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Lyrica - Can my dose cause this experience & withdrawal?

Posted , 5 users are following.

joe123454321
joe123454321

Hi all!

I was prescribed 75mg of lyrica, once at night daily for 3 weeks by my doctor for a neck pain along with 5mg of paroxetine once at night(continuing from a previous prescription). During that time, I had the most awful experience of my life. I woke up one morning feeling this bodily angst, feeling sensitive all over and mental anguish. At that time, I just wanted someone to help me go to sleep. I somehow made it through and came out feeling exhausted later that day! I continued on with the meds and went back to my doctor at the end of the 3 week period explaining to the doc that I had this experience. The doctor said that it couldn't be the pregabalin but an anxiety disorder from before. I was asked to stop pregabalin for a week but till then I had enough and simply didn't continue it. However, something has happened to me since and I have been waking up almost everyday with IBS flare ups,headaches and crying. Sometimes I feel tired the whole day and sometimes it gets better after crying in the morning. I usually tend to get better over the day and am getting better but its still happening in the mornings. I have become quite sensitive to things or thoughts that make me anxious. If my anxiety gets triggered its hard to ignore or get it away. I also seem to have lost my appetitie. When I look at some foods, it makes me cringe but I am eating as much as I can.

Anyway I am now seeing another GP now who is helping me to stabilise however the GP says that this experience couldn't be because of the pregabalin,even though lyrica's official website said it may increase anxiety. The GP says its because of an anxiety disorder.

So firstly, I would like to ask the more informed people here whether such a small and short dose of pregabalin can cause such a reaction? Can you please cite your source for your information?

And secondly, do I need to taper myself off this dose or is it too short and small to bother? Please cite your source for information here as well.

Thanks! smile

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • Amber9086
    Amber9086 joe123454321

    Posted

    Hi Joe

    I have just started on this drug too only 50mg at night (really low dose as I am really sensitive to a lot of medication) in the few days I have taken it I feel absolutely spaced and really tired also like you could cry at the drop of a hat. Don't feel confident I could drive either. I will give it a few more days but I don't think it's for me.

    I think how your feeling is definitely due to the drug.

    I think it is wise to taper off dose if you want to discontinue, but best to ask your GP.

  • elizabeth85938
    elizabeth85938 joe123454321

    Posted

    Hello Joe

    I have been on Pregablin for 4 months now, given for neuropathic pain. My spine is crumbling due to osteoporosis and many nerves have been trapped the worst one being the sciatic nerve in left buttock. The pain I was in is indescribable, 24/7 - I could not move, walk or turn without experiencing the worst pain ever. I am on 100mg in the morning and 100mg at night. When I first went on them I had side effects, feeling spaced out, dry mouth, nightmares etc. These lessened and by week 3 the pain had magically gone and I have been able to regain my life. All side effects have now gone except the dry mouth and I sleep well, dreaming normally and get 8 hrs a night. I had every reason to suffer from anxiety during this time as also I had sudden onset glaucoma and nearly went blind within 36 hrs. Emergency laser surgery saved my sight thankfully but occasionally I do get a nightmare of a man in white coat coming toward my eyes with a long metal needle and wake screaming! This is obviously down to the trauma. And so Joe, maybe the Doctors are right in saying the anxiety existed before you took the meds and is not to do with taking them. They certainly haven't caused anxiety in me, only made my life better. Yet, everyone is different and reactions vary from person to person.  If you are thinking of coming off them, yes you do need to taper them down by perhaps going on the lesser dose of 50mg for a week, then 50mg every other night, then every 3 nights etc. Do please ask your GP's advice on this.  I can only tell you this, I forgot to take my 100mg nightly dose one night last week and when I woke in the morning I felt dreadful, I was sweating and felt sick. After taking my normal morning dose I improved during the day until I was back on an even keel. It is not a drug to suddenly stop.

    I do hope you get all of this sorted out with the help of your new GP and feel better soon. Anxiety is a cruel emotion and I send you my best wishes in starting to be able to deal with it. Be well soon

  • joe123454321
    joe123454321

    Posted

    Hi!

    Thank you for your replies.

    I am already off them now but was discontinued abruptly on the prescribing GP's advice. The GP simply asked me to stop taking pregabalin for a week but I haven't continued it yet because I dont trust the gp. I doubt there's any point starting them again just to taper off.It will simply be an exercise in guessing and may cause its own problems.

    The new GP says it couldn't be because of the pregabalin but I have my doubts. Is there any info on how much dosage requires tapering?

    • elizabeth85938
      elizabeth85938 joe123454321

      Posted

      The higher the dose Joe, the tapering down has to be done by reducing the doseage slightly per day for a time (your GP must be the one to advise you on this) until you are on the lowest dose possible. After that it is the one low dose every 2 days for a time, then one a day of 3 days etc. Some poeple are only on,say, 50g morning 50mg night or 100mg a day, and others are on the maximum of 600 - 800mg daily. The higher the dose and the longer you are on them, the longer it takes to wean the patient off them. I hope this is helpful but again, it is your GP who must control the timings. 

