[martyusa]

My Surgeon has put me on Lyrica for the nerve pain problems that I have been having from the supposed damaged nerve root at L5-S1. Sciatic pain is not as bad as the pain in the big toe as well and the numbness in the other toes. Feet are cold most of the time. The mass majority of these symptoms are brought on with increased activity. The doses of the Lyrica are 150mgs at night and I take 75 mgs around noonish.

It's been about 1 week and I must say the first couple of days were great. No more waking up in the middle of the night. However, lately I have noticed some serious fluid retention and my BP meds are not touching the hypertension problems. i.e. 50mgs of Toprol-XL, 150 mgs of Tekturna with a mild Diuretic. I have yet to take my afternoon dose and have replaced it with 40 mgs of Lasix. Which of about an hour later was followed by some extra potassium and a multivitamin.

Now the Percocet , which I came off of in place of the lyrica, worked OK and made the pain tolerable. Although it was still there it took the edge off of the sharpness. NSAIDS are out of the question, so my options are limited. Yes the pain can raise my BP as can the increase in fluids brought on by the Lyrica and I find myself in a catch 22 here.

I do not mind a mild diuretic with the other BP meds. I do not like taking a loop diuretic due to the fact that it pulls more that water out of the body. i.e. just about every nutrient the organs hold. But I do have the lasix for emergencies like this morning.

I will be speaking to both my PCP and my Surgeon. But my thought are this. The Lyrica must go as it seems not to be worth the side effect for my situation. If I must stay on the Percocet, current BP meds and Diazapam until something can be done, then so be it. When 12.5 mgs of Ambien doesn't keep me sleeping for at least 6 hours, we have a problem. I wake up about 3 hours into sleep and I needed to take 5 mgs of diazapam and 5 mgs of percocet to fall back to sleep, pre Lyrica. If my BP stays high, I will not get clearance for the procedure on the 25th. Septum, Tonsil and adenoids. Which should also help me sleep after it is done.

The assistant did give me some literature about a device they place into my body for some type of electric stimulation to help with the pain. But I feel my pain is not bad enough for something to that extreme. It's not like I can't walk or perform the average task while taking my normal pain meds for a limited period of time. And I don't want to get caught up as an insurance guinea pig test subject either.

As if "we all" don't have enough stress in my lives right now dealing with insurance companies, both medical and Disability as well as our employers. It's just seems to be a big mess as I toss my hands up in the air thinking "what else".