Another Pregabalin Diary..... [Archive]

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Scratchappy

08-11-11, 19:31

Hello.

Am new to this site but thought, like other posters, that I'd also write a diary of my experience on pregabalin in the hope it may be of some use to others. The first thing to report with this medication is that I found the name difficult to pronounce and even harder to spell correctly :wink:

Anyway, I'll try and give you a bit about my background and where I'm at right now:

Well, I have been trying to live with the following conditions for almost 20 years (am now 35):

GAD - Generalised Anxiety Disorder
SA - Social Anxiety (to the extreme and my main issue)
HPPD - Hallucinogen Persisting Perceptive Disorder (visual disturbances caused by me being an idiot and taking too much LSD way back when)
Hyperhidrosis - extreme facial sweating (mmm, lovely condition)

I've been on so many anti-depressants over the years it's hard to keep track but none have really helped with anxiety that much. In fact, they've done relatively little.
Because I found the anti-depressants to be so ineffective, I literally pleaded with my doctor to put me on diazepam. And I've been on the stuff for about 10 years now. Although it helped me to lead a 'normal' life of sorts for a while, I can't continue with it as I want to sort my life out and deal with my issues properly. So have been on a reduction plan and hope to be off of it completely fairly soon (esp. if the pregabalin helps). Was on 20MG diazepam, now on 6MG a day. I sometimes use propranolol but find that it doesn't do to much for me.

I've also self-medicated a lot over the years and misused a number of substances as well to try and deal with my issues. I know, they're bad coping techniques and the wrong ones too. I found that a combination of diazepam and a hell of lot of cannabis was the only way I could get through and exist in life at times. But inevitably, the problems were only hidden and subdued, waiting to come to the surface and send my life into free fall. Again.

At the moment, my anxiety levels are extremely high due to where I am with life, nevermind having to deal with my SA, GAD and everything else. I've just come out of a 6 year relationship and am looking at having to sell my property. I've also started a new job but after 6 weeks have had to go on sick leave due to not being able to cope with life.
All in all, I'm not in a good place right now. I am trying to turn my life around with better coping strategies such as CBT + exercise + relaxation techniques + medication. If that doesn't work, well, I'm probably screwed.....

Asleep? No? Bored? Quite probably. Ok, here's the diary part in the next post then.........:

*Please note that I am initially taking the pregabalin with diazepam. And have read that the pregabalin can enhance the effects of a benzodiazepine when combined together*

---------- Post added at 19:31 ---------- Previous post was at 19:29 ----------

Day One

Dosage: 2 x 50MG daily

1st dose 50MG (taken on an empty stomach):

Effect: No changes at all. Disappointed but not unexpected. Patience.....

Side effects: None

Note: Had already taken 40MG propranolol and 4MG diazepam in the morning 5 hours before dose of pregabalin.

2nd dose 50MG (taken on a stomach full of...........tomato soup):

Effect: Hmmmmmmmmmm. My mood seems to be up slightly, for no apparent reason. Am even singing to myself. Feeling more focused and seem able to concentrate better. Slightly stimulated. Odd. Really odd.
Very, very subtle but it could be the medication kicking in. Unsure. Feeling quite relaxed though. And whereas before I'd think quite a lot about attempting to do something, even a simple task, I just find that I am doing it. If that makes sense....
Could be the medication. Could have been the tomato soup....

Side effects: Slight restlessness that comes and goes. Unsure if it's a bad side effect though as I seem to be doing more.

Note: 2MG diazepam taken 1 hour after dose of pregabalin.

nicola1980

08-11-11, 19:38

Good luck xx

Scratchappy

08-11-11, 19:45

Thanks Nicola :)

Scratchappy

09-11-11, 19:36

Day Two

Dosage: 3 x 50MG daily

1st/2nd/3rd dose @ 50MG:

Effect:

Worrying thoughts, on the main, seem to have been replaced with random songs in my head. For now anyway. Anxiety definitely appears to be down :)

I seem to be developing a "So what?" and "Don't really care" attitude towards things that used to make me anxious. I don't even seem that bothered with my HPPD symptoms and they can really get me down at times. It's as if I'm at ease with everything. It's really early days but the signs are promising....

After the 2nd dose, I felt really quite stimulated. It's like my senses are sharper and I feel more with it. Concentration is much better. Mood is good too :)
It seems like the storm that's been in my head for 20 years or so is drifting away and I can actually think relatively clearly. I actually feel very positive and pretty normal. It seems almost unbelievable that the drug is having this much effect so soon on quite a low dose.

Although I feel pretty good, I reckon I'm just scratching the surface with this drug. I think that at higher dosages it will be much more beneficial.

Side effects:

Dry mouth - but I get that with diazepam in any case so it's impossible to differentiate between medications side effects when combined together.
I did get some spasms in my thighs for some reason. I found it amusing and wasn't worried as they lasted just a few minutes.

Note:

Took 4MG diazepam with 1st dose of pregabalin.
Took 2MG diazepam with 3rd dose of pregabalin.
Pregabalin dose taken 5-6 hours after previous dose.

Scratchappy

10-11-11, 20:59

Day Three

Dosage: 3 x 50MG daily

1st/2nd/3rd dose @ 50MG:

Effect:

Anxiety still down. Mood still good. Feeling the same as yesterday, more or less. And it's the best I've felt in a long, long time :)
I find it unbelievable that I'm not actually getting negative or anxious thoughts. I've almost forgotten that only some days ago my head was all over the place. It seems so much calmer now. And after just 3 days too.

Side effects:

Dry mouth. And a bloody good nights sleep. They don't make me tired during the day but when I put my head down, I'm out for the count :sleep: A good side effect in my opinion.

Note:

Took 3MG diazepam with 1st dose of pregabalin.
Took 3MG diazepam with 3rd dose of pregabalin.
Pregabalin dose taken 4-6 hours after previous dose.

I've decided to increase the dosage tomorrow to 3 x 100MG daily which is about 2 days earlier than planned. I don't think there will be any problems as I feel comfortable on this medication and I don't think 2 days will make much difference.
I'm doing it out of curiosity more than anything to see how well the drug works. That and I'd quite like to feel some euphoric rushes :winks:

JT69

11-11-11, 17:27

Glad that its going o.k for you....may it continue.

Jo.x

Scratchappy

12-11-11, 08:12

Glad that its going o.k for you....may it continue.

Jo.x

Thanks Jo :) Yes, it's a case of so far, so good really.

---------- Post added at 08:12 ---------- Previous post was at 08:00 ----------

Day Four (not in the Big Brother House)

Dosage: 3 x 100MG daily

1st/2nd/3rd dose @ 100MG:

Effect:

Didn't really notice any difference between increasing the dosage to be honest. Good thing is that anxiety levels are still low and mood is definitely still positive. Although I must admit that I've felt a bit flat at times during the day but that could come down to a number of outside influences as well. But seem to have lost that real get-up and go feeling I had the first few days which is a shame. Hopefully it will return. Anyway, pretty much no one feels good all the time so I can't expect to be on this up all the time either.

I believe it's having a positive affect on my life as for the first time in about 2 months I met up with friends for a drink on Friday. So I'm out socialising again :) And feeling like I want to be sociable too, more importantly. I didn't even feel anxious about the situation either :) I felt fine in the social situation - no real panic, no real anxious thoughts either. In fact, to me I seemed really calm. At one point I even searched for anxious thoughts but they just dissipate so quickly that it can't build up into anything. So really happy about not only being able to go out for a bit but also enjoying it too.

I've also put myself down for 5-a-side football next week for the 1st time. I'll only know one person there so it'll be a test for my SA for sure but the fact that my mind has changed from "Don't think I can handle that" to "Yeah, let's give it a go" in the space of about 5 days is a step in the right direction. My only concern is that I'll collapse on the pitch (well, sports hall court anyway) due to being too unfit from smoking all these years :wink: Think I'll mostly be playing in goal then.

