Lyrica Not Helping Much for Back Pain

[Guest guest]

I have been on Lyrica for the past 2 months to help my neuropathy and

low back pain. But for the past 2 weeks my pain has been pushing over a

level 10 with tingling and numbness down my legs. I can't take the pain

anymore. I have been dealing with it for 7 years now(since I was injured).

The past 2 weeks I've had no sleep, my medications aren't working,

depression is worse and the doctors have no idea what to do for me.

I was hoping the Lyrica would help along with the other pain medications

but it's like the doctor gave me a fake drug. I'm at my wit's end and

ready to pull my hair out. But that would cause pain too. LOL I need

help!

The problems in my back are: herniated discs, crushed disc, bone spurs

pressing into nerve endings, no theco sac between L4-L5 (so I'm rubbing

bone on bone),DDD, scar tissue all over the injured area, arthritis,

positive nerve damage both legs, and some other problems. I have seen 4

surgeons and they all say they can't help me.

So I'm to live this way and may end up in a wheel chair down the road.

Right now I use a cane. The sad this is I'm only 53 years old.

If anyone has any suggestion I would love to hear them. Please help me

Toni

[Guest guest]

--- " Toni " wrote:

> I have been on Lyrica for the past 2 months to help my neuropathy

and

> low back pain. But for the past 2 weeks my pain has been pushing

over a

> level 10 with tingling and numbness down my legs.

Toni, hi, my name is ,

Have any of your doctors prescribed physical therapy, or stretching

to relieve that nerve pain?

I've been doing it for years now and the only lumbar (only?) is

sciatica is a pain in the arse now.

I, too, have Chronic degenerative disc disease. I've had it since

1986.

After another bad accident at work, I was left totally disabled in

1995. It took me a year and a half to learn how to walk again. I was

left with Cervical,thoracic,and lumbar pain.

The surgeons want to operate some more, but I'm giving physical

therapy more time. I am improving, in the pain department,but only

with the streches.

I use lyrica too and it is helping me with my crevical spine pain

along with the thoracic spine pain. But not so much with the lumbar

spine pain. Perhaps our pain is too great for Lyrica to work there.

You & I will have to ask our doctor's.

- New York

[Guest guest]

Toni wrote:

I'm at my wit's end and ready to pull my hair out. But that would

cause pain too. LOL I need help!

If anyone has any suggestion I would love to hear them. Please help me

Toni,

I have RSD/CRPS I in both of my legs so I can partially sympathize

with you.

May I suggest a pain specialist if the surgeons refuse to do operate?

My pain specialist treats more people with back pain of varying

degrees than patients like me. My disease is rare where back problems

are much more prevelant.

I have spoken with many of his back pain patients in the waiting room

to find that he has worked wonders for them.

Just a thought,

Lori

[Guest guest]

Toni,

I had what I would state, was a very unusual experience with Lyrica. I have the

neurpoththy's as you. After taking it my right big toe, started to become what I

had thought was an in-grown toenail. I had never had one, but that was the only

reason I thought blood would be coming out from under the nail.

The 5-6 day, I had blood coming from both big toes and the one next to it and my

middle finger on my right hand. At first I thought I could go to mexico and rent

myself out as a Stigmata? My Dad finally agreed with me I should go to the

Dr's, but I hate to just run to the Dr for nothing. Well, as it turned out, I

was just experiencing some severe side effects. Thank God I'm healthy, just

injured. He gave me a shot of something and I hope this doesn't offend anyone, I

guess my kidneys were shutting down and I was swelling bad. The next morning I

had to crawl to the restroom as this shot had done something, the next 10

minutes was the best feeling I have ever had.

I am sorry for your cry from pain and being your age I really understand. I know

all these meds give people hope and work for them. I am sorry you or I am not

one of them. I'll pray for you.

Rick

[Guest guest]

Toni wrote:

> The past 2 weeks I've had no sleep, my medications aren't working,

> depression is worse and the doctors have no idea what to do for me.

Toni,

I was wincing as I read about all the problems with your back. I'm

sorry your pain has been a 10 lately. I really hope you can get some

relief soon. My hubby and I will pray for you tonight.

Take care, Janie

[Guest guest]

I have recently found that if they can get your sleep under control,

a lot of the other issues will be less severe, as sleep is when your

body has a chance to heal. I just graduated from 13 scripts to 9

and expect that to keep dropping as my sleep continues to be

restored. I am 58 and been dealing with the FM for well over 10

years, but still working.

Cyrilla In OK--- >

[Guest guest]

-Hi Toni.

I am new at this group thing. I cannot give medical advice, but I can share.

I was recently diagnosed 2 months ago with neuropathy, for which I started

taking neurontin and opana (time-released morphine),both of them together help

take the edge off the burning, itching, prickling, crawling bugs on me feeling,

glass in my feet, and fire in my internal organs.

When people touch me on my hip, I get a sharp jab in my shoulder. I lay down

after an hour on my feet, and I start coughing because my vertebrae and ribs

crack like they did when the chiropractor used to work on me.

It is painful to lay on my back, to lay still for more than an hour, and it is

always painful to get up again. I don't have pinched nerves, but I do have

inflammation rather than swelling around the nerves in my lower back, and a

bulging disc.

I take sulindac for bursitis and osteoarthritis, and promethazine to

prevent the nausea and heartburn that prescripts always cause me. I take Azo

cranberry pills for my kidneys, which are also sensitive to meds. I used to have

stones, but a partial nephrectomy left me with a foot long scar and lots of

nerve damage on my lower left quad, pain from last rib to toe.

I am not new to pain, but I know how depressing it can be to have pain that

never ends, a spouse who preaches against taking prescription meds, and doctors

who say how they can't help me, and how I would be able to lose weight if I

could get daily access to a swimming pool. I stay busy as I can, and I spend a

lot of time alone.

My husband likes to watch movies and British Comedies, but I cannot sit for long

(sciatica and sacroiliac pain), so I lay on my massage table to watch TV, often

falling asleep...LOL....because it is sometimes more comfortable than a bed!

I also like to check out books on CD from the library, and sit

on electric massage chair pads while at the computer. I hate pain and I have to

remember that it gets worse with stress and lack of sleep.

I never thought I would ever include thanks for pain meds and for my

children who bought me my computer, and internet in my daily prayers, but I do

that, too, like it is supposed to be part of my own diet, tailor made just for

me and others like us who don't seem to have many other options.

I feel sad that you have so much pain. I will pray for you, too. Sometimes there

is nothing else left to try, and sometimes its all we need to get by until more

help or a new drug comes on the market.

Keep typing, surfing, and remember how temporary this life really is. I lost my

ability to hike and swim at 31, and am pushing 50 now.

Bon

[Guest guest]

Moderator's note:

Many of us take Methadone for pain, myself included. I still need to take Lyrica

with it.

Kaylene

Methadone is the best medicine for nerve pain. I know it sounds

like a radical drug, but believe me, it has very little side effects

and has no 'high' with it like people think. It is way over looked

by most Dr's as a pain control med. It gave me my life back and I

now can walk.

I have severe neropathy in both feet that was brought on by taking Cipro, an

antibiotic that is very toxic. Cipro has ruined my life and methadone has given

it back.

.

[Guest guest]

Unfortunately methadone turned me into a zombie, completely non-functional.

But I can take morphine.

" Sweet Goat Mama "

Carolyn Eddy

www.goattracksmagazine.com