Would Lyrica be effective to treat nerve pain after liposuction of thighs during the predicted 3-6 months recovery period?

Thank you for your question. For small areas of liposuction or just fat reduction or debulking liposuction Lyrica is not needed. I do a lot of whole body sculpting, deep and superficial liposuction and in these types of patients, I routinely use Gabapentin (less expensive than Lyrica) for one month. It does help with postoperative nerve pain, burning sensations, shooting pains and general discomfort with healing. This is well described in the literature.See a board certified plastic surgeon experienced in advanced body sculpting techniques for an in person consultation/evaluation. Good luck.

Liposuction is generally not a very painful procedure after the first 48 hours. Recovery will vary based upon the amount of liposuctioned fat.  The result will depend upon that amount as well as the skill with which it is removed to maintain a smooth contour.
Some patients are back to work after 1 week, while some patients have pain for 2 weeks or so. Swelling and bruising normally resolves within two weeks, but swelling can last as long as six months. Every patient is different, and every surgery is different. Kenneth Hughes, MD, Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA

If necessary, this pain can be treated with anti-inflammatory medications and neurontin. If it persists, I recommend following up with your Doctor. It can take 3-6 months for final results with liposuction. I suggest lymphatic massage, hyperbaric oxygen, and RF treatments like venus legacy to help reduce any swelling. To improve your final results, I also recommend adding vanquish for further fat removal, exilis/venus legacy for skin tightening, cellutone/z wave to make the skin smooth, remove scar tissue, and improve the skin’s appearance. See an expert. Best, Dr. Emer

Lyrica is not routinely prescribed after liposuction, because it is very rare to have significant neuropathic pain after the procedure. Your discomfort will be better managed with standard pain medications. Lyrica is quite expensive and has some side effects, and should only be used when absolutely necessary (as would be recommended by your doctor). 

Hi and thanks for the question. Long-term pain after liposuction is rarely an issue. In very rare cases, some patients experience nerve pain which can be managed effectively with neurontin. This is seen more commonly with Coolscuplting treatments than liposuction. To optimized your recovery, I suggested post-procedural Vaser-shape in conjunction with lymphatic massage.  Additionally, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is helpful in optimizing healing in the early post-operative period. Regards, Doctor Vallecillos, MD, FACS, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon