Fibromyalgia And Lyrica (Top voted first)

I was recently put on Lyrica for severe Fibromyalgia pain. It is a nice change from the narcotic pain medications I have been taking but the pain is still intense. Have any other FMS patients seen results from Lyrica?

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Dear Stephanie, I have been successfully on Klonopin for years. It works great. I do get a very good night sleep from it and personally I am not worried about withdrawing from it because I am living for today and not worrying about tomorrow. First things first!, ANY benzodiapepam is horrendous to withdraw off of, Valium, Ativan, any of them. You can find something wrong with every thing if you look hard enough. I listen to my dr and trust him implicitly. I am an RN and have seen different drugs work differently on different people as well. I think what it all comes down to is what does it do for you? and does it make you feel better? Karel

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Karel makes a very good point and in turn has good advice in her post. Sometimes you have to stop worrying about what is going to happen in the future if/when you have to stop taking something and you just have to worry about what it is going to do for you now and how well it works to help you now.

Our bodies can become dependent on anything we take in regularly for a long period of time, from your morning cup of coffee, to that glass of milk with dinner and if you stop any of it abruptly, you will suffer some symptoms as your body readjusts to not constanly having that substance anymore.

The really tremendous withdrawals that are life threatening only happen to those who are on tremendously high doses of meds, or abusing them so they are taking a high dose, the symptoms you suffer from stopping a normal dose is nothing compared to that, and most often your doctor will have you taper off anyway, to negate most of the problems.

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Lyrica is actually not approved for FMS, it is currently approved to treat Diabetic Neuropathy, it will only work for certain types of nerve pain. It is not a narcotic, nor an analgesic, so it will not work like they do for providing pain relief.

To see any results, it also usuall takes at least a month with these types of meds.

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My reply was actually more directed at the original poster, who said they still have intense pain, even though they have started using it. I wanted them to know why they were not seeing results yet.

I am glad that you have had good luck with it, it is great that you have found a relief for your pain. These drugs never worked for me at all, though I was desperate and willingly tried several of them, but nothing, wish I had as good results as you did Karel, I would gladly give up narcotics if I had another solution.

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i also have fibromyalgia and have quite of bit of neuropathic-type pain, and i was on Neurontin for quite awhile. Neurontin is very similar to Lyrica, but Lyrica is supposed to be better for fibromyalgia. While on Neurontin, i was doing pretty well, but i had to discontinue it when i began having swelling in my legs, and Neurontin can sometimes cause this. I was then switched to Lyrica, and my fibromyalgia symptoms began to get much worse. I was on it for about a year and i have just switched back over to Neurontin. i think i may be very slowly starting to improve. So, Lyrica did not work for me, but my doctor said that many of his patients have been improving on it.

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Shirley you might want to talk to a doctor about trying Neurontin, it has very, very few side effects and many people with nerve pain have very good luck with it alleviating their pain.

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My doctor just put me on Lyrica and Cymbalta for fibro and nerve pain from 3 back surgeries and insomnia, anxiety. The pain has demenished already, compared to other treatments but the switch has been difficult. Mentally, I am not as quick to respond and I am hoping this will go away in a week or two. This has been after 2 weeks of taking this combination. I feel better than I have in six years.

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Susan, are you having any side effects from the Cymbalta? My doctor and I have discussed using it, but he was having some patients complain of jerking limbs, which I already have. I'm just afraid it will get worse. I'd be interested in hearing if anyone did have this side effect from Cymbalta and if it goes away after awhile. I have heard such good things about Cymbalta for fibromyalgia.

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I was originally on Nuerontin, for 4 years...then found out about weight gain and other side affects. I asked to be put on other medications and I was put on Topomax. My dosage of Topomax was 25mgx2 (with allowance to take more if necessary). Due to the Stup-a-max affect I didnt want to take a lot. My sister and father both take Topamax and I have seen the problems they had with mental acuity. I am not as bright as them, so I didnt want to have Topamax affect what brain function I do have. I still found a lot of memory loss and difficulty in learning new processes. My new doctor is taking me off of topamax and trying the Lyrica/cymbalta combo. She also suggested working parttime or not working....would be nice. But I dont see any way to do that without disability. Oh well.

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I have been on Lyrica/Cymbalta combo for about a year. I recently stopped the Cymbalta myself. (too expensive) but I am starting to have more pain. I am wondering if it is related to that. The Lyrica was a wonder drug for my fibro. I still have flare-ups, but have yet to be on any narcotics. I find that I am having more pain lately, i'm trying to attribute it to the bad weather, but have never related the two before. Does anyone else have more pain with rainy/yucky weather?? Thanks

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Oh Yeah! Before its going to rain or snow my pain is definately worse I think it has to do with the change in barometric pressure. Its strange how on Long Island where I live, (30 to 40 minutes from the shore) the weather changes affect me but when I am on an Island, ie: Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, I feel good on the water immediately and when it rains it doesn't affect me there. C'mon somone who knows about weather changes, please explain the differences. Sincerly, Karel

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I asked my doctor about this once so she explained why and how it happens, and showed me studies as well as referring to me some sites that explain this type of thing.

It actually has to do with your blood pressure in relation to the barometric pressue of the weather. Higher pressure, or sudden changes in temp, cause your blood pressure to increase, in turn this moves pain killing chemicals, such as Dopamine, through your body much faster than the normal rate on a regular day that has stayed at the same temp and pressure for awhile, so it is gone too fast, leaving your pain to sore.

The increased pressure in your blood vessels also means they swell swightly, not to a dangerous point, but enough to put pressure on nerve endings and when you have an area of your body that is already aggravated and those nerves are zinging, it just makes it even worse.

Some people suffer the same effect at night when they try to lay down and go to sleep, because lying down and the metabolic changes for sleep also cause changes in your blood pressure.

