Fibromyalgia And Lyrica (Page 2)

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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I have had fibermyagia for yrs, and I have several other health problems and I have noropthany in my feet and I have had high doses of the lycia and It doesn't do a thing and if you feel it helps you then by all means use it. I personally don't see any differances. Good Luck.

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I have just been prescribed Lyrica and I have fibromyalgia, Behcet's Disease with arthritis and a resulting healing back fracture (T7) from many years of high doses of Prednisone (no longer) and have some osteoporosis and I am 45 years old. I take other meds and have also been prescribed Cymbalta. Right this minute, however, I am in the end stages of getting off narcotics (finally) and am having so much pain. I live in Kansas and the weather here has recently changed to very cold, wet and windy!!! BOOOOO!!! I have not started the Lyrica yet but was reading the comments and welcome any and all comments!!!

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Juls,
May i ask what narcotics you are getting off of? I hope to do the same very soon, but I am afraid. Did you experience any other withdrawel symptoms other than increased pain?

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I posted the original question about Lyrica and fibromyalgia. I was very pleased to see so many responses. My doctor took me off Lyrica and I am now taking Darvocet, Elivil and Klonopin. The Darvocet and Elivil really do help but throught research, I have found that Klonopin has more risks than benefits. Alot of doctors do not tell you the risks of medications when they prescribe them. In my research I found that people that have taken Klonopin for long periods of time have to be under close watch when they stop taking it. The withdrawls from Klonopin can be FATAL. My doctor said it would help my muscles relax and help me to achieve a good not sleep, but it is generally prescribed for people with severe panic disorder. I like to think my doctor knows best but I have now decided that I will not take any medication I have been prescribed without researching it and its side effects. Thanks for all the advice!
Stephanie

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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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Dear Karel & Verwon,
I am thinking about today, but I also am only 24 years old, just recently married and trying desperately to get my body ready to get pregnant. I am very aware of what benzodiapepam's do and their withdrawls. I only take the amount of medication I am perscribed. However, I have to think about tomorrow, my life is just getting started. Every woman in my family has severe Fibromyalgia and they all are either nurses, doctors, or teachers, but they all have to take a mountain of pills to function. I do not want to live like that. My Aunt, who is a psychiatrist took Klonopin that her Rheumatologist perscribed her. She took it for 2 months at night before she went to bed, tried to taper down the doses and still had horrible withdrawls. Like I said, I am only 24, just finished my degree in Education, and work full-time. Is this diagonsis of Fibromyalgia a sentence to a life in a medicine cabinet?

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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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I HAVE SUFFERED FOR 15 YEARS WITH FMS,DDD, AND PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS AND HAVE FELT LIKE A PROVERBIAL TESTING ANIMAL FOR ALL THE NEW DRUGS OUT THEIR. I HAVE BEEN ON LYRICA/CYMBALTA FOR 1 YEAR AND MY PAIN IS MARKEDLY REDUCED. ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT I HAVE BECOME ANORGASMIC AS A RESULT OF THESE DRUGS. NOT A FAIR RIGHT OFF AT ALL. IS THERE ANY OTHER WOMEN OUT THERE GOING THROUGH THIS SIDE EFFECT? IT'S DRIVING ME CRAZY AS I AM ONLY 51 YEARS OLD AND UP UNTIL THIS POINT HAD AN INCREDABLE INTIMATE LIFE WITH MY SPOUSE OF 24 YEARS. I AM NOW TRYING TO TAKE MYSELF OFF THESE DRUGS{TYTRAIDING}, AS MY INTIMATE LIFE WITH MY HUSBAND IS QUITE IMPORTANT TO ME. I TRIED TO TAKE MYSELF OFF LYRICA RECENTLY AND OH BOY WHAT A DIFFERENCE IN THE PAIN LEVEL, BUT I HAVE TO TRY AGAIN. IT'S SO FRUSTRATING TO BE ON THESE KINDS OFF DRUGS AND DEALING WITH THE SIDE EFFECTS. THIS RESPONSE IS DIRECTED TO KELLY. aND BY THE WAY THE WEATHER IS A BIG FACTOR IN OUR CONDITIONS.

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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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I have fibromyalgia and degenerative joint disease. I have been on gabapentin for about 8 months and slept all the time. Now I just started taking lyrica today, so i don't know if it helps with the pain yet. But to reply to your Q about the weather? Oh yes! My pain gets much worse when it is rainy and humid, most definately!

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Stay away from Lyrica very bad drug, do your own research and read forums from people who have taken it! It is about to be a class action lawsuit. DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG!

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Lyrica will probably give you a lot of relief. I was on narcotic painkillers since age 12 and stopped using them about 2 yrs ago. I very occasionally will take something narcotic for extra rellief. The only thing that ever gave me complete relief-and I coudn't abuse it is methadone. I was on meth clinic for 3 years and to be free of 'popping pills' all the time and eing pain free was the best thing ever happened to me. Only problem was I was on 125 mg. and, like the neurontin, I slert all the time. But...I still have to say as far as my pain goes...methadone was the best.

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cas2cam - my next pain med (when the Percocet stops working) will be methadone. Any problems with it that I should be aware of? My pain has been increasing despite increasing my Lyrica to 450 mg, Fibro sucks!

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