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- Page navigation anchor for RE: Nothing safe about themRE: Nothing safe about them
As a patient I probably don't belong here but the message needs to get out to anyone who will listen: these are very nasty and potentially dangerous drugs. Withdrawal from pregabalin has been absolute hell for me, a process I've been going through for over three years with the help of CAMH addiction medicine service. The warnings for dependency, addiction, suicidal idealization, massive anxiety, panic attacks and intractable insomnia are very real, and I never went anywhere near the highest recommended dose. Working while in withdrawal has been near impossible. And while I am obviously biased, my situation is far from unique. Google pregabalin addiction/withdrawal and read the personal stories for yourself. Facebook now has a group Lyrica survivors with over 7,000 members - all of them are helping others through the withdrawal process because doctors refuse to listen. I realize this isn't the type of evidence based research this community relies on, but if nothing else it should red flag these drugs in cases where they may not be necessary or where other options exist. I've lost count of the number of posts I've read of people claiming opiate withdrawals was a walk in the park compared to pregabalin as acute withdrawals can last for months and months. If nothing else maybe I can convince some of you to not try cold turkey a patient since pregabalin withdrawal can be so severe. Ignore this post if you will but please don't say you haven't...
Show MoreCompeting Interests: None declared. - Page navigation anchor for RE: Anticonvulsants in the treatment of low back pain and lumbar radicular pain: a systematic review and meta-analysisRE: Anticonvulsants in the treatment of low back pain and lumbar radicular pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis
The reason anticonvulsants do not relieve low back pain is that the pain is not of neuropathic origin: it usually comes from a sacroiliac ligament sprain.
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I have just reviewed the charts from 180 of my low back pain patients. Following a negative neurologic exam, in order to achieve a diagnosis, I have them lean forward so that their legs are perpendicular to the ground and their bodies are parallel to the ground. I then palpate to find at the PSISs. If they are not level, there is a sprain of the ileum on the sacrum. In this case, the sacrotuberous ligament under the affected PSIS is invariably tender to palpation. If the tender PSIS is higher than the other one, there is an anterior sprain. If it is lower, a posterior sprain. To reduce an anterior sprain, with the foot on the affected side on the seat of a chair, and the contralateral knee against the front of the seat, the patient grabs the seat on either side of his foot and pulls upwards to force his thigh against his ASIS, pushing the affected ileum backwards, and holds this position for two minutes. If the tender PSIS is lower than the other one, there is a posterior sprain. To reduce this sprain, in dorsal decubitus, with his unaffected knee against his chest and the corresponding foot against my chest, I lean forward to immobilize that SI joint. I then press down on the extended thigh on the affected side to use the sartorius to pull the ASIS of the affected ileum anteriorly. I hold that position for two mi...Competing Interests: None declared.