I'm also thinking about returning to work in about a month :) My mind set really has changed as before the medication, I really didn't think that I could go back to a full-time job or even handle a part-time job so the fact I'm considering it now is a very good sign :) But I want to give the medication plenty of time in order to assess it's effectiveness and to get the dosage levels right. It may just be wishful thinking but for now but it's something to aim for anyway.
I still have to remind myself that's it's very early days on this drug and to take things slowly and also that the work environment is completely different to the one at home. Each day as it comes and all that.....

Oh, one thing I should mention is that I had 2.5 beers when I was out. Got to admit that after the second pint it started to hit me pretty hard! But I hadn't really eaten for about 6 hours and I've not really been drinking for about 2 months so should take that into consideration. It was 5% lager though too. Honestly, I am NOT a lightweight :wink:
I didn't get emotional either which can sometimes happen to me when I'm under heavy anxiety and have had a couple of drinks. I'd only feel a bit tearful when I got home as the alcohol seemed to depress me. But I just felt chilled out and a little drunk :)
I didn't get any adverse effects other than losing concentration slightly and feeling a little bit spaced out. Nothing that a large coca cola and food wouldn't have sorted out in any case.

Side effects:

Dry mouth, as usual. But not all the time I've noticed.

Note:

Took 3MG diazepam with 1st dose of pregabalin.
Took 3MG diazepam with 3rd dose of pregabalin.
Pregabalin dose taken 4-6 hours after previous dose.

nicola1980

12-11-11, 10:11

Sounds like your doing really well, well done :D wish i was :mad: x x

Belleblue

12-11-11, 11:49

Scratchappy

13-11-11, 08:30

Sounds like your doing really well, well done :D wish i was :mad: x x

Hey Nicola. Thanks for the message :) Yes, things are going better than I could have hoped so far. But am careful not to get carried away.

Sorry to hear you're not. Are you also taking pregabalin?

nicola1980

13-11-11, 08:35

Hey Nicola. Thanks for the message :) Yes, things are going better than I could have hoped so far. But am careful not to get carried away.

Sorry to hear you're not. Are you also taking pregabalin?
Hi no im taking citalopram, been on it 8 weeks things were getting better but i seem to have gone backwards, panic attacks r back with avengence this time :weep: xx

Scratchappy

13-11-11, 09:00

Hi Scratchappy - I'm pleased to hear that you are doing well so far on this medicatiion :) I am reading your diary with interest as I am considering taking it too.

Take care now and keep on keeping us informed.
Belle x

Hey Belleblue :) Again, thank you for your message also. Yeah, the medication is by far the best I've tried for anxiety that isn't a benzodiazepine. Mind you it is still early days and the research, helpfully provided by others, indicates that tolerance build-up is an issue. So am wary of that.

I'm glad someone other than Nicola is reading this :) Was beginning to think no one really cared :weep: ;) I really do hope my experience can be of some help to you. If you want to know anything, obviously, please feel free to ask away.

Thanks...............Scratchappy

---------- Post added at 09:00 ---------- Previous post was at 08:44 ----------

Hi no im taking citalopram, been on it 8 weeks things were getting better but i seem to have gone backwards, panic attacks r back with avengence this time :weep: xx

Oh dear :( I'm really sorry to hear that Nicola. Panic attacks are awful at the time. Very debilitating. Going backwards happens unfortunately. Just when you think things are going in the right direction......you get a set-back. Just try and keep going, hard as it can be, and do what you know helps.

I found citalopram very ineffective to be honest. It made me flat-line in a way. I neither felt happy nor sad. Just existed. And I hated it's side effects too.
I first took citalopram about 7 years or so a go and was up to 40MG (although I think 60MG is the limit). Whilst I certainly think it helps a little with anxiety and is better than most anti-depressants I tried, it really wasn't what I was looking for. It just didn't do enough.
I've recently just stopped my citalopram as I was switching to pregabalin. The difference is, well, you can probably tell from my posts.

Hope this week is better for you Nicola :)

JT69

13-11-11, 10:07

Scratchappy

13-11-11, 11:01

Hi scratchappy,

Please keep posting...it really does help others and even though they may not always reply we do read posts...I find it very interesting as I take pregabalin myself and have found it to be of enormous help to me.

I hope your recovery continues to be positive.:)

Jo.x

Hey Jo :) Yeah, I know I found reading these boards so useful and helpful before I was prescribed pregabalin. I was reading threads from last year so you never know when someone might need some information or first hand accounts of using the drug. I guess that's why I started a thread as it kind of inspired me, reading about other posters experiences.

I think I've read some of your posts which were helpful and useful so thanks for that :)

Really good that the med. is making a positive difference in your life :) How long have you been using it Jo? I was interested in your thread about long-term use. On other sites, I've read that users have come off of the drug as they found the effectiveness to wear off. But some have had no problems at all and continue to use it every day.
Have read about some bad withdrawal experiences though and the medical profession claim this drug is not addictive :dry: But withdrawal is nowhere near as bad as coming off benzo.'s apparently. And a few now just use pregabalin on an as and when needed basis. But the one thing they pretty much all agreed on was that it was very effective for anxiety, possibly the best out there, and that if you discontinue for a day or so and then take it again, you pretty much get the same effects as to when you took it initially.
The general feeling seems to be that the medical companies are on the right road for developing really effective drugs to help with anxiety disorders. I think they may well be too. It's about time.....

Scratchappy

14-11-11, 07:37

Day Five

Dosage: 3 x 100MG daily

1st/2nd/3rd dose @ 100MG:

Effect:

Feeling pretty much the same as yesterday. Anxiety low. Mood good and positive. Mind sharp, concentration decent. The usual really.
I actually went out mountain biking for 3 hours at the weekend. I haven't done that for about 3 years. So I'm definitely feeling more like doing things and being sociable. Which is a far cry from about 2 weeks ago when I was having a lot of difficulty leaving my own property and staying indoors for 3 days straight without going out. Progression has been fast.......none of this 2 or 3 weeks waiting for an anti-depressants to kick-in.

Side effects:

Dry mouth, as usual. But not all the time I've noticed.

Note:

Took 3MG diazepam with 1st dose of pregabalin.
Took 3MG diazepam with 3rd dose of pregabalin.
Pregabalin dose taken 4-6 hours after previous dose.

***Have decided to up the medication again to 150MG per dose. Some days earlier than scheduled but reckon it'll be fine**

Day Six

Dosage: 3 x 150MG daily

1st/2nd/3rd dose @ 150MG:

Effect:

Couldn't stop singing :whistles: Which annoyed my younger brother no end. Increasing the dosage seems to give a bit of a kick, which you'd expect. Mood was really good. Felt incredibly calm and relaxed. Very content :)
Felt a little bit spacey but I quite like that feeling :) It is like being stoned/a little drunk in a happy way for me. But it's like you're stoned and stimulated at the same time. The mind feels a bit fluffy sometimes but it passes after while. I wish it lasted for longer :wink:
On the 3rd dose, I hadn't eaten for about 5 hours and it hit me a bit harder. Almost as hard as when I walked into the coffee table :roflmao: I still have the bruises. That really, really hurt. At the time I just found it funny but knew it would hurt more later on. Have to be a little bit careful as I was unsteady on my feet if I got up too quickly. A little but dizzy now and then. But again, this passed after a couple of hours or so.
As my anxiety was none existent and I felt a bit spaced out I decided not to take my usual afternoon dose of diazepam.

Side effects:

Dry mouth, as usual. But not all the time I've noticed. Dizziness (but not that bad). Physical coordination impaired (walking). Stoned/drunk feeling. Wishy washy head. Singing rubbish songs.
All but the dry mouth lasted about 2-3 hours before levelling out.

Note:

Took 3MG diazepam with 1st dose of pregabalin.
Did not feel the need to take any more diazepam.
Pregabalin dose taken 4-6 hours after previous dose

Scratchappy

18-11-11, 14:08

Week One Update

It's now been over a week since I started on the medication so I'm going to do a summary as it makes more sense rather than listing days 7,8,9 etc etc.

