Pregabalin for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome User Reviews

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 29, 2012

Pregabalin "I've found this medication to be helpful in calming down the sharp pains I feel throughout my body. I notice that at the site of my initial injury (foot), I still have constant pain, but the pain has decreased. I also notice that if I'm stressed, the medication seems to not work as well, so I don't know if I need the dosage increased, but there is a major difference in how much pain I feel. I do not like the side effects, but which would I rather have - sharp pains or side effects? For me, they're headaches, drowsiness, dizziness, fatigue, odd stomach upsets initially after taking the medication, unfocused attention, euphoria, and that 'high' feeling. I don't get all of these side effects each time I take it, but it can be any of them."

• Evi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 16, 2014

"I have full-body RSD for 10 years. It is not a disease you can live with. I was on morphine and Valium for the 10 years and decided to stop them. I lost those years of my life sleeping 17 hours a day, and the pain was horrible, even taking 90 mg a day and 30 mg of Valium. I went to Wilmington Treatment Center to stop the medicines, and so they started me on the Lyrica 450 mg per day. It saved my life. Without the Lyrica, I was awake for 3 days, crying in pain, could not lay in a bed due to the sheets touching me, my core temperature would not come up, I was freezing, but everything burned my skin if it touched me. The Lyrica, within 2 hours, gave me hope, and I started turning around for the better. My life is so much better now. My family is glad to have me back!"

• Oh...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 15, 2014

"Lyrica, the wonder medicine. After having a nerve crushed in Afghanistan, I had RSD/CRPS in my left leg. Doctors put me on Neurontin, which just made me neurotic and did not help the pain. A month after switching to Lyrica, I was able to lose the crutches, and a few weeks later, the prosthetic supporting my leg. After four months, yes, I still have a crushed nerve, but pain and hypersensitivity dropped to bearable levels after six months off all medication but Motrin. Four years later, I have a resurgence of RSD due to a back injury. Lyrica had me back walking in two weeks and has continued to reduce the pain levels."

• Vet...
• October 20, 2015

"I have Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome, and to those who actually have to feel the constant pain that we do, know just how hard it makes our daily life. I have been on Neurontin and amitriptyline and have had nerve blocks. I cry after I have a nerve block because I, for a short time, feel normal. These blocks are dangerous, and I have had some complications. My family physician prescribed Lyrica, and I see a huge difference in my pain. I now have hope to live a normal life!"

• CRP...
• April 27, 2020

"When I developed CRPS/RSD after reconstructive hand surgery, I hadn’t even taken pain meds after the surgery, nor with broken bones/hardware, or a ruptured appendix. This RSD pain is a whole different animal - it nearly broke me! I was sleeping less than an hour a night - couldn’t put my arm down anywhere. I resisted Lyrica at first, but after a few weeks (still refusing opioids), I had to do something. Lyrica was a miracle! I took 600 mg/day. It made my memory terrible, but 0 other side effects. I gained 16 pounds in 15 months, but that was due to 2 more surgeries, spreads to each of my legs, not being able to work, and not being able to lift weights/ride a bicycle, etc. I recently decided to try to slowly wean down from Lyrica as much as possible, only because I don’t want to be on medication. I’m now down to 150 mg a day, with no withdrawal symptoms. Yes, I am having more pain, but nothing like I did in 12/2018 when this first developed. My memory is back to normal too."

• lad...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 1, 2018

"I have had RSD for over 25 years now. What helped me the most was that for 22 years I was on fentanyl patches-two 75mcg every 3 days, or 150mcg total. Now, after 22 years, the states are cracking down on opioid use, as maybe all of you know. So, I went from 150mcg to 100mcg to 75mcg to 50mcg, and next will be 25mcg. The 50mcg did not work, and I was crying to my doc that it was not enough. I thought I was going to die and wanted to. The burning was so bad I felt like a pig on a spit. Hot, cold, hot again, and cold again. The doc gave me gabapentin, but after reading all of your comments on Lyrica, maybe I have some hope, and he will let me try that. I am on workman's comp, and at least this medication is much cheaper than the fentanyl, so maybe they will okay that. I loved reading all of your comments on this drug and hope I can also get some relief. The fentanyl worked like a dream, but because of all the addicts dying here, we are being punished for being dependent and not addicted to this drug."

