Pregabalin reduction plan / stopping Pregabalin

If you are prone to depression then my advice is to take it as slow as you can. Depression is a very real withdrawal effect when coming off these. I was on them for 10 days, stopped cold turkey and went through hell. Different for everyone, but this is a well documented phenomenon.

Take care.

Hi Nesty,

I also have started a reduction of my pregabalin medication , again because of the addictive nature of the product. I was on pregabalin for peripheral neuropathy. I have reduced my dosage from 375 mg per day (225 mg AM and 150 mg PM) and I started the reduction with reducing the AM dosage to 150 mg. I have been on the new dosage for two months and no problem. I feel that I want to keep on reducing the AM dosage to zero, but not until the new year. I feel that it is always better to reduce these meds slowly and I mentioned it to the doctor. It is your body and you will generally know what is best, but thats not to say ignore advice from wherever. Good Luck.

Merry Xmas

Thanks for the messages and advice, sounds like it's wise to take it slowly then.

I am not a massive rush!

Merry Christmas to you both.

Hello all, I am new to this forum, I have Fibromyalgia and take Pregablin, I have been taking them for the last 8 months having swapped over from Gabapentin that did not suit me. As with others with fibro, I am fatigued, have poor sleep, lots of pain, dry mouth, clumsy, sweats, weight gain, brain fog, lack of concentration and the list goes on, along with depression.

I spoke to my GP before Christmas to agree at my request to start to reduce from the 150mg Pregabin at night and 50mg during the day if required. The side affects are increasing and that is not helping my depression, the side affects are also the symptoms of fibro, I do not need any more.

As discussed with GP, I reduced to 125 mgs every other night, and 150 mgs on the other days.

I now have added insomnia, on occasion before pregablin I had it, but maybe an hour or so, once every now and then. For the last couple of months, it has been 3,4 or 5 am before I get to sleep, and I am working full time, so this is having more of an impact on my life.

I also discussed with my GP CBD oil, she was not very keen on my taking it, I spoke to a pharmacist advised it should be ok to take if I am reducing my pregablin, so I am taking that daily. It has only been a few days so not sure how effective that will be on pain.

I have been scanning and reading lots of info on coming off pregablin and there have been several suggestions to take some supplements of magnesium to reduce headaches and restlessness, melatonin to enhance sleep, Rhodiola rosea to reduce fatigue and lethagy, L-tyrosine to improve sleep, and a few more.

The anti depressant I am on is, Sunveniz XL 150 mg prolonged release, I have been on these for about 5 months, the previous anti depressants stopped working, so this is my 3 type in 12 months. I had got to the stage last year of not crying and feeling low as I had before, I just felt nothing and could not be bothered to do anything except lie in bed all weekend, and straight from work. My diet became poor, eating lots of sweet things, had a blood test and was told by the nurse in not a very understanding way, well, now you have diabetes as well. I did not care, it did not change my views on eating rubbish, or not eating at all, what was the point??

So, the anti depressants finally started to kick in around November last year, mood not very stable but improved to about a 4-5 out of 10, so on the mend.

Now I am beginning to think a little clearer, I need to stop the pregablin, after 2 weeks alternating between 125 and 150 mgs, I am now taking 100 mgs at night, for the last 5 nights. I have been suffering with headaches and insomnia, along with an increase in pain.

Honestly, I do not know where to start with it, has anyone any experience of taking any supplements? Have they helped? What would you suggest starting with?

Thanks in advance for your replies, this seems like a very supportive and positive, honest forum.

Jayne

I also want to get off pregabalin, which I was originally prescribed for generalized anxiety, and I'm finding it not very effective, which make the side effects not worth it- but I have been worried about withdrawal symptoms, as I was also taking Duloxetine (Cymbalta) which had to be stopped over Xmas cold turkey, due to Serotonin syndrome developing. My experience of withdrawal then was horrendous (even though my GP says withdrawal isn't a problem!) and I've been told those from Pregabalin are even worse. At the moment, I take 150mg morning and evening. I know it's important to go very slowly, but what dose reduction is least likely to cause severe withdrawal symptoms, and do withdrawal symptoms resolve once an initial reduction has been stabilized?