Positive Effects:

- Anxiety levels reduced significantly
- Uplift in mood = more positive outlook on life
- Calmness of mind
- Clearer thinking and thought processes (mostly)
- Stimulating effects assisting in concentration and focus
- Feeling more sociable
- More enthusiasm for life and for doing things in general (tasks, exercise, socialising)
- Good nights sleep
- Fast acting (2nd dose for me) compared with anti-depressants

Negative Side Effects:

- Tolerance build-up
- Tiredness (generally when increasing dosage)
- Dizziness (not that bad and not constant)
- Stoned/drunk feeling (although I don't mind it but probably not ideal for work environment and not for everyone. Likely at dosage increase but does subside quickly for me)
- Physical coordination slightly impaired (e.g. walking into the coffee table). Generally at increased dosage
- Slight tightness around my head. Like a headache but different. Feels like pressure being applied. Only experienced twice though and wasn't prolonged
- Cognitive impairment (generally when taken on an empty stomach and at dosage increase)
- Dry mouth (intermittent)
- Slight speech impairment (not often)
- Memory impairment (not often and not that bad)

Summary

This medication really has helped in reducing my anxiety levels and by giving me a more positive outlook on life with a better mindset in general. It's taken the edge off life and anxious thoughts are nowhere near as frequent as they were. I still get anxiety but at a level that's manageable and also what a 'normal' person might expect and experience on a day-to-day basis.

As my head is calmer and anxiety is eased I find my ability to concentrate has improved and I am able to focus on one thing at a time much more easily. My head no longer has to fight between so many different thoughts. I seem to have more control of my thinking.

Someone described the effects of taking this medication as like layers of anxiety disappearing and having a weight lifted off their shoulders and that's a pretty accurate description of my experience so far.

On the negative side, the only thing that really bothers me is the quick tolerance build-up resulting in a lessening of the drugs effects. I am unsure how well this medication will work over the long-term :dry:

Most of the other side effects listed were generally encountered when increasing the dose and would subside after a day or so. They really didn't bother me that much and I feel it is a very small price to pay. I found these effects could generally be reduced by eating properly before taking the medication.

Memory is slightly impaired for me. I find myself searching for words sometimes. But conversely, I feel I am able to retain more information and access it easier than I used to before.

On one or two occasions, when speaking to people, I've found that my mouth doesn't work as well as it should and have had a bit of difficulty pronouncing words. A little embarrassing but not a major concern.

I find I am able to drink alcohol on this medication but that after a few pints I can feel my concentration start to go and my head a bit clouded. Bit like being drunk ;)

I have settled on a dosage of 150MG x 3 daily for the time being and will continue to monitor progression and post updates as and when. But so far so flippin' good :)

Bye for now :)

panicpanda

18-11-11, 16:11

Scratchappy

19-11-11, 08:06

Thanks for posting this. I've been pondering whether to take my pregabalin for the last two months and every positive post about it persuades me that bit extra that it's worth trying them, whether I will or not remains to be seen :unsure:

No worries PanicPanda :) Hope it's of use. I've tried a lot of medication over the years and pregabalin is the most suitable one for me. It's effects, once you get over the initial spaced-out feeling, seem quite subtle. Yet how it makes me feel can't be understated.

When I was told about pregabalin I decided to give it a go after I'd done a fair bit of research. I thought "Well, the worst that can happen is that it won't work or I won't be able to deal with some side effect". And if that happens, I can always stop taking it anyway :) I'm just concerned about long term dependence and it's effectiveness over a sustained duration.

Good luck, whatever you decide :)

Belleblue

19-11-11, 12:57

Scratchappy

22-11-11, 15:43

So pleased that this is working for you Scratchappy.
You said that you were concerned about long term dependence and effectiveness over a sustained period - this is one of my worries about taking pregab. I'm also slightly concerned that it may be a bit like the benzos as far as tolerance is concerned and so therefore it may follow that withdrawal when the time comes could be very unpleasant. These may be my own unrealistic concerns - but I would love to hear from someone who has been on this medication for a considerable length of time (or even several months) and has withdrawn without many problems. So little still seems to be known about it's use for anxiety/depression issues.

Take care.
Belle x

Thanks Belle :) Yes, I am feeling well. 'Normal' I guess.

Yes, long term dependence is a concern. I don't really want to swap a benzo for something else if I can help it.
Having said that, if I have to be on this medication long term and it is effective in that I am able to lead my life then I'll take that any day. Life on pregabalin is definitely better than life without it. But then I've only been on it for 2 weeks and I may feel differently in time.

Withdrawal is never nice I guess and it seems that coming off this medication is easier to handle than it would be for benzo's. But tapering down is recommended.

I have built up a tolerance to this drug quickly, no doubt. I no longer get the same buzz I had initially but then I just feel 'normal' now so I see it as a good thing. The spacey feelings have passed and I don't actually notice being on the medication. Apart from it obviously helping with my anxiety. See how it's going in another 2 weeks or so.

This link is to another forum where some posters have told of their experiences on pregabalin and WDing:

http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=90812

I've pasted the posts below:

SWIM = Somone Who Isn't Me

Lyric (pregabalin) withdrawal or addiction

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Swim has taken Lyrica on and off for a couple years now but hes never really taken it for more than a couple months at a time. Swim notices after a month or two at doses in the 300-600 mg's a day when he stops he gets some diarrhea, some sweating and cold feet, nothing major. Swim also has had great results with lyrica eliminating all of Opiate withdrawals so it makes him think that over time this stuff might present some serious withdrawals if taken at high enough doses. I was wondering what some members have experienced in terms of either withdrawal or addiction with Lyrica.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

SWIM has noticed that he gets a rebound anxiety/shaky feeling when he stopped his Lyrica too quickly. But SWIM was using Lyrica to fight off GHB withdrawal so it might have more to do with a return of those symptoms which Lyrica covers up well. SWIMs GABA system is all out of whack.

If SWIY has ever experienced a withdrawal from other GABA drugs you will probably get the same thing from Lyrica or related drugs that work on GABA (Benzos, GHB, Alcohol, Phenibut, etc). My aunt was on Lyrica for a few months and had no problem just stopping, she was never addicted to other GABA drugs though which seems to be the problem for SWIM.

The sweating and cold feet sound like a mild form of the WD that SWIM gets when stopping any GABA drugs. He gets sweaty palms and gets very shaky with panic/anxiety and insomnia.

Good luck, your body will tell you if you need to taper or if just stopping is ok.
-DN

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SWIM want everyone here to know the withdrawls for lyrica are the worse experience i ever had to deal with. SWIM was taking recreational dosages between 1.2grams and 2 grams on and off for 4 months and i experienced a cataonic state where i almost lost my life. i experienced the worse anyone should ever go threw. staying up for 3 days etc. the withdrawl lasted from July29th to august 6th of 2009

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Someone who isn't me has experienced something similar. SWIM was first on Vicodin and Percocet for a bad back, got hooked, and had to get on something else. SWIM was then switched to Ultram (tramadol), but SWIM liked those enough to have an overdose/seizure. Then SWIM was prescribed Lyrica, but found a kind euphoric peace of mind with those too, and had to once again get off of it. SWIM remembers the tramadol and Lyrica withdrawals being worse than the opiates, imagine that! Now SWIM takes Gabapentin (neurontin), and finds it calms all those nerve endings in his back and other twitchy and painful spots, but gives only the slightest of highs, so its MUCH easier to keep to the regular dose. SWIM did run out of pills a few times when he took a few too many of his month's supply, but the WD was not anything like the cold sweat, paralyzed, and cross-eyed feeling from Lyrica. Peace

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Swim says there are stories of Lyrica withdrawal around the net. He took it regularly with Baclofen to get off GBL, taking stupid amounts really... as in 4 times a day 4 baclofen and 4 Lyrica (75mg). Thats 160mg Baclofen a day and 1200mg Lyrica. Sometimes not even to a schedule - just "as needed"...

The withdrawals from Lyrica were mainly phyiscal reported Swim - nausea, diahorrea, that kind of thing. Uncomfortable, but not too bad. Swim didn't notice much GABA related withdrawal symptoms.

