Pegabilin - it helps!

Thank you for sharing your experience it has helped me to make a decision about my own treatment. I have read lots of good stuff about Pregabalin and i'm going to ask my GP about this on my next appointment. I have suffered with anxiety for years after being diagnosed with PTSD and later having a breakdown. My whole elf felt as though it had been taken from me. I completely lost myself I was so ill. I have only ever tried Excitalopram and Citlopram, each having helped me lots over the years, but not did much to help the social anxiety. I have had many problems all being related to the ongoing anxiety, and I would say that I have always been more anxious than Depressed, I'm sure I my mood is only ever so low because I cannot deal with my anxious symptoms. I hope my GP will agree to let me try this drug. I have tried Atenolol along with the Citaloram and it has worked, but often can make me feel unwell due to the drop in BP, and so for this reason I do not want to take this drug long term. I have had CBT in the past and am waiting to have it again, on a waiting list at the moment, but to be honest I have had this anxiety for around 15 years, used a lot of self help techniques and read so much information, but I don't think I will ever be able to live without medication. Despite my issues I have managed to turn my life around for the better and I am now a qualified nurse which is good, and bad. I love having such a rewarding career but it comes at a price, a more stressful lifestyle and lots of responsibility. I just want to be comfortable and confident so I can do my job well and not be held back by this awful disorder. Thank you. (",)

Hi xdebsx - you can see from the date of my last post that 2 years have gone past. In that time, I have have had three episodes of severe anxiety and was put on pregabilin by my consultant. It did the trick every time. I was on the medication for between 2-3 months but my consultant told me that some patients' anxiety was so chronic that he keeps them on a permanent maintenance dose. The only downside to the medication for me was the weight-gain but I see that as a small price to pay for peace of mind. What I would advise you to do is if you go on pregablin then get yourself stabliised first and enjoy being well again. If you then notice weight gain then consider watching those calories! The anti-depressants you use are helpful because they often have a side-effect of calming anxiety. Mine do that - but nowhere near as much as the pregabalin.

You say that you cannot see yourself as never being able to live without medication. So what? Nor can diabetics. Nor sufferers of chronic arthritis. Their conditions are physical. Ours are psychiatric and there is no reason why we should suffer long-term distress simply because our symptoms are 'mental'.

Good luck with seeing your GP. If s/he is hesitant asked to see a specialist and discuss it with them.

I'm glad to hear that it continued to work for you, and I have looked at several studies on it's efficacy for GAD compared with SSRI's which all look promising,. Even more glad to know that it can be used in the long term. Definitely agree with you that some weight gain is a small price to pay to be able to live our lives without anxiety and panic symptoms. Another problem I have had over the years with SSRI'S is loss of libido, and I have not had an intimate relationship for a very long time. If I could have some improvement in this area of my life I would be a happier lady

That is the way to look at it I suppose, people need medication for physical illness and we need it for mental illness, I shouldn't think that I'm any less deserving of treatment. Thank you so much for your help and advice, it's good to talk about this. My appointment is tomorrow and I hope I can get my thoughts and feelings across to my GP. After all it is us living with this, and I believe if I need to to take meds for the rest of my life, then I should have the opportunity to try different things to see which is most effective, and which will improve my quality of life. Thanks again. <3>

Good luck with your appointment. Be polite but assertive and say you would like to try Pregabalin to see if you get any benefits from it. In relation to problems of sexual intimacy it comes with the territory, I'm afraid. The way I've adjusted to it it by adopting the attitude that sex is a bonus not the basis of a loving relationship. A cuddle every day is worth more than sex a couple of times a week. It *has* taken me a long time to be able to accept this but I have now and I am quite happy with it. The other thing to consider is that when you are relaxed and much calmer you might be more receptive to sexual intimacy. I don't know - we are all different. Alll I do know is that if I had to choose between amazing sex and a good night's sleep every day for the rest of my life it would be a 'no-contest' zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

There is no guarantee that pregabalin will help you but the statistics are in your favour so let me know how you get on

I agree, sleep definitely wins that one hands down! I will let you know the outcome.

