Does Anyone Taking Lyrica Have Memory Loss? (Page 10)
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I have been on Lyrica for about 8 months now and I am having fantastic results. My dr is trying to increase my dosage and I have been doing it in 50 mg increments. I am up 100 more now in a month, for a total dosage of 400mg. I find that I have very bad recall and loss of my vocabulary during conversation. It eventually goes away, but I was wondering if anyone else has this? If it keeps up, I just may have to drop back down 50mg until I get used to it? That seemed to work that last time I had to raise it.BTW, I have nerve pain in my ribcage. (not caused by shingles)

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Thanks! I live in Italy and it's really difficult to see the same neurologist twice if you are on the government health service. I talked to my husband already this afternoon and he agrees with you in that I should see a neurologist in the group of Drs. that prescribed Lyrica, ask them to go down on the dosage and not freak out! I appreciate your help!

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Jennifer- if u just found out about everything don't freak out just yet. I just figured it out a week ago by reading her blog as well. Hang in there. I went to my dr right away and lowered the dose. It looks like it may be a 50% shot that the effects will go away after the medicine is gone. That is only my opinion on everything I have read to this point.
You are not alone though. I'm sure you have read a lot on this page and you are freakjng out- don't. Visit with your dr and family and tell them what is going on. I waited 8 months before I told my family- I waited to long. Don't make the same mistake I did- tell your dr right away. Good luck.

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Really glad to be of help and sad to hear you are finding out the same way I did about lyrica. I was a restaurant manager until I was hit by a car and ended up with nerve damage to my legs. I was put on a very low dose to start with and increased up to 600mg, which I was told by the doctor that was the max. Lyrica worked amazing well and took away the pain along with other drugs that I had been on for a while helped me to maintain a normal pain free ish life. But I started to find I was slurring my words, not finding the right word mid sentence or totally forgetting what I was talking about. I felt frustrated because it was simple things and I was beginning to feel slightly stupid so I would keep quite while out. Then during conversations family and friends would be like "do you remember when?" I would just laugh it off and say yeah but I knew I couldn't. I also live in a small bungalow but I would move room to room and forget what I was doing. I went to the doctors and he had wanted me to do a few memory evaluations which I couldn't do. Had to say the months of the year backwards and count backwards and just couldn't do it. He took bloods to check for certain levels of some chemical in my brain but that was all fine. So why did I feel like my brain had been wiped clean?! I read all the information leaflets which came with my pills and lyrica states can "cause memory loss". So I started to research lyrica and found this website which opened my eyes greatly. I wouldn't recommend doing what I did but I went cold turkey and came straight off the lyrica. Battled through the dreadful side effects and became clean from it. My speech has improved greatly but my memory just feels like it's been removed. I'm now treating myself by researching natural alternatives, stopping and taking true care of myself knowing when to stop, rest and not over do things. I've battled with the UK benefit system and finally receive personal independence payments and employment and support benefit for my degenerative disc disease which at least takes the financial worry away and helps me to concentrate on looking after myself on a daily basis. I have also received 12 sessions of cognitive behaviour therapy which I have learnt so much from and has allowed me to learn how to take better care of myself which sounds mad at the age of 40 but I'm in a lot of pain all day but was still doing a lot for others and not accepting help back. I was worrying that if I accepted help then it was like admitting I was ill. I have done a lot of research over the past 6 years to find the best paths to take and I know for me lyrica, tramadol and gabapentin were all drugs I have tried and hated. I wouldn't recommend stopping them like I did but I would recommend talking to your doctor about it and seeking help. I have found comfort in treating myself with natural alternatives, mind over matter and taking good care of myself even with 2 active kids a house to run and a husband who is self employed and I deal with all his paperwork. Please feel free to ask any questions, happy to chat with any one xx

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Hi! I just read your post and wanted respond. I take 150 mgs daily of Lyrica. Everything you described is happening to me! I didn't imagine that it could be the Lyrica (apart from the hyperactivity part). I have hepatitis C also, and thought that the memory and speech problem was due to the famous "brain fog" that goes with HepC. I 'd really like to wish you the best with this! You have helped me.

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Was on lyrics 600mg per day for 2 years but took myself off just over 6 months ago due to speech issues, memory loss and hyper activity. Found it excellent for the nerve damage down the back of both legs and even better for getting everything done at super fast speed but on the down side I have memory loss. When asked "do you remember when?" Or just general things to remember on a daily basis you can forget it even after 6 months without lyrics.

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Thanks Law , yes i am interested please send a list of where we need to be going , this will be much appreciated , Thanks again ....

