Lyrica anyone? - 08/29/08 04:19 AM
Hello my friends...
Just wondering if anyone here has tried Lyrica??
Went to my rheumy yesterday. Rather uneventful. Thinks pain management is where I need to be to get my pain under control. I told him "thank you but i will pass for now" I explained to him that I dont want any stronger meds. I'm allergic to just about all arthritis meds, and the real strong pain meds wont work for me when I have 3 kiddos that I have to keep an alert eye out for. He understood.
He's decided that the shoulder pain is mysofacial pain. Possibly fibro. he said it's common as a 2ndary to chronic diseases.
I dont have the typical fibro pains or pain points for that matter. I have had mysofascial pain before years ago after surgery. He thinks thats why the steroids havent worked as well. I agree the spasms are out of control. I agree. So he has put me on Lyrica. He said it will help with the nerve pain. I have so many spasms in my left shoulder and now my left side of my chest. That scared the bajeebus outta me last night. Thought I was having a heart attack!! 
I had tried to pull some insane weeds out of my garden...loads of them due to all the rain we got the last few weeks. I think I overdid myself. My hands are shaking and I think thats what caused it.
He wanted me to start some electro stimu [spelling?} treatment asap to settle down the muscle spasms. My annual deductible hasnt been met so it would be 700.00 for 6 treatments!!
500.00 with a cash discount. Still outta budget for this little momma buggy! So I started on the Lyrica ...1xday for the first 3 days and increase over the next 2 weeks to 1x morning and 2 at night. Side effect is weight gain and swelling in hands. Greaaaat. He said 1 out of 6. Knowing my luck..i'll be that "1" 
I asked him if he had other female patients with AS. Nope. Said it's about a 1 to 9 male/female. He didnt say women dont get AS..thank goodness...I'd have had some choice words. I asked him what he thinks of the progression of the disease. He said that with a disease like RA they can flat out say it WILL get worse. With AS it is in waves. Up and down. He said the good thing is that there was no new fusion on last xrays and my bone density this year was actually better .as in normal!! 
I think that was a last gift from Remicade.. 
Anyhow..enough ramblings...kids are back in school. Little man is accepting kindergarten. G started high school..sigh! Sofie is loving school...and ARt went out to lunch...it was so quiet. We are STILL in shock from having free time to ourselves!!
Gonna go get an ice pack....any input would be greatly appreciated!
Bug
Just wondering if anyone here has tried Lyrica??
Went to my rheumy yesterday. Rather uneventful. Thinks pain management is where I need to be to get my pain under control. I told him "thank you but i will pass for now" I explained to him that I dont want any stronger meds. I'm allergic to just about all arthritis meds, and the real strong pain meds wont work for me when I have 3 kiddos that I have to keep an alert eye out for. He understood.
He's decided that the shoulder pain is mysofacial pain. Possibly fibro. he said it's common as a 2ndary to chronic diseases.
I dont have the typical fibro pains or pain points for that matter. I have had mysofascial pain before years ago after surgery. He thinks thats why the steroids havent worked as well. I agree the spasms are out of control. I agree. So he has put me on Lyrica. He said it will help with the nerve pain. I have so many spasms in my left shoulder and now my left side of my chest. That scared the bajeebus outta me last night. Thought I was having a heart attack!! I had tried to pull some insane weeds out of my garden...loads of them due to all the rain we got the last few weeks. I think I overdid myself. My hands are shaking and I think thats what caused it. He wanted me to start some electro stimu [spelling?} treatment asap to settle down the muscle spasms. My annual deductible hasnt been met so it would be 700.00 for 6 treatments!!
500.00 with a cash discount. Still outta budget for this little momma buggy! So I started on the Lyrica ...1xday for the first 3 days and increase over the next 2 weeks to 1x morning and 2 at night. Side effect is weight gain and swelling in hands. Greaaaat. He said 1 out of 6. Knowing my luck..i'll be that "1" I asked him if he had other female patients with AS. Nope. Said it's about a 1 to 9 male/female. He didnt say women dont get AS..thank goodness...I'd have had some choice words. I asked him what he thinks of the progression of the disease. He said that with a disease like RA they can flat out say it WILL get worse. With AS it is in waves. Up and down. He said the good thing is that there was no new fusion on last xrays and my bone density this year was actually better .as in normal!! I think that was a last gift from Remicade.. Anyhow..enough ramblings...kids are back in school. Little man is accepting kindergarten. G started high school..sigh! Sofie is loving school...and ARt went out to lunch...it was so quiet. We are STILL in shock from having free time to ourselves!!
Gonna go get an ice pack....any input would be greatly appreciated!
Bug
..but it helps my hair grow, gives me a more energy and my hair is shiny and just overall good for me in the long run. 
I take fish oil (3000 mg of the EFA/DHA) daily, vitamin D (I just started a couple weeks ago), and NEED to be better about taking my oscal. I do eat a lot of calcium rich foods, though (I love kale - yum). Thank you for your advice. I am going to ask my rheumy about this when I see him again. He's got me on monthly appointments now, which is great. Also, I am up to one sulfasalazine a day now (no sign of allergy at this point, so I am hopeful). 
I only took it for 3 days and it was terrible. I was sleepwalking. Brain fog that I never have experienced. I also couldnt wake up. There could have been an explosion in my home and I would have slept through it! I couldnt believe that a med could cause such ugly side effects in so little time.