‘LYRICA’ : LIFE SAVER!!

[Editor’s note –The following article was written by ‘Alison’ –a group member who does not want to use her real name because some of the details in her article are quite embarrassing for her. Rather than talk to lots of us about the treatment she has had, she has written a very detailed article for us, for which I for one am very grateful. Please also bear in mind that Fibromyalgia –and the various treatments and remedies that exist - affect each of us differently. Margaret]

Hello, my name is Alison, I’m a typical FMS sufferer, I think, after meeting lots of others. I’ve had it for the past 10 years, but it was only diagnosed  6 years ago. Before my doctor started me on the drug ‘lyrica’ ( the drug itself is called ‘pregabalin’) I had first tried lots of  supplements like omega 3, magnesium, guifenesin etc as well as exercise, massages etc. While lots of these things helped (especially giving up work which was killing me) I couldn’t say that any of them ‘delivered me’ from the misery of the pain and fatigue to the extent that I could start doing ‘fun’ things again, like having nights out without being driven home at 9, going to weddings etc. In fact I had given up on anything being effective enough to really help me in a significant way.

Then my doctor talked to me about this new drug called ‘pregabalin’ (brand name ‘lyrica’). I agreed to give it a try and report back to my doctor at the end of 4 weeks. He gave me a dose of 600mgs per day, in 2 equal doses. I had to start them slowly and build up to a full dose. So what happened? Well, I didn’t wait 4 weeks before I reported back to him, as the drugs made me dizzy, faint, outrageously drunk and dopey. The last straw was having terrible diarrhoea –both day and night! They also make you really hungry –which didn’t help with the other trouble –as I failed to shut off the supply of food! I did notice however that the pain and fatigue had improved by a good 50%. Even the diarrhoea wasn’t as distressing as it usually was. But I decided that the side effects were so extreme I couldn’t continue and I told my doctor this. I supposed that ‘that was that’ and I had checked off yet another failed remedy but my doctor told me not to give up hope and that the problem with the drug might just be that we hadn’t got the dose right. Would I consider trying a lower dose (300mg a day)? Well, I wasn’t keen, I can tell you but I gave it a go at the lower dose for 4 weeks – and I haven’t looked back since!

I have now had almost a year of low dose lyrica, and while I still get very bad days, and the pain etc never completely disappears, it has without doubt transformed my quality of life. I now go to those weddings, and enjoy those nights out. Also the shopping gets done, the house gets cleaned and my kids tell me that they’ve got their mum back again! It’s not going to be right for everyone, however. I still get some of the side effects, for instance I still feel rather dizzy like I’ve had a glass of wine first thing in the morning. For those who drive or who need to go to work this could be a real problem. The hunger’s still there too –but since I’m able to do more exercise now (a yoga DVD 3 times a week), I’m not now putting on weight. I’m so grateful to my doctor, for his persistence and his help with taking on this new treatment, and I’m glad to tell the group that there is definitely ‘life after fibro’! Best wishes Alison.