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Yeh, if you can handle drunken behavior, falls, and slurred speech from Lyrica. Even if you stop the drug some of the side effects still remain like a slight lack of balance. I can't ride a bike, not even one of those tricycles at the beach for adults, because I can't balance myself. Heaven help me if a cop pulls me over and wants to have me to walk pigeon toed, because I would fail. After 2-3 steps I fall over and my last date for taking Lyrica was in March, 2007. Lost job, June 30th, because of the effects of Lyrica. I very happy with my Tylenol #3 with codiene. It takes the edge off. Maybe Lyrica works fine for you. I don't know your frequency or dosage. If it is a small amount you may be OK, but for most of us here and in other chat rooms we have a serious problem with Lyrica.

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Nick,

I just read your posts. I do not know where you have taken your son, but I would definitely suggest Johns Hopkins or Mass General. My husband (MS) and I (multiple issues) are very familiar with Hopkins and found a huge positive difference between JH and other supposedly good hospitals and doctors. If you are interested in names of specialists, just let me know. Good luck in any case and do not give up.

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I was put on lyrica and my doctor said to take it with my oxycontin Er and my roxicodone ir. I did an I got bad nightmares an at night sweating like a creek running. also got suicide thoughts an it drove me crazy an I was put on it cause I been on opiate's so long my current meds were not working. I felt like I had withdrawals on the meds. so instead of upping my MG's or amounts he added this lyrica saying it will help the opiate's last longer an work better as I use to be on real high doses for over 10yrs an they made my life a living hell. he also added cymbalta an it made me worse. so bad he said just stop those 2 an continue my normal opiate's an dose. so all an all they helped me none. just made everything worse. an in my book I wish I never had taken any of these meds as my life is out of control an not getting any better. this is not who I am an my advice to anyone that has not taken these meds long at all to please check for other treatments an options cause everyone I no or met that has been on opiate's or lyrica an cymbalta, all these meds have ruined there lives or is working on ruining there lives. it will change you an you will think the sickness is say just adjusting an its withdrawals after so many days of taking it like your supposed to. you will become dependent an it will control every move of your life, like planning a trip, say camping. you will have to make sure you have your meds an not run out cause after so many years on it the withdrawals come faster an harder an they can be an feel like hell. so to anyone thinking that the meds are good for pain there really not.

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Thats a good idea , have an MRI before starting Lyrica will conclusively prove in a court of law the brain damage it causes ....

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I started on Lyrica about two plus years ago, as a last ditch medication effort for my 7/24/365 chronic migraines, which started with menopause 15 years ago. Lyrica does the trick, but the memory issues are such that I reduced (in stages) from 100 to 25 mgs. daily. In the summer, I may have to go back up to 50 mgs. because the heat and humidity make the migraines much worse. With Lyrica, I cannot recall names, places, memories which I definitely know. I sort through my brain like I am flipping files, or use association, to recall what I need. It is frustrating to say the least, aggravating to a large degree most of the time, as I sound and feel like an i****. And yes, it is definitely the Lyrica. I would be a stuttering i**** with 400 mgs. Good Luck!

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Definitely , I use too. Lyric had messed with my memory , my vocab. and language. I was a 4.0 college student , made me feel like I was in elementary. I was also taking 600 mg a day and the doctor was increasing it each visit. I weaned myself off it finally after I fired my RA and I feel about 85 percent better. At least I am living my life my way . Good Luck, if you plan on staying on it get an MRI of your brain so you will have proof.

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Thanks Pedro , i understand where you are coming from ...

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Nick- just thought I would ask. I use cannibas for pain now. I just thought I would mention it because if ur in the shape we are- we try anything. When I write this I have to keep Looking back to see what I type. i wish your son nothing but the best and to you too. I know it's not easy for a father to watch his son suffer. Sending thoughts and prayers for your son. Don't quit fighting.

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Cannabis is known to cause psychosis so giving it to some one who already suffers from anxiety i feel would finish him off..

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Nick-been reading your posts and listening to others but have you tried medical cannibas for your son?
I'm just curious because I know it has helped many people- just depends but to try it a few times for your son- it might help. Just thoughts. To everyone- I'm in the boat with you. Sending prayers your way and for everyone.

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Thank you I , could you please name the supplements and exercises you take that have helped sharpen your mind as i would like to provide them to my son as soon as possible , as we still have him at home in a sad and sorry state , also Lyrica triggered an anxiety disorder , most likely because he was taking it before his eighteen birthday so would like to see if the supplements are able to reverse this condition .. Thank you ...

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Hello all,

It has been a while since I last posted to this forum. I have a breather from my regular work and family commitments today, so I will share a little of the more substantial reply I have promised Nick. I apologise for any who find my explanations too dumbed-down. I am also typing into a tiny window on a phone; apologies for the poor formatting.

Lyrica does a very good job of turning down the volume on the pain arising from damaged or inflamed nerves. It does this by partially blocking the calcium ion pathways that allow electrical signals to travel across the nervous system.

