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Lyrica

By October 30, 2011 - 3:21pm

If anyone has tried Lyrica for your pain....has it been helpful, by how much and did you experience weight gain you couldn't control through diet and exercise?

By January 15, 2012 - 3:21pm

Hey babydreamin30:
Sounds like you have had your own journey with meds. Soma is not available in Canada and I don't believe Tizandine is either...I'll check to be sure, but I also have gastritis. Thanks for the tip though.

Sent my message to you. ttyl. Kali

January 15, 2012 - 3:21pm
By January 15, 2012 - 3:20pm

Hey babydreamin30:
Sounds like you have had your own journey with meds. Soma is not available in Canada and I don't believe Tizandine is either...I'll check to be sure, but I also have gastritis. Thanks for the tip though.

Sent my message to you. ttyl. Kali

January 15, 2012 - 3:20pm
By January 15, 2012 - 3:08pm

Hi Kali :) Hope you are having a good Sunday!

It seems you have waited until the last resort to take pain medication. I can DEFINETLY understand the hesistation with beginning a pain medication. Sometimes, you just need the relief.

Right now I am prescribed a pretty high dose of Soma for pain, but I only take half that dose. If I took the full dose I would be a zombie. It seems to be the only muscle relaxant that has helped.

I have tried Baclofen, it worked great at first. What else did they give me...oh Tizandine was AWESOME! It helped me sleep and everything. But unfortunately it causesstomach pain and made my gastritis flare up. I was able to take it for about 5 months, and it made my spasm go away in my back. Skelaxin, flexirel, baclofen, and chlorzoxazone ( I just opened my medicine drawer to check lol!) I think that's it.

Tizanidine was the best, and if you do not have a sensitive stomach you should try it. If it is available in Canada. Tizanidine is the generic name, not too sure what the brand name is.

I'll keep an eye for your message. ttyl.

January 15, 2012 - 3:08pm
By January 15, 2012 - 2:01pm

I completely understand the problem...I have tried so many pain medications myself including Cymbalta and Tramadol but I could not handle the side effects. Over the last year I lost 85 pounds after getting off a medication so I really understand! I decided against Lyrica due to the weight gain it causes. I refuse to gain the weight back and with many medications the weight gain cannot be stopped by making good lifestyle choices. That's how why I gained the 85 pounds!

Your right, you do have to watch medication combinations. I'm so sorry about what happened. Your doctor should have warned you..damn...I could have warned you.

Remember I am in Canada, so the medications have different names and are just different in availability period. Other anti-depressants can be tried..what I take is called Lexapro in the US. Watch older anti-depressants such as Paxil..they can be near impossible to get off of. Stick to the new class of anti-depressants of which Lexapro is one.

Muscle relaxants are a good bet..I was on Baclofen...it helped but with the severe Insomnia last year I couldn't handle the drowsiness, so I weaned off it. You have to build your dose up slow with muscle relaxants to get accustomed to the drowsiness side effect. Consider talking to your doctor about a muscle relaxant. It also takes time for the medicine to get through your muscles being so contracted with the Fibromyalgia so you have to give that class of drugs time.

In Canada there is also a medication called Cesamet..it's marijuana in a pill form.

You must become your own advocate with your family doctor and pharmacy and ask about the drug interactions. With the dangerous combinations my family doctor has put me on..I will not take anything now without reseaching the medication with all my other medications for possible interactions. Drugs.com is a great site to do that.

I will email you about my personal choice for pain. The site has been going down so if you don't hear from me until tomorrow that will be the reason. Kali

January 15, 2012 - 2:01pm
By January 14, 2012 - 5:51pm

I went up four pant sizes in a few short months. Pain relief was great but i could not afford my medicine and a new wardrobe every month. Especially when my job requires busines proffesional attire. New suits. Skirts. Dresses. It all adds up.

Lyrica made me extremly groggy. Ive had the best pain relief from tramadol. Just have to be cautious about drug interactions. Also, cymabalta worked. But the two combined are dangerous and landed me in the e.r.

Kali-what are you currently taking for pain?

January 14, 2012 - 5:51pm
By November 4, 2011 - 11:59am

Thanks for the support...I really appreciate it. I try to look for the good in the small things...I think that I am just so tired...but it's important to try..I agree. Thanks for telling me you are proud of me. No one I know understands what this is like...how hard it is...how hard it has been all these years, even if they are open to hearing about it. Most around me want to just push everything under the carpet and don't want any talk or interaction with me unless I pretend I am fine..which takes a lot of energy in itself. It's taken you..a stranger..for me to hear, "I am proud of you". I feel for you and very much so for you and your daughter...I'm sure you will be able to give her a lot of support from your own experiences...but it will still be a struggle.
Thank you for putting me in your heart and prayers..I am very moved.

November 4, 2011 - 11:59am
By November 4, 2011 - 11:29am

Kali, I understand the loss of quality of life and how very tired and seeminlgly worthless all of this is. Please know that you are not alone and every day has something good in it if we just stay alert to the good things. I cannot imagine not being able to get the pain and sleep medicines that I have because I cannot at this time function without them. I find your ability to continue without the sleep you need to be amazing and want you to know I am very proud of you. My daughter is 29 and has been told she cannot work and has been put on total disability because of fibromyalgia and menieres disease. Everyone needs to vent their frustration sometimes. Thank you for being honest. You are in my prayers and my heart.

November 4, 2011 - 11:29am
By October 31, 2011 - 9:42am

Thanks for sharing. I'am aware of Savella, but it's not in Canada. I've lost 84 pounds over the past year and I have been avoiding Lyrica because of the weight gain I've been told by my pharmacist and doctor that would occur. I've tried every other other non-narcotic pain medication available in Canada. My pain was bad before....but after 11 months of insomnia it is excrutiating. In Canada, I actually have to try gabapetin which is not covered under my drug plan...get my doctor to say it didn't work..and then my drug plan will cover Lyrica. I really appreciate you sharing your experience. We are all individuals when it comes to any kind of treatment for Fibromyalgia....and in 13 years....nothing I have tried from medications, to alternative therapies, supplements, exercise, relaxation techniques, local support group, nutrition etc/ has helped. I want to live....but I am so tired of the chronic pain and having no quality of life. I can't work, I can't have a romantic relationship...I'm just so tired. And after a very severe MVA at 28, the chronic pain started then...I am 44 now...so it's been 16 years of acute chronic pain. Well I guess that was just my feel sorry for me moments of the day. Kali

October 31, 2011 - 9:42am
By October 30, 2011 - 9:10pm

I am taking 150 mg of Lyrica twice a day, one in the am and one in the pm. The Lyrica by itself did not give me pain relief well enough to give me a good quality of life. I also take Savella for the pain. Taking the Lyrica and the Savella have given me the ability to live each day with the pain level average of 3 or 4. There are flare-ups and I am still not sure how my new part time job will work out. I gained weight over several years before the Lyrica and have lost almost all of the weight in the last year by watching what and how much I eat and taking control of my life as much as it is possible to do so.

October 30, 2011 - 9:10pm

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