Lyrica for anxiety 75mg twice a day

thanks for writing this.. what is your dosage of sertraline?

Hi Grey, sorry for posting so late but I currently take lorazepan and have been prescribed pregablin can you take the two together as it says not to in the patient information

I have recently been put on Lyrica for chronic pain and fybromagila for about six months now. The past month I have had increasing heel pain. I can only assume its from the increase up to now 75mg twice daily. I do not sleep well and I am also taking Norco for pain and Ambein for sleep. You are not alone. There are many out the that may not know when to check out forums to see if maybe the one person will answer. I have also started having Migraine too  

Well hope to hear back, I see its been seven months since you posted.

Hi you say don't take lyrica for GAD, I can see you are getting frustrated by it not being approved (worried by that) I'm on it (25mg twice a day) for that it's been 14days, upped the dose to double a week ago. I also have pain from a trapped nerve. I've come out in Urticaria from it down my legs. Its helping with the anxiety though.  I've just googled "Abilify" says it's an antipsychotic.  I was prescribed Quietipine by a psychiatrist along with Mirtazipine. I refused the antipsychotic & the Mirt gave me an allergic reaction. My Gp says Quietipine is a mood stabiliser. I think they are just as bad if not worse with the list of side effects?? Never heard of "Cybalta" either. I've had Sertraline - Zoloft as you call it, before & it didn't help much. Gave me mouth ulscers, terrible abdominal pain, myalgia, sleep problems. I tend to find SSRIs give me problems. Prozac gave me bad insomnia, Citalopram made me unable to function, Seroxat a few years ago made me sick & clench my jaw. Feeling at a loss with it all. They give this Lyrica if SSRI don't work. Do you think a mood stabiliser is better then?

Dinky_Dee:

Yes, I get frustrated.  Lyrica, like many medications have primary uses and off label uses.  Lyrica for GAD has not been FDA approved, and the clinical trial information for its use for GAD has been small and scant, an unverfied efficacy.  Yes, Abilify is an off label use for GAD, but, has been soundly proven in clinical trials as an adjunct to GAD medications in small doses.  Cymbalta is an excellent drug with a very long history as to its effectiveness.  It is an SSNRI and proven for many depression and anxiety uses. I both love and hate Phizer for there many wonderful meds, they have created many very useful meds, but at the same time push physicians into prescribing medications not suitable for patient optimal efficacy.  I wish you well, and sorry about your medication allergies and side effects, I have been very lucky so far...

Hi thanks for the reply. I've had to stop this Lyrica completely. Back to square one & now another health issues to research. I can't find much on here just wish those people posting about bad reactions would come back on & share their experiences & findings. I've found an allergy group on facebook so I'll ask people there too. I did ask my GP about Cymbalta but he didnt know what i was talking about. I dont want to keep putting my body through all these bad reactions & all the doctors do it prescrive a different one. This "not in numbers" says it all though, only 1 in 4 are expected to get better on the drug. I read somewhere that a viral infection can make your body sensitive & i did have Flu back in November so maybe that's why. Maybe I just need a big detox & organic food. 

I'am sorry to you for the mess in your in.  Please stay away facebook, your not likely to get the proper information.  As far as stopping Lyrica, go slow.  Bad reactions to Lyrica?  I've had some really bad reactions to the med in the first two months, spaced out, depersonilization, hallucinations, but all subsided after 8 weeks.  Keep on your GP about Cymbalta, remember this, Pfizer has reps pushing Lyrica, (in the states this med cost about $500 to $1000 a month.) it's the new thing, but not the right thing.  Good Luck dinky_dee   .....

Thanks for your kind words. I was on it 14 days & have stopped it because the rash on my legs is too painful, had a swollen tongue last week too. Saw a good doctor yesterday he's new to the practice & said I need to be chemical free for a couple of weeks to let my body recover. then maybe try a differnt drug. It's all made my anxiety go up massively. I'm going to write a letter of complaint to the practice because the previous doctors didn't put the allergic reactions on my medical record. Another anxiety inducing fear that doctors don't listen or care. I was getting some of the rare severe side effects on the list, 1 in 1000 uncmmon ones. I found it increased my derealisations too. I don't mind being spaced out so much, it was taking the edge off my anxiety but not the right chemicals for my body. It is an expensive one! 

The facebook groups are just general chat & help with support when I've not got many people around me.

