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i have had fibromyalgia for years. Lyrica is the newest drug that they have used. From being bed ridden to being without any pain in one day. It's the best. My rheumotologist says, it works better than any known drug. I have no side affects

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i have had fibromyalgia for years. Lyrica is the newest drug that they have used. From being bed ridden to being without any pain in one day. It's the best. My rheumotologist says, it works better than any known drug. I have no side affects try it and dont be afraid.

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weight loss and lyrica

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my daughter was on Lyrica for four weeks and had all the side effects of the drug she has now been off it for six weeks and still has some of the problems from the drug she did notice it helped with the pain but she has bad tremors in her legs and arms now and has got dramatically worse than she was before she ever started on it. Can you tell me how long it takes to get out of her system

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I have been on lyrica for about two weeks and it has help me to sleep at night. I also have to take a naproxen with it.

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Sue, NO! Weight GAIN & Lyrica! I was taking Neurotin for a while & my doctor switched me to Lyrica. Iam now having problems with swelling really bad & I plan to see if I can go back to Neurotin my next visit!

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I took lyrica for 5 weeks and my pain was better for awhile, then i started getting leg aches and foot spasm, I have been off of it for 3 weeks and still have bad muscle pain in legs and arms. i am much worse than before i started taking it.

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my daughter is 30 and she is very chronic with fibromyalgia we live in Australia, her spasms are continuing still does anyone know how long it takes to get out of your system

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I just got home from the rheumatologist. He put me on lyrica to try. I had been on Prednisone for three years. Just got rid a % of the bloat from that. Is the weight gain and "BIG" feeling going to start again????? Is it worth it for the pain and everything else that is with FMS?????

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I have been given Lyrica for the same thing. It helps!

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I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 1992. I think I've probably tried everything. Neurontin did not work for me - I was up to 2400 mg/day and all that did is cause severe stomach problems that took months to recover from. I had to stop. I have severe cramping in my hips to the point of needing an electric cart for any distances. My hands and arms cramp and burn when doing any of the crafts I love or even typing emails. I've been on Lyrica for two and a half months. It's wonderful. I can sleep! My pain levels have diminished. I know they won't go away but this is such a vast improvement to my life BL (before Lyrica) that I feel like a different person. My husband in thrilled with the change. And I can type all this with only a little pain. I have gained only one pound altho my appetite is healthier and I have to watch myself. I had some pretty severe dizziness to begin with but that went away in about a month. I've almost stopped using vicodin, which was my only help before. My insurance denied coverage of Lyrica and I appealed the decision. Was notified today that until it gets FDA approval for treating fibro they won't cover it. Some of you seem to be involved in studies toward that end. Any idea how it's going or if Pfiser is even going for it? It's pretty pricey! But I have to find a way to continue. After nearly 15 years, I feel like there's actually a life out there!

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I was diagnosed 3 years ago with periferial neuropathy and have since been through pure hell. Anybody with this can tell you the pain can absolutley drive you over the edge. MY pain was so bad that I would have trouble breathing,I couldn't sleep, I could hardly walk or stand. I used a chair in the shower because I could not stand that long. My doctor started me on Lyrica about 5 months ago at 75mg 2 times per day and worked it all the way to 300mg 2 times a day. The first pill I took I felt it working and going through all the side effects which went gradually away I can tell you that it was an absolute miracle for me. I don't know what I would have done if this drug had not come along. It absolutley saved my life and If I ever can find out who made this drug come to pass I would thank him or her from the bottom of my heart for helping me with this horrible pain I had been going through. The narcotics I have taken, and I have been through them all have helped a little but could hardly touch the level of pain I was going through. I can only hope It continues to do what it is doing because some of the pain has came back over time of taking it. I hope my body doesn't get used to it and the pain returnes. All I can say is if your pain is bad enough the side effects become irrellivent, you will do anything to make it go away. Thats what I did and thank god it worked.

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It works...the only thing that I personally noticed was that is causes me to have memory lapses. Things that I never would have forgotten, I forget. Very frustrating. My insurance would not pay for it so now I am taking Gabapentin, it doesn't work well for me.

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Lyrica helped with my pain tremendously well. I especially noticed that at just 75 mg my morning stiffness nearly completely with 2 weeks...

