He is a 73 years old man who has been diagnosed with Diabetes type 2 10 years ago. He also suffers from hyper tension, gout, neuropathy, slight renal failure and had a heart attack 8 years ago and underwent a minor procedure of having two stents in the heart. He is on various medications for his illnesses but my question is this. He has been taking the medication Lyrica on and off for six years now. He takes 600 mg every four days and then takes a break because the medication is not good for kidneys. He takes it because of his nerve damage that has been caused by Diabetes but also for his anxiety as the medication is also a mood stabilizer. Unfortunately he feels that he has become addicted to the drug. They work very well when he takes them but once the medication wears off he feels miserable because of the pain he is experiencing and very down. He becomes depressed, tired, inactive and feels aches in his entire body. Without them he cannot function. Its very hard for my dad to not take the drug because he feels very bad but at the same time he is concerned that he is so reliant on them. Is there an alternative drug/medication that he can take for his nerve pain and depression that aren’t addictive or have so many serious side effects as Lyrica? Also is it okay for my dad to take the drug daily from 300-600 mg without it further damaging his already worsen renal failure? Is it dangerous for the heart and how can one wean off the drug without experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms?

Age: 73
Male
Medications: 3 different types of blood pressure medicine, Trombyl 75 mg, insuline injections, Cymbalta 30 mg, Lyrica 300-600 mg, diueric, Levaxin 100 mg, cholesterol medicine,
Yes
General Information: Have diabetes type 2, gout, slight renal failure, had heart attack 8-9 years ago and underwent a procedure where two stents were put in his heart, depression, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, neuropathy.