Hi there, after my GP had a chance to research this drug she was more than happy to prescribe it to me. I had a lengthy conversation with her beforehand as I have not seen this GP before. There are a few of them under the same practice. She had no idea Pregabalin was used for GAD, I'm so glad she listened and was willing to support me, as I had been worrying all night about it. Anyway, I have just took my first dose just now, and I have to tart with 150mg per day split in to 3x daily to start off with and see how I go. If it doesn't agree with me I have to go back in 2 weeks, if i feel benefit I have to order my next prescription. I am weaning myself off Citalopram also. I have Propanolol if I should need it, but I hope I don't. Only worries are that I work 5 days a week, dn hope the side effects are not bad enough that I need to take time off work. Well I will try and not think about the fact I have taken them this morning too much, so I don't talk myself in to being not well. lol I will keep you updated.

Good morning

It's not the fault of GPs they haven't heard of new medication. The problem is that they have so many patients to see and so many forms/letters to write that they have very little time for professional development.

Two things on the pregablin: 1) If you find that 150 mg per day is really too much to start with then take 50 mg twice a day for 2-3 days then increase it to 150 mg per day on day three or four. After your body has adjusted see how it goes and report back to your GP. 150 mg is one quarter of the maximum you are allowed. The most I ever had was 400 mg per day. 2) At some point in the future when you are stable and feel you can start reducing your medication talk again to your doctor and reduce it slowly.

Pregabilin is good because it works with your body and works out what level of medication you need to get your symptoms under control. Once you reach that level you do not have to worry about addiction - you stay on that level because it remains effective unlike Diazepam when you have to take more and more the longer you are on it.

On the Citalopram, don't reduce it without talking to your GP first. Have you done that?

I am managing the 150mg split in to 3 doses daily just now. A bit drowsy for a while after each dose but I am able to get on with work, it's not slowing me down. I will give it a week and try stopping the propranolol which has made a huge difference to my anxiety. But I would rather take the pregabalin than the propranolol as I don't like the idea of being on a heart medication long term. I'v reduced my Citalopram to 10mg, I will stay at that for a week or 2, then try coming off which will be scary seeing as I'v been them on them for so many years. Fingers crossed I can manage it. The Dr. is happy for me to reduce the Citalopram and eventually attempt to come off them. I think she is just agreeing, as she knows how determined I am.

I'm glad that I can stay on this and not build a tolerance to it. Do you know, since have qualified have been a nervous wreck at work with all the responsibility, and me starting a new job and being the new nurse in a ward where the staff are well established and have worked together for many years. I also have a fear of doing the nursing handover at change of shift, as I am the centre of attention while reporting each patient's progress on that shift (all eyes on me, and I have to listen to the sound of my own voice for longer than is comfortable for me lol). This is the time where my anxiety levels are high, stumble over words, get thought block, my body is a tense mess because I am so stressed. Well..last night and today I gave the handover and I only had slight nerves, but what a difference!! I managed to relay all the information, slightly flustered at one point but managed to pull myself together and carry-on without a problem. Now that is an achievement for me. Also managed to have more conversation with my colleagues, which usually I stay quiet due to my nerves being shot to bits. Felt I was finally making a connection with people and it was lovely.

I will keep you updated on my progress. How are you getting on?

Good - I am really pleased. Pregabalin really does work and you are getting the benefits already - I got mine within the first 2-3 days. Don't forget that you are still on a quarter of the maximum dose so there is plenty of room to increase it if needs be. The one thing I would suggest, however, is this (unless you have done it already) - make sure that everything you do with your medication ie increasing this/decreasing that/eliminating that *is discussed with your GP first*. Also, do not panic if you have a bad day or two on the pregablin. It is probably a sign that you need to increase the dosage *or* increase something else. Everybody has bad days whether they are on medication or not so give it a day or two and then see your GP.

Most important of all, once you have found the level of pregablin that is right for you then enjoy it. Feel good about yourself and live a good life again.

I am fine at the moment and not needing anything for anxiety but I have a good GP and Consultant and know that I can see them within 24 hours if necessary.

Today I have felt some break through anxiety which got me down a little, and a remark form my charge nurse that wasn't helpful. Think I will need to increase the dose of pregabalin pretty soon as it didn't have the same effect along with the propanolol as before. I will give it few days before making app with GP, untill the altered dose of citalopram settles in my system.