In tropical areas, such as Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and others, the pressure systems during their ordinary weather patterns, don't fluctuate as much as in areas that have more severe seasonal changes, so your pain is eased their, because your blood pressure isn't as effect and forced to rise as much or as often.

Remember in the old days, when Docs used to tell people to move to a warm, dry climate for their health? Well that was an early response to this same type of activity, research hadn't explained the phenomenon yet, but they knew people in warm, dry areas, and areas where the weather didn't fluctuate as severely between temps, didn't suffer as bad as those in areas where the climate undergoes significant changes.

When I was younger, I first notice a phenomenon of change whenever I had toothaches, sudden changes in the weather would make it throb and ache worse, and whenever I tried to lay down and sleep at night, it did the same thing.

So when I got older and my spinal condition deteriorated, I began to notice the same type of effect and got curious about it.

So, I hope that explains it some for you.

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Not necessarily, there are other options that have helped others that you can try, exercise regimens, non-narcotic meds like Lyrica or Neurotin, physical therapy, swimming and of course the plain old mind over body.

Pain hits different people in different ways and with different intensity, you may be able to tolerate more and block more than you aunt, mother, or whomever.

I have talked to quite a few people who have it and get by without taking tons of prescriptions for life.

You need to talk to your doctor, express your desire to get pregnant and not have a baby born addicted to anything and tell then you want to explore non-drug options.

One person who moderates for me at a different site has it and she just recently received a TENS unit, this is a small box that gives a mild electrical impulse to your nerves that helps to block pain, she has only been on it a few weeks and has already had amazing results.

So there are other options, you just have to make sure to explore them and insist your doctor help you as well, if your current doctor won't, then switch to someone who will. You have to remember that your doctor is greatly influenced all the time by drug reps, plus is they find you something that provides relief for the long-term, they are going to lose money since you aren't going to be in there for as many appointments.

I also know of people who have had relief for Fibro from using a plain old over the counter supplement called Glucosamine/Chondroitin, sold under various names such as Joint Flex. These to supplements cushion your joints and help to keep them more flexible which is a problem that can arise for anyone with a chronic pain condition who moves around less and less due ot be in agony.

So yes, you do have other options, tell your doctor that a life on meds just isn't acceptable to you, you want other options.

I tried various other meds and such for my chronic pain condition before resorting to narcotics, because I didn't want to take them unless I absolutely needed to do so.

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I agree with Verwon, Stephanie. Try to find a specialist that deals primarily in FMS. Make sure they know of your intentions. I did not want you to think that the narcotics I use are for Fibro. Most of the medication I use is for nerve pain related to my MVA's. I am older and don't have to worry about starting a family like you say. There are so many articles and groups regarding FMS, that I would try some of the diets and not take anything. Until recently, no one even believed that FMS was a real disease. I only sent along the article relating that LYRICA was now being used for Fibromyalgia because I like to keep on top of my drug literature. As far as my FMS, I grin and bear it and wait for it to pas and use heat and ice and if possible, I have a whirlpool where I live. I also find myself using products like Ben-Gay and Aspercreme for a flare.

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My wife has had fibromyalsia following a car accident in 1991.
Since then, she has had two bouts of ovarian cancer, elevating pain in her foot which ended in surgery, and now has been diagnosed with Parkinsons. My point is that recently, we were preparing for surgery on her shoulder due to the tremendous pain. Our neurologist prescribed Cymbalta for pain and
depression. The pain has decreased by 80%...so she is now
putting off the surgery.

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It is great that the Cymbalta works so well for your wife, unfortunately it doesn't work that way for everyone. I tried it for quite awhile with no pain relief at all. It depends on what is causing someone's pain and their body and how it reacts to the med.

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Dear Cheryl, I am 52 and I am not anorgasmic as much as I have lost my sex drive. I attribute it to being post menopausal and on narcotic pain medication. I am not sure WHAT is really causing it and I wonder if it is a passing stage in a 5 yr relationship that has lost its passion. Are you sure you are totally anorgasmic or is it just with your partner? Have you tried self stimulation? Sorry if I am getting too personal. Karel

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Some meds can cause this effect, however, it is usually just a side effect that wears off after a few weeks as your body adjusts to the meds, or in some cases you just need some extra stimulation because it may take longer to get to that point, where you were able to hit it much faster before.

I had time periods like this when I switched drugs or changed doses, but it never lasted for a long period of time.

So I am sure that is why Karel is asking these questions and being concerned. There are many things that can cause this, including just the pain itself.

Narcotic pain meds, especially can have an effect on the sex drive, as Karel has experienced, because they cause dryness in all your mucous membranes, not just the dry mouth that happens to be the most noticeable problem. Aging can also be a factor, if it is causing serious relationship problems, you should speak to your doctor, there are solutions available for a woman's sex drive issues, just like there are for men who have such problems.

You also might find something as simple as a lube that provides a little stimulation could help, such as the KY Warming, since I am on narcotics and they cause so much dryness my husband and I use it very frequently.

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i was just diagnosed with FMS today. Dr is starting me on Lyrica. I do tend to get a few pain killers from a friend and that seems to be the only thing that gives relief. Also, vicodin does nothing for my FMS. Any input is appreciated.

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I have had really good results being on it. I am 51, started having trouble around age 45, at 51 I needed help getting up from sitting most times and my legs were almost useless and always in pain, I used a cain or golfcart to get around. Not anymore! I am on 100 mg daily, once in am. I noticed it working on day 4, my legs were not throbbing at bed time!! I pray I will continue to be able to move and LIVE!! I am so thankful to be able to get around, my legs feel as if I never had it! I was concerned as I am on a BP med and that seems to cause problems, I have had none. Being new I hope I do not gain weight. Feel free to write me.

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