Any medical references for Lyrica and acoustic neuromas

[SueLL]

Hi All - I am seeking relief from post-GK symptoms - primarily intermittent numbness/tingling in my AN-side tongue and cheek and the pain/fullness/pressure in my AN ear.  Two doctors have prescribed Lyrica, but my insurance has denied the prescription. My doctor had me try neurontin/gabapentin, but it did nothing, so we are aiming for Lyrica again.  My insurance company has requested scientific research supporting the use of Lyrica for nerve damage on AN patients.  Has anyone come across any medical citations that I could provide them with?

Thanks a bunch!!

[rupert]

Sounds like your insurance company thinks they're doctors

[SueLL]

My doctor indicated "neuropathic pain due to radiation" but there are only boxes for nerve pain due to diabetic peripheral neuropathy, post herpetic neuralgia, or pain from spinal cord injury.  As many in the forum know, if someone at a desk can't check a box . . . coverage denied!

[arizonajack]

Google "lyrica for nerve damage" and you'll get many sources of information.

Many will be unsupported opinions that'll be useless but you might come across a study or two that might help.

It also occurs to me that if your doctor prescribed it, he ought to be the one to justify it to your insurance company.

It also occurs to me that if it actually works for you, you could pay for it yourself. I know it's expensive but it's up to you to decide if your relief is worth the money.

[alabamajane]

SueLL,
I take Lyrica, not for AN nerve pain and not for any of the reasons you have listed but my insurance pays its part and it still costs me about $75/mo as I remember. It is WAY more than that without ins,,,you can also go to their website and get a discount savings card to help with copayment or cost to you. Something else to look into.

Not sure how it will help with the AN pain but I hope it does.
Good luck,,,
Jane

[SueLL]

arizonajack - Agreed on all accounts, but I figured that if I provided my doctor with a suggested reference it might speed up the process and save me some $$$.  It must be expensive for insurance to be fighting it three times.

Jane - thanks!  I have read that Lyrica works for some AN patients when Neurontin doesn't.  I was a bit afraid of it based upon all the disclaimers in the commercials, but my doctor has had good results with it.  I would like to give it a try for my daily discomforts, especially as they continue to escalate.

[ANGuy]

Lyrica was an absolute disaster for my wife.  She was prescribed it for back pain and by the second day on it she was bordering on hallucinating.  Down the toilet it went, scary stuff.  She was recounting something to me in a conversation that we supposedly did together just minutes before that never happened.  She went back to her normal self after a day or so.

That doesn't mean you will have problems with it, but Lyrica can cause some very off-the-wall side effects.

[SueLL]

Yikes - I will definitely keep that in mind!!