Question/Comment:

I took Lyrica for about 2 months for Fibromyaglia. I had nothing but problems from the start. I would have this burst of energy and then crash. I started out on a low does of only 50mg and then moved up to 50 mg twice a day. I found after a two week this was enough and wanted more so I could keep this high feeling. Then add in my family. They soon saw I was having major mood swings. I could be all nice one min. and the next bitting their heads off for on good reason. Finally my husband said enough. He was sick of the fighting that was caused by my reaction to being on this drug. My Dr slowly took me off. Then that was when I got 3 weeks of hell when the nerves start to become active again.
I also have seen this happen to friend of mine, who took it for almost a year. She now walks with a cane or uses a wheelchair, because her body was ticked into think she could do more then she could.
Now my mother in law is on this drug from hell. The mood swings are awful. She feels like crying, and she has major memory problems. Riding with her in a car is like putting your life in her hands. She should not be driving. But she won't listen, because of the major mood swings. She tried to stop taking it, but then the nerves become active again and she doesn't want to feel that pain. What’s worst is it only stops half of her pain. she is so frustrated right now it isn't even funny
Personally I think this drug needs to be better followed and not push as a care all for Fibromyaglia.
49 year old female

Answer/Reply:

Lyrica makes me loss balance--walk like a drunl John Wayne---no help for pain--there must be something else???

Question/Comment:

I am interested in knowing more about the urinary incontience, as I have started having this problem. Also curious to know if there are more people that experience suicidal thoughts. How much is too much of this drug?

Question/Comment:

I am a 61 year old woman and have been taking lyrica for three months and have noticed hair loss. Is this a side effect?

Answer/Reply from iGuard:

Although some medications can cause hair loss, pregabalin (Lyrica) does not commonly cause hair loss. There are many things that can cause hair loss such as stress, infections, changes in hormone levels and sometimes hair loss is a symptom of an underlying disease such as diabetes or lupus. Since hair loss may be an early sign of a disease, you should follow up with your doctor - it is important to find the cause so that it can be treated.

Question/Comment:

I have RSD/CRPS and a possible pinched nerve at the C6-C7 junction. I was prescribed 50 mg Lyrica once a day for a week, then bumped it up to 50 3 times a day. It was horrible. I was exhausted, drowsy, had joint pain, had unsatisfiable hunger and I just ached. I also noticed my blood pressure was lower. The back pain is really bad, it is so hard to get out of the bed in the morning. After 3 days, we lowered it to 50mg twice a day. I am experiencing the same side effects plus now I am constipated. I am going to give it some a couple of more days but I don't think this is the right drug for me. I really don't know if I can wait out the three weeks to see if these side effects will go away.

As far as pain relief, it has helped with the burning pain but it was replace with a freezing type of pain.

Question/Comment:

I am a 45 year old male, who has had major back surgery. Even after my surgery, I have remained very physically restricted. I am taking Lyrica and have had a really bad problem with weight gain since starting this medication. I am also experiencing urinary incontinence. Is there anything that can be done to counteract these side effects.