Gil, like Maria, I have taken Neurontin with good results and have never taken Lyrica. My understanding is that they are similar, but Lyrica has a lower side-effect profile FOR MOST PEOPLE. Some people get little benefit and too much side-effect from one, then have great results with others. I think that Lyrica is preferred as the 'newer better' drug. I am always skeptical about the way drug companies really push the new stuff, but most of the surgeons and pain management docs I know prefer starting with Lyrica (then moving to Neurontin only if Lyrica doesn't do the trick.)
I should mention that when I was on Neurontin (2000 - 2002), they were pushing HUGE doses with many people getting up to 3600mg/day or more. I usually took only 900mg (3 x 300mg) and went to 1200mg when things really flared up or when the doc recommended it to help with sleep. I never took the mega-doses that were recommended and the reason that I never ramped up to the high doses is because I did not like the brain fog that many of us get. I called it Morontin. A few times in the years I took it, I stopped because I was frustrated with the side-effects and the fact that I was still in pain. Every time I did that, it taught me how much it was really helping and it was worth it to tolerate the side-effects to get the benefits of the drug.
Good luck... let us know how it goes. All the best,
Mark
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