Does Anyone Taking Lyrica Have Memory Loss? (Page 11) (Top voted first)

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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my husband took lyrica for 2 years after his 2nd cervival surgery. dr. prescribed it for neurothopy. He stopped taking lyrica a year and half ago and it's all been downhill since then. He stopped taking it because of shortness of breath and thought the drug may be causing that. at this point we are unable to find out what his problem is. shortness of breath is worse, finding the correct words?..next to impossible, severe weakness, trouble walking, talking. He has no control over constant blinking of his eyes. He can hardly see anymore. he is a mess!!!! neurologists want to blame this on anxiety and depression. of course he is depressed at this point, who wouldn't be. anyone else having these types of symptoms after stopping lyrica?

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Go to: drugs.com/sfx/lyrica-side-effects.html

Scroll down to read the "Lyrica Side Effects - for the Professional." Keep scrolling and scrolling and you will see all kinds of bad reactions... You will no doubt have to look up the meanings of some of the medical terminology to understand it, but I saw most of your husband's symptoms listed.

I'm so saddened to keep hearing how so many have suffered because of this drug, am especially saddened for your husband.

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Dear Erika Callahan, If anyone had the severe reactions I had (my earlier posts describe some of them) I know they would have been instructed by their doctor - like I was - to stop taking it, too (include "suddenly-gigantic-swollen-white-tongue-is choking me" as my final bad symptom as to why my doc took me off of Lyrica). I had several reactions that were in the "contact your doctor" category, not just a "Geez, I think I may be having some little memory problems..." reaction. If it is working without serious side effects, take Lyrica. If you are having memory problems, but not functioning as well mentally balances against having less pain, take it... If it is not helping and you are having bad effects, seek your doc's advice and, following your doc's advice (like I did) "yeah or neigh" - as to how (of if) to proceed - gradually come off it or all at once (or not at all). I was having extreme reactions. I called my doc and was told to stop taking it immediately (I had only taken it a week and a half for my spine-injury related extreme nerve pain and muscle spasms, so "withdrawal" was not a big deal). According to my research, indeed the ongoing memory problems I am still having today (months after stopping Lyrica) are a result, and not an uncommon result, of a documented long-term bad side effect to taking Lyrica. Best of luck finding even more relief for your fibromyalgia.

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This is definitely High dose.Max 300 mg /day is recommended.Suggest your starting Meditation and Breathing exercises and reduce dose to 300 mg per day immediately. For any other experience sharing mail. Thanks.

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My earnest request is reduce Medication and start MEDITATION.Breathing Exercises called Pranayam in India will definitely help you.
I am taking Pre gablin 75mg 2times day and started experiencing dizziness and forgetfuleness.Over next 3 month I plan to stop this and swith over to our own Ayurvedic (Indian) system of medicine. As I do Meditation and Breathing exercises regularly , i think side effects are less..
My wife is trained teacher and We can be of any help to you, We will be delighted.You may like to contact us -Thanks

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Hi Christine, I'm so sorry you are having problems. I know how frustrating it is to lose one's train of thought and have trouble finding simple words, etc. It has been 10 months since I stopped taking Lyrica, and I am still having bad "mental" aftereffects (see my previous posts, below). I hope any relief you are having from seizures is worth the side effects of Lyrica. Best of luck.

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Keep us posted everyone, keep in touch.

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I have been taking Lyrica for approx. 2 years, due to a botched surgery of L5-S1 -Lumbar Microdiscectomy. I have severe sciatica going down my left left, to my big toe. The Lyrica dulls the pain - I take 50 mg, 2x/day. I have noticed that my short term memory is affected, sometimes I cannot form a word, and I believe my eyesight is not as good.

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Hello Jennifer,

Have you discussed this with your doc, and are you still taking Lyrica? If so, discuss these symptoms with him/her and see what can be taken instead. If you are already off Lyrica (like many of us) let you doc know what's going on. Put in in writing (like you did in your post).

I am so sorry that you are suffering this loss of function. It sounds indeed, terrifying.

Best of Luck

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I am 50 and was taking Lyrica for about a year and a half for Fibromyalgia and menopausal symptoms. I was up to 300 mg per day. I weaned myself off completely as of 10/31/11 because I was noticing memory problems, difficulty verbalizing sometimes, and writing the wrong letters frequently. I am having pain but my memory is much improved. Having my mind back is more important.

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Hi Kishan, I would love to stop Lyrica and solely do the alternative lifestyle. I am, most of the time, a pesotarian, but to divulge into homeopathy, acupuncture, is very costly where I live. I also work fulltime, and am the sole breadwinner for my family (2 children), I am in a sitting job for 7.5 h, Monday-Friday, and the Lyrica keeps the pain low, whilst working. I am considering seeing a Chinese natural practiitioner, when I can save up a little money. Wouldn't it be nice if Chinese medicine had, even a little bit of OHIP coverage?..or am I dreaming.

