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[cantasaurus]

Lyrica: Best and worst pain medication I've been prescribed!

I was prescribed Lyrica about 9 months ago, I started on a low dose and it was being used to treat my chronic nerve pain (Osteochondritis Dissecans in my right ankle, have had 4 surgeries).

My pain was pretty much non existent after a few weeks and I thought this would make my life so much easier. Boy was I wrong.

A couple of weeks later, I started to get extremely fatigued during the day and all I'd do is sleep every chance I got. I had absolutely no energy and no idea what was happening.

After seeing my doctor, he thought it sounded like sleep apnea and sent through a referral for me to see someone and get a sleep test to confirm this. After a few weeks I got an appointment and a week after that I was having my overnight sleep study. I was lucky and got to do the test at home as I have a three year old.

I had my appointment about three weeks after my sleep study and it was confirmed I did indeed have sleep apnea, it scared the crap out of me to find out I'd stopped breathing overnight for two entire minutes! I can't even hold my breath for that long!

I asked what could have caused this to just pop up, honestly not putting two and two together and he said the Lyrica I was taking was relaxing my throat and I was choking on my tongue multiple times a night. What the fuck!

I told my doctor and immediately stopped taking the Lyrica. I now do not have sleep apnea, go figure.

My ankle continues to be an issue to this day, I don't think that will change. I will explain as the blog goes on.

[cantasaurus]

The most interesting migraine of my life! (so far)!

Hi I'm Bonnie and amongst other things, I suffer from Migraines from time to time. I've gotten much better at noticing when they are starting and can take preventative treatment.

About five years ago, I woke up with the worst headache, I was vomiting (a lot) and I was just so freaking cold. I realised something was wrong when I went to turn on the heater but couldn't remember how to do it. My best friend was with me, so I tried to tell him what was happening. I thought I was saying exactly what I was thinking and didn't understand why he was looking at me funny. Turns out I was speaking complete gibberish!

He suggested I try to write down what I was trying to tell him and I thought that was a great idea. I grabbed a pen and some paper but as soon as I tried to write, I realised I'd forgotten how to! In this moment, with the migraine working it's magic, I couldn't talk, I couldn't write and I had no idea how to turn on my own heater!

My friend called my Nan and Dranny (granddad) and they took me straight to the emergency room. Upon arrival the triage nurses tried to get me to say my name and what was wrong but all I could get out was "I can't". They took me straight in and made sure it wasn't anything life threatening.

Turns out it was a migraine with a language aura and due to the vomiting I was also severely dehydrated. I was kept in, put on an IV and given pain medication and was allowed to leave when the IV was finished.

I've never had a migraine as unique, scary and painful as that ever again. Probably because I'm so quick to catch a potential migraine these days. I also had no idea any of this was possible with a migraine until it happened, which definitely made it scarier.

I still find it hard to find my migraine triggers but as long as you can feel them coming you can usually prevent a major migraine from occurring.

For me my warnings are pain in and around my eyes, including my eye sockets and photosensitivity. I don't have much to go on but it works for me for now.

If I'm too far gone, I'll take a codeine - paracetamol blend tablet and sit at the bottom of the shower.

I'd love to hear how others get rid of their headaches and migraines. Let me know if you have any tips or tricks. 😊