Unlike the Baclofen - or any other traditional benzos - which can cause seizures, psychosis, delusions... all of which Swim is familiar with unfortunately.

Swim see Lyrica and even it's earlier incarnation Gabapentin as a great way to help you get off any GABA related drug, be it a benzo or otherwise.

Perhaps docs should prescribe this and other novel drugs intead of Benzos? GABA deregulation is no fun thing and anything that can help that has to be good. There are pleny of opiate withdrawal stories on here, and while the physical symptoms can be coped with GABA drugs (benzos, GHB, Alcohol etc etc) can kill and should be treated with respect.

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SWIM was prescribed gabapentin in his final stages of coming off valium and it wasn't a placebo pill to SWIM at all but not near as potent as valium. SWIM took 300mg of gabapentin three times a day for social anxiety mainly and it helped alot. He increased to 600mg three times a day and same thing..he felt it very effective but the effects fade faster than benzos! Gabapentin is the weaker version of Lyrica and not near as strong but it had amazing effects in the beginning and when escalating the dose. Gabapentin gave SWIM a different anti-anxiety feeling than benzos..with benzos SWIM would have that "everything will be ok" feeling but with gabapentin he had the "I don't give a F***" attitude. Very helpful for social anxiety. Felt more like some weak opiate to SWIM than a benzo. Too bad the effects weren't persistant for SWIM. SWIM has not tried Lyrica but would imagine the effects diminish as well. As for withdrawal..SWIM did feel some on gabapentin. He cut down from 600mg 3 times a day to 300mg 3 times a day and got eye twitches, hot flashes, restlessness and anxiety (2 very different gruesome feelings for SWIM). He felt like there were bugs or something crawling on his skin (this was when he went from 300mg 3 times a day to none), felt increased social anxiety, depressed majorly and kind of empty. It was a different feeling than benzo withdrawal for SWIM. He wouldnt see it as life threatening as benzo withdrawal can be (unless gabapentin was used in huge dosages and stopped cold turkey) but it wasn't any easier. Different withdrawal symptoms..some the same for SWIM. Overall it is a milder but still withdrawal producing drug than benzos for SWIM with a mild opiate, energized feeling..SWIM really enjoyed the first week or two on each new dose and SWIM would love to see a drug like this made that actually kept some effectiveness, SWIM has tried other anticonvulsants and gabapentin is the best for anxiety in SWIMs opinion. Not for long term use (unless "desired" effects persist) but excellent if used prn for social situations. It will quell your anxiety..very nice feeling. Oh and when SWIM took his gabapentin with some of his left over valium the synergy was amazing. SWIM uses benzos about 5-6 times a month and always with gabapentin. SWIM was up to 70mg a day of valium. SWIM would take 100mg and more sometimes and barely get a relaxed effect. SWIM still needs 30-40mg of valium alone for it to work(and that's just taking the edge off for SWIM) but if he takes 600mg of gabapentin then one of his 10mg valium tablets he gets an incredible socially boosting euphoria. If anything Lyrica and gabapentin could definetly help you cut your benzo dose down ALOT but they both have withdrawal (gabapentin for SWIM) and SWIM heard Lyrica was worse,

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I'm really pleased i've found something discussing pharma assistance with withdrawal. The difficulties with designing an effective anti-depressant (appreciate not everyones view) shows how hard it must be getting a combination of drugs that will lift, flatten, impact the whole reward system. But its definitely coming. Sinclair has had fantastic results with Naltrexone on alcoholics and some tests are showing good reukts for cocaine when taken with modafinil. I don't want modern developments withheld a some sortof punishment and when the nhs in the uk suggests, really, weekly yoga and group discussion to control cravings. And still the 12 step - on nhs its only 12 step. With rapid ddiction to the groups and less than 10% effectiveness this is very odd One big probleml is tendency to self medicate, if up dosage and vomit it all up. Theres a type of antabuse now for cocaine which with some mild gabba help has just got to help.
And (waiting for hate texts) I think the reverence for the ashdown manual needs to be revisited - I see some posts here where the doses are relatively small but the tapering mechanism is so long it a) ensures the patient become definitely addicted and b) maintains their obsession with pills and anxiety formonths. "help, i'm withdrwing from 1mg xanax and i keep getting dizzy,i dont know whattodo? In my opinion 2 weeksshoulddo itprovided meds are prescribed and properlu used.I hope new meds will make it obsolete. The loonger this stuff is in your body the more it ends up in your fat (apparently) bringing on early dementia, fatigue. get rid of it. The addictive qualities of say adderall is miniscule compared to what we suffer.Am I banned, the rules are so severe.... cheers and keep trying or iif you want, enjoing!

---------------------------------------------------------------------

I took lyrica for anxiety. It helped my anxiety. I didn't experience any withdrawl symptoms.

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AFOAF has not experienced WD from Pregabalin, but has gone through quite a few nasty Gabapentin WD(as AFOAF understands they both work the same way) and he can say for sure that the WD he felt from them was unbearable and definitely comparable if not worse in a way to opiate WD(which he has also experienced simultaneously as he got into a horrible cycle of trying to combat the WD of each other by using the opiates for the Gabapentin withdrawal and vice versa, it didn't work out and he just put himself through a lot more pain because he would inevitable keep getting addicted to both and then have nothing to ease the WD when he would finally try to get clean).

Dosage - between 8-15 grams per day for around 5 months before first WD

The WD symptoms were as follows;

Extreme temperature fluctuations(sweats, and chills)
Restless legs and arms
Nausea
Depression(suicidal thinking/obsessing)
Insomnia

This lasted around 7 days of bad WD symptoms then slowly getting better after probably another 14 days.

AFOAF was also told that the medicine was non addictive by his GP which he thinks is unbelievable, although to be fair AFOAF did know the risks as he had researched it before taking it, but obviously got a bit carried away as he seems to be one of the few people he knows of that gets much of an effect off of Gabapentin.

AFOAF has experienced the WD from both more times than he can remember and is surprised he puts himself through it as he knows exactly what he is doing(as he isn't exactly stupid) but still he somehow does it anyway!*

AFOAF is once again trying to stop and as of today he is 7 days clean from opiates and 4 days clean from Gabapentin, the good thing is he really does want to give them up this time(has been said before admittedly) not just for himself but also as he has met a girl that he wants to change himself for the better for, so he is feeling optimistic, the longest he has gone before is 21 days.

Cheers

Psilocybo.

---------------------------------------

As generally seems to be the case, some experience bad WD's and others seem relatively fine.

Ideally, I'd like to not be on any medication if possible so I do hope to withdraw from this drug at some point. Just hope it's not too bad. But would also like to hear of anyone else's experiences of coming off pregabalin.

Cheers..............Scratchappy

Belleblue

22-11-11, 16:27

Thanks for that info Scratchappy. As you said some experience bad WD's and others don't. Although I think the people who go cold turkey on this sort of med are dicing with their health - it is an anti-convulsant at the end of the day!.. it just happens to have off-label use for anxiety. I imagine most people would be ok with a careful tapering down plan.

Maybe the best person to ask is your GP - he/she will have experience of having to taper people off this med.

All the best... keep us updated on your progress :)

Belle x

patricias

22-11-11, 16:32

i have never thought about this, i take citalopram and pregabalin. now i am not really sure which tablet is working best. a pain doctor prescribed pregabalin because he reckoned my trigeminol nuerlagia was caused by all my problems i am on citalaprom for. maybe i dont need them both, but i do no the pregablain works very well. does any body have simular?

Belleblue

22-11-11, 16:41

Hi patricias - I was wondering how much Pregabalin you are taking and how long have you been on it?
Belle x

patricias

22-11-11, 17:52

hi, i am taking 75mg of pregabalin, and i have been on it for maybe 5 years now. are you on both as well?

Belleblue

22-11-11, 18:02

No I'm not on any meds at the moment. The reason I'm interested in pregabalin is that my GP mentioned that it might be an option for my anxiety. I am trying to find out as much as I can about it before I make a decision.
Take care,
Belle x

patricias

22-11-11, 19:10

hi, i am seeing my doctor tomorrow and i am going to ask him to review my citapopram/pregablin, but i do remember being delighted with pregablin when i first took it, but as i said i am not sure what tablet is doing what now. but if i can home in on one and only one to take i would feel better.

