• Effectiveness

  None (for fibromyalgia)
• Side effects

  Severe (for Overall) (loopy feeling, swelling in legs, feet and ankles, vertigo)
• Adherence

  Never taken as prescribed
• Burden

  Very hard to take

Dosage: 25 mg Daily

• Effectiveness

  None (for pain)
• Effectiveness

  None (for muscle pain)
• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for nerve pain (neuralgia))
• Side effects

  Severe (for Overall) (brain fog, weight gain, blurry vision, problems concentrating)
• Adherence

  Never taken as prescribed
• Burden

  Very hard to take

Dosage: 450 mg Daily

Advice & Tips: I was taking Lyrica for a few years and then I had trouble with my insurance paying for my script so I stopped using the Lyrica for awhile. I finally got things squared away with the insurance and I started taking Lyrica again at a lower dose. Within 3 days of restarting the Lyrica my family noticed that I had changed. I was groggy and not paying attention to important things. I felt a presence who talked to me and I talked back. That was a really creepy feeling once I realized what was happening. I stopped taking the Lyrica again because my family was shocked at the difference in my behavior. My pain is worse without the Lyrica, but my life is much better.

Cost: < $25 monthly

Side effects: blurry vision, brain fog, weight gain, weight gain, problems concentrating

• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for pain)
• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for nerve pain (neuralgia))
• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for muscle pain)
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (brain fog, weight gain, blurry vision, problems concentrating)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: 600 mg Daily

Advice & Tips: Before I was taking my current dose of 600 mg. of Lyrica a day I was a total mess with electric type pain consuming my whole body in addition to the regular type of pain that the doctor prescribes regular pain meds for. Now that I am on such a high dose of the Lyrica I am at least able to live a normal life where I am not constantly being electrocuted by everything I touch and feel inside.

Cost: < $25 monthly

Side effects: blurry vision, brain fog, weight gain, weight gain, problems concentrating

• Effectiveness

  Slight (for fibromyalgia)
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (dizziness and feeling faint)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Very hard to take

Dosage: 100 mg Daily

Advice & Tips: just smile

Cost: < $25 monthly

• Effectiveness

  None (for fibromyalgia)
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (weight gain)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 100 mg Daily

Advice & Tips: This treatment MAY help those with 1-4 Points of Fibro but, if you are higher like I am (18 of 18) it DOES NOT help!!!

• Effectiveness

  None (for pain)
• Effectiveness

  None (for herniated disc)
• Effectiveness

  None (for sciatic neuralgia)
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (dizziness, drowsiness)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 75 mg Daily

Advice & Tips: Lyrica was never proven to help in alleviating sciatic pain. I tried to take it because the physiatrist suggested this medication and it is sometimes effective for chronic pain. The drowsiness and dizziness, commen side effects of this medication, did not subside with time. I did not have any pain relief. If you want to try this medication for sciatic pain due to herniated disc you should not spend a long time in evaluating the possible beneficial effects of this medication. If you don't see benefit after a couple of weeks I would suggest to move on to procedures that help. If the pain is intractable and epidural steroids don't help, it's time to search for a surgeon.

Cost: < $25 monthly

• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for epilepsy)
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (tiredness, fatigue)
• Adherence

  Usually
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: 2 other Daily

Cost: $25-49 monthly

• Effectiveness

  None (for fibromyalgia)
• Side effects

  Severe (for Overall) (fatigue)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Somewhat hard to take

Dosage: 300 mg Daily

Advice & Tips: the only effect I could tell was the increased fatigue and brain fog. It had NO effect on my FM pain.

Cost: $25-49 monthly

• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for fibromyalgia)
• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for nerve pain (neuralgia))
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (weight gain, dry mouth, dryness, fluid retention (edema))
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 300 mg Daily

Cost: $50-99 monthly

Side effects: dryness, dry mouth, weight gain, fluid retention (edema)

• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for nerve pain (neuralgia))
• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for fibromyalgia)
• Side effects

  Mild (for Overall) (weight gain, dry mouth, dryness, fluid retention (edema))
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 300 mg Daily

Cost: $50-99 monthly

Side effects: dryness, dry mouth, weight gain, fluid retention (edema)

• Effectiveness

  Major (for nerve pain (neuralgia))
• Effectiveness

  Major (for fibromyalgia)
• Side effects

  Mild (for Overall)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 300 mg Daily

Advice & Tips: I only positive benefits when initially taking Lyrica. I was able to go back to work and had more energy. After about 18 months on Lyrica, I began experiencing the normal side effects of this drug. I began gaining wait very fast, 20 pounds, and please note, I have always weighed the same. I have never been on a diet in my life; even after having my 2 kids. I also began having swelling of my extremities, at times, the swelling added to my pain. Also, I began have extreme dry mouth, which causes trouble swallowing and cavities.After the initial weight gain, I have stayed at the same weight. Fortunately, the positive effects of Lyrica out weigh the negative. I absolutely could not function daily without Lyrica.

Cost: $50-99 monthly

Side effects: dryness, dry mouth, weight gain, fluid retention (edema)

• Effectiveness

  Can't tell (for nerve pain (neuralgia))
• Side effects

  None (for Overall)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 200 mg Daily

Cost: < $25 monthly

• Effectiveness

  Major (for fibromyalgia)
• Side effects

  None (for Overall)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 50 mg Daily