Pregabalin causing a sort of low grade depression

[On Fire]

I am taking 225mg/daily of Pregabalin and have started experiencing a sort of low grade depression or low mood. It has come on gradually over the last month, since I had my dosage increased. I feel it is probably the Pregabalin causing it. The Pregabalin is working well for my anxiety though, so I think I will keep with it and try to tolerate the low mood. Has anybody else experienced this?
Thanks for any replies.

[Tufty]

Yes I did! I increased Pregabalin from 150mg a day to 300mg a day and although the anxiety was much better I didn't feel 100%, I felt that something wasn't quite right and I kept thinking 'is this it then, is this what life is'. So I increased up to 450mg as I was having some breakthrough panic and those feelings of unhappiness stayed. I have since tried Sertraline to combat the low mood whilst still taking the Pregabalin and this has been awful and I'm now back on Pregabalin alone.

In hindsight I wish I'd given the Pregabalin longer the first time, I was inpatient to get better. I wonder if the lifting of the anxiety uncovers the low level depression that was always there. Once I'm over the Sertraline, which has not been easy, I hope to get back to where I was 4 weeks ago whilst on 450mg Pregabalin and work at improving my mood with exercise, CBT, diet and other self help.

I would stick with that Pregabalin dose for a bit longer, a low grade depression can be worked with once anxiety has eased

Take care
Sam

[Mark13]

Same here. I felt some mild depression whilst going up the dosages. I was off work at the time and pushed myself to go out for a 5-10 mile walk most days, which certainly seemed to help.

It eased off too once i settled at 600mg and got back to work.

[hanshan]

I think part of the price of pregabalin working is that it can also take the edge off things that excited us before.

It's possible to combine pregabalin with an antidepressant that will lift mood without bringing anxiety back. Apart from that, as Mark suggests, walks and just getting out and about with things happening around you can help.

[On Fire]

Thanks for replies.

[SarahH]

Yes I am feeling that after 9 days on 400mgs a day. I beginning to think it's because I am stuck in the house all day apart from a couple of walks with my dog and visiting nieghbours. My Psych told me that it takes 4 weeks on theraputic dose to get full effects.