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TN-Lyrica 50mg increase is Not Good!

Posted , 5 users are following.

Glor888
Glor888

I rang my doctor yesterday concerning an increase of dosage for Lyrica. Originally I was informed it has to be at 25mg increase about every week. I was already on 50mg and was about to start on 75mg. My doctor said I can jump to 50mg increase. So because of my pain I was glad to jump 50mg. Last night I was like a zombie!

I was very drowsy and slept like a log for 9hrs with the exception of a toilet break at 1am.

This morning I took 100mg and within 2hrs I felt drowsy, weak and a little breathless. I didn't feel very well at all so I decided to come back home. I've had lunch but that hasn't made any difference to how I feel. All the side of my face was stinging, my teeth aching along with electric shocks. It wouldn't stop. My face even felt numb.

I'm not taking 100mg straight off again tonight. I'm just jumping to 75mg. This isn't good. I guess it affects different people different ways.

Anyone else jump in 50mg of Lyrica like that? Did you feel the same as above?

Gloriana

0 likes, 22 replies

22 Replies

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  • wanganui
    wanganui Glor888

    Posted

    gloriana I would drop back to 50 mg and stabilise on that for about ten days then up by 10 mg( ask your doctor for the liquid pregabalin) stay on 60 mg for awhile and so on but only upping by little doses and not too quickly.This way will be easier on your central nervous system.The pain will only stop ,if this is the right medication for you ,when you reach a dose where no pain is felt.Good luck though!

    ba

    • Glor888
      Glor888 wanganui

      Posted

      Hi Wanganui

      Thanks for the advice. My Dr started me off on 25mg and I was on that for over a week as my T N was just hovering with little sharp twinges. When they got worse I upped it to 50mg for a week. The pain has got worse so I was going to up another 25mg when my GP said I can go right up to 50mg making it 100mg. I was on it during June/July without any problems.

      My own GP said that Tegretol was the 1st best tablet to take for TN and 2nd I think he said was Gabapentine. There was another one I tried but both of them gave me bad side effects and that's when he put me on Lyrica. 

      I was actually thinking on not taking a dosage tonight and starting off with 75mg in the morning. I've not felt at all well today. I was felt weak and wobbly in my legs. Personally for me I the it was too big a jump o increase at 50mg instead of 25mg. 

      Gloriana

    • wanganui
      wanganui Glor888

      Posted

      Hi gloriana,it is better not to miss a dose once you have started so if I was you I would take 50 mg tonight even if you are feeling rotten otherwise you will feel even worse for missing a dose.See how you go on the 50 mg for the next week..you may adapt...if you are still feeling ghastly you should consider stopping this medication.See what your doctor says.I had a terrible reaction on pregabalin when I dropped too fast last year.But if you feel really bad you must get to see a doctor sooner.
    • Glor888
      Glor888 wanganui

      Posted

      Hi,

      The pharmacist has just phoned me back and suggested I miss the dosage tonight and see how I feel in the morning. I've to assess myself and if need be drop back down to 25mg, plus probably take 75mg in the evening. I'm not happy doing it that way. So I will see how I feel tomorrow. If I'm ok I will stick to 50mg until I see my own GP on Monday. 

      I never had had this problem last year. It could just merely be too much of a jump that set off the side effects. I'll probably be ok on 75mg. We'll see.

      Thanks.

      Gloriana

       

  • paula76255
    paula76255 Glor888

    Posted

    Hi Gloriana

    I was on 600mg daily but the side effects made me feel like I had dementia! I would take them at 9am (after the school run) and 9pm at night as there's no way I could drive once the tablets had kicked in. I would look around the room and my eyes felt like they were moving in slow motion. Absolutely awful. I'm now down to 100mg morning and night with the intention of coming off medication altogether. I still have varying degrees of pain (agony mostly) but side effects to me are just as bad (hair falling out etc). I would increase slowly and see how you get on. If you still feel awful I would see a GP. I hope you are having your blood tested regularly? Quite why there's no non-invasive cure out there is beyond me.

    Feel better soon!

    Paulax

    • Glor888
      Glor888 paula76255

      Posted

      Hi Paula

      Wow! 600mg! I didn't realise the dosage was that high. I only thought it was about 300. 600 is a lot in comparison to the 200 I reached. But there again everyone is different. No wonder you had awful side effects.

      Had you tried different medication, such as Tegretol?

      If you're hoping to come off medication altogether what will you try, Herbal remedies etc. Or alternative operations?

      The pharmacist phoned me back and she suggested not to take any medication tonight and to see how I feel tomorrow. I'm going to take 50mg again until I see my GP on Monday. No, I haven't had my blood taken whilst on these tablets. Thank you for mentioning it, I will ask my GP.

      I feel the same regarding a cure, but I suppose being the nerves can be tricky to alter. Other than an operations. I'm not sure about the success rates on those though.

      Hope you have some success with your alternative remedies.

      Gloriana 

       

       

    • paula76255
      paula76255 Glor888

      Posted

      Hi!

      I started on 50mg twice a day and gradually built up. It took me two years to get up to 600mg (maximum dose) but after this summer I've had enough of feeling awful. Sometimes my speech would come out jumbled up and the looks from people....very upsetting. I've tried acupuncture, some weird humming drum thing, tegretol (put me in a&e with sodium level of 23) and a professor wanted me to go on oxcarbazipine, which caused racing heart. I won't consider surgery as knowing my luck I will be in more pain than before, or worse. I'm not going to do or take anything as I put up with this for 12 years before reluctantly taking medication.

      Good luck with the tablets and I hope it soon settles down and you can start to feel more normal. I think you're doing the right thing going back to 50mg twice a day. Try and have a relaxing evening. Paula x

    • Glor888
      Glor888 paula76255

      Posted

      Hi,

      Sorry, I thought I'd replied to everyone, but noticed I missed yours. 

      How often do you decrease your medication, weekly?

      I'm still on 50mg X 2 daily. But this isn't enough. I feel like I have constant toothache too. It's hopeless trying to see my own Dr. So I will have to request a call back where I can speak to one of the others.

      I really hope you can find a remedy that will help you.

      Over the 12yrs have you been in remission at all?

      Gloriana 

       

  • Baudwalker
    Baudwalker Glor888

    Posted

    Hi Gloriana56563

    I 'started' on 200m and that turned me into a zombie, 150 was about the same and now I am on 100 three times a day. Next visit to the GP I think I will ask to go down to 75 myself.

    I am also on ox carbamazine 4 times a day.

    The Lyrica is to combat the headaches and the other defends aginst the shooting pains in the face.

    My issue is simply called Facial Palsy as it started with a slight sensitivity on the left side of the face and this slowly progressed over two years. So slow I had no idea the left side was paralysed till I went for a eye test and the operator noticed the eye wouldn't close.

    My worst issue I had was intense headaches that tried to lift the top of my head off and the ONLY thing that touched it was Lyrica.

    Going through the Neurologists now and they are all GUESSING the seat of the problem and want to stick hot needles in me without being able to tell me why or where or what it will achieve.

    So...don't be afraid of the jumps in Lyrica as long as you can be in a safe place till you are accomustomed to it. It usually is a solution to the problem regardless of being a nasty drug.

    Hope it all comes together for you

     

    • Glor888
      Glor888 Baudwalker

      Posted

      Hi Baudwalker

      I'm not surprised you felt like a zombie being put on 200mg straight off.

      I don't blame you going on a low dosage.

      There again everyone is different, where some can tolerate high dosages straight off and others can't.

      Wow! You have had it bad. Your Neurologist should tell you why, where and what the hot needles will achieve. If not I would ask them.

      My pharmacist phoned me back and after our discussion on the matter at hand I've decided to miss tonight's dosage and see how I feel in the morning and go back to 50mg twice a day until I see my GP on Monday.

      Thanks for the advice.

      Let us know how you get on with the Neurologist.

      Gloriana

       

  • wanganui
    wanganui Glor888

    Posted

    Good morning gloriana! I hope you are feeling better today.Like Paula I too was on 600 mg of pregabalin and it turned me into a zombie...I crashed the car and ended up in A and E.My speech was slurred,my gait was abnormal  ,I forgot my sentences.....it helped with the pain but the side effects  were too great and I weaned myself down to 25 mg which is ineffective.I have yet to get the courage to wean myself off this last bit....my doctor never tested my blood and like Paula I have decided to manage this myself as with countless medications I have been on the side effects have outweighed the benefits.I would dearly love to beable to tolerate a medication that would help me and envy those people who can do so.Have a better day today!
    • Glor888
      Glor888 wanganui

      Posted

      Good evening Wanganui

      I felt a lot better yesterday after skipping a dosage Saturday night. I'm sticking to 100mg a day for now until I can see my own GP. I too am tolerating the pain on this low dosage. My face is stinging and my back lower too the aches something chronic.

      I agree, somewhere I read, that it is about time there was a breakthrough with this TN.

      Which other medication have you tried?

      Surely you don't want to suffer in pain without meds do you?

