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Fast heartbeat with Lyrica?

I was just put on Lyrica, the doc thinks I might have Fibro...I have all the symptoms that go along with it...I have noticed though over the last week since I've been taking it that my anxiety has increased and it feels like my heart is beating faster....I have always been on Xanax for anxiety ( last 4 yrs. ) but I haven't had to use it as much until lately...or could this just be a symptom of Fibro since it's really flared up due to the cold weather?  I'm also on Vicodin for pain and I have high blood pressure, so I'm on meds for that as well.  Thanks in advance!
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553995 tn?1332018840
So an attack of Fibro can raise your blood pressure?  

Have you ever had a muscle snap where you can actually hear it and feel a sudden intense pain?
This has happened to me twice lately. The later "attack" has left muscle soreness from my upper rib cage (chest) collar bone, large tendon up my neck to my face.
What freaks me is my BP is fluctuating arm to arm and up and down. My pulse remains normal. Sometimes only my systolic goes up. It goes mostly to 145 but once to 158, that alone is enough to raise one's blood pressure lol.

This is freaky, if I rub that tendon, my face sags up to my eye (pretty). I showed my Dr. once " Hey, look what I can do!"  Ta Da!  

If any of this sounds familiar or you have the info on it, help me out here. I'm waiting on my doc's return phone call, and nothing yet.
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Avatar universal
Thank you for your posting....I think I'm going to wait a few more days on the Lyrica and if it doesn't stop then I'll call my doc or just withdraw from it entirely and keep taking the Xanax as usual, just as you suggested.  I just feel like I'm in a constant fog, either from all the meds or from the Fibro.....it's so hard to work like this.....I have to concentrate so hard on what I'm doing just to make sure that I don't mess up at work.
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Avatar universal
Like you, I had anxiety for several years before the CFS hit and was on Lorazepam (aka Ativan).  I have no idea if that's related or not, but I only took it intermittently anyway, so it's unlikely that had any effect on my heart rate.  I don't believe any of the drugs in that class (which includes Xanax) have long-term effects on your heart rate, though of course reducing anxiety will have the natural effect of slowing your heart rate during periods where you would otherwise be more anxious.

A slightly elevated heart rate isn't unusual in CFS (I have it...typically in the 80's but occasionally goes into the 90-105 range) and may be common in Fibro as well, I'm not sure.  There's a substantial overlap in symptoms between the two, so I wouldn't be at all surprised.  (I've seen the occasional speculation that they're variants of the same problem only FMS has significant pain where CFS has only muscular aches & pains.)

So anyway, I would say that in order of likelihood, your elevated heart rate is probably:  your Fibro, the Lyrica, the anxiety, or something entirely unrelated.  Since you can't do anything directly about the Fibro, I'd start by withdrawing from the Lyrica temporarily if you're able or switch to something else and see if the problem goes away.  If not, try taking your Xanax exactly as prescribed for a while and see if reducing any anxiety reduces your heart rate.
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Avatar universal
I think that the forgetfulness was the worst part.  I would be reading and forget the last thing I read.  Now I read that some people do well with the Lyrica.
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Avatar universal
That's terrible that you had so many of those symptoms that go along with Lyrica....I know that everybody is different but I'm also getting the blurry vision and watery eyes as well....it drives me crazy....forgetfulness too
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Avatar universal
I have taken Lyrica this year and just weaned myself off of it.  I had too many of the listed side effects from it.  I was going to do a study but afterwards was told that I was ineligible because I was already taking the med.  Listed side effects from the paperwork that I received from the study people are: Infection, Headache, Weight gain, Accidental injury, Weakness, Fluid retention, Nausea, Pain, Sinus inflammation, Blurry vision, Difficulty concentrating, flu, difficulty w/balance and movement, constipation, diarrhea, difficulty sleeping, back pain, depression, rash, nervousness, throat inflammation, abdominal pain, tremor, euphoria, urinary tract infection, dry mouth, confusion, double vision, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, runny nose, gas, increased appetite, forgetfulness, lack of energy or strength, insomnia.

I had too many of these side effects.  go figure
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