Welcome to my Pregabalin world!

[Zero]

Maybe I am doing this back to front, but I have not really posted about my own story or condition before, so it is probably a bit strange to do it this way round.
Last night after seeing my GP and arranging to Take Pregabalin I took my first dose after my evening meal, 75mg twice a day as a starter, no strange effects at all ( and believe me anything affects me)
Day 1..woke this morning with cotton mouth and a bit fuzzy headed but ok really, so had breakfast and my second dose( taking advice from other members to take on a full stomach) started to feel it kick in after about an hour, was able to drive safely and confidently.
Spent the day at my group but found myself a bit more verbal than usual and a little shaky but again nothing to serious, had to do some shopping on the way home and did feel a bit out of it and got a bad headache, soon cured with a couple of paracetamol.
I can feel there is something happening but not sure what as yet, so another dose to be taken after supper tonight and it should really be getting into my system then.
GP has advised to up the dose after 1 week to 75mg 3 times a day.
I am trying not to get to hopeful with this drug but have read some really encouraging stuff, so I thought maybe I could share the experience with you?

Go gently.
Z.

[Danath]

Gabapentin certainly has the effect of making someone more talkative, it did with me, and since pregabalin is supposedly an improved form of gabapentin I'd imagine it will have that effect as well

[Zero]

Gabapentin certainly has the effect of making someone more talkative, it did with me, and since pregabalin is supposedly an improved form of gabapentin I'd imagine it will have that effect as well

Thank you for taking the time to reply and sharing your experience.
Z.

[bignik]

How are you today Zero , any new changes

[robinbrum]

Well Zero, will be interesting to compare experiences...I started for nearly 6 weeks on just 100mg daily...after seeing GP today it has been increased to 150mg, going up to 200mg the following week depending on how I feel.
Seems like you have derived some immediate benefits which is good news. Apart from a couple of funny turns I have felt nothing at all. I am hoping that will change.
Best of luck to you.

[Zero]

Thank you for your replies Big and Robin ( hope you don't mind me abbreviating?) and thank you for your concern.
Woke again this morning after my 3rd dose last night, had a night of many dreams, none unpleasant unlike the horrors of Anti d's, felt quite tired and a bit difficult to wake up, cotton mouth as usual.
Had fourth dose after breakfast and still feeling quite verbal which is unusual for me as in the past I thought the less I said the less I would have to be involved in anything or make any decisions!
Did not have the bad headache again but just feeling a little outside myself.
Part of the reason for me taking Pregabalin is to try and deal with Chronic pain syndrome which stems from my lower back and neck causing numbness and tingling in arms , legs, and head ( and a few other extremities!)
So to sum up I have now taken 5 doses of 75mg and I don't really feel to much different, a bit more verbal maybe, but can feel a very slight sensation in my nerves ( the ones that give me the tingling sensations) which feels a bit odd.
I don't think I am going to feel very much different to be honest on this dose but I will keep posting, I am not supposed to up the dose until Wednesday.
Go Gently

Z.

---------- Post added at 01:08 ---------- Previous post was at 00:57 ----------


Well Zero, will be interesting to compare experiences...I started for nearly 6 weeks on just 100mg daily...after seeing GP today it has been increased to 150mg, going up to 200mg the following week depending on how I feel.
Seems like you have derived some immediate benefits which is good news. Apart from a couple of funny turns I have felt nothing at all. I am hoping that will change.
Best of luck to you.

Hello Robin, your GP did start you on a low dose, maybe they were just being cautious ? it will be interesting to see how you get on with the 150 as your system must be used to the 100mg now, I am just wondering if they like to start off low and see what level it takes to get a reaction.
I guess as it is such an expensive drug they will try the lowest dose possible to get results, or is that just being cynical!

Please let us know how you get on, seems we might be playing catch up.
Good luck and I hope it does work for you.

---------- Post added at 01:09 ---------- Previous post was at 01:08 ----------


How are you today Zero , any new changes

Thanks for asking Big, appreciate it.

[bignik]

your welcome and just hang in there , hope goes well for you and will keep an eye on the thread to see how you get on :)

[hanshan]

Hello all,

I do tend to go on about this, but it does seem that the docs are underprescribing pregabalin. Actually, I think in the studies below, people's anxiety did improve on low dose pregabalin, but no more than people taking a placebo. Maybe the doctors are hoping for the placebo effect to work, so they can take you off the pregabalin later on!

Efficacy of the novel anxiolytic pregabalin in social anxiety disorder: a placebo-controlled, multicenter study.
J Clin Psychopharmacol 2004 24(2):141-9.
Significant differences (P < or = 0.05) between pregabalin 600 mg/d and placebo were seen on several secondary measures including the LSAS subscales of total fear, total avoidance, social fear, and social avoidance, and the Brief Social Phobia Scale fear subscale. Pregabalin 150 mg/d was not significantly better than placebo on any measures.

High dose pregabalin is effective for the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder
J Clin Psychopharmacol 2003 23:240–9.
MAIN RESULTS: High dose pregabalin (600 mg/day), but not low dose pregabalin (150 mg/day), significantly improved symptoms compared with placebo at 4 weeks.

Dose-response Relationship of Pregabalin in Patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. A Pooled Analysis of Four Placebo-controlled Trials Pharmacopsychiatry 2007; 40(4): 163-168 DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-984400
Discussion: The dose of 150 mg pregabalin over the four weeks of the trials was found insufficient for the treatment of GAD. In the dose range of 200-450 mg daily, a clinically significant effect was obtained, although with a plateau-like curve which was not increased for the maximum dose of 600 mg daily.

Hanshan

[Zero]

Hanshan, thanks for the research info, judging by my reaction they do sound about right, I do tend to be ultra sensitive to meds though.

Well not really much more to say since my last post, not feeling quite so verbal and more tired, I am still having prolific dreaming but apart from that pretty neutral although a few stresses coming through, so waiting now to increase to 3 x 75mg a day ( may not wait).
Hope all you are hanging in and not feeling to bad, will keep on updating.

Z.

[Alicat]

Hi Zero,

I've been taking Pregabalin for about 5 years for chronic neuropathic pain and I find it helps alot. I started on 50mg 3 x daily, then went up to 75mg 3x daily and now I'm on 100mg 3 x daily. I'd be in agony without it.

I also find it helps with anxiety. Just a warning though, if you miss too many doses, you really start getting bad withdrawal effects!!

I hope the increased dose helps you :hugs:

[Zero]

Hi Alicat and thanks for taking the time to comment and advise.
I am pleased to hear you are getting such good relief from Pregabalin, I guess it is early days for me yet as I am not really getting much if any relief from neuropathic pain, this was the primary reason for the prescription but I do have other issues of anxiety and a long history of Depression.
As I was not really feeling to much of an improvement on the 150mg a day I decided to up my dose earlier than my GP advised( only by 2 days) so now I am on 75mg 3 times a day which I started yesterday, this has again made me feel lighter and more verbal ( people have even commented) have sometimes felt a bit unsteady and strangely albeit a bit difficult to explain some kind of waves going through my central nervous system, I think you may understand this if you suffer from neuropathic pain, not unpleasant but unusual.
Still have cotton mouth and some serious dreaming, but sleeping ok, very drowsy on waking, so all in all quite positive at the moment.
I am bearing in mind Hanshans post and it seems to hold up so far.

Thanks again Alicat, it's reassuring to hear someone with similar conditions is getting good results.
Go gently.
Zero.

[robinbrum]

Hi Zero, how are you getting on with the pregabalin?