Thanks to everyone who wrote offering advice and urging me to see/call the doc. I'm stubborn and contrary for sure. :)
You may remember that I have severe nocturnal nerve pain in my legs. I have been so excited to have the Lyrica because it was helping with that pain. Then this past week I started having the problems I wrote about earlier. The numbness/tingling got worse after I wrote before until I couldn't feel anything at all, no pin prick... nada, zip, zilch. My leg was dragging and the leg kept buckling when I put weight on it. Yesterday evening I finally gave up and called my neuro's after hours number. The on-call NP called me back and wanted to put me in the hospital for IV Solumedrol. She felt I was in an MS exacerbation and I did too. I asked her though if Lyrica could cause something like that but she didn't think so. I have wondered about it because the increasing symptoms have gone along with the Lyrica use--but I didn't want to think it could be that. I did some research before bedtime on Lyrica. I had to go to NINDs and then to Medline to get the info because the Lyrica site doesn't tell. According to Medline, Lyrica's side effects can be "burning, tingling, numbness or pain in the hands, arms, feet, or legs". Those are lists as "more common" side effects. The "less common" include "burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, pins and needles or tingling feelings". That was all me! So, I didn't take my bedtime dose and my numbness/symptoms was a little better this morning. I didn't take my morning dose either and I feel I'm still improving. The NP called me this morning at 7:30 to tell me she spoke to the doctor and he agreed with hospitalization. I told her about the Lyrica and that I was feeling better. She had already called the hospital to get me a bed today. Whew! That was a close one! I've been telling my daughter for the last week that my leg was hurting/itching where I had the skin sores from Bextra. Anyone remember about Bextra? It was taken off the market 2 years ago because it caused necrotizing fasciitis. I was on Bextra and had black sores on my leg. That's when I was living in the backwoods of Alaska and couldn't get out to the doctor. I heard about the Bextra problem on NPR Radio and stopped taking it. The sores started getting better within a week. Anyway, on the Lyrica that area started hurting. Odd, hey? Lyrica is made by the same company as Bextra (and Neurontin). I think I may feel like staying away from their products! lol Now this morning my daughter-in-law told some people at work that I had a problem with Lyrica and had to stop taking it. A co-worker walked over to her and said "let me guess--she went numb and couldn't walk". The same thing had happened to her when she was taking it. What do you think of that! So that's my story of a close call with Solumedrol and hospitalization. I will do nearly anything to avoid being in the hospital anyway....... lol Sharon who is feeling better today, but I think I have a long way to go..... Sharon --from Arizona TM 1997 to MS 1998 It's not easy taking my problems one at a time when they refuse to get in line. ~Ashleigh Brilliant http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MSersLife/ ----- Original Message ---- From: Sharon Marsden <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, November 9, 2006 9:17:50 PM Subject: [TMIC] tingling pins/needles spreading in leg Hi everyone: My left leg is always my weaker leg. And I always have numbness and strange sensations. But yesterday morning my left foot started tingling in a different way with pins/needles. It was uncomfortable to step down, but not painful. Now it's spreading up my leg and is up to my upper thigh. I was dxed with Transverse Myelitis in 1997 (then MS dx came the next year). I just realized today that the left leg is reminding me of the beginning of my experience with Transverse Myelitis in 97. It is kind of like the feeling of a foot going to sleep but my leg is feeling draggy. Now my right foot is more numb than normal and is feeling stranger than normal. I thought about calling my neuro but he's 45 miles away and I don't want to go in to see him. And I don't want to be on solumedrol. I'm contrary, you know. Just wondering..... hugs))) Sharon Sharon --from Arizona TM 1997 to MS 1998 It's not easy taking my problems one at a time when they refuse to get in line. ~Ashleigh Brilliant http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MSersLife/