Scratchappy

30-11-11, 20:26

Hello. Been a bit rubbish on the updates lately so apologies for that.

Reason I've not updated is because I've been busy and also that I have gone down over the last 4-5 days for some reason :sad:

My anxiety has gone up considerably and I was pretty emotional yesterday :weep:

Head is a bit all over the place and I'm not sure why exactly but it's a bit of setback seeing as I'm going back to work on Tuesday.

Christ, just when you think things are going well...... Hope I can turn this around.

Sorry, can't write much more at the moment and my dinner is ready :wink:

Thanks..........................Scratchappy

Belleblue

30-11-11, 21:54

So sorry to hear that Scratchappy. It may only be a blip, so try not to get too worried... tomorrow you could be feeling fine again, I do hope so. Obviously if you continue to feel down have a word with your GP.

Someone who is taking this med will probably come along with some reassuring words for you.

Keep us updated as to how things are going for you. Take care now.

All the best,
Belle x

JT69

01-12-11, 16:16

Hi scratchappy,

sorry to hear you are feeling anxious again...I was wondering if it is due to you returning to work?? This would make sense as this is a hurdle for you and may have caused the 'blip' and I am sure that is all it is.

Are you still on 300mg??

There is room for an increase if your GP thinks it should be so...see how you go and if you continue to feel like this go back and have a chat with him!!

Hope you feel better soon.

If it is any consolation to you I have had blips along the way too...and that is all they have (fortunately) turned out to be.

Take care
Jo.x

petram

02-12-11, 20:36

im having bad withdrawal from sertaline 50mg , been off em 7 weeks now still feel up n down with anxiety , which effects me coping mech with the pure o thoughts ....im going back to gp but cant tolerate ssris side effects are crippling anxiety bringing on ocd ....grrrr a friend of mine takes Pregabalin and has done for years as she cant tolerate ssri s either her only thing is dizziness . i might give this a go but must admit shitting myself!!! scratch its prob the change of a new job creating the evil anxiety back once u settle in to it u be fine !!! xx

nicola1980

02-12-11, 20:57

Scratchappy

03-12-11, 00:28

Thanks for the words of support Belle, Jo, petram & Nicola :) Really appreciate it man and thanks for caring :) It's really good of you.

I'm unsure why I've gone down a bit with increased anxiety. I'm not really worried about anything in particular apart from the fact that my mind races and I'm unable to think clearly. This leaves me in a state of confusion and unable to perform tasks particularly well. The cognitive side of my head is utterly trashed at times.

I can probably put it down to a number of factors I guess as to why my melon got twisted lately. It could be a combination of the followng:

- Reduced diazepam from 6MG to 5MG. I was feeling so damn good I wanted to take the diazepam down again but perhaps I need to taper down slower to .5mg each time. I just want to get off the stuff.

- Have met up with my ex-girlfiend twice in the past week so emotions were a bit high. First time we've seen each other in 8 months. So that caused more thoughts to whir around my head. But, it was pretty positive.

- Yeah, work. Always going to be difficult. It's not the actual work itself, more the awkwardness of going back and facing people. But, it's happening so I'll give it a try. I am concerned that my brain just won't be able to function enough to do what I want to do. But it's only 2 days next week to start so I just need to get through them if I can.

- Have been waiting for CBT sessions for 10 weeks only to find it can't happen until mid-January at the earliest. The NHS is, well I don't want to use bad language so I won't, but at times I find it ridiculous that mental health isn't dealt with better.

- Sorting out my accounts and tax bill.

- Decorating my sodding flat. It's going on forever and taking up valuable yoga space ;) The place is a mess.

- Lots of other incidental things.

It's a bit weird in that when I try to think of any of the above they don't actually really bother me. I can rationally look at all of them, analyse the situation and feel no panic or anxiety and just accept it pretty calmly. It's just random, odd thoughts and memories causing confusion in my head.
Maybe I'm having bad withdrawals from diazepam as I am a long-term user. It's so hard to tell. I just want my brain to calm the funk down so I get on with life.
Jesus, I remember when life was easy and I could think properly.

Just got a lot on my mind I guess. And I can't switch off.

I did feel a lot better after exercising and doing some relaxation techniques though. Really got to keep that up as it certainly helps me.

Although I'm feeling anxious from time to time it's nowhere near the levels I was experiencing before I started pregabalin so I should be thankful for that at least. The medication is definitely working.
I'm just wondering how much effect the diazepam is having combined with the pregabalin. But it will be some months before I'm off the diazepam completely. Just have to wait and see on that one.

Jo, I'm on 150MG x 3 daily so 450MG total now. I reckon I can go up to 600MG if I asked my doctor. She's pretty good. Much better than my old one I'd had all my life. At least she has a better grip on mental health issues and seems to genuinely care. But I don't know if I want a dose increase to be honest as I do feel a bit unsteady on my feet at times. Banging into walls and door frames a bit. Yesterday, when playing badminton, I walked backwards straight into the metal pole that holds the net up :roflmao: Almost took it out.
Luckily and by sheer chance, no one else saw except my younger brother. Whom I destroyed and beat convincingly :shades: Just in case you're wondering ;)
I think increasing by 50MG might not do too much anyway. It may have an initial effect but I think I'd build up tolerance again and just be left smashing the hell out of the office as I stumble around due to the side effects.
Glad to hear you got through your blips and out the other side though Jo :) Does give me hope and I keep tellng myself I can and will get through it. Well I'll give it a bloody good try anyway.

Sorry to hear you're going through a bad time Petram. Withdrawal can be horrible. I'm not too fond of SSRI's side effects either and I'm not going back on them if I can help it. Hope you feel right soon whatever decision you make on pregabalin :)

Thanks for the hugs Nicola :) Have some back from me :hugs:

I hope it is all just a blip and and my head will be in a better state soon.

Thanks again guys for your words of support and encouragement.

Take care........Scratchappy

petram

03-12-11, 16:27

ty mate its nice when people actually reply ........keep us posted i een fairly good today , mine seems to become unbearable around pmt time!!! grrr i l see howi go btween today n tues?? and get back to u :)

def reducing the valum will cause u to feel a bit more anxious perhaps taper slower mate?? xx

Scratchappy

04-12-11, 00:06

Glad you're having a better day Petram :) Luckily, PMT is one thing I don't have to worry about ;)
And do keep me and others updated. Support can't be underestimated for people who suffer with anxiety and depression.

Am definitely going to reduce the valium slowly. Especially after reading about benzodiazepine withdrawal properly for the first time today. I am so scared :scared10: For a long-term user it sounds like hell. A lot of what I have been experiencing for years and also recently points towards benzo withdrawal syptoms :(

I just hadn't researched it this thoroughly before. I didn't know that even when you stop using them, you can go through a year or so of horrible WD symptoms as your body tries to adjust to life without a benzo. The body should eventually heal itself but man, I think I have a long and painful road ahead of me :( I'm really terrified.

Ah man, not in a good place right now. Head is a bit blown away by what I've read today. Need to stop thinking about this. Right, it's getting late. I need to relax, go to bed. Tomorrow is another day. Baby steps. Christ I hope I can get there in the end.

Cheers.................Scratch

P.S. - Apologies as this post is off-topic somewhat.

Belleblue

04-12-11, 14:48

Scratchappy

04-12-11, 18:25

I know it may sound trite, but try to take things one day at a time. There really is no point in thinking that there may be a long and painful road ahead of you - it may prove self defeating and it may not be as long as you think. Remember it is a well worn road and many others have reached the end successfully, and so will you. Be gentle with yourself.

In the meantime support your withdrawal with good food, rest and relaxation and stay in good company.

