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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by john51 on July 16, 2008, at 7:42:31
Hello all, I'm not even sure if this is the right forum for discussing this type of med...but..just in case...
Along with depression and G.A.D. I suffer from Chronic Low Back Pain....and from time to time, depending on just where "everything" in my spine happens to be "situated" I sometimes suffer from leg pain and also numbness and semi-numbness.
To make a long story short, my pain doc wanted to put me on Lyrica which is mainly used for Fibromyalgia but also for almost any kind of nerve related pain. I asked for something that is available as a generic (for cost reasons) and they prescribed Neurontin (Gabapentin)...and they basically said..."it's all the same"....my question is....IS THIS TRUE?? Is there any benefit with Lyrica over Neurontin or is Lyrica just the latest "New Kid On the Block" Drug....and therefore being touted as "The Best" option????
Thanks for any and all responses!!
john51
Posted by Phillipa on July 16, 2008, at 11:28:12
In reply to Neurontin (gabapentin) as good as Lyrica?, posted by john51 on July 16, 2008, at 7:42:31
Lyrica is great for back and leg pain don't know if neurotin is the same. Hope someone with the answer pops on been quiet lately. Phillipa
Posted by Amigan on July 18, 2008, at 15:42:58
In reply to Neurontin (gabapentin) as good as Lyrica?, posted by john51 on July 16, 2008, at 7:42:31
Lyrica is similar to Neurontin but much more potent. So, no. It's not "as good".
Posted by john51 on July 18, 2008, at 15:47:16
In reply to Re: Neurontin (gabapentin) as good as Lyrica?, posted by Amigan on July 18, 2008, at 15:42:58
Thanks to everyone for the feedback re: LYRICA vs. Neurontin (gabapentin)!!
Guess we can put this one to bed now...that is unless someone else has something they need to add....
Thanks again!!
john51
Posted by Zeba on July 18, 2008, at 23:39:40
In reply to Re: Neurontin (gabapentin) as good as Lyrica?, posted by john51 on July 18, 2008, at 15:47:16
I was prescribed Neurontin for cervical spine pain and now also for low back pain with physical therapy. It helped me, but I had to take 900 mg. I think and had terrible extra dry mouth. I have not taken it in awile, but the sports medicine doc jut prescribed it again and said to take 300 mg. per evening. I have also used a lidoderm patch for low back pain, and it worked wonderfully well until I had the pain shooting down my leg. For that the sports med doc gave me a shot in the sacrum. It took the nerve pain away but not all the pain and why I am now taking Neurontin.
Try it at least. If it hadn't been for Neurontin before I needed to get cervical spine surgery I probably would have blown my brains out I was in so much pain. It is sedating, though, and so I have mostly taken it at bedtime.
Zeba
Posted by always_doing_laundry on July 21, 2008, at 15:48:40
In reply to Re: Neurontin (gabapentin) as good as Lyrica? » john51, posted by Zeba on July 18, 2008, at 23:39:40
I have taken neurontin/gabapentin for several years for polyneuropathy that is most pronounced in my feet (pain, numbness, freezing/burning). I have taken as low a dose as 300 mg and as much as 600 mg TID.
As long as you know that it is masking the pain and not taking it away ... I always like to believe that the neuropathy has "gone away," b/c I feel normal/good when I'm taking it or at least have a blood level of some sort. But then I quit and realize that my brain just didn't feel the pain.
It is inexpensive as a generic, and you can control the sedation with the dose and dosing schedule (try to take all or more of it at night before bed). The main side effect I notice is leg edema if I get to a certain dose, which I'm sure varies among individuals. I have never wanted to switch to Lyrica, b/c its side effects seem far more numerous and it is more expensive.
Posted by dcruik518 on July 22, 2008, at 11:44:24
In reply to Re: Neurontin (gabapentin) as good as Lyrica?, posted by always_doing_laundry on July 21, 2008, at 15:48:40
Well, most of you seem to be speculating. I've actually been on both and Lyrica is better. Since it's more potent and passes the blood brain barrier more readily, it's as if you are able to take something like neuronin and get effectively treated but at a much lower dose so you experience far fewer side effects. Another nice thing is that it lasts about 3 hours longer than neurontin. It's also more "stable" at higher doses; in other words, unlike neurontin which actually begins to metabolize itself the higher you go with the dose, with lyrica you are able to maintain a steady blood consistent with the dose you are taking. In my experience, the drugs feels essentially the same as Neurontin, it just works better. The main problem with it is that it is way too expensive at this point, and probably the majority of insurance companies won't pay for it.