The biggest "downer" is the weight gain.My PM M.D. gave me a diuretic to expel excess water retention, but I'm still "puffy." It's going to be a big decision for me...deal with the puffiness, eat less, move more or stop the Lyrica. It just stinks that the one drug that REALLY helped me get going in the morning also makes me feel like The Stay Puff Marshmallow Man ;)

All the best to you and 'Welcome to the Club.' hang in there! ~Di ~

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I have had Fibromyalgia for forty years, only the last 8 years it was diagnosed. Rest of the time I was told it was in my head. yeah right. Well anyhow I still suffer, I did try Lyrica, it helped some, but boy did I gain the weight gained 50 lbs., and that was 2 years ago and I haven't lost it yet, no matter how I eat. I would not take this drug if they paid me too. I haven't found the cure, I am now on cymbalta, it is also for my depression. Fibro Fog, Depression, no energy, pain, sleepy all the time, can't usually sleep during the night, it is the life. I wished this was never something we had to deal with. I do hope other people find the drug ok. but it wasn't for me.

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I have had Fibromyalgia for 5 years now. When I was first diagnosed ,the doctors did not know how to treat it, and I was given all kinds of drugs. I had a problem sleeping and was not breathing during my sleep. I had a sleep study done and found I had sleep apnea. I started using the c-paps machine every night, and 80% of the pain was gone after a week. I felt more energy but I still needed something for sleep( Ambien).After 3 years the pain started to creep back and I was started on Lyrica. I feel great, I only take it at night and I have only had some weight gain, other than that so far I fell great. I go to an 8-5 job 5 days a week and I keep moving and stay out of bed. Lyrica has been good to me.

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I have taken Lyrica for FM and it was not a pretty picture as the drug is not for FM but is an anti- depressant.extreme sleepiness, loss of mental acuity, balance problems, twitching, constipation. This is a very potent drug with a lot of side effects for a lot of people it seems. I don't dwell on my pain the same as I did before taking this drug. I do sleep better. My blood pressure is considerably lower by at least 10 points and I did gain at bit of weight but have lost it. Total confusion and even leg weakness and uncontrolled hand shaking, Fuzzy brain, tired, sleeping 14 hours a day and still needing 2 to 3 naps a day. Hair loss (I got male pattern baldness). Getting off it was a nightmare. I got restless leg syndrome BAD.. A very frightening experience. dizziness, foggy,concentration/memory problems. Doc told me to "work through" the dizziness. it never totally went away. after one month, pain was no less and still ugly side effects so i stopped, with doc's concurrence.Would much rather be in EXTREME pain than to ever experience these side effects again The withdrawls from this drugs when stopped are the most incredible brain pains.In addition, a week or so after stopping i suddenly starting having massive anxiety (never had problems with before) RAGE, PANIC ATTACKS, glaucoma was triggered (has since subsided), head felt swollen, ears, neck also. weird noises. spent months working through withdrawal. after 2 years i feel mostly normal again. i have no doubt lyrica helps some people but it is indiscriminately prescribed in my opinion.

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I'm with you. Lyrica had the worst side effects of anything they've ever given me with only two exceptions... Cymbalta & especially Effexor. (Effexor was before my fibro diagnosis when they were still telling me I hurt because I was depressed instead of the other way 'round.)

My medication regimen is, for the moment, completely reactive. I take 7 different medications every day, 9 in any given week... all but 3 to counter-act side-effects of the main ones. I'm waiting for them to come up with something new... again. In the meantime, I just keep popping pills & trying to live life.

I'm sure a lot of you are in the same boat. God help us. Sigh.

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I think it has a mild degree of help. Not much. Opiates work far better, but harder to get.

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After trying Apo-Amitriptyline and having crazy side effects from a 10mg dose a bedtime (including blisters, dizzyness, and nausea) and doing nothing but allowing me to sleep through the night, my doctor suggested that I try this new drug, Lyrica, that is the #1 prescribed drug for FM.

I've been taking it for a few weeks. Because I am so sensitive to pharmaceuticals and chemicals (basically anything synthetic) I started off with 25mg at bed. After a week, no side effects - good or bad, we upped the dose to 50mg. Now I have headaches all day, like a sinus headache/migraine. It effects my vision and sensitivity to light (which was already a problem).

I've been advised to keep going for a week and then up the dose again to 75mg (which I am told is the usual minimum dose prescribed). I'm feeling foggy and sluggish already though, so I'm not sure how long I'll be able to put up with taking 75mg a day.

It's frustrating knowing that one of the symptoms of my FM is intolerance to medications and the like. Plus, my doctor put in a referral to a chronic pain specialist. We got a response back after a couple of weeks....the wait time is FIVE YEARS!!! Why even tell me that? Needless to say, the hospital got an email from me explaining how this made me feel.

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