Kate

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I have had Fibro for almost 10 years now, though it feels like 100. Four years ago I was put on Lyrica and life was great! But only for 5 months, then the short term memory loss began and when I got lost driving home from work I knew something was wrong. Got off Lyrica and most of the memory returned, aprox 70% about a year later. But it has now been four years and the memory is still like swiss cheese. Does anyone know if there is any class action suits regarding this drug? This was NOT a side effect listed in either the patient, MD, or Pharmacy literature. Nor was it listed in any of the published studies on the drug. I tell friends who ask about it to try it if they must, but to be ever so on the watch for this side effect. It was great while it lasted but I should have been warned to watch for that side effect.

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Scare people away from a drug that may help them ? Lyrica was originaly designed for severe epilepsy not pain and its manufacturers if you read the littriature dont know exactly how it works on the brain but one thing i can tell you for certain is that it reduces or eliminates the pain by slowly destroying the very organ that registers the pain and that is the brain . My son has not had a dose for 2 years and he is still a mess , this drug has ruiend his memory , eye sight and given him anxiety that he never had before Lyrica, I would only recomend Lyrica for the terminaly ill who are in great pain on there death bed .

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Yes i have experienced memory loss on Lyrica aswell. My kids would ask for something n i would say yes, but five min later i see them having what they asked for n i would chew them out for not asking!!! It would take them and my husband telling me they DID ask n i said yes! But i had no memory of it!!! Im trying to get off Lyrica now because the side effects are so bad i cant function anymore, but my body is VERY ADDICTED to the drug now that i've been on it over 2 yrs. I have to cut down 25 mg at a time, one week at a time. I was taking 150 mg. 2x a day, im hoping for the BEST results for u, good luck!!!!

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Hi Ecira , sorry to hear about your memory and your age has nothing to do with it , my brilliant teenage son had his memory ruined by LYRICA AND THEREFORE his potential in life greatly reduced , he is still suffering significant memory imparment 2 years after his last dose of Lyrica , his life and education are in tatters .

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I hope we can (or our loved ones) can find a way to cope. Have any of you come up with ways to adapt to the memory problems? I do okay when focused on single tasks (let's say "chopping carrots" as an example), but often, if I direct my attention away (i.e., going to get a drink of water), I forget I was getting water, and forget what I was doing before I went to get water... I have started making up little songs like : "Chopping carrots getting water, chopping carrots getting water..." Any other sugestions?

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Cheshire Cat , i am waiting for the adverse effects of Lyrica to be officially recognised so my son can gain rightful compensation for the loss and damage caused by Lyrica , but the medical Proffession and big pharma are very corrupt and self serving , dont hold your breath .

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Wow, I have noted that I have had memory lapses for a while and just decided to google it tonight to see if it was related to Lyrica and found this conversation! I have been on Lyrica for about 5 years and feel the memory issues are worsening especially in the last couple of years. I was starting to feel like i was losing my mind. My mother had early onsite of Alzheimers and thought maybe I was getting it at 53. I notice it alot at work where i forget a word in a conversation and have to hesitate during conversation and forget things that I know I know. Lyrica has helped my back pain and leg pain and I just don't know if I can get off it. I emotionally cannot deal with 24 hour pain either. Lyrica was tried after other drug failures to control my pain. I want to get off of it, but worry about the pain and dealing with it.

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I have trigeminal neuralgia, also know as the suicide disease. My neuro several years ago suggested I take Lyrica because tegretol made me gain 30 lbs and I seemed to be an early Alzheimer's patient at 33. Things were good and I didn't have to take it all the time. Since this past winter I had to up my dosage due to major flare up. I started noticing that I was stumbling over words, getting them mixed up and not being able to follow normal conversations anymore. I realized about 3 weeks ago that it was the Lyrica. Was starting to take myself off it slowly and my husband just came to me. He said that he would just look at me and it was like no one was home. We have had arguments lately just like before about having conversations, me swearing we never did and him knowing we did! It is like a wave hit me!!!! I am a mother of 4 and my husband works offshore, no family close so there is no other choice, off the Lyrica. I would rather live with pain and occasional pain meds vs being 35 and an Alzheimer's patient. Every day I have without pain I truly appreciate and relish in! I also have ADHD and over the last few months got on meds for it and while I should lose weight, I have gained 20 lbs over the initial 30 from the other medication. I can lose 10-15 pounds but it comes back and it is unhealthy. I have arthritis which I have had since I was 15, degenerative disk disease, and many other common problems of someone I their 60's. I have to be able to lose the weight and raise my kids, and remember to pick them up, drs apts, etc. I want my life back!!!!!! I feel stupid for thinking there was a miracle in a pill and who really knows how much damage I have done to myself!!!

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I began reading this thread about 3am when I awakened and realized that the last thing I remember is that dinner was reads to be served. I see dishes for 2 in the kitchen but no memory of eating. I still have all of my clothes on. So I have 8 hours I can't remember. I take lyrica 75, 3x a day for 3 weeks. This happened on Neurontin as well. I was pulled off and had no medications until the pain was so bad my wonderful Doc suggested we try this instead. It has relieved much of the nerve pain but I have other pain from muscles that is much worse. I guess it comes down to choosing what you can live with. I guess I will be saying goodbye tp Lyrica. I am restricted from driving or taking it when husband isn't at home for this very reason, memory gaps. I actually had an accident on neurontin and still don't remember an hour of my life.

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