Experiences with Lyrica?

[JayCS]

Zanaflex was prescribed by my PCP too, but that's because he's trying to help me manage my pain. Is it working?? The answer is NO it's not

So why not stop it? Any med that's not working is very likely damaging in some kind (even if 'only' liver, kidneys etc.).

If it weren't for the fact that I've known him for 19 years, I would never dream of telling a doctor about what I'm stressed out about because it's a deeply personal experience at the moment. Wish me luck, okay??

- but also energy (if only "adrenaline") to let you find the right words, follow thru, remember everything you want to say, remember to look on your list if you've forgotten anything important.

Actually we shouldn't tell doctors what exactly we're stressed about, the time is too short to go into it fittingly, and that can re-traumatize, so make it worse. We need to go thru it bit by bit with someone who knows "the ropes", i.e. safety lines, to get us back out of the memory / thoughts. That said we can to every doc say "I suffer quite a bit from [anxiety], (but I can't go into that)". Actually even "I can't go into that" is superfluous, because any doc who then asks what about and wants a detailed answer is being intrusive/invasive. Anxiety and PTDS etc. is something for professionals, not amateurs. But if you trust him after 19 years I'm hoping it'll go well!

 

[sunkacola]

@KimsCorner -- I agree with Jay's post above.
Stop taking any medication that is not fully working for you. Under doctor supervision, of course.

There is no need ever to go into detail about what stresses you out unless the doctor asks you directly, and even then you can keep it to not-so-personal things. Sometimes they will ask, and not being intrusive, but needing to know if it is something like struggling to pay rent (so, might refer you to social services) or something very temporary, ( so, wait a while to see if it gets better) or if it really needs medication. They need to know a little bit to see if the requirements are met before giving a person meds.

Getting "fired" from pain management is terrible and I feel for you; I am so sorry you had that experience. I never had that experience, but the people at the pain clinic were rude, dismissive, patronizing, suspicious, and spoke to me as if I were slow-witted or a child. I hated the way they treated me, and hated always toeing their lines in order to get meds for my pain.

But that was all a good thing in the long run!
Because it made getting the pain meds so unpleasant that I started trying to find things I could do besides taking drugs. And the result was that I have learned how to manage fibromyalgia with only the occasional use of drugs. I believe that anyone can do this, and that led to my writing my post on it.
Maybe it is possible for you to reframe this really humiliating and terrible experience by seeing it as an opportunity to approach your condition in a new way. I highly recommend that you do this, if and when you are able.
We are here to support you.