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Alternatives to Lyrica

Womble

Senior Member
Messages
138
Have just tried Lyrica for the first time for "nerve ending" pain. I took 25 mg.

It was very effective in ridding me entirely of all pain, but I also felt the drug was possibly
harming me in other ways, such as sleep disturbance, confusion, mood changes, and just
feeling drugged out and tired.

I have previously only gotten pain relief from probiotics, which must effect the nerve pain somehow, maybe because of GABA.

Can anyone recommend other things besides Lyrica, or do you think the side effects will go away eventually?
 

Deltrus

Senior Member
Messages
271
Maybe marijuana? There are actually very few pain relief medicines with low side effects and low tolerance.
 

skipskip30

Senior Member
Messages
237
buspar is very similar to pregabalin when you use them for anxiety so maybe buspar would have the same pain relieving effects too? Worth asking your doctor about anyway.
 

Womble

Senior Member
Messages
138
I have heard a ton about LDN on these forums.

I wonder why no doctor has recommended it to me yet?

Is it a newer drug? Is their controversy about it? How does it compare to Lyrica?
 

Horizon

Senior Member
Messages
239
You can try LDN but you can also try Resveratrol, in studies has shown to be equally effective as Lyrica for fibromyalgia.
 

CFS_for_19_years

Hoarder of biscuits
Messages
2,396
Location
USA
I have some experience with nerve ending pain.

Venlafaxine XR (Effexor XR) has been very good for nerve-type pain. It can give you more energy, so take it in the morning.
Duloxetine (Cymbalta) can also help with nerve pain, but to a much smaller extent when compared to venlafaxine.

Nortriptyline is good for this, but it is sedating, so it wouldn't be at the very top of the list, unless you're also looking for a sleep aid. All you may need is 15 to 20mg every night, which is a relatively small dose.

Neurontin is pregabalin's predecessor, and might help, but if you can't tolerate 25mg of pregabalin, neurontin might have the same side effects for you.

I've taken all of the above. I haven't gotten any relief from nerve pain while using cannabis, but it does help some people.
 

JES

Senior Member
Messages
1,320
I have heard a ton about LDN on these forums.

I wonder why no doctor has recommended it to me yet?

Is it a newer drug? Is their controversy about it? How does it compare to Lyrica?

Naltrexone is an old medication that was developed decades ago for alcohol/drug dependence, which it has been approved for by FDA. LDN (low-dose-naltrexone) is referring to off-label use of same drug in small dosage for treating some autoimmune diseases, fibromyalgia etc. It's totally safe and there is no controversy from that point, it's only because the drug hasn't had FDA approval that some doctors will not prescribe it due to lack of evidence. Though there is plenty of evidence from smaller studies by now on the Internet, so you should be able to find at least some doctors that prescribes it.