LYRICA ALMOST RUINED MY LIFE!

[Allglory2God]

 

[Amesalot]

acupuncture treatments do give me temporary relief; however, insurance/Medicare doesn't pay for these

Hi Mary
I’ve also found relief with acupuncture and an acupuncturist that I adore. I’m on MediCare as well. Medicare will cover 8 visits per year plus another 12 more if your practitioner signs off on it. So while the treatment doesn’t cover the whole year, at least it’s something.
MediCare (and most insurances I’m sure) can be so difficult to navigate that they should truly have a personal liaison to make heads or tails of it all.
Luckily there is a phone line run by a non-profit in the US that you can call to get free advice on how to navigate your health care. They can answer any questions you have. It’s called HICAP (Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program). If you have any questions in the future that you feel MediCare can’t answer adequately for you or you find yourself wondering which MediCare plan will best serve you, try giving them a call.
I hope this helps you in your journey.

 

[Amesalot]

trigger point and many similar

I also agree with JayCS. Acupressure has helped me on the days I’m unable to do acupuncture.
There are videos on YouTube or a couple great accounts run by reputable practitioners on Instagram. Let me know if you’d like more information about any of those, I’m happy to help.

 

[Amesalot]

I thought of another resource for navigating MediCare. It’s shiphelp.org. You can find your local SHIP office and they’ll answer any questions you have regarding MediCare.
Although I’m only 42, I’m disabled and have been on MediCare for 15 years so I feel like I know at least some of the ins and outs at this point Please let me know if you have other questions because I do understand how mins boggling it is.

 

[Debshoe208]

Wait until the weight starts coming off! I gained fifty pounds taking Lyrica from 2008. In November 2021, I eliminated it from my prescription protocol. I lost 30 pounds in the following six months and am now back to my pre-fibro weight. I was totally amazed! And now I’m stuck with a closet full of clothes that don’t fit. But no complaints from me!

 

[JayCS]

I lost 30 pounds in the following six months

Wow, that's brilliant! Hi Debshoe208, and welcome...
Probably not the same for everyone coming off pregabalin/Lyrica?
I know it takes a lot longer for most from amitriptyline/Elavil,
I put on 6kg in 4 months and it took me 2 years to lose it.
(And 2 years later, this year, I lost appetite and weight and struggled to get that back up... )

 

[Allglory2God]

Yes! 30lbs already and still going! I'm so looking forward to a new wardrobe! Shoes too. I'm down to 2 chins versus 1 big fat chin.

 

[Allglory2God]

GURU! Awesome. I hope your appetite and weight continue to improve. How much is 6kg? I'll look it up.

 

[Allglory2God]

Just a bit of an update. Since weaning myself (with my GP's guidance) off Lyrica and other prescribed narcotics and muscle relaxers. I'm still perfecting my lamaze approach however I'm really trying to focus on my breathing techniques. While I am remaining focused in perseverance, I have hit a few road blocks.

My mental health is taking some hits. Waking up wishing I was dead. This is fleeting for about 30-45 minutes. (Please dont worry I have NOT made plans to do so. My psychiatrist is fully aware and has a check system in place) It is not every morning. Thank you Jesus! I am attributing this to my body readjusting itself from pn (prescribed narcotics) to my body taking over naturally. But absolutely no depression cycles to speak of. I use to cycle 6 months to 18 months in depression. Now it's maybe just 1-3 days.

My pain level is still 5-6 versus 7-8. I still hurt alot! And like clock work still my body just starts shutting down on me by 2pm. I really struggle with this.

While my stamina is increasing day by day. Exhaustion would still be a major complaint. Has B12 shots ever helped anyone for an extended period of time?

I'm still learning to walk and by G+d's grace I will be reaching my goal of long sustained healthy strides!

Bless you all!

 

[JayCS]

I hope your appetite and weight continue to improve. How much is 6kg?

Yeah, thanks!

Appetite: Got my weight up now, after 7 months, but it was tricky cos I can only eat 40-50 foods, and to get my appetite back I had to eat things I shouldn't.
Now I've got the weight back I still often struggle with appetite. Filling a tray with "everything" helps.
But I have to eat slowly with breaks cos of a Schatzki ring esophagus stricture, not easy to eat with zest.

13 pounds up in 4 months, 8% of my body weight...
Wasn't too serious and wasn't the worst of its 8-9 side effects...
Then back to normal, then another 8 pounds down, pretty skinny, and now back up.

 

[Not2Jaded]

Had a lot of pain for decades but wary of medication so music practice is my medicine. Can be freeing for the soul ... singing or any instrument you have enjoyed playing ... gets natural dopamine flowing ... I was strongly interested in sacred music because of it all .. and it is often very gentle and healing.

 

[Allglory2God]

Hi. Thank you so much for your suggestion. Though I could never hit or sustain a note or play an instrument. I love singing loud and proud. I haven't done so in years but will get back into it now. God loves His children to praise Him through our own unique voices.
I've recently discovered , Elevation. A praise and worship music channel .
God bless you and keep you.

 

[JayCS]

singing or any instrument you have enjoyed playing

I love singing loud and proud.

I wasn't gonna say that due to quicker and quicker exhaustibility I've had to give up, first with singing and wind then other instruments, and now even my listening is usually down to 3'. However I can looking for the hopeful and good sides say I'm now still and more able to listen and sing / chirp to the birds (and guinea pigs) around me....

 

[SacrificedPawn]

One more in here. I just regret so much for taking gabapentin and pregabalin! As i explained in my previous posts, such pain blocker drugs just make the situation worse! But I cant even convince doctors...

 

[sunkacola]

I am going to add my experience in here.

I took gabapentin for several weeks at one point years ago, and had no result from it whatever, nothing good, nothing bad.

I started taking Pregablin (Lyrica) about three months ago. My doctor prescribed it for me to take in the morning and also at night.

At first I only took it at night, and it did seem to make my sleep better, meaning deeper and maybe I slept longer. But more recently it has not seemed to be helping with sleep at all, and my sleep has been very poor for the past couple of months. I had some serious stress over this summer, so it might be attributable to that, and I am going to continue taking it at night to see.

I started recently taking it in the morning as well, because I am having so many terrible days I need something that changes that even a little bit.
So far, I think it is helping enough that it's worthwhile for me to continue taking it and see how it goes. I am actually able to get things done when I take it. Anything that helps is terrific for as long as it helps.

It sure hasn't made me gain any weight! But if it did, I'd be so glad because my problem is that I am way too thin.

Everyone's different, and how drugs affect any given individual is not predictable,
so one cannot ever say that this or that drug is good or is bad or works for everyone or doesn't ever work.

I may not continue to like the pregablin, but as with everything about fibro I am taking it one day at a time and I will see.