      Gloriana

       

    • wanganui
      wanganui Glor888

      Posted

      Well this year I have only been on 25 mg of pregabalin which does nothing and .75 mg of clonazepam at night.This last medicine is the only one I can tolerate extremely well and thank goodness for that as it enables me to get at least 5 hours straight sleep without pain.With the reduction in the pregabalin I have had awful pain since March so the answer to your question is I did want to manage without medication but it's just too painful.I am off to my doctor on Thursday to see what can be done .I have researched so much on this syndrome and always said I wouldn't have invasive treatment but continuous pain can soon change your mind.I have been on ampitripyline ,nortripyline,gabapentin ,carbamazepine. tramodol. codeine.....and others! I'm so glad you are feeling more yourself today.Yes go slowly with the pregabalin.All the best.
    • wanganui
      wanganui Glor888

      Posted

      Sorry Glorian but my last reply to you is being moderated,can't think why though!

      Anyway so glad you are feeling better.Ive been on countless medications that left me with terrible side effects.If I can find a med that doesn't leave me bed bound for a week I will joyfully use it.I see my doctor  in London on Thursday and I have a heap of questions for her.

      i feel your pain as we all do here.Hang in there! 

    • Glor888
      Glor888 wanganui

      Posted

      The post that has stated being maderated, you will see a red why? Click on that and you will see the reasons.

      It happened to me.

      Good luck with the doctor on Thursday and let us know how you get on.

    • Glor888
      Glor888 wanganui

      Posted

      I see your post has been cleared. 

      I know 25mg barely touches the pain, I'm still on 50mg and managing. Only problem is I'm experiencing awful toothache. I've been to the dentist and all is clear. So I'm taking Paracetomol. Cocodamol knocks me out too much.

      How did you get on at your Drs?

      I guess we have to plod on regardless, I think myself lucky in co parison to others that don't even get a break, ever, at least I get remissions.

      I hope all goes well for you.

      best of luck

      Gloriana

       

    • wanganui
      wanganui Glor888

      Posted

      Hello Gloriana( I love the name,a defiant ring about it!)

      Well I didn't get on at the doctors advice wise ....I was told to yet again go back on the same medication combo that I have been on twice before and had not worked...I felt time was wasted..hers mine and somebody else could have had my appt.Remember this is on the very busy NHS and I had waited 14 months for this visit.

      I feel though ,and this is interesting,I present myself too well ie I don't come across as not being in that much in pain.This is due to years of fortitude in dealing with this pain which gives you,me leastways ,a high pain threshold .My doctor daughter who sees me suffer says this is what I unconsciously do in a doctors office and I have never believed her!

      Anyway I have put disappointment behind me and continue to be my own advocate.I have an appt with my own GP on Thursday.

      I see that you have been on tegretol.Are you still on it? Did it help you? You say if you stayed in bed in am you could deal with side effects..did they go after that week?I am thinking I may give it another go and see if I can manage side effects as you did and hope they go.Did you put weight on with it?

      And how are you feeling? Does the paracetamol help you with the " toothache?"If you can tolerate the side effects of pregabalin it is a very good drug at higher mg and it did eliminate all my pain,just shucks about the side effects I had!

      Do have a lovely Christmas Gloriana!

    • Glor888
      Glor888 wanganui

      Posted

      Hi Wanganui,

      (thank you I think it maybe Latin although some think Italian) lol.

      How come you had to wait 14 months for a visit from the NHS? I didn't even know the NHS did that. Excuse my ignorance.

      I know what you mean re Drs surgery, when I go to my Drs concerning my neuralgia, I'm not in pain at that time and I often wondered whether they actually believe we're in pain.

      Let us know how you get on when you've seen your own GP on Thursday.

      No I'm not on Tegretol anymore, as when my Neuralgia returned last year, after I automatically went back on it, I had side effects then. So I came off them. That's when the Dr tried me on Gabapentine and the same thing happened. Now I'm on Pregablin, which is very slow and I'm stuck with it.

      Tegretol did help all those years ago and each time I went back on them I had to cut the tablets up into 50mg dosages through the day instead of 200mg straight off as I couldn't cope with the nausea. That's when I got my son to bring me tea and biscuits in bed of a morning until the nausea subsided. After I built up to the 200mg x4 times a day, and with no nausea, I just carried on to 1200mg per day without any problems.

      I don't recall if I put any weight on, I don't think I did.

      I feel ok it's just the toothache feeling, which I never had the last time the neuralgia returned. I take Paracetomol and yes it does take the edge off it. So I might try increasing the Pregablin to 75mg twice a day from tomorrow and see how I get on.

      So What side effects did you have with Pregabalin?

      Have a very good Xmas yourself too Wanganui. 

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