Lyrica
Hello,
I'm 62 years old, and I'm taking Lyrica 200mg 3x a day for a total of 600. I switched over from Gabapentin, when I developed a tolerance at the maximum dose after a few years.
Until recently, it's been very good at pain management, although I discovered to my surprise, that if I happened to forget a dose, vomiting, intense itching, skin crawling sensations, etc. would develop, and it would take time for my nerves to get back to "normal."
I don't recall my doctors' warning about a physical dependence, and I'd gotten the impression from what I had read that while you have to taper off, no biggie. [Meanwhile, I was the type of person who would get very nervous when I was prescribed an opiate for, for example, recovery after dental surgery, because I "didn't want to get addicted."]
Both neurologists I have had have cheerfully upped me to my next dose or switched me to Lyrica (because you need less to get the same effect). And stupidly, when I missed a dose, I would take twice as much. I didn't realize I shouldn't do that. I am so angry at myself for not reading more and questioning more.
I am at my maximuum. My feet have been really bothering me sometimes of late, right now wrapped in Lidocaine patches, which are also getting less effective, and I am afraid.
-Where do I go from here? I took Amitriptyline with Lyrica once, and slept the *entire* day, and then was in a fog. What is left for me if I have developed a dependence to this medicine? [I'm also on a GLP-1, a statin, and a few other drugs not related to pain relief or nerves.]
-What if a shortage develops of this medicine, or if my insurance decides to no longer cover it?
-I have always had a great memory. I love reading, do NYT crossword puzzles, & learning new things. I now will have trouble remembering some common word a few times a day. I don't know how much is age, how much is drugs, how much is lack of sleep...or is it the beginnings of dementia?
I am afraid.