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Pregablin withdrawal nightmare!

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fay_95341
fay_95341

Hi... Just looking for advice really from anyone who has been through this. I was prescribed pregablin apx 3 months ago for anxiety starting at 25mg a day workin myself up to 100mg twice a day morning a night. I decided around 2 weeks ago the side effects including bouts of anger/rage (never had this in my life I am 42) weight gain piled on 21lbs and constantly hungry, speech difficulties forgetting words etc just didn't seem worth the benefits this pill was providing so contacted my Dr and explained I wanted to come off. In 2 weeks I had tapered down from my original dose to 50mg morning 25mg evening and let me tell you it's been hell. So much so last night I caved in and am now back up to my original dose crying my eyes out as I swallowed the pills not wanting this crap in my body but feeling no choice. Withdrawal last 2 weeks has been spent in bed basically 2 whole weeks feelings of fever chills hot flushes flu symptoms,headaches. I can handle those what I can't handle is the feeling of screaming 24/7 anxiety literally shaking with feelings of unease being unable to do anything apart from hide underneath my duvet. The feelings of deep deep dark depression more than anything I have experienced in my life again truly horrific and the thoughts of suicide a regular thing that is crossing my mind. Hell!! My family have been worried for me in fact it was my partner who came in last night finding me in a terrible state in bed encouraged me to put my dosage back up until I can see the Dr. I have taken another 75mg this morning and am feeling somewhat better than of late not fantastic but a marked improvement. I just feel stuck I do not know what to do next. All I know is I want and need these awful things out of my life. If only I had done a little research beforehand instead of putting my faith on the Dr. What do I do next... Any help or ideas with this please.

1 like, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • frances57106
    frances57106 fay_95341

    Posted

    Hi Fay x i have been on pregabalin for 2 years now for pain and anxiety x i have put weight on and have probs remembering words etc but at least i have no anxiety x i think you may have tried to come off them too quickly x why not try to reduce it by 25 mg a month x your body will then have an easier time of adjusting to the dose and once you have done that just reduce every month or even every 2 months x it will take longer but it will be far less painful xx don't worry about how long it takes x it will take as long às it takes x lots of love Xx

    • fay_95341
      fay_95341 frances57106

      Posted

      Hey Frances yes I have decided to try a much slower taper I was originally at 100mg twice a day now down to and seem settled at 75 x 2 a day. My anxiety is not great but better than it was so will leave it at this for a while and try to reduce monthly. Can I ask what dosage your taking to get full anxiety relief x
  • Ironman23
    Ironman23 fay_95341

    Posted

    Hi I can relate to this I have just had my pregabalin upped to 300mg twice a day and am having suicidal thoughts bouts of depression and out bursts of anger but am worried that if I tell the docs about this they will stop all my medication as have been having thoughts about taking the lot.
    • fay_95341
      fay_95341 Ironman23

      Posted

      Hi Ironman.. I feel your pain with this. Why are you taking them is it for anxiety related reasons. 300 mg x 2 a day seems a high dosage I think this is the maximum isn't it. I started having these issues when I decreased my dose not increased it so I don't really know what to suggest apart from discussing these feelings with your doctor. Since getting back up to my original dose the depression,anxiety and thoughts have levelled out I feel ok and my plan is to taper at 10% a month and hopefully get these things. Please speak to your doctor get some advice because I know how absolutely horrific these things can make u feel I think I probably wasn't far off from being sectioned I was that poorly tearful,agritted, screaming anxiety and depression at a whole new level a kind of depression I didn't even know existed I was petrified. These pills shouldn't be handed in my opinion unless it's an extreme case. And once I get off them I will never put my faith in a dr again.

    • Ironman23
      Ironman23 fay_95341

      Posted

      Hi fay thanks for replying  i am on these meds for servere lower back pain due to nerves they have been very good in helping with my pain but they just was not strong enough at the dosage i was on so when the doc started increseing the dose i started getting depressed and having outbursts of anger then the suicidle thoughts came in and for around 4 weeks now every day im thinking am i better off just taking all these meds together and ending it all. So been in contact with docs today and they are weening me down to just 100mg twicw aday but doing it at 50mg atime each week so im hope this will help and not make it worse.
    • fay_95341
      fay_95341 Ironman23

      Posted

      Hey there... oh ok I have seen people on forums such as this lowering dosage and doing much better at a lower dose so fingers crossed for you. Also myself since lowering from the 2 100s a day to the 2 75s my angry outbursts have lessened I noticed. I would in all honesty pref not be taking them at all which is what I am aiming for but I seem particularly sensitive to these meds so for me it's a 10% monthly taper. The 2 weeks withdrawel scared me I can't afford to go back there it was pretty intense and I have a job I need to get to thankfully I work in a school so was off anyway. But yes during that time I was of the same mindate as you the depression was immense and at times I felt I wanted out which was very unlike me it was horrific but stick with it at a lower dose it may suit you better it may be that 600 daily was just too much for you to tolerate. Best wishes with it.

    • fay_95341
      fay_95341

      Posted

      Sorry Frances only just noticed your response. I guess we are all different, anxiety in my case can be crippling and have such an impact on daily life which is why I set out on this pregablin journey to start with... anxiety was my main reason. On my current dose I am still experiencing anxiety but it's not as intense I just feel less bothered by it so something is working somewhere lol I just hate the side effects. I am glad you have found something that works for you with seemingly minimal disruption to your body. That is fantastic... 😊

  • Sungirl1
    Sungirl1 fay_95341

    Posted

    My dr. just completed lab work and I do not have RA, Lupus, etc...Because of my symptoms/ pain, he has diagnosed me w/ fibromyalgia.  He prescribed 25mg for a week to increase to 50mg.  I have read on other sites as well as here about the horrible side effects.  I am really scared to take this drug because what I have read.  Is there anyone who has had a positive experience with Lyrica?  I have tried Cymbalta at 30mg and thought I was going to go out of my mind with the "feeling" it gave me.  It seems like most drugs to help w/ the nerve pain/ aches have side effects which are just as bad (or almost) as the pain.  I've been dealing w/ chronic pain since my shoulders froze 3 years ago, and I lost my mother.  It has been downhill ever since. 

    One more question: 

    ?Has anyone gone through pain management?  If so, what did that entail?

    ?I've been through shoulder, hip/ knee/ and neck physical therapy and continuing to do stretches/ exercises.

    ?Any help would be so appreciated!  I just don't know what to do w/ the Lyrica. 

    ?I hate to say something that is not life-threatening has consumed my life, but the truth is, it has.  Just pitiful.  Plum pitiful.

    ?I feel for everyone hurting.  No one understands until they experience it.

    • frances57106
      frances57106 Sungirl1

      Posted

      Hi Sungirl x i am on 300 mg of pregabalin twice daily and it has worked for me x at first the side effects kick inbut they soon wear off x pain is terrible and very hard to live with x in my case i had a torn ligament in my knee and had it removed x i also need a new knee cap but i'm too young apparantly xx hope you find it works for you x gove it a go xx

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