Staying the course with Lyrica

Medication 💊 Anticonvulsants
1

Hi folks

I know I’ve been banging on in recent threads about how important it is to stick with a new drug for 6 weeks before abandoning it if it doesn’t work. Well I’m having diffuclty here with Lyrica (pregabalin).

I’ve only been taking it for 12 days, and have only been on my recommended dose of 50mg x 3 daily for a week. I’m not getting any side effects, well, none of the listed ones, but I’m getting myself into a bit of a state as my migraines have been A LOT worse for a week, both in terms of dizziness and weird head pressure crap and severe PAIN. It has been excruciating at times, most days, affecting my eyes, ears, nose, mouth, teeth, neck, anywhere my trigeminal nerve supplies I suppose. When I move my head quickly it feels like a knife is stabbing me between the eyes. Sometimes the pain and vertigo make me vomit. My ears feel full and i feel my eyeballs are vibrating in my skull. All this is in addition to the background of pain and pressure so severe I feel my head will explode.

I’m living next door to my husband and family since he kicked me out, in my incredibly kind neighbour’s spare room. He’s away a lot (my neighbour) so I am on my own most of the time. I am getting quite frightened as sometimes the pain and dizziness is so severe I can’t make my way downstairs to get food. Although Dr S. (my otoneuro) said I wouldn’t need to take anything else, I’ve had to take a few clonazepams but they really don’t help much (which is a first), so I’ve today resorted to cocodomol. So far hasn’t touched the pain. I have been on the verge of dialling 999 sometimes, but then I think ‘what are they going to do? they won’t understand MAV in the hospital’.

I’m in a very stressful situation with my family and work circumstances so it could all be due to that. Part of me feels it’s nothing to do with the Lyrica and I need to keep on it.

I’ve gone from being an active, working, gym-going, party-loving, mother of two, to a virtually bedridden recluse, who occasionally feels up to booting up her laptop, picking up a book, or talking to her children on the phone. I’ve had MAV for years but this time it’s really taken a destructive hold. I don’t remember having it consistently so bad for so many days in a row.

Having written this I’ve decided to keep on with the Lyrica for now. I’m just in such a muddle re. what to do for the best.

Extremely Dizzy Izzy

2

EDI !!!

It breaks my heart to read your post. Have you tried contacting Dr S to see if this is a normal reaction? I know it’s easier for all of us to say STICK ON THE DRUG but all I can think is if you dont go the 6 wks, you’ll always wonder whether your body would’ve adjusted and calmed down.

I’ve done two nights at 20mg Nort and my dizziness has def ramped up and yesterday the 4mg Valium didnt touch the sides like it had done last wkend. I actually had a minispin in the car last night and then was just so wavy and wooshy for the rest of the evening - I hated it as I was on a date!!! Luckily, the guy knows I havent been well for a long while (we used to work together before I had to quit my job before this crap started) so I didnt feel too embarrassed but I’m not sure he’d be interested in putting up with me on an ongoing basis!! I was like a root vegetable last night!

I’m going to PM you separately in a minute re some help.

Stay strong lovely lady!!

3

Hi,

Sorry you’re having such a bad time at the moment. Like you say, it’s hard to know if anything is due to the drug, or whether it’s not working, as you have a lot of other stresses going on.

But I just thought I would mention that when I started taking my medication I seemed to have more headaches and dizziness for a week or two, before it all tailed off again, and then I eventually had a big improvement (although this took a few months altogether as I had to increase dosages).

I hope you can stick with it, and you soon start to see some benefits. I also hope your other problems are sorted out, as having your stress levels come down would definitely be beneficial. Best of luck to you, and take care.

4

I know this isn’t entirely the same thing, but my son’s psychiatrist says you have to stay on a drug for a while to see if it’s going to work for you, but you can decide very quickly that it’s NOT going to work. I know some doctors want you to push through several weeks of unbearable side effects, to see if they’re going to settle down. Her opinion is that it’s just not worth it.

Mild to moderate side effects are one thing – but you’re not talking mild to moderate. Please talk to your doctor – maybe toughing this out is the right thing to do. But I think your doctor should know how miserable you are.

Mamabear

5

Dizzy , if it continues give DR S’s secretary a call . He may well phone you. I had a good day yesterday but overdid and it’s crashed today. I’m using Lyrica more for its sedative properties. If your symptoms get too bad…it may be the drug is not for you and try another one.

Stress is clearly a factor as it is with me. So it might take time to balance itself.

6

Dizzy Izzy - sorry I’ve only just seen this post. Just to let you know that Dr Silver said on the tablets you can get worse before you get better - apparently this is a sign that they’re going to work???
They last few days have been a struggle for me - thought I was getting better (apart from period time!) I’m on 2 x 150mg a day so I’m wondering if I need to increase it some more? Going to see my GP tomorrow for advice as neuro wrote to him giving him all the scenarios!
Know what you mean about recluse! I can now manage work but thats it! I don’t leave the house otherwise - its exhausting. I too have been on the verge of 999 calls - its horrendous when its bad.
Hope you improve soon x
Tracey

7

thanks Tracey

sorry you’re feeling crappy again. It’s weird, but it’s like we get used to it and then the symptoms return and we need higher doses.

I increased from 50mg x 3 a day to 50 mg x 2 plus 100mg x1 (at night), yesterday, and today feel much better (with half a clonazepam too)…

I’m worried I’ll keep needing more and more. Guess I’ll have to wait and see.

At least no side effects yet, unless u count getting worse b4 u get better as a side effect!

Dizzy Izzy xx