Unfortunately, this is part of the same mechanism that lets your synapses fire in your brain. The 'blocking effect' makes it seem as if a constellation of neural connections have been disrupted. Over time, if you are not using and reusing neural pathways you have established through learning, they fade. This may partially explain why the effect of forgetfulness can persist after ceasing Lyrica.

So I decided I must rebuild my neural pathways after taking this stuff. The way that we use or don't use our brains restructures them over time, whether or not there are meds involved. Brains are very plastic, and this is why people who have terrible head injuries and lose certain functions as a result, can sometimes regain those functions learning to use different parts of the brain in patterning therapy. So rebuilding is more than possible at any age, especially so for the younger ones.

Your nervous system governs so much... autonomic nerve function, sensory input; your brain, your organs, your muscles, all rely on electrical cues. All those functions can go awry with damage or inflammation to nerves, or when managing these conditions with a nerve blocker. Loss of cognitive function due to nerve blocking meds (most noticeable in speech but not restricted to it) is also distressing.

So after ceasing this medication, I made sure I was daily challenging myself with new information and tasks, just to rebuild those functions. I also included some supplements in my daily diet: acetyl L-carnitine, N-Acetyl Cysteine, L-Glutamine (powdered, not caps, so I could control the dose); and I made sure to take probiotics and multivitamins. I drink these foul tasting powders in a nice yogurt smoothie each morning.

Some of you may recognise the first three supplements I mentioned as body builders' favourites. They are useful for building muscle because of the way they increase the electrical activity along the calcium ion pathways. The muscle becomes more responsive. But for the same reason, over time these supps can also have a nootropic effect for those who are working out their brains. Memory improves, signals fire faster.

The first indication I had that these supplements were having a positive effect was the change in my speech: where I had been a little lost for words after Lyrica, I was now starting to recall information again, and joining in with spurts and stutters (don't laugh, it's true!). This eventually transitioned over several months to a wordiness I had previously enjoyed. If I forgot to take them for a week I would feel less alert, but nothing like before the supps.

The other side effect, not so pleasant, but welcomed as a sign that things were firing up again: following spinal surgery, my left foot and leg had been most painful. Lyrica had relieved it. But a year and a half later, I could feel the previously inflamed root nerve humming painfully once more, thanks to the improved activity caused by the supplements. After a couple of weeks this faded as the body readjusted to the new 'volume'.

I had also grown chubby while taking this med, but my muscle tone is improving and exercise is actually having an effect for the first time since ditching the nerve blocker and adding supps. There are lists of nice flow on effects that arise from improved fitness and memory, but this is already too long a reply. You get the gist.

Some part of my experience may be of benefit to those who've already ceased this medication, or will do so when their recoveries are in hand. Good luck. However, those of you with chronic nerve pain and no other alternatives may decide after weighing up your options, that you don't mind the side effects and prefer the relief of meds. I wish you all the best, too.

Do write back over the next year and let me know what signs of change and improvement you notice with inclusion of the supplements, additional intellectual stimulation (useless taking those supps if you don't challenge your brain at the same time!), and exercise. I would be happy to know someone had benefited from my postop experience and research.

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I have been on Lyrica for 3 yrs and it has been a miracle drug. I was spending half my life in bed with unbearable pain, using a TENS unit, opiates, and Colpac to alleviate neck/head pain due to choking of my spinal cord due to arthritic narrowing of my spinal canal, causing cord compression. I also have same in lumbar region, on which I recently have had 3 level laminectomy to relieve compression. I hv much relief.
Since, I have become aware of many side effects from my "miracle" including that I have difficulty reaching for a word I know I should know, a familiar word I've used for years and suddenly can't recall. Some of the words are not newly learned, say in the last decade, but words I knew in childhood. This inability to recall familiar words causes my speech to become hesitant, broken. Frustrating, as I have frequent pauses as I struggle to recall the word or name. Sometimes it takes 3 days to recall it. It is very upsetting. I was always told that I am very articulate, and well spoken.
I also gained 40 #s in 2 yrs.

Now I am working to reduce my dosage: I'm down to only 75mg 2X daily. It took a long time to get here, and I believed I would never be able to tolerate cutting back. I don't have a clue as to why I can cut down now, but couldn't a yr ago..I thought neuropathy was permanent. So I don't know what to think, and I think doctors of all persuasions have no idea either, so they are of no help in understanding this.
But back to the main point: my memory difficulties and word recall have not improved. It could be permanent brain damage.

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Thanks Graham. Today was not the day to find all this out but it is what it is. We've all been through a lot. Just know your words are helpful for me!! I'm 42 but feel 80 all the time. Keep up the good words of information Graham- they help everyone.

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