~DRC
Posted by john51 on July 22, 2008, at 14:15:26
In reply to Re: Neurontin (gabapentin) as good as Lyrica?, posted by dcruik518 on July 22, 2008, at 11:44:24
> Well, most of you seem to be speculating. I've actually been on both and Lyrica is better. Since it's more potent and passes the blood brain barrier more readily, it's as if you are able to take something like neuronin and get effectively treated but at a much lower dose so you experience far fewer side effects. Another nice thing is that it lasts about 3 hours longer than neurontin. It's also more "stable" at higher doses; in other words, unlike neurontin which actually begins to metabolize itself the higher you go with the dose, with lyrica you are able to maintain a steady blood consistent with the dose you are taking. In my experience, the drugs feels essentially the same as Neurontin, it just works better. The main problem with it is that it is way too expensive at this point, and probably the majority of insurance companies won't pay for it.
> ~DRC
>THANK YOU DRC!!
I think that your response to this question has been the most informative and the most "realistic"....I'm not sure if that is the best word for what I am trying to say here, but I mean that in regard to your information about Lyrica probably being the "BETTER" drug it is UNFORTUANTELY, at least at this time, TOO EXPENSIVE!!! This was my reason for starting this thread from the very beginning....you see, my pain doc wanted to prescribe Lyrica for me but I HAD TO ask him for SOMETHING that is available as a GENERIC.....WHY?? Well, WHY ELSE?? Because of THE COST!!!!! Even with my Medicare Drug Coverage...I cannot afford to be on a drug like Lyrica...ESPECIALLY if it WORKS BETTER...because, if I am on it, I will eventually reach the Medicare Part D "COVERAGE GAP" and would have to pay FULL RETAIL PRICE for the drug!!! That is why they prescribed the Neurontin for me.....and, by the way, it never helped me that much...so I 86'd IT TOO!!!It is a SHAME that people with REAL MEDICAL NEEDS CANNOT AFFORD TO TAKE THE MEDICATIONS THAT CAN ACTUALLY HELP THEM BECAUSE OF OUR CURRENT FLAWED SYSTEM!!!
Thanks again DRC!!! And...Thank you all for ALL your contributions to this post and to ALL the Threads on this site. I have really learned a LOT here!!!
john51
Posted by maree on July 22, 2008, at 20:44:52
In reply to Re: Neurontin (gabapentin) as good as Lyrica?, posted by always_doing_laundry on July 21, 2008, at 15:48:40
You said you noticed "sedation with the dose and dosing schedule (try to take all or more of it at night before bed)."
Ok, that is a good idea to beat the fatigue during the day, but, surely the positive effects of the meds are going to wear off later in the day, or in the following evening, I do not care about being unhappy whilst I am asleep, I would just like to feel less unhappy whilst I am awake.
I was also looking at it for fibromyalgia treatment, so, I feel that I would want the meds to be fully active during the time I am up and awake.
How bad is the fatigue, since I also suffer from severe tiredness due to the fibro.
Posted by dcruik518 on July 23, 2008, at 0:44:10
In reply to Re: Neurontin (gabapentin) as good as Lyrica? » always_doing_laundry, posted by maree on July 22, 2008, at 20:44:52
You're right if you take it at all at night, only some of the metabolites will remain active during the day and you probably won't get the effect you want. Many many people report a paradoxically energizing effect of the drug as your raise the dose above 600mg at a time. I was skeptical at first, but I tried it and sure enough, I wanted to party all night. :) So at very least the drug does seem to get MORE sedating at higher doses like you'd expect. Also, if it is really sedating for you, you could ask your doctor about taking a low dose stimulant like adderall or a stimulating anti-depressant such desimipramine.
Posted by annabamma on August 12, 2008, at 8:11:16
In reply to Re: Neurontin (gabapentin) as good as Lyrica? » always_doing_laundry, posted by maree on July 22, 2008, at 20:44:52
I know this thread is a few months old-but I was just reading the posts on "Ixel"-it's supposed to be something new for fibro-have you read about it???Interesting stuff..
This is the end of the thread.
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