@ujeeniack

I think your question might have been directed to me? I’ve tried every medication available for neuropathy pain, with no luck, and I had a spinal cord stimulator implant in June. I was taking Cymbalta, but I don’t think it had any effect on either the neuropathy pain or depression. I tapered off Cymbalta a couple of months ago, and now am only taking Morphine sulfate contin for the pain. I recently started Azathioprine, which is supposed to slow the progress of neuropathy. I take a number of other meds for other conditions. The stimulator implant has given me a lot of relief, up to 80%, which is wonderful! Before the implant, pain had driven my depression way up, and was honestly at risk of suicide. Just before the implant, I had resumed therapy, after an 18 month stretch between therapists. The stopping of therapy wasn’t my choice. The last therapist moved, and there was none available who accepted Medicare.

What has worked best for you?

Jim

I should have been clear about what is going on with me. I have been told by a neurologist that I have Neuropathy, I am not a diabetic. I have been put on Lycra 150mg. Cymbalta 150mg. Gabapentin 150mg. I was taking Crestor (doctor took me off). I took off the Gabapentin over 3 month period. Felt ok till the past three weeks. Sorry for the post earlier…….my mind is always in a fog, my feet ,hands burn. I feel as ants are crawling all over me. My sleep is really crazy I wake up at 2:00am . I have noticed that I’m not well , children always made me happy now I do not like them. Holidays are painful I’m so done hearing the happy Christmas already. So much anger ! Can not finish cooking,cleaning even gardening. John so sorry I was not completely giving you the whole picture.

@texas1950

Gabapentin and Cymbalta didn’t help with my neuropathy pain, but Lyrica did. Unfortunately, it put me in the hospital because I reacted so badly to it.

Is Vanlax… the same as Effexor? Have you looked at the discussion about tips for getting off it? It’s a discussion thread in the chronic pain group. Many people have written about their experiences with going off it.

Jim

My feelings are numb. Yes I have spoken with my doctor. Thank you for asking. I live in Mexico and my doctor is in Mexico City . I was eating healthy and thought I saw I was in a better mood, then now I eat to stay fat

Yes I have read the post. I’m so afraid to go off anything now.

Almost 8 weeks of me coming off of lyrica and I am still sick. They took me down to 50mg one daily because I am so bad with panic attacks anxiety nausea. They also put me on 0.5 mg of Ativan for the anxiety. Another drug probably easy to get addicted to. I ever wonder if I will feel and be myself again. I try to think positive but the depression takes over. I swear these pharmaceutical companies need to be sued and help people whose lives they have destroyed

@cdcc

I’ve been taking Clonazepam, which is much like Ativan, for 12 years. I know that I’m physically dependent on it, but I don’t think of that as addiction. I take a low prescribed dose, and have the option of taking more as needed. I depend on other medications, as well. Antidepressant, pain meds, decongestant, NSAID for arthritis inflammation, along with vitamins and so on. I don’t feel guilty about taking any of them, as each serves a purpose. I also use a BIPAP machine for sleep apnea, which is another prescription.

I took Ativan one time and my heart rate jumped to 180. Very uncomfortable! It’s on my list of allergies.

Of course, I only took Lyrica for a month or so, and when I was in the hospital for the reaction to it, I stopped taking it abruptly, and didn’t have any problems. I wish I had been able to continue taking it, as it was the only neuropathy medication that worked. That’s life. It doesn’t sound like tapering off it is any fun, so that might be a reason to be thankful for the reaction I had.

Jim

@jimhd I always appreciate the balanced approach you take to meds and other activities as being a small part of the bigger picture of good health! Thank you for your input in this conversation.

Teresa

My list of allergies continues to lengthen as does for my tolerance for professionals who say it is not possible to have so many allergies…WRONG because it is possible and I surely would not make this up as I would like some options that do not imperil my well-being.

I can still keep a balanced sense of well-being and also some sense of balance and maintain a sense of humor :).

@hopeful33250 A smiley face can mean many things…I always try to be appropriate. Notice the absence of a smiley???

Y’all are most helpful with input and info…No joking. Thanks for all so many do here.

Woke this morning with the shakes again. Took an 0.5 mg Ativan hopefully it will kick in soon. One day I’m good next day blah! Going on 8 weeks of this crap now and with the holidays coming I’m wondering if I’ll feel any better by then. Still not liking to go out of the house, I get really light headed when I get out of the car and it takes a few minutes to settle down. Haven’t driven or gone anywhere by myself in weeks. And I’m 66 years years old I don’t need this crap at my age,

HI I am brand new on this site and a lousy typer so bear with me please. Iam on 120mg. of morphine and 600mg. of lyrica for neuropothy pain. have lost about half of my theeth so far but the meds I was on for anxiety are no longer needed. I could use someone who can spell and type for me ha ha. BEWARE of the benzos!! getting off of them is terrible. I could spend all day just telling you how bad they are! If you need pain meds you don't have much choice. God bless and i will be praying for you

@chipper
Having been in Kyrica for four years I lost 5 teeth! I am on my last week of coming off 50mg and it sure ha# done a number on me, what’s your tooth loss from?

Has anyone tried medical marijuana.

Lyrica

@cdcc

I have tried medical marijuana for pain, and it does work for me. However, it is always so strong that I end up stoned. I don't like being high so I don't use it. My husband uses it for his back and leg pain and anxiety. I found that my anxiety increased with marijuana because the lowest amount made me so high that I got nervous about it. There are probably less powerful kinds of marijuana available, you just have to ask your vendor what they are and try them.

The thing that helped me most was CBD Living Water (brand name) which is just like drinking bottled water. CBD is the part of the marijuana plant that doesn't make you high. It worked great for the anxiety I had while withdrawing from Tramadol. I haven't had that level of anxiety since then, but I was having muscle tremors again in my thighs last evening and I was wishing for the CBD water. I got through it without the help of the CBD last night. I think I will keep a bottle of the water around for the future though. When I used it, I just lost the anxiety and muscle tremors I was feeling and became relaxed. I think it may have helped with minor pain as well, but I mostly remember the calming effect it had. The CBD water is immediately available to your body, whereas the CBD tincture take as long as 2+ hours to have effect. The CBD Living Water costs $5.00 per 2 serving bottle. Not cheap, but well worth it in my opinion.

I was on Gabapentin, which is the generic med for Neurontin, of which Lyrica is the new formulation so the pharmaceutical company could make more money after the generic med came out in my opinion. I think, personally, that these are very bad medications that for me caused more harm than good. I'm so happy to hear you have gotten off the Lyrica. I definitely recommend trying CBD as an alternative for anxiety. Ativan is also addictive, although I never had an addiction to it when it and Lorazepam, the generic version, were prescribed for me for panic attacks.

The thing that helped me most with my anxiety/panic attacks was Citalopram, an antidepressant I began about 6 years ago. I am so happy to be free of all thoses fears, which stopped after the antidepressant. You can have genetic testing that will show you and your doctor which antidepressants will work for you before you take them. You can also do testing for other drugs as well, but I don't know which ones. It took me a few weeks to get used to the Citalopram, and I started at 1/2 the dose. After 6 months I was titrated to the full 40 mg dose. The only time I had a problem with anxiety since was during withdrawl from the Tramadol, a synthetic opiate.

Google, "genetic drug testing", or go directly to the Mayo Clinic site and search there for information.

By the way, if Lyrica has taken your teeth, have you had a bone scan to determine if it's caused osteoporosis? I would be concerned about that and want to check.

Best of luck in finding relief for your pain.

Warm regards,
Gail B
Volunteer Mentor