Actually I think you will find that where SSRIs and SNRIs don't work, the next advised port of call for GAD (in UK NHS etc) is pregabalin. http://www.nhs.uk/medicine-guides/pages/MedicineOverview.aspx?condition=Anxiety&medicine=pregabalin. Different people have anxiety for different reasons. This results in different biochemical problems. No trial takes this into account. Therefore for us (many) people for whom SSRIs and SNRIs (I have had about 12 different types) DO NOT WORK, pregabalin is a valuable backup method. After that is antipsychotics at low doses. I was put straight onto quetiapine (antipsychotic) without trying pregabalin due to a mixup. Even breaking up the lowest dose into quarters (12.5 mg) I still feel slight calming effect, massively reduced OCD urges, but the side effects for me of swollen throat, glands, face, terrible earache, difficulty breathing, will not stop. I previously had a much higher dose but then was also a zombie and gained tonnes of weight (very noticeable on a petite erson). So I wish I had tried pregabalin first. And I WILL be trying it. If it is better than quetiapine, I will stay on it. Don't let people who don't comprehend that SSRIs and SNRIs are BAD for some individuals talk you off the alternatives without finding out for yourself if they work for you.

Thanks for your reply, I was reading this forum and starting to get worried.

I just had my first dose of preg last night (50mg) hoping finally this is something that will control my anxiety so that I can have a social life again.

I also take 20mg of citalopram, I tried many many other drugs over the course of over a year and found the very first i tried (cit) to be the best for me. It just helps with the anxiety, takes away those moments where you feel like you could collapse.

Fingers crossed that preg now lets me have a life again =)

Because of other medications i cannot take ssri or snri. So i have been prescribed lyrica as augment to mirtazapine which i cannot take increased dose.  My limitations for anxiety meds are low.  How would you proceed?

I was on cymbalta it was no good for me,I'm now on paroxetine 20mg,and it is working for depression and anxiety,I was just put on lyrica 75mg twice a day,I'm not sure how i feel cause I just started today. Good luck I wish u well. Becareful with cymbalta it made me more depressed and more anxiety,just my experience,might work differently for you.

Lyrica and Gabapentin work great for anxiety don't knock what works , unless u been there anxiety is a living hell and if something works GO FOR IT and if your Dr says it's a go follow your Drs ordered NUFF SAID!!!!

He needs to quit worrying about it being approved it doesn't matter it's about what works and helps and what your Dr says he needs to get over it SMH

Hi I too am on Lyrica, 300mg twice a Day. I take Lexapro for Depression, Valium for Anxiety and Severe Panic Attacks and Agoraphobia also I take Sodium Valproate for Mood Stabilisers. The Lyrica has Helped me so much I have started going out of the house (I have to have someone with me) I was on a smaller dose at first but wasn't doing much so I am up to the highest Dosage in Australia I actually feel More Alive when I take it

With My Depression i would sit on the lounge thinking stupid thouts I also Have lower back pain and take Kapanol for it and I'm actually thinking of going off the Kapanol as the Lyrica actually helps my Back I think I rattle when I walk now lol. My Doctor reckons that we are going to have to get a authority script soon! It helps lots of People and Yes it does have some side effects but they get better after a While. I just felt Drunk for a couple of weeks but I don't know I'm actually starting to love again after a 23yr Battle I was given Serequel for Anxiety and Severe Panic Attacks by a Psychiatrist and I was a Zombie. I hated it But I don't feel like that now on the Lyrica so just give it time and you will feel better Maybe you will end up with a Higher Dose like Me. Good Luck 😉

Error lol Starting to Live again not Love again lol 😉

OMG!! Yes You sound like me Give the Lyrica a Go It has got me out of my house (Jail Cell) Good Luck with it I has Changed my life and I am never going to stop taking it I actually feel alive on it and I have been battleing Everything for 23 yrs It works for me so I'm sticking to it It is Just Amazing and you will Get your social life back Cheers from Australia 😊

Hi I've be on Lyrica from April they started me on 50mg every 4 months l have been on 300mg for 6 weeks the last week they have stop working for me .ive been to the doctors today he said totake 100mg in the morning and afternoon then in the evening 150mg . How long did it take you to get to 600mg?and did you get any side effects.

Can i ask how you are getting on with it I've just been on it a week but got awful headaches xx

hi how did you get on with this? the side effects have been hard for me, dizzyness etc