Pregabilin

That sounds like a lot. I thought the maximum dose was 600mg per day :-/ I'd double check.

No this amount is not ok! 600mg is the maximum dose per day and your GP needs to read up on this before he makes you into a walking zombie. Pregabalin is a very hard hitting chemical compound. If you are one the the fortunate who do not have many side effects on Pregabalin you may be thinking if it goes up it will work better, but it will not. If it isn't achieving its aim at 600mg then you need to think about tapering off it. It is hard enough coming off 600mg let alone 900! It takes a long time to make small drops as the withdrawals can be quite awful. Bear in mind that this drug alters your brain chemistry and central nervous system within one week of taking it - the body quickly becomes dependent on it and coming off is like coming off Heroin and is just as difficult. Recent studies have shown that Pregabalin stops the brain making new synapses. Synapses are essential; as one part of the brain network flounders or dies these new synapses form to find different pathways around the problems. Studies are now underway into whether long term usage may cause dementia. I was only on 200mg daily and I suffered severe short term memory loss, loss of language, I was forgetting appointments, forgetting to take medications putting myself into withdrawals, and personality changes. Everyone is different but this is my story. 

GP's and Consultants still seem to think this is the new wonder drug and do not listen to their patients when they report the side effects and withdrawals - they tend to say it's all in the mind, or you're not taking them properly or you need to up the dose. Whatever your GP may say, it is your choice whether or not to take more or less of this drug. Do some research, google and read as much as you can before making a decision but at least you will be properly informed when you make it. Read the full leaflet carefully that comes with this drug and note that you cannot come off cold turkey as this can cause seizures, it has to be tapered down slowly and carefully allowing time in between drops to stabilise. 

I wish you all the best Michelle in whatever choice you make, but please post again if you need any support or help.

I'm already on 300mg twice a day . Have been for nearly 8 yrs . Ive had 3 strokes first at the age of 33 I haven't had any since being on pregabilin so Neurologist said he's happy to leave it at that level 300mg twice a day . I also have other problems. Was on tramadol which on bad days with paracetamol. But he said that there had been a big shake up so wouldn't give it me anymore . So upped pregabilin to 3 times a day and prescribed cocodomal. I'm confused what to do now.

I understand your confusion Michelle. Let me give you a little background to this drug....it was first made in the USA under the brand name of Lyrica. It's original use was to control seizures. The trials on this drug were falsified - no trials were held at all. The man concerned was found guilty of falsifying data on 8 new medications, Lyrica being one, and was sent to prison for doing so. Shockingly the FDA still approved this drug and put it out on Licence to Pffizer. It was found that incidentally this drug shut down the pain receptors in the brain so that chronic nerve pain just seemed to disappear. It is now heavily used for that. Plus, Pffizer pedalled this as a wonder drug, dealing with pain, seizures, anxiety, depression - it is advertised as such in the USA and thousands of patients were happy to try it. The side effects that have been reported since have been ignored to such a level that it is tantamount to medical negligence to give it out but Pffizer are a huge Billion dollar drug company who pay large incentives to Doctors, Consultants, Surgeries and hospitals to use it. The USA Courts are swamped with so many claims against Pffizer it will take many years for them all to get heard. In the UK NICE approved this under the name of Pregabalin and we followed the USA lead in giving this out. Now there is a huge 'Codeine Crisis' in the States because many patients started to abuse it and became addicted to it. This Crisis has now reached the UK and our GP's are refusing to give out Codeine, Tramadol etc. because it was abused by the 'few'. Now they give an untrialled drug out instead, Pregabalin and don't listen to the side effects/withdrawal testimonies from their patients! It is my belief that within 10 years this drug will no longer be in circulation, we now have a crisis in and on our streets because of the mistaken belief this drug gives a 'High' and has become the drug of choice to addicts. Ireland have a particular problem with this which you can google. The studies currently being done show what I have already mentioned in my earlier post. In the middle of all of this we have some patients who fortunately do not have the worst of the now known side effects, but many more that do and thousands who are struggling to come off Pregabalin and finding it extremely difficult. In my view, taking account of the further information you have given me, perhaps you feel you can remain on it because for you it is stopping further strokes and this is a good and proper use of it. I can only advise in my humble opinion that as you are already on the maximum dose recommended by NICE you should not up it to 900mg. There is not enough information yet available to know what problems this higher dose may cause you because the studies done are based on the NICE recommendation. May I ask what other reason is there for upping the dose into untested waters? Is it for Pain? There are several natural remedies available for you to look into if this is the case and I am happy to share what information I have on these if you would like me to. 

Forgive me for worrying about you but if 600mg is not dealing with pain issues then I sincerely doubt 900mg will. It depends on the kind of pain you suffer. I understand your willingness to stay on Pregablin because you have explained how and why it is helping you, but cannot help worrying about you upping the dose further. Please do some research of your own - I am not allowed to give you links on this forum so you need to just input questions like Pregabalin and Brain Synapses and see what comes up. Also google maximum dose and any other questions you may have. I am not a Doctor or any sort of medical professional and can only offer you my opinions based on taking this drug myself and a huge amount of research done over the past 2 years. If you would like to pm me I may be able to help you further that way. 

Regards,

Elizabeth