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Starting Pregabalin..!!??

Posted , 6 users are following.

katie82853
katie82853

i have just been prescribed Pregabalin for Anxiety due to family problems.

the dose is 1 50mg twice a day..

im very worried about the side affects from what i have read,they are quite bad in the first week,im a busy mum of two and cant bear to be dizzy felling drunk zombied out etc..is it really as bad as what i have read...and if so does it settle down..

and also does it really work?

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Celt34
    Celt34 katie82853

    Posted

    I was started on 75mg twice a day and dizziness was so bad it made me really sick then more panicky because anxiety makes me throw up so I got caught in a cycle. The doctor told me to stop then I ended up in hospital and it there I was put on seroquel and 1 x 50mg of pregablin at night and no side effects from that so maybe start with 1 tab then work up to two. I don't feel any of he meds have made me feel better or it was just time but I have appt today to review meds. Good luck x
  • david260660
    david260660 katie82853

    Posted

    Hi katie,

    Really sorry to hear  of your need for this drug due to family problems.

    I assume you have previously tried SSRI anti-depressants or a a short course of Diazapam or sleeping pill before being prescribed Pregablin? I can only advise you of my own experience with this drug. I was also prescribed 2 x 1.5mg a day and was stupified by this dose for the first couple of days to the point I was off work. They did seem to calm down after day 4 but to be honest I did not like the way they made me feel which felt very artificial. I felt relaxed but totally detached from everything and everyone. After a week I took the decision to come off the drug. I am not a doctor and am only giving you my honest feedback on the drug. I would start with just the one pill as you posted this at 11am today and see how you feel by 5/6pm tonight. I agree with Celt34 if you are zonked out you can make a decision to taper up the dose starting tomorrow or just take 1 pill for a while  because this is strong stuff!   take care xx

    • katie82853
      katie82853 david260660

      Posted

      thanks for you advice david..

      im due to start the pregabalin on monday as im currently on a tiny dose 2.5mg of paroxetine, so my doctor has advised to stop that today and start the new medication on monday..

      from your experience how long after taking the pregabalin tablet does the woozy feeling last,is it a matter of hours or all day? im thinking that i may just start with 1x50mg per day, i cant halve the tabs as they are caplets x

    • david260660
      david260660 katie82853

      Posted

      Hi Katie I moved from 2 pills when first prescribed the drug down to 1 after 2 days. I stayed on 1 for my remaining time on the drug. Even on 1 pill i felt very spaced out, but this did reduce slightly. I should have done what Martin0422 suggested and broke the pill and start even smaller, but you and I know what its like when you are in the grip of anxiety/depression. None of us are Doctors here, so the advice is only from personal experience but Pregabalin is in a different ball park to your current anti-depressant. From my experience I would taper up the drug until you get some relief. if you hold down a job or have kids, you might find 2 pills twice a day a big shock to kick off with. I am not taking the drug anymore because of the way i felt during the day. My prescription is for one zopiclone which gets me relaxed before sleep and i get a full night. Of course all these drugs come with a withdrawal or dependance angle. I can only hope that whatever your family problem is will ease and your need for any drug will relent.   Lots of Love Dave. PS do you sleep well or is that a silly question?
  • Swim
    Swim katie82853

    Posted

    This was the first day I had ever taken pregab. I'm taking it for opiate withdrawal. I took 150mg this morning and went to work OK. I was a bit spaced out at lunch but went to my car and had a lie down for an hour. When I woke up I was still a bit spaced out but managed to work OK. I took another 100mg about 6:30pm (I was only one still in the office) and it knocked me out. I was writing an email then woke up an hour later. I had to lie in the car for an hour because I was too spaced to drive and to be honest it was almost like tripping on acid - bit wierd but not unpleasant. Anyway after an hour I felt a lot better. The good thing is I've not felt any withdrawal symptoms at all so overall quite impressed. Think I'll reduce the dose tomorrow though to 50mg and see how I go. I think the best thing in your case would be to start with a small dose - say 25mg - and see how you go. If still anxious then take another 25mg although I will say that I was quite shocked how long it took to come on. I took the 150mg at 8:30am and it was lunch-time when I really started to feel it strongest so I think you do have to be patient with it. Just because you don't feel any better after an hour don't take any more as couple of hours later you'll be zombied. Overall it's been a good experience. I bought the pregabs on the street so didn't really know what the correct dosage was and just went off what I read on another forum but I'm pretty sure I took far too much and I was OK - I felt bit spaced for an hour here and there and  it did knock me out a couple of times but I've not felt any withdrawal symptoms - at all! I feel very chilled out now and strangely full of energy. Normally with opiate withdrawal you can't get off your bed but I feel fine! I hope it's as good tomorrow although hopefully a smaller dose will reduce the spaced out/trip out/knock out issues I've had today. I'll let you know how I get on. 
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