lyrica (pregabalin) for oxi neuropathy

taraHK
taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hi. I'm just about to start taking Lyrica (= pregablin) for the finger and toe neuropathy due to oxaliplatin. Interested to hear from anyone else who has tried this.

Comments

  • Craig S
    Craig S Member Posts: 11
    #2
    lyrica
    I tried it for about a month. It didn't help me. No side effects as far as I could tell, but no benefit, either. Been a little over a year since I finished folfox and my hands are pretty good, but still numb on the bottom of my feet.

    Hope it works for you.....good luck.
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #3
    Craig S said:

    lyrica
    I tried it for about a month. It didn't help me. No side effects as far as I could tell, but no benefit, either. Been a little over a year since I finished folfox and my hands are pretty good, but still numb on the bottom of my feet.

    Hope it works for you.....good luck.

    Neuropathy
    My hands just started this week. feet still OK. I was told they couldn't do much, and I only have 10 days left on my 5FU pump, so am hoping it will reverse quickly. I went from nothing to almost not able to type in two days. My hands hurt all the time now.

    Vicki
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #4
    VickiCO said:

    Neuropathy
    My hands just started this week. feet still OK. I was told they couldn't do much, and I only have 10 days left on my 5FU pump, so am hoping it will reverse quickly. I went from nothing to almost not able to type in two days. My hands hurt all the time now.

    Vicki

    make sure you emphasize the severity to your oncs!
    They want to know and they might need to adjust your dosage. Sometimes it's not reversible so you definitely don't want to ignore it if it's worsening. Actually, didn't you say you only have 1 more treatment?
    mary
  • Faith88
    Faith88 Member Posts: 55
    #5
    neuropathy
    hello,
    felt the need to comment. My DH has neuropathy over one year now and seems to be no better --since ending chemo. He tried lyrica first and didn't do much for him, since then has switched to Neurontin at different dosages and it seems to help with the pain mostly. Lyrica does help a lot of people but from what I've heard can have more side effects. Anyone still on chemo with the oxy and getting neuropathy should not hesitate to report the effects no matter how minor to their oncologist. I wish my husband would have stopped or adjusted his chemo earlier, maybe he would have seen the neuropathy subside or be a lot less. As it is, he is now unable to work or even drive sometimes. If it saved his life, then Yes it's worth it, but it is a serious drug with some serious side effects so just be aware. Take care and best wishes to all of you.
    Faith88
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #6
    Hi, I just want to echo to
    Hi, I just want to echo to emphasize the severity of it right away to your onc.
    I made the mistake of waiting several weeks when I was having issues, thinking it wasn't so bad, I could handle it, etc. When I finally did tell him, he somewhat admonished me for not telling him sooner. I was on Cisplatin at the time, not Oxi, and I was changed to Carboplatin. (this was the chemo I took during my radiation for the rectal tumor).
    Anyhow, I'd start taking B-6 right now if I were you. Take some L-Glutamine also. After a few weeks of taking those two, I had definite improvement. Now, 9 months afterward, my hands are returned to about 95% of normal. My feet still have some issues, but they're getting better lately too. I was at a show last week & when I clapped, I realized that wow- my hands didn't tingle any more- yeahh!!!
    Best wishes to you-
    Lisa
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #7
    Tara,
    I haven't taken
    Tara,
    I haven't taken Lyrica- I chose to try to wait it out and take the B-6 and L-Glutamine first and see if I had any improvement. I did get almost all better & it's still continuing to improve (it's now been 9 months). I did get scared away from trying Lyrica from a friend who took it and complained of major brain fog. I felt I certainly didn't need any more of that with already having "chemo brain". Hope it works for you- just beware of feeling foggy.
    I was more under the impression that Lyrica worked more for pain, not just the tingling and numbness- I'm not positive on that, though. Fortunately, my neuropathy didn't include pain- just major numbness and tingly pins and needles feelings.
    Best wishes-
    Lisa
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #8
    VickiCO said:

    Neuropathy
    My hands just started this week. feet still OK. I was told they couldn't do much, and I only have 10 days left on my 5FU pump, so am hoping it will reverse quickly. I went from nothing to almost not able to type in two days. My hands hurt all the time now.

    Vicki

    Thanks Mary
    Actually I am on the pump and it comes off on Dec 29 - the hands are settling down a bit and so far, no feet problems! My onc nurse told me how to soak the hands in lotion and wear gloves and it does help. Also, it's below zero here in CO again and I am staying put today! My finger joints are all swollen, and it seems to help if I soak in warm, not hot, water.

    I am on the countdown! Vicki
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #9
    lisa42 said:

    Hi, I just want to echo to
    Hi, I just want to echo to emphasize the severity of it right away to your onc.
    I made the mistake of waiting several weeks when I was having issues, thinking it wasn't so bad, I could handle it, etc. When I finally did tell him, he somewhat admonished me for not telling him sooner. I was on Cisplatin at the time, not Oxi, and I was changed to Carboplatin. (this was the chemo I took during my radiation for the rectal tumor).
    Anyhow, I'd start taking B-6 right now if I were you. Take some L-Glutamine also. After a few weeks of taking those two, I had definite improvement. Now, 9 months afterward, my hands are returned to about 95% of normal. My feet still have some issues, but they're getting better lately too. I was at a show last week & when I clapped, I realized that wow- my hands didn't tingle any more- yeahh!!!
    Best wishes to you-
    Lisa

    Thanks Lisa
    I am starting Glutamine today. Anything that will help! Yes, I am guilty of not stressing the severity of side effects and the nurses all yelled at me Friday for that! LOL! So, from now on I will be a complainer (well, at least a reporter!)

    Thanks, Vicki
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #10
    lisa42 said:

    Tara,
    I haven't taken
    Tara,
    I haven't taken Lyrica- I chose to try to wait it out and take the B-6 and L-Glutamine first and see if I had any improvement. I did get almost all better & it's still continuing to improve (it's now been 9 months). I did get scared away from trying Lyrica from a friend who took it and complained of major brain fog. I felt I certainly didn't need any more of that with already having "chemo brain". Hope it works for you- just beware of feeling foggy.
    I was more under the impression that Lyrica worked more for pain, not just the tingling and numbness- I'm not positive on that, though. Fortunately, my neuropathy didn't include pain- just major numbness and tingly pins and needles feelings.
    Best wishes-
    Lisa

    foggyness
    Brain fog is a good term. I know what she means. I've been taking it 2 days now. I get a "light-headed" feeling, which lasts a couple of hours. Not dizziness -- foginess is a good word.... So far it isn't bad (I can still function --even type away at the computer. But the pill label does say not to drive while taking. I'll see how it goes. I know what you mean about already dealing with chemobrain! Oy.

    I was actually at the stage where I would describe my symptoms as pain -- as opposed to tingling, pins and needles, numbness.

    I appreciate all the comments from people. Very helpful. This board is such a fantastic source of information.

    Tara

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