We will be here to hold your cyber hand through all this - so don't forget to reach out :hugs:

Keep in touch.
Belle xx

Thank you for your support Belle. It means a lot. Reading your post has made :weep: a bit. In a good way though :)

I was talking to my parents and they just don't get it. They never will. Made some really unhelpful comments that made me worse and even more emotional. It's not their fault. I don't expect them to understand. How can they. How can anyone comprehend feelings like this unless they've experienced it themselves. It's pure mental hell. A personal torture. My jaw keeps shutting tight and I feel so tensed up it's unreal. Despite doing exercise today as well.

I know a lot if it is in my head but the physical symptoms of anxiety and withdrawal from a benzo are so real, so constant. I hate it. It's enough to drive a person to oblivion. I don't know if I'm strong enough to handle this :weep: But what option do I have? Just have to get on with it and take each day as it comes, like you said.

I'm trying to stay positive but it's so damn hard sometimes. I think I may have rushed back returning to work. Should have given the pregabalin more time to level out. I just have to believe things will get better even if I seem stuck in a personal hell.

AAAAAAaaaaaaaaHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhHHhhhHhHHHH. Just keep breaking down in tears :weep: :weep::weep::weep:

Screw this. JUST SCREW IT :curse: So frustrated with it all :frown: Feel like doing this :wall: repeatedly until I can't any more.

I'm going to attempt to make a cottage pie now for the 1st time. Those potatoes are gong to get as mashed as my brain. They won't know what's hit 'em.

Scratch :(

Scratchappy

05-12-11, 14:39

Hey Belle. Forgot to say "wise words" from your last post.

Although I keep telling myself in my head all the right and helpful things, sometimes reading it can hit home a lot more :) Especially if it's from someone else :)

Not feeling too bad today. But there's a lot of today left :P

Work tomorrow. Yeah. Can't wait. Should be awesome ;)

Thanks again Belle.

Scratch

Belleblue

05-12-11, 16:21

Glad you're feeling a little better today Scratch. Good luck in work tomorrow... it will at least be a distraction, which will be useful in your recovery. Take it easy now :)

Belle x

robinbrum

08-12-11, 10:16

Scratchappy

09-12-11, 09:02

I saw a psychiatrist last week who told me to go away and do some research on Pregabalin so I'm very interested to read the comments that are being posted here. I am going to see my GP next week and my decision will partly be informed by the experiences I have witnessed of others who are taking this medication.
I must confess that I am becoming increasingly frustrated and disillusioned with all medications that have been offered me in the past as none of them has ever worked. The last one I tried was Venlaflaxine which was one of the worst medications I have ever taken, I didn't get a single benefit from it over six months of taking it. I gained a lot of weight and walked around in a permanent state of drowsiness and lethargy. My mood if anything worsened because of these horrible side-effects and that is something I desperately want to avoid with Pregabalin.
I suppose I have been searching for a long time for an anti-depressant that would stimulate me as opposed to sedating me which I found with the Venlaflaxine. I don't know if such a medication exists, at least not in the UK as I was told in no uncertain terms by my psychiatrist that drugs such as Adderal and Wellbutrin are not approved over here or certainly not licensed for the treatment of depression.
I am not looking for a “high” or “buzz” from my medication but one of the worst things for me about depression is the constant feeling of fatigue and lack of motivation. It makes it very hard when you wake up after eight hours solid sleep feeling just as tired as when you went to bed the night before. It's very hard to accomplish even minor things when tired is your default mood all the time.
Sorry for waffling on. I would be grateful for any feedback and comments from fellow users, particularly those who are taking, or have taken, Pregabalin.
Thanks,
Rob.
PS I don't mean to hijack this diary, apologies in advance if my comments are a distraction in any way.

Hey RobinBrum.

Absolutely no worries in contributing to this thread - all are welcome :) And we're all probably here for the same reasons. Searching for answers, information, support etc. So you post away man.

Just wanted to ask you something really - is depression your main problem? And not anxiety? Reason I ask is that I'm sure pregabalin only has off-label use for anxiety. I don't know how effective it is for depression as it doesn't affect the brain in the same way an anti-depressant does. Which is maybe what you're looking for as you've said the ones you've tried sedate you too much.

Pregabalin certainly gave me an uplift in mood initially and a calmness of mind. Which it continues to do so. But it can make some people tired. It does a little bit for me and I struggled on my first day back at work on Tuesday slightly. On the plus side, sleeping isn't a problem.
It can be quite stimulating from my experience. It didn't knock me out. Even when I was feeling a bit spacey, it wasn't a 'tired' spaced-out feeling.

If you want to ask any questions then please feel free.

Thanks..................Scratch

robinbrum

09-12-11, 09:36

Scratchappy

09-12-11, 11:55

Hi Scratch,
I suffer with both depression and anxiety but sometimes the anxiety is far worse than the depression. What I've read from other users about Pregabalin seems mostly to be good but I remember people saying the same thing about Venlaflaxine but all that did was make me more tired. I realise of course that different people have different reactions to the medication that they're taking.
Do you find that your concentration is better and have you experienced any weight gain?
Rob.

Hey Rob.

Sounds like you may have pretty similar symptoms to me then. The anxiety comes first and if it's sustained long enough over a period of time it eventually leads to depression?

I've been on many anti-depressants and also found, like yourself, that they have too much of a sedative effect. Like you say, you're tired enough as it is having to deal with anxiety in any case and these drugs can make you end up feeling even more fatigued and exhausted.

Personally, I haven't really found too much tiredness at all with pregabalin. Nothing compared with an anti-depressant. And the side effects are minimal and manageable for me. It doesn't leave me zombified. But getting the dosage right is a bit of a trial and error game as with most medications. I went up to 150mg x 3 daily but have now reduced to 100mg x 3 daily and feel that at this level I'm not spaced out. At the higher dosage end I did find that my physical coordination was too impaired for my liking. I also had the cotton wool effect in the mouth and sometimes couldn't recall words when I was in conversation.
It's a really strange drug in that my anxiety in general goes right down but yet I can't notice that I'm actually on the medication if that makes sense (when the dosage is at the right level). And it acted really, really fast. I was quite stunned to be honest. I've had one blip in over a month on this medication and I honestly don't think the pregabalin was to blame for that. Probably more down to reducing my diazepam and also having too much alcohol which sent my GABA receptors all over the place. But that's settled down now and am avoiding alcohol. I was a bit stupid drinking on it and am going all healthy now as I feel I need to give my body and mind the best chance for recovery.

Yes, I do find my concentration and focus have improved immensely. I find it has quite a stimulating effect which really surprised me. In a good way of course though.

I have experienced no weight gain - in fact, I've actually lost weight. About 5lbs in a month. Thing is, I'm quite used to experiencing munchies from my time on cannabis and can easily learn to ignore the cravings. If I do feel hungry, I have some fruit or something healthy. Or just drink some water which fills me up a bit and puts the cravings off for a while. I am exercising more now though as I'm a believer in that if you suffer from mental health issues then a healthy diet and lifestyle are 2 pretty good ways to help with recovery. A start at least. My lifestyle up until recently certainly was anything but healthy but I'm turning it around and seeing the benefits I reckon.

I've tried so many medications over the past 20 years and none even get close to the positive results of pregabalin. I know I've only been on this drug for a month but so many friends and family have remarked to me that I seem much calmer and in control. And that's how I feel too :)

Hope that's of some help Rob.

Scratch

robinbrum

10-12-11, 10:45

Hi Scratch,
Thanks for you detailed comments, much appreciated.
Depression/anxiety is a bit of a chicken and egg scenario but I think in most cases anxiety is a symptom of underlying depression and it escalates to the point where it becomes very difficult to function in every day life. Then you become more depressed about the anxiety and the vicious cycle continues...
Interested to hear your comments about alcohol. In the past I have abused it and used it to self-medicate. I drink about once a week, sometimes less than that. It's my treat, something I look forward to after a hard weeks work. To come off alcohol altogether would be hard for me, especially at this time of year. However if the drugs sufficiently relax me maybe I won't feel the need to relax myself with booze.
I have an issue with weight and am trying my very best to eat healthily and exercise as much as possible. Good on you for that.
I think I'm of a mind to give the Pregabalin a go and I'm seeing the doc next Wednesday about it.
Please keep us informed of your experiences with Pregabalin and I will keep you informed of mine. It will be interesting to compare the two.
Once again, thanks for your imput.
Rob.

