My dr is switching me from gabapentin to lyrica & I’m nervous about the long list of side effects of lyrica, has this switch happen to anyone else?
I no longer take Gabapentin and have never tried Lyrica, although it has been suggested for my fibro. Is there a reason they want to change it? I had good luck with Gaba when I was on it - I got better so I weaned myself off.
The side effect profile is similar between the two. Lyricas bioavailability increases proportionally as the dose increases while the gaba drops from 60% to 30% as the dose increases. Both function the same way by increasing calcium influx and subsequent release of excitatory neurotransmitters. What that means to you is that if you are not recieving complete control at a high dose of the gaba, you can take the same dose of lyrica and get more "bang" by the same token because you can take a lower dose of the lyrica you have less potential over time for side effects. I hope the change is good for you. Good luck.
Hi Aleki,
I have taken Lyrica for years, most especially for sciatica, and it works very well. I too started with Gaba, but it did not agree with me. I take under the normal recommended dose at 225 mg, but was started at a much lower dose and it was gradually increased to prevent SE.
I hope this is a success for you.
It took 9 days before I collapsed at work and was rushed to hospital - the accumulative effects of Lyrica. Been on Gabapentin since for the last 5 yrs and not a single problem.