      Did your GP say to stop completely just to prove a point (ie they are not the cause of your anxiety)? Did GP then say to start them again if you felt the need to or wait to go for a further consultation for more advice after discussing how you fared without them? Even though you were on a low dose for 3 weeks I feel that it is odd you were told to suddenly stop for one week just as they were starting to get into your system (It does take 3-6 weeks to start working properly). It seems that you believe the Pregabalin is responsible solely for your anxiety so perhaps your GP could try prescribing another drug for you to try that deals with both anxiety and pain instead. Have you ever been put on Amitriptyline which is prescribed for both issues?

      Let us know how you get on with your new GP. 

    • joe123454321
      joe123454321 elizabeth85938

      Posted

      "Did your GP say to stop completely just to prove a point (ie they are not the cause of your anxiety)?" Dunno. If it was, then it must be a serious violation of their ethics.

      "Did GP then say to start them again if you felt the need to or wait to go for a further consultation for more advice after discussing how you fared without them?" It doesn't matter because I have lost trust in that GP

      Currently I'm on paroxetine cr 12.5mg once at night by the new GP, an antispasmodic to control my IBS(which doesn't really work) and clonazepam 0.25mg for times when the anxiety gets too much alongwith some vitamins.

      The problem is worse in the mornings. Nausea, headache, feeling very tired, negative thoughts, gaseous vomits and low mood. I end up so exhausted and demoralised that it affects my whole day. I am still trying to figure out whether this is because of pregabalin's withdrawal effects, an anxiety disorder or the newly prescribed paroxetine's effects. But its hard to unless one has training like a doctor.

    • elizabeth85938
      elizabeth85938 joe123454321

      Posted

      Oh dear Joe, I can understand why you feel let down! It is hard when there are other meds in the mix, ie Paroxetine etc. to know which could be a cause along with withdrawl of Pregabalin. I can only repeat that when I accidentally forgot to take my night dose of 100mg I felt absolutely awful the following day with nausea, giddiness and sweats. It is for this reason that I asked if your GP had told you to suddenly stop taking them (as if to prove a point). If you weren't anxious before all this started it is no surprise to me that you are now! You have done the right thing in seeing a different GP and I hope this one will explain everything to you and answer your questions as best he/she is able. I have no experience of Paroxetine so cannot comment on this - what I do know is that every new drug my GP tried me on before Pregab had the same side effects almost to the letter on the leaflet that comes with them. I have googled it and again it seems to cover a multitude of conditions. Pharmeceutical Companies literally covering their backsides just in case in my view. But, it is up to our GP's to explain fully to us when introducing new drugs exactly why they have prescribed it and why they think it would be of help for a particular condition. I do hope your new GP listens to you and is open and honest when you ask questions.

      I also suffer with IBS which is a major problem for me when I am under stress (as in now because I am making a major move all on my own 100 miles away from where I live now). I take Buscopan for the tummy pains and loperamide for the runs. Then I end up with constipation and have to take Dulco Ease for that!! It isn't easy living with this condition and can cause us to stay in and drop out of social activities because of the embarrassment. It is understandable that you suffer low moods and exhaustion - you are not alone.

      I believe strongly that you have a right to discuss all the above with your new GP and politely but firmly request answers. As you say, we are not Doctors and need to understand what is happening to us and why. Here's hoping you get this. Do let us know how things continue for you and I really do wish you the best.

  • stephanie31928
    stephanie31928 joe123454321

    Posted

    I have recently had the same experience both with the medicine side effects you have described and also the doctors response. I was appalled that the doctor completely dismissed my symptoms and ignored me when I spoke of how this medication has caused my mental health to decline. I don't have any other validation of what I have personally experienced from this drug other than mine and my families own observation of my behavior since I have been taking this medicine and my behavior when I am trying to stop taking this drug. The doctors will not acknowledge these complaints. And tell me I can't be experiencing these side effects. I am a 38 year old woman, I have never thought these things or felt this way until I started taking or stopping this medication. I have fired my doctor and am looking for one who will listen actively. I apologize if my response is not of much help, but I did want to let you know your post has helped me to realize I'm not the only one having this problem with this drug.

  • bobcrachet
    bobcrachet joe123454321

    Posted

    Dear Joe123454321,

    I am not medically trained and I would not argue with your GP but I can describe how pregabalin affects me.

    I have been taking pregabalin for about 5 years now. I was prescribed it by my GP for peripheral neuropathy caused by diabetes.

    I am taking 600g per day. 300mg in the morning and then another 300mg in the evening

    It definitely makes me feel a bit light headed and probably does affect my thinking and concentration. Put it this way, I would not like to drive a car any more. I sent my driving licence back to DVLA once I started feeling like this. It does calm my nerves down and does help me to sleep which is a very good thing.

    I have also been prescribed Gabapentin to take at the same time.

    It would be a bad idea to drink alcohol while taking Pregabalin as it would probably render you unconcious fairly quickly.

    So in answer to your question. I would answer yes to all side effects you have listed. You can also suffer lots of withdraw symptoms if you suddenly stop taking pregabalin. It says this in the leaflet inside the box.

    This is how it affects me.

    Hope this is helpful to you.

    Best regards

    bobcrachet.

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