and I'm giving up. I will try to stop it for a while and see how it goes.

[Antinomy]

I have not had the experience of emotional numbness with pregabalin. But I take it only at night, aiding sleep and reducing chronic pain.

[tort100]

I have spondylolisthesis which means that there is pressure on the root of my sciatic nerve on one side at L5/S1. Like you, I also took pregabalin (low dose) for several years but I had no lessening of the pain. I was also given duloxetine to no avail. I put on weight and was pretty dreamy I think. I had 2 steroid injections with CT-scan to help get the injections as close to the root as possible. Each time I had to have 2 injections (one each side of that vertebra) as they couldn't get the needle close enough due to the wear and tear of my spine (I'm 78). Both times I was pain-free for just 4 weeks then the pain came back. I decided to give up taking the medication and weaned myself off both tablets over a couple of months. Nothing was helping.

Last year I went to a pain management clinic and, after a wait of 1 year, I had another steroid injection in my spine - but they called it an epidural. Nothing happened immediately but suddenly, after 6 months, I realised that the pain had almost completely gone. Now I know that sciatica does sometimes just go away on its own so it could be that's what happened. I'll never know. I just keep my fingers crossed that it doesn't come back because I suffered 7 years of sciatic nerve pain. And the pregabalin didn't help - and I read that some researches have shown that it doesn't help nerve pain.

Good luck

[Poodlemomma]

You could try taking Cymbalta instead or adfing it on. It does not cause the emotional numbing the way Lyrica does. One of its FDA uses is to treat some of the symptoms you are describing as it's primary use is for depression. It could give you some pep, it did me.