• Anonymous
• April 13, 2011

Pregabalin "I was prescribed Lyrica in conjunction with Nortriptyline for RSD pain. It has proven to be a miracle worker over Neurontin/Gabapentin. Although both make me very sleepy and tired, Lyrica actually put a dent in the level of pain. While on Neurontin, I was at a constant 7-10/10, Lyrica has brought it to (rarely) 0 and at most (during flare-ups, etc.) 6."

• Anonymous
• November 20, 2009

Pregabalin "Side effects are a bit annoying sometimes, but it's working for me, so I'll put up with it. A side note: I'm taking this in addition to Wellbutrin and Cymbalta. All for my RSD. I have only had intermittent pain, and it was extremely mild in comparison to before this combination."

• jas...
• September 8, 2015

"I first started taking this for a trapped nerve causing cramps in my hand. I started off at 25 mg three times a day for the first week. The first thing I felt was calm, all my worries went away. Second week, upped to 100 mg three times a day. Feel like a lotto winner, walking and talking like a new man. No prob with sex, it's all still working! Slight foggy brain, but got my old job back, cramps in hand gone, all looking well. Booking to go away with the wife soon."

• Miz...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 28, 2018

"I’ve been taking Lyrica for RSD/CRPS in my knee, and it’s really made a difference. At first, I was crazy tired and really spacey, but now those side effects aren’t as bad. I’m taking 75 mg twice a day right now, and my pain is at least 50% better than it was before the Lyrica. I could use a higher dose, but I’m trying to take as little as I can and be functional. I may increase my dose, but for now, I am happy to say it is really helping!"

• Blu...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 15, 2019

"I suffer from RSD (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy syndrome) - severe pain from a damaged nerve in my shoulder. I’ve had the condition for 8 years, and when it first manifested itself, the nerve pain spread from my right shoulder/head to my left side, beginning at the feet until I had a condition called polyneuropathy, which is nerve pain all over the body. Felt like at times my whole body was on fire. After consulting with specialists, I was put on Lyrica - 600 mgs a day. Very high dose, but it helped tremendously. Yes, there were side effects in the beginning, especially the weight gain - 30 pounds - but when you're in mortal pain, you don’t even realize you’ve gained the weight, and you don’t care. I’ve tampered the medicine down to 200 mgs a day. I got my life back. My problem is now that it’s gone generic, and after 3 weeks of taking the generic, my pain is breaking through. I’m praying that with time, the new formulation will kick in as my insurance is not wanting to pay for the brand name Lyrica."

• Anonymous
• October 19, 2011

Pregabalin "I have full-body RSD. Lyrica brings down the burning and helps with the pain, especially in my face and upper body. I also have to take Cymbalta, tramadol, and morphine, but like I said, I have full-body RSD. The only side effect is my vision, and I feel like I'm high, but the benefits outweigh the side effects."

• mse...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 17, 2018

"I switched to Lyrica after using Gabapentin. I immediately noticed the swelling, which increased my pain and became unbearable. Also, the shooting pains returned. Maybe my dosage wasn't high enough. I was on 1800 mg/day for Gabapentin and only 150 mg/day for Lyrica. After a week, I went back to Gabapentin."

• Jam...
• December 7, 2009

Pregabalin "I'm 20 with RSD. Lyrica was the first nerve medicine they attempted to use on me. I had a really bad reaction, and after three days of taking the medicine, I had incontinence. Not fun when you're just trying to be a normal college student."

• Opa...
• October 23, 2009

Pregabalin "I had a severe reaction to taking Lyrica. I gained 40 lbs in 2 months, and had such severe swelling in my legs."

• spa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 30, 2014

"This (Lyrica) has been the best option I have tried. It did not make me drowsy and made long days of standing and walking on my bad foot almost unnoticeable."

• Anonymous
• July 15, 2010

Pregabalin "Controls a major percentage of the burning and stinging."

• eil...
• June 30, 2010

Pregabalin "Lyrica was the first medication that helped with the nerve pains. It calmed down some of the burning in my toes, especially. It also gave me some hope in addition to pain relief."

• mhv...
• December 6, 2011

Pregabalin "Side effects were debilitating, headaches, nausea. Did not experience much in the way of pain relief."

• Rhi...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 9, 2020

"Pregabalin is probably the most effective pain relief that I take, it allows me to get up, get dressed, and live a little bit of a life."