Scratchappy

10-12-11, 22:03

Hey Rob,

Yeah, the alcohol is only a problem for me because I'm withdrawing from valium. Alcohol acts on the same GABA receptors as valium so when mixed together the receptors get a bit out of whack. I used to misuse alcohol a lot in social situations and not really think too much about it. But now I'm on a much lower dose of valium I can't really afford to affect the brain much more than I am already. Causes too many problems generally. I'd quite like a pint now though thinking about it :)

I think drinking some amount of alcohol on pregabalin would be fine, personally speaking. I have drunk a few pints of beer on it and it wasn't a problem. Effects just amplified slightly really.

There's nothing like a hard earned beer at the end of the working day, that's for sure. And like you say, 'tis the season to be merry eh :wink:

Well I really hope the pregabalin works for you Rob :) And yes, please do let us know how you're getting on with it. I'll do the same for sure.

Take it easy.

Scratch

hanshan

22-01-12, 00:47

Hi Scratchappy,

You haven't posted here for a while. How are you getting along?

Hanshan

Scratchappy

02-05-12, 14:38

Hey Hanshan (and everyone else).......

Well, it’s been a while but I thought I should write back really. Sorry for not keeping the diary updated - have been busy with life and also, I just didn’t know what to write in all honesty.

Things have been up and down with me (as life generally goes). At times my desperation has been severe and the hopelessness overwhelming. Suicidal thoughts have come and gone this year. It’s so hard trying to keep it all together. Trying to lead a ‘normal life’ with mental health problems is, well, a right b&stard.

And I’ve now decided that I’m probably coming off Lyrica. Mainly because it impairs my cognitive thinking too much and leaves me spaced out, tired and unable to think clearly. It leaves me feeling retarded, for want of a better word. I just can’t go to work on it and function properly. Looking back at my posts, it was so helpful, in the beginning. And I had high hopes.... I’ve found it really good for helping with anxiety but unfortunately, the side effects outweigh the positives for me at this moment in time. Although I am aware that the diazepam and the physical/pscycological symptoms of anxiety can cause this cognitive impairment too. Sometimes, the crossovers are hard to distinguish. Impossible really.

I’ve also found my memory affected just too much on this medication. Christ, it’s even difficult to write at the moment as I’m in such a dream-like state. I bl00dy hate having to take medication but really, I don’t have much of an option.

It seems I’m doing all the right things – exercising 4-5 times a week, CBT, healthy diet, yoga, relaxation, meditation and other relaxation methods with minimal drinking and generally looking after myself. But nothing seems to be working and maybe I’ll just have to accept that this is possibly as good as it gets and readjust my life accordingly. I think I may be broken beyond repair.

I’ve had to drop down to a 4 day week at work (who are still being unbelievably supportive so far). I’m now down to 3.5MGs of diaz a day and hopefully off that sh*t in about 6 months. For good. Am also now on 50MG of Lyrica x 2 daily so it shouldn’t be too hard to stop that completely, if necessary.

I’m now going to try a different type of medication which I haven’t before – an SNRI. God, I swore I’d never go back on anti-depressants but I feel I need something to stabilise my moods and hopefully, this will work well enough on the anxiety side in order to stop the Lyrica completely and help with my diazepam withdrawal. I’m acutely aware that starting this new med. has it’s own potential problems, side effects and complications. And one day I’ll probably have to come off that too. We'll see. It’s so demoralising having to take a ‘kin pill in the morning just to get through life....... but that is the way it is for now.

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who contributed and supported me. It meant a lot. It’s a shame it’s not a happy ending but I have at least found my Lyrica experience of some help and it got me out of a terribly anxious state, which I’m extremely grateful for. Good luck to all of you. Keep fighting. You might find me on the Venlafaxine boards......

Take care now..........Scratch

hanshan

03-05-12, 08:32

Hi Scratch,

Never feel bad about taking meds if they make you feel okay. If they improve your relationships with family, friends, coworkers and restaurant wait staff, then you're taking them for all those people too.

I'm sorry to hear that the Lyrica was leaving you spaced out. Fortunately for me, the spaced out feeling subsided after the first few weeks, although my physical coordination (walking) deteriorated and has stayed fairly atrocious.

I hope the SNRI works. Keep posting to show how you are going.

Hanshan

MrRedShirt

03-05-12, 11:06

Hello Scratch and Hanshan,

Thanks for keeping us updated. I'm very interesting in how Pregabalin has been for other people.
I'm not taking it at the moment, but my doctor has indicated that it might be next on the list of things to try if my current treatment (duloxetine) fails.

Hanshan, can I ask you what dose you are taking and explain more about the physical co-ordination problems you're haiving? Are you on any other meds?

Many thanks,
Simon

JT69

03-05-12, 11:12

Hi Simon

I take pregabalin along with 7.5mg or mirtazipine...I take 100mg am and 100mg at night.

It has been a wonder drug for me as far as anxiety is concerned...it totally changed my life.

The side effects I had when starting were feeling sleepy and sometimes a little dizzy...i started out on a very low dose and increased very slowly and I think that is key to avoiding too many side effects.

I feel fine now...sometimes after my morning dose I feel slightly spacey but nothing drastic and tbh it all so worth it for the improvements it has made for me.

We are all different and as you will well know what works for one may not work for another.

I often wonder how I would be just taking the pregabalin and coming off the mirt but my gp wants me to stay as I am (for now anyhow).

Hope that helps a little. If you want to know anything else please ask.

Take care
Jo.x

MrRedShirt

03-05-12, 11:24

Thanks JT, that is interesting.

Do you know why your GP wants to keep you on the mirt? I swapped from mirt to duloxetine, and the duloxetine is working much better so far for my anxiety, BUT I'm missing the sleep assistance the mirt gave me.

Does the Pregabalin help with sleep at all?

Thanks,
Simon

JT69

03-05-12, 14:08

Hi Simon

Its probably because it took me a long time to get better this time...I was off work for almost 5 months...I was originally on citalopram and it had helped me but it just didnt work this last time so my GP changed me to mirt...the weight issue was concerning but it did help me but the anxiety kept still coming and going so someone on here suggested pregabalin and I chatted to my gp about it and he was willing to give it a try...and "touch wood" its helped.

As far as sleeping is concerned I dont think it helps with that...the mirtazipine does that but not like when I was on higher dose.

Glad duloxetine working for you that was my other choice but went with the mirt.

Jo.x

Scratchappy

03-05-12, 14:09

Hey Habshan,

Yeah, if medication is necessary then it should be taken. Thanks for the words. Sorry, am just on a bit of a downer at the moment. Think I’m tired of having to deal with this all the time. Just a constant battlefield in my head and life too. Is a little wearing.

I’m not even sure that the Lyrica is the problem to be honest– it may just be that my anxiety levels are extremely high at the moment. As I say, the crossover of medication side effects and also anxiety symptoms gets muddied quite easily for me. Hard to differentiate between it all I guess. And easy to blame the medication too...

Plus, I’m also withdrawing from diazepam which brings its on complications (both physically and mentally). I need to eliminate that medication and see if my brain and CNS are able to repair themselves. Hopefully over time they will. So it’s hard to give Lyrica a fair assessment in my case.

I know what you mean about the co-ordination side of things with Lyrica – the number of times I almost fell off the treadmill at the gym is quite amusing. Still haven’t fallen.....yet.

Glad that you’re doing well on it though Hanshan :) Hope it carries on working for you and all the best.

And hey Simon,

Well, I can tell you that the Pregabalin certainly helped with sleeping. I remember when I first took it that it knocked me out like a light. Extremely effective for me anyway. I still use it as a bit of a sleeping aide if I’m honest.

