Please help, I'm worried.

[hurricanesian]

Hi,
After years of problems with GAD, Social anxiety, Health anxiety, obsessive compulsive behaviours and depression I've been put on Pregabalin.
I've had several bad reactions to everything else I've been on. Fluoxetine gave me nightmares, insomnia and made me really aggressive. Citalopram gave me migraines and vomiting. Sertraline put me in hospital with and irregular and racing heartbeat and a few weeks ago I was put on Mirtazapine which I had to be taken off because I was ridiculously "out of it" so to speak and couldn't stand unaided.
The only medication I've ever been on that has ever worked was propanolol which my doctor prescribed me but then my psych took me off it cause it wasn't liscenced for my age group. (I was under eighteen)
To cut a long story short; due to my past experiences I'm terrified of taking my first tablet tonight, I've been reading people's posts and the info leaflet and I could use some reassurance that this isn't just going to be like all the others that made me feel much much worse than what I ever had.

[STEPHYUNO]

Hi there, sounds like you have been through an awful lot! trying to find the right balance of med and dosage can be really frustrating and you are not alone.

However I don't know much about the particular drug you may be starting, but can only suggest you go on nhs website or google the drug and potential side effects, which may give you an idea.

I'm soz I can't help more, but wish you all the best and hope things settle down real soon.

Steph

[hurricanesian]

thank you, I've been googling and reading some diaries on here but I'm still terrified, suppose I'll just have to give it a go tomorrow (already wussed out tonight!) and see how it goes :/
Thanks so much for the reply x

[hanshan]

Hi Hurriecanesian,

Don't be scared - pregabalin is usually a gentle drug that feels beneficial within the first week, sometimes the first day.

There are common side effects - dizziness and sleepiness are the top two. That's doctorspeak for "feel like a zombie", "couldn't walk straight", "knocked me out completely" etc. The good news is that these disappear over time while the benefits remain, so if you experience them but feel it's doing you some good, persist.

Good luck with pregabalin.

[BobbyDog]

I have been taking Pregabalin for 3 months and had very few side effects on start up. The only thing I can remember is that my co-ordination was poor and I felt a little dizzy. All the negative symptoms wore off after a couple of weeks. I am on 300mg split dose daily.
Don't be scared, in my opinion the initial side effects of this drug are minimal compared to some AD's.

They have really reduced the severity of my panic attacks and I am able to deal with everyday life much more effectively.

[hurricanesian]

Thank you so much guys, everyone seems to be coming back with positive results from them and minimal side effects. Hopefully I'll have some good results when I finally get the nerve up to take them!

---------- Post added at 14:31 ---------- Previous post was at 12:15 ----------

first one taken two and a half hours ago, feeling sleepy but nowhere near as out of it as I was on the mirtazapine. Feel like a nap, however I was up most of last night so it could just be that. Maybe I'm just looking for side effects...

[rockydog]

Hi there i am also really sensitive to every drug and refused them for many tears because of this. However i was recently prescribed pregablin and held on to it for two months before taking it. I took it a low dose and had no side affects at all. Hope you are ok x

[hurricanesian]

Been taking it since Saturday now, but wussed out and dropped the dose to 50mg a day rather than 100. Think today I might try for the hundred. I'm feeling pretty much the same as I did on mirtazapine: queasy, drunk and with a weird headache that feels like a pressure behind my eye. I've also got a terrible stomach ache, but I do have IBS especially so when I'm stressed so it's probably that.
Other than feeling like crap they're working well, the amount of panic attacks I'm having has dropped significantly, still cant eat or go out but I'm feeling more relaxed in the house. :)

[BobbyDog]

Been taking it since Saturday now, but wussed out and dropped the dose to 50mg a day rather than 100. Think today I might try for the hundred. I'm feeling pretty much the same as I did on mirtazapine: queasy, drunk and with a weird headache that feels like a pressure behind my eye. I've also got a terrible stomach ache, but I do have IBS especially so when I'm stressed so it's probably that.
Other than feeling like crap they're working well, the amount of panic attacks I'm having has dropped significantly, still cant eat or go out but I'm feeling more relaxed in the house. :)

Well done, things can only get better. The drunk feeling should wear off after about a week, but if you are not eating the side effects will be worse as the drug will be absorbed straight in to your blood stream.

[hurricanesian]

I'm hoping the tablets will help with the eating. The past month or so I've been having intrusive thoughts that eating will make me ill or that my food is contaminated, this has escalated to the extent that I couldn't eat at all - except my 'safe foods' (wotsits, white chocolate and Dairylea on toast). I'm hoping that the tablets will calm the thoughts so I can eat more.

[hurricanesian]

Day four on them, moved up to 100mg yesterday, dizzy and queasy but panic reduced in general, more anxious today than yesterday though, hoping they keep working and the side effects subside.