I have taken Lyrica starting at 75mg and now up to 150mg twice a day for just over a year now. I decided to try find a less expensive alternative and Gabapentin was recommended by a pharmacist. I am not a diabetic, but I've had spinal fusion twice, 10 years and 1year ago. Now I suffer with peripheral neuropathy and my right foot is basically crippled with Charcot foot. I've gone from playing tennis, running and biking 2 years ago to barely walking by myself.
I found that Lyrica seemed to help take away the "buzzing" in my right leg and foot so I could sleep at night, but is soooo expensive (now that the deductibles have to be met again). I haven't had the weight gain problem that others mention, but I do think it makes me more tired and off balance a bit. I have tried Gabapentin for the last tword days and am finding it not working at the low dose the doctor has me on... just 300my once a day. I have upped it to 3xs a day because I was hurting so badly. I keep waking get up in the night sweating and then not, and my right leg is "buzzing" again.
Any advice for me?? I hate being in pain, but I HATE taking pills. I am 51 and wanted to do so much more... it sucks getting old! Should I just keep taking the Lyrica, or should I give the Gabapentin longer to work? Does it take a while to get into the system? Can I take lyrica and gabapentin alternating ... one during the day and Lyrica at bedtime, I often have to add taking an Ibuprofen 400-800mg to help with the pain in my back and right leg. Any thoughts??
I need advice about taking lyrica vs gabapentin? Can I take gabapentin by day and lyrica at night?
Question posted by Kokacola1 on 8 March 2016
Last updated on 28 November 2018 by Whocares58
5 Answers
gabapentin causes memory problems we when taken for a long time took it for three years and I can't remember anything that happened my kids complained so the time about me not remembering
Hi Kokacola1, I have been on Lyrica for 10yrs.now (that speaks for itself)! I see my Rheumatologist every 6 month for evaluation. Yes, it is expensive, but superior to Gabapentin when it comes to nerve pain! I get my Lyrica from Pfizer (the manufacturer for free). Ten yrs. ago I applied with "Patient Assistance Program". In order to get the drug you have to meet the income guideline, which for 1 person in the household is $48,000.00 a yr. If you are over that limit... you do not qualify! I just spoke with Pfizer regarding refill for Lyrica & they will send it to me via Express Mail. You also, need to reapply & fill out a new application every yr. My dosage of Lyrica in the beginning was 100mg (25mg in the morning, 25 in the afternoon & 50mg at bedtime. Just recently, my Rheumatologist upped it 150mg a day.
Yes, it makes you tired & gives you brain fog! Doctor informed me it is either one or the other (gabapentin or Lyrica) not both. His comment was that Lyrica is more effective then gabapentin and my pharmacist agreed as well! I suffer from severe lumbar & cervical stenosis and Fibromyalgia. Seeing a Pain management Specialist this week for a consultation on what else can be done. I hope that I've been of assistance to you... feel free to post other questions!
Take care & be well
I have ADHD and insomnia my doctor prescribed me gabapentin 300mg once a day as well, for me I took it for 10 days just taking one pill and then after the 10th day I took 2 pills. Gabapentin seems to help at night but sometimes at night when I only take one, I'll take one when I wake up, I'm only getting four hours of sleep a night so sometimes I take one in the morning and go back to sleep and try and get like four more hours of sleep if possible. Anyways I really like gabapentin so far and it helps my ADHD at night is one of the reasons I couldn't even get to sleep since it made it almost impossible to hold still long enough to get to sleeP at all. I would say take it for longer it takes about an hour to even kick in, I take it an hour before I take my trazodone and melatonin. I feel that gabapentin helps my pains and anxiety best when taken at night so I would say take it at night and see if it helps any more than during the day.
But always ask your doctor if it's okay to up the dosage if needed. Good luck and hope this helps.
You could but I would do the opposite. Gabapentin has tendencies to cause drowsiness and Lyrica does not. I take both prescribed by the same doc. Hope this helps!
Just give it a little longer to work. You may ask the doctor to make it stronger.. I've taken them both and then some. Lyrics made my mind skip around. Very weird affects. I like gabapentin the best... It's more affordable too. I understand I got sick when I was 36 and I'll be 44 next month. I live in pain all over my body. I pretty much live in sweats and pajamas.. It sucks being in pain . I live by faith to keep going. If I didn't have my faith and my family I couldn't make it.
I wouldn't recommend I did at one point for about 6 months but I was so over medicated I started having seizures. It was because I took to much I guess. I would just take one or the other...
Thank you for you advice. I am sorry you suffer so much. I also live by faith. It is the only thing that gets.me to the next day. Thanks again!
I've been on both neurontin (gabapentin) and am on lyrica right now (only the 5th day). I thought the gabapentin wasn't working as well after being on it for 2 years so the pain clinic recommended that I try lyrica. At first it seemed to help but after 5 days and after they increased the lyrica today I can't stand the pain so I'm going back on the neurontin tonight. I know I didn't give it a lot of time, but I definitely seem to respond to neurontin better than lyrica for neuropathic pain.
I just wanted to say I know what you are going through. We may not have the same conditions but I'm in neuropathic pain all day and night following a bladder removal last year. Prior to that I was in pain 24/7 from a bladder condition and before that, constant pain from back problems, fusions, several surgeries and injections. I feel for you from the bottom of my heart. It's the most difficult thing to live with (constant pain). Without my family, I wouldn't know what to do. God works in mysterious ways. I wonder if He's listening but pray nevertheless. I pray that you find some peace and comfort from your pain soon.
Related topics
lyrica, peripheral neuropathy, gabapentin, scoliosis, spinal fusion, pharmacist
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