As for physical co-ordination, it’s more of a perception/clumsy feeling for me. Just not able to judge distances particularly well. It’s hard to explain but I’m just sometimes unaware of exactly where my body is in relation to other objects! But that was mostly on the higher dose for me. The lower the dose, the lesser the problems. And it wasn’t constant – just had to be a bit more careful and concentrate more on where I was going at times.

Hope that helps and good luck.

Can I ask you how you’re finding the duloxetine by the way? You said it was good for anxiety and I know it’s a relatively new SNRI. Do you have many side effects from it? It was the SNRI I wanted to try but my GP said to try venaflaxine first as that’s what the psychiatrist recommended. Probably because it’s cheaper, knowing the NHS.

Thanks in advance........................Scratch

MrRedShirt

03-05-12, 14:37

And hey Simon,

Well, I can tell you that the Pregabalin certainly helped with sleeping. I remember when I first took it that it knocked me out like a light. Extremely effective for me anyway. I still use it as a bit of a sleeping aide if I’m honest.

As for physical co-ordination, it’s more of a perception/clumsy feeling for me. Just not able to judge distances particularly well. It’s hard to explain but I’m just sometimes unaware of exactly where my body is in relation to other objects! But that was mostly on the higher dose for me. The lower the dose, the lesser the problems. And it wasn’t constant – just had to be a bit more careful and concentrate more on where I was going at times.

Hope that helps and good luck.

Can I ask you how you’re finding the duloxetine by the way? You said it was good for anxiety and I know it’s a relatively new SNRI. Do you have many side effects from it? It was the SNRI I wanted to try but my GP said to try venaflaxine first as that’s what the psychiatrist recommended. Probably because it’s cheaper, knowing the NHS.

Thanks in advance........................Scratch

Thanks Scratch,

Interesting about the Pregabalin and sleep. I have tinnitus which makes sleep tricky and am currently relying on zopiclone, (the mirtazapiine took care of that before) although this was prescribed as insomnia was part of the start-up effects of duloxetine. I'd rather not take the zop, but it does work well and I don't think I'd be able to sleep without some sort of aid.

So far, duloxetine seems to be working, although I'm only on day 6 or 7 or 60mg. I was on the starter dose of 30mg for 3 weeks and after about 2 and half weeks I started to notice a positive change (much to my own surprise!). The start up effects included sudden rushes of increased anxiety (although that may have been due to a rather quick taper and withdrawal of Mirtazapine), mid-afternoon drowsyness and feeling jittery. I only had mild nausea which didn't bother me much.
The jittery feeling and nausea has subsided, although I still get drowsy in the afternoon. And possibly insomnia, although the zop is currently taking care of that.
I wouldn't say I'm turning cartwheels yet, but I'm a lot better than I was a few weeks ago, and it's still fairly early days.

Hope that helps,
Simon

---------- Post added at 14:37 ---------- Previous post was at 14:24 ----------

Hi Simon

Its probably because it took me a long time to get better this time...I was off work for almost 5 months...I was originally on citalopram and it had helped me but it just didnt work this last time so my GP changed me to mirt...the weight issue was concerning but it did help me but the anxiety kept still coming and going so someone on here suggested pregabalin and I chatted to my gp about it and he was willing to give it a try...and "touch wood" its helped.

As far as sleeping is concerned I dont think it helps with that...the mirtazipine does that but not like when I was on higher dose.

Glad duloxetine working for you that was my other choice but went with the mirt.

Jo.x

Thanks JT. Funnily enough I suggested staying on the Mirt and adding pregabalin, but my doctor suggested a 'fresh start' with the duloxetine, as the Mirt seemed to be pooping out on me (not that it ever worked that well in the first place).

hanshan

04-05-12, 02:33

Hi Scratch,

Good to hear from you. I hope that downer turns around and starts going way up. The venlafaxine should help. Keep posting!

Hi Simon - I'm on a regular cocktail of meds: (daily doses) two for anxiety (pregabalin 600 mg, mirtazapine 45 mg) and two for hypertension (losartan 50 mg, prazosin 6mg). The prazosin also has some anti-anxiety effect, especially for reducing nightmares, and has been used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder. With all that, it's hard to say which med is having which side-effect, or whether its a combination of them.

The lack of coordination walking is most apparent when going a distance, such as walking along a footpath or going down a corridor. There's a tendency not to be able to keep going in a straight line but unexpectedly veer slightly to the left or right. Not stagger, but enough to have to concentrate and compensate as necessary. All in all, it's something I can deal with.

Keep smiling,

Hanshan

bugrud

01-06-12, 10:19

hi all

i'm sorry i havent been on this for a while - my story is one of 45mg mirt and alternate nights 7.5mg zopiclone - funny thing is my day starts normal after zop - and i can be so fine its like i'm normal , then the day after without zop i can wake early - ( 4 - 5o'clockish and its like the anxiety spiral kicks in and the day is c**P!! )
where does this anxiety come from ? - is it a learned response to early waking cos i think - why am i awake early - whats wrong with me - i'm STILL not better etc etc
Also JT69 has posted some lovely helpful responses in th epast and she knows I'm menopausal - my doc tried me on HRT but me periods started again - which freaked me out - so they had to stop - so as well as the Mirt and Zop i have a cocktail of herbal stuff
Also I returned to work after 6 months and to be honest its horrendous here - HE _ and I have decided to take early retirement through the voluntary severance package - and i really do feel that my past 18 months of horrendousness at work makes coming into work a stressor to my illness - does anyone else experience this

so---oo the things is guys where th ehell do I go from here - my CBT sessions since last July have finished - I see my doc every month so I see him next friday and to be honest I just dont know wheer to go from here ? should Ijust wait until i finish here at work in august and review my situation then - I DO NOT want to increase my meds but can my anxiety really and truly JUST BE HORMONAL - any advice or ideas help _ should I ask for pregabalin? misery misery misery xxx

joy

01-06-12, 12:29

been on pregablin for two weeks 75mg twice a day then 4 days ago shrink doubled it I have had terrible dizziness, drunk feeling and dopey. hard to know if its helping the anxiety as I feel so odd.
any comments

joy

hanshan

18-06-12, 12:55

Hi bugrud,

Sorry for this late reply to your post, but I think, yes, you should ask for pregabalin, provided that you are aware it doesn't work for everyone and comes with a couple of weeks of side effects for most people. You should know whether it's the medication for you within three or four weeks of taking it.

Where does the early morning anxiety come from? I'd like to know the answer to that. My guess is that it has something to do with the body's natural rhythms - fall asleep at night, then be aroused to wake at dawn. Perhaps for some people, the morning arousal mechanism overshoots the mark, resulting in anxiety. This is just my speculation, however.

Keep smiling.

Hanshan

ANG3LIC

18-06-12, 21:31

hi i

pieman

06-08-12, 20:58

whats the latest on the pregbalin diary - I am wanting to start it as well

jaredlisted

13-10-12, 04:31

Pregabalin was helping me and then i tried to reduce my it by 25mg in the morning, two days later i was hit with some of the worst anxiety of my life that i immediately went back on to the original dose, day later this was doing nothing so the doc told me to go up by 25mg more in the morning.

Again very little helpbwith the anxiety. But it made very dizzy, nauseous and messed with my vision, so today i drop by 25mg in the morning to see if that will help.

Just before reducing my pregabalin i had just weaned off of rivatrol and had felt fine for a week. But have read benzo withdrawl can kick in a week later, so i may be going thru benao withdrawl but i dont know. But i cant take much more of it.

karenp

29-10-12, 12:42

Thanks so much for this wonderful diary. I'm thinking of asking my doctor to try Preg as I've been on Mirtazapine (now off it) for the past 7 months but Mirt's not helped my anxiety at all so I'm now on Trazodone but only at the starting dose that helps with sleep but I am still waking up as early as 2am some nights and heavily rely on Zopiclone to calms me. I was on Diazepam for 5 months but managed to come off it fine about 3 or 4 weeks ago now. If I don't take Zopiclone then I have a panic attack but don't know how long my doctors will keep prescribing it especially as I am now starting to need an extra half a tablet to come out of my panic. I'd never heard of Preg until today. :)