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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Justherself54 on March 5, 2009, at 10:47:51
I have severe fibromyalgia and lately my flares seem to be running into each other. I also am bipolar and believe me the two don't play nice. It sometimes feels like I have to deal with double the depression. My new GP really wants me to try Lyrica. As my current drug cocktail is barely working, my fear of starting any new drug is rearing its ugly head.
Relief from pain and stiffness would be wonderful, but I'm barely holding my own right now. Physical side effects such as nausea, headache I can handle..it's the anxiety, lightheaded feelings, cognitive stuff that I just can't deal with right now.
Can anyone tell me of their experiences with Lyrica? Or hold my hand while I take the first dose?
Posted by Phillipa on March 5, 2009, at 12:46:26
In reply to Lyrica, posted by Justherself54 on March 5, 2009, at 10:47:51
Well I can hold your hand. Quite a few babblers have taken lyrica and I just read it's approved for fibro. Oh how well I know the fear. What dose to start? Heard lower doses more sedating higher activating. Ha if I could take my own advise I'd say just do it. Love Phillipa
Posted by sam K on March 5, 2009, at 12:47:10
In reply to Lyrica, posted by Justherself54 on March 5, 2009, at 10:47:51
ive taken neurontin which is pretty much the same,but lyrica is newer and most likey better. Neurontin could make my whole body numb. But I dont have pain, but I noticed if I took a high dose it did that. I had some cognitive stuff too. Hard to comprehend things and solve math stuff. it had real good anti depressant effects...... good for anxiety too, but sometimes it made me anxious in a wierd way.
ya take the first pill and tell us. Use this as a venting type thing.
cya
Posted by bleauberry on March 5, 2009, at 17:52:31
In reply to Lyrica, posted by Justherself54 on March 5, 2009, at 10:47:51
Like any other med, Lyrica is a miracle for some and a disaster for others. I don't know any more to say than that. Each person has to do their own trial and error. Can it work, or has it worked for others like you? Yes. Will it? Maybe, maybe not? Will it make things worse? Maybe, maybe not. Not much help I know, but that is the nature of the beast.
Hey, here is a wild idea to ask your doctor to try. I know it sounds way out there, but it actually isn't. Dead serious. Ask for a two week trial of 200mg Doxycycline, starting at 100mg for 4 days. All the fibro treatments in the world only attempt to ease the symptoms. Doxy has a good shot of getting at the cause...an unknown undiagnosable pathogenic chronic infection. The number of bacteria that could do that are numerous.
Aside from its ability to kill a wide range of hidden infectors that cause pain, fatigue, inflammation, and mood problems, Doxy is also a very good anti-inflammatory at sub-antibiotic doses such as 25mg to 50mg. Well documented at pubmed. Don't take this antibiotic suggestion lightly. Like I said, I'm really serious about this one and would not bother mentioning it otherwise. I think EVERY fibro or chronic fatigue patient must be tried on Doxycycline or Tetracycline, even blindly with no "apparent" reason to try an antibiotic.
Outside of that, this is the month Milnacipran is released to pharmacies in the USA. It has been in years of FDA trials for fibro. It passed. It is also a very good antidepressant elsewhere in the world, where it has been for many years. It has a long and strong track record.
Its name in the USA is Savella. Not sure of the date of its release, but it is supposed to be this month. You can sign up at the Savella website for notification of release.
I have browsed through forums of people who were in those clinical trials. I can't recall a single failure. All found the drug of significant benefit in pain, fatigue, mood, and sleep. The primary side effects were urinary complaints for men, drop in appetite, and in some people an increase of blood pressure. It is a weight neutral to weight loss med, very rarely a weight gainer.
I've tried it and was very impressed. It even did better than ECT and was working within 2 weeks at a subtherapeutic dose. Based on what I know of Lyrica, I think Savella is a tamer safer simpler yet more effective drug for fibro and mood. And unlike Lyrica which is mysterious and new, Savella is straight forward and time tested.
I guess what I am saying is, in my opinion, Doxy and Savella should take high priority over Lyrica.
Posted by delna on March 5, 2009, at 22:32:04
In reply to Lyrica, posted by Justherself54 on March 5, 2009, at 10:47:51
I took it for pain and it was so sedating that it knocked me out the next day totally. I prefer Neurontin and I believe it works as well- its kinetics are just different.
Hope u find some success with one of the 2
D> I have severe fibromyalgia and lately my flares seem to be running into each other. I also am bipolar and believe me the two don't play nice. It sometimes feels like I have to deal with double the depression. My new GP really wants me to try Lyrica. As my current drug cocktail is barely working, my fear of starting any new drug is rearing its ugly head.
>
> Relief from pain and stiffness would be wonderful, but I'm barely holding my own right now. Physical side effects such as nausea, headache I can handle..it's the anxiety, lightheaded feelings, cognitive stuff that I just can't deal with right now.
>
> Can anyone tell me of their experiences with Lyrica? Or hold my hand while I take the first dose?
>
>
>
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Posted by Justherself54 on March 6, 2009, at 13:53:47
In reply to Re: Lyrica, posted by bleauberry on March 5, 2009, at 17:52:31
Thanks for your responses and support..it's much appreciated. I've been on high doses of neurontin in the past with no success..I also had extensive blood work last year after a surgery to look for "hidden bacteria" as my GP put it. Everything turned up negative..
I see my pdoc on Monday so will run the Lyrica by him..I'm also going to mention the Milnacipran. I'm from Canada and it'll be forever before it's approved here, although with its track record perhaps it'll chug along in our system faster. IF I decide to try the Lyrica, it'll be after I see him..not going to try it this weekend, as daughter, son-in-law, 3 small grandkids and their pug dog are descending upon me with the next couple of hours. My house then becomes the gong show, so I don't need to be coping with any side effects.
Thanks for listening and I'll update after my pdoc appointment..
Posted by Phillipa on March 6, 2009, at 20:10:02
In reply to Re: Lyrica, posted by Justherself54 on March 6, 2009, at 13:53:47
Good luck and mean it. Love Phillipa
Posted by manic666 on March 12, 2009, at 8:35:36
In reply to Lyrica, posted by Justherself54 on March 5, 2009, at 10:47:51
baby, i hope you ok after helping me for so long you sound real down . sh*t meds time i no the feelingxxxx
Posted by Phillipa on March 12, 2009, at 19:46:28
In reply to Re: Lyrica, posted by manic666 on March 12, 2009, at 8:35:36
Manic you are both sweeties!! Phillipa
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