Still a way to go and you hit the nail on the head with your comment about feeling good about myself again, it's one thing being free from anxiety, but it will take more hard work to start to build my confidence back up. I havent felt good about myself in a very long time. That's great you have your GP and Consultant supporting you fully. feel I have lacked support over the years, and have only received help when I went looking for it which wasn't often let me tell you. I just tried to battle on with life.

As I said above, you will have good and bad days the same as anyone who is not taking medication. Make an appointment to see your GP again. If needs be then take 200 mg of pregabalin before seeing her and see if that helps - and that would be just one third of the maximum dose. I have been on 400 mg per day.It may well be that you should keep on the same level of citalopram as before because your increase in anxiety may be due to the decrease in that. Knowing the difference between 'regular' anxiety and anxiety linked to depression can be difficult so if you keep to the same level of anti-depressant as before but increase the pregabalin to a level where it steadies you (and it will) you will find out exactly what level of both types of medication you need to keep calm. Your body has now been introduced to pregablin and it 'likes' it. This means that by increasing the dosage you will get a higher level of benefits without higher levels of side-effects apart from maybe some drowsiness.

Charge nurse. Do not let one remark by one person get you down.

The fact is that you know you felt better after the initial dose of pregablin. That is good because you now know it works. The task now is to find the dose that is right for you at this time. So, with the advice of your GP, you will have to experiment. Keep on with the pregabalin and don't feel obliged to get off the anti-depressants. If you need them, you need them in exactly the same way that someone with arthritis needs painkillers. Don't feel guilty about feeling anxious or depressed. Do not feel as if you have to get off them by a certain date. All the literature available on both drugs says that there are no long-term serious effects of being on them. At some stage in the future you will feel strong enough to reduce them and/or get off them. Just do it slowly. The NHS is there to serve you and to help you.

Thanks for everything. You have been a huge help and if you want a blether anytime, I'm here.

No problem. I've been through it all - loads of people have - so I know how you are feeling. The crucial thing from what you have told me is that your anxiety levels reduced when you first took pregabilin. That means it works for you. Once you and your GP have increased it to a level that gets back your equilibrium then stay on it until you feel strong enough to reduce it. And if you do that and the anxiety returns then increase the dosage again. Good luck with it all - let me know how you get on.

Hi how's things? That's me at the max dose 600mg ad finally feeling the therapeutic effect of this drug. I'v increased a lot quicker but have the week off work to deal with the drowsiness that I have been experiencing. Only other thing is slight dizziness and short term memory loss which is annoying. I hope the memory problems are not an ongoing side effect from taking this as my work will be greatly affected.

Good, I am really pleased it is working. If you are getting the benefits on 600 mg then that is the dose you need to be on. Once you are stable, ask your GP if you can stay on it as a maintenance dose for few weeks, and then start to reduce it (don't reduce it too quickly - follow the advice of your GP on this). If you relapse when you are on, for example, 300 mg then go to 400 mg and it will stabilise you again. In time you will work out what dosage is appropriate for you in what circumstances. In one episode of anxiety I needed 300 mg each day but during another episode I need 400 mg and, in another, 225 mg each day.

Talk to your GP about the side-effects. I had dizziness but that was short-lasting and my body adapted to the medication after a few days. Regarding short-term memory loss I did not get it *but* I *do* get short-term memory loss when I am in an anxiety episode and *not* on pregabilin. The way I cope with it then is to keep a few 'post-it' notes in my pocket and as soon as I have done something important I write it down with the time I did it. Also, I do not know what age you are, but I am guessing I am a *lot* older than you and my short-term memory is getting worse anyway as I approach retirement.

Please make sure that you work with your GP on this because you need to get the balance right between the pregabalin and anti-depressants you are taking. Once you have got the combination right you really will feel so much better. In a previous post you mentioned that your GP did not appear to know that pregabalin could be used for GAD. Consider the possibility of talking to another more experienced GP at the practice you are registered with. I am sure your current GP will not mind. My bet is that she has already sought their advice on the use of pregablin already as most GP practices have a 'mentoring' system where younger, less experienced doctors are teamed up with an older member of the team.

One last thing - you told me that you increased the dose to 600 mg very quickly. Is it possible that you might have got the benefits on 400-500 mg if you had left it a couple of days? Just a thought. But please do *not* change your medication without talking to your doctor first.