Can Lyrica make pain worse?

My GP started me on Lyrica. I took 50mg last night and 50mg this morning and I have seen a marked increase in pain. Is this possible? My shoulders, wrists and fingers are about twice as as sore as they normally are.

Hi Irishchick,

I've got no helpful answer. Sorry. Lyrica is a epilepsy drug which ought to help if your pain is nerve-related. I take an epilepsy drug (neurontin) for nerve pain in my legs and feet which happens mostly at night. It is only for that specific pain, not for overall pain or swelling. In fact it has no effect on the pain I experience in my fingers or hips. So perhaps your shoulders, wrists, fingers, etc. could benefit from an anti-inflammatory medication.

Sorry you're in such a tough spot of late.

I think I'm the same. It has helped the nerve pain in my buttock area a little but my hips, shoulders, wrists and fingers seem to be worse.

janeatiu said:

Hi Irishchick,

I've got no helpful answer. Sorry. Lyrica is a epilepsy drug which ought to help if your pain is nerve-related. I take an epilepsy drug (neurontin) for nerve pain in my legs and feet which happens mostly at night. It is only for that specific pain, not for overall pain or swelling. In fact it has no effect on the pain I experience in my fingers or hips. So perhaps your shoulders, wrists, fingers, etc. could benefit from an anti-inflammatory medication.

Sorry you're in such a tough spot of late.

I took one last night and this morning my shoulders and writs were frozen. Completely locked and the pain was unbearable. It's taken me 15 mins to type this. I'm waiting for a call from the GP. I am not taking this drug anymore.

So sorry you have to go through so much pain regardless of the reason! I have known several people who have taken lyrica and raved about how it saved them, but all had used it for shingles pain. I sure hope your GP gives you a call soon. Luckily you have not taken it very long because normally you need to taper off a med in this category. I take Gabapentin (neurotin) and a missed dose is noticeable but I have been using it for months. Please keep in touch so we know you’re OK. Try not to let yet another setback stop you from finding the comfort and diagnosis you need. Not very many have a quick GP at this but the ones who get where we all dream of being keep on it. Good luck and take care best you can!

He said Lyrica cannot cause those symptoms. Even though a lot of them are listed in the drugs sheet in the box. He wants me to take 3 a day. Not happening.

Seems like there should be something else that you could take for the inflammation which is what typically causes the most pain. Even over the counter anti-inflammatory meds like paracetamol, nurofen, etc. could help a bit. I take horse pills of ibuprofen when the inflammation is crazy. And this morning I woke with really swollen fingers have which refused to work much for the last 3 hours so I've been slathering them with Voltaren gel (an anti-inflammatory cream). There are SO MANY tools available to help reduce swelling (which in turn reduces pain) that I can't fathom why your doc is stuck on Lyrica on repeat. I know docs don't want to prescribe pain killers (especially opiates) but your pain could be helped with other approaches.

Stick to your guns, Irishchick.

Irishchick said:

He said Lyrica cannot cause those symptoms. Even though a lot of them are listed in the drugs sheet in the box. He wants me to take 3 a day. Not happening.

Lyrica should not make pain worse, and the increase is more likely attributed to PsA since PsA pain can and does fluctuate often. 50 mg is alow dose of Lyrica, and increased pain is also not a reported side effect.
I do agree with Jane… an anti inflammatory would be more helpful, especially if your pain and stiffness is isolated to joints and you’re not reporting any neuropathy or fibromyalgia symptoms.

I have seen it listed as a side effect? He put me on it because he wants me to try and reduce the amount of pain killers I need to take but it didn't help my joint pain at all.

GrumpyCat said:

Lyrica should not make pain worse, and the increase is more likely attributed to PsA since PsA pain can and does fluctuate often. 50 mg is alow dose of Lyrica, and increased pain is also not a reported side effect.
I do agree with Jane... an anti inflammatory would be more helpful, especially if your pain and stiffness is isolated to joints and you're not reporting any neuropathy or fibromyalgia symptoms.

Looks to me like your GP is prescribing for fibromyalgia. It can be hard to keep track with posts as things develop but looking back, you did get a fibro diagnosis from the Galway clinic not so long ago, didn't you?

I'm surprised your GP has landed you with Lyrica when you don't agree with the fibro diagnosis and are undergoing tests for other conditions. I think NSAIDs are fairly commonly prescribed at the stage when inflammatory arthritis is suspected and you can ask your GP for them.

And also if you can keep moving at all that is likely going to help. I appreciate you've got a bone scan today but if later on you can do some stretching, some walking (I know!) and even better, and with help if necessary, swimming or sploshing about even a bit ....... you may well unfreeze somewhat and pain may be reduced. I won't call it 'exercise' as I gather that's not on the cards just yet ... but movement really, really helps inflammatory pain & stiffness.

He said he didn't think it was fibro so I don't know. I am already taking anti inflammatorys. The pain died down when I stopped the lyrica

Sybil said:

And also if you can keep moving at all that is likely going to help. I appreciate you've got a bone scan today but if later on you can do some stretching, some walking (I know!) and even better, and with help if necessary, swimming or sploshing about even a bit ....... you may well unfreeze somewhat and pain may be reduced. I won't call it 'exercise' as I gather that's not on the cards just yet ... but movement really, really helps inflammatory pain & stiffness.

Unfortunately, no one really feels better until the biologic meds or DMARDS kick in. Even with the ibuprofen, don't expect a whole lot of pain relief.

If you don't feel the Lyrica is right for you, stopping is the best policy. It is a difficult medication to discontinue, so if you don't have fibro symptoms there's no reason for you to take it, and discontinuing after one day should save you some hassle later on. A lot of us do develop fibro that appears to be secondary to PsA, and should that happen for yu, there are other meds to try.

Waiting for meds to work is the hardest part for PsA patients. It takes a fair amount of time, and in the mean-time there is pain. There are other anti-inflammatories to try that might help you better than the ibuprofen. I recommend orking with your Rheum to figure that out, instead of the GP. They have more experience with this and know off hand the best meds which may save some trial and error for you down the line.

Irishchick said:

He said he didn't think it was fibro so I don't know. I am already taking anti inflammatorys. The pain died down when I stopped the lyrica

Sybil said:

And also if you can keep moving at all that is likely going to help. I appreciate you've got a bone scan today but if later on you can do some stretching, some walking (I know!) and even better, and with help if necessary, swimming or sploshing about even a bit ....... you may well unfreeze somewhat and pain may be reduced. I won't call it 'exercise' as I gather that's not on the cards just yet ... but movement really, really helps inflammatory pain & stiffness.

I am taking Celebrex and paracetamol at the minute.