How could I have forgotten????

My doctor is trying me on a new med to try to help my pain issue - Lyrica. I was very sceptical because it was developed for diabetic & shingles pain originally, now used for fibromialgia, which I've not been diagnosed with. However, the doc said a lot of my pain seems to be from nerve damage, and this helps that type, so I said ok, I'll try it. She gave me a starter pack card and said "report to me in a week, please." I was to take a one week written prescription to the pharmacy with that card and I'd get that week trial for free. Ok.....then I nearly fainted when I saw how much it would have cost if I had to pay for it - EEEEEP. But then, I figured, hey, it's not gonna work anyway, so no biggie. They say it sometimes takes a week or more for it to work, IF it's going to - and it doesn't work on all people. Right.

The good news is.....within 4 days I was in MUCH less pain.....WOOHOO.......and for the first time in about 8 years, I'm able, on some days, to walk up and down short flights of steps like a normal person, instead of going one foot and bringing the other up to meet it....and walking without a limp on most days...and able to bend over without nearly passing out from pain on some days, too! Whaddayaknow.....the Lyrica is working. The doctor has given me enough samples to get me through until I'm scheduled to see her again (about 5 weeks).

The bad news......this drug has no generic form, so unless I can find some sort of special deal, I am not willing to change my lifestyle as dramatically as needed in order to afford this drug - about $170 a month, which is about how much we spend per month eating out locally and eating out when I need to travel to get business stuff, and some of our personal gas money. Considering that eating out is basically my ONLY social life 3/4 of the year....and that we pick up a LOT of business when we eat out locally (I actually have to carry Ed's schedule to the diner (in a PDA), as seeing us reminds people that they need Ed to do work for them, so they schedule it then and there).....it just doesn't make sense to cut it all out just to lower my pain.

I do plan on asking my doctor if there is some other drug out there that works the same way as Lyrica, but that comes in generic form. So, wish me luck!

Again, done ramblin