View Full Version : Just started Pregabalin
I saw my psychiatrist for an emergency appointment on Wednesday because my anxiety is very high. He prescribed be 150mg pregabalin (2 x 75mg a day), I definately feel a little calmer. I have a severe choking phobia, where I have great difficulty swallowing fluids. It has been so bad over the last few months that I didn't drink anything at all, not even water. I am due to see the psychiatrist again at the end of September for a review of the pregabalin. I know that 15mg is a starting dose, but I don't want to be put on a high dose because I also have dyspraxia, which means I have co-ordination and balance difficulties, and I know that with high doses one of the side effects is a feeling of being drunk and I won't be able to cope with that. I also have a driving phobia, and before I started pregabalin I had started having refresher driving lessons and I was just getting my confidence back, I really want to be able to drive, I passed my driving test 10 yrs ago, then I stopped due to loss of confidence. So being able to drive is very important to me. I don't want to feel very tired and drunk. I am frightened that the psychiatrist will put me on a high dose. Maybe I'm being over anxious because he knows my medical history.
Sorry for the long post, but I really need some advice.
The coordination and balance problems with pregabalin usually decrease with time.
If you feel you are less anxious on 150 mg per day and not suffering major side effects, you may want to stay on that dose. It's at the bottom of the official therapeutic range, but everyone is different, and some people respond well at lower doses.
At its very best, you don't get any feeling from pregabalin, just a realisation that you're not as anxious as you once were.
If I decide to stay on 150mg will the effectiveness of pregabalin decrease over time? I know that with some anxiety medication your body gets used to it and the medication stops working. I don't mind if the doctor increases the dose to maybe between 200-300mg but I don't want too high a dose because of the bad side effects.
The side effects will ease over time and the dose needed will vary from person to person.
You will know when the pregabalin is wearing off and thats when you can increase the dose. You will then find your optimum dose. Mine appears to be 400mgs a day. The side effects are far better than the anxiety I was suffering from. Have faith in this drug:)
Sarah
Would I have to do a gradual increase if I wanted to go up to 400mg. I only see my psychiatrist about every 4 months and he prescribed pregabalin, as I booked an emergency appointment with him. I see him again on the 27 September. He will review the medication. I definitely feel less anxious, so I'm hoping I'll stay on the pregabalin. I don't know if he'll keep me on the 150mg or increase it. I'm loving pregabalin so far!!!
---------- Post added at 22:42 ---------- Previous post was at 22:37 ----------
Actually thinking about it, I think 400mg of pregabalin might be too high a dose for me as I want to drive, and I don't want the drunk and spaced out side effects or the fatigue that the high doses seem to have.
Take it one day at a time. You can't say in advance what side effects you will have, and at what dosage - it varies from person to person. Also, the side effects are mostly temporary, so if you experience them, stay with it a while.
It's unlikely a psychiatrist would try to force you to take a dose higher than what you felt was working well for you. You could discuss with your doctor the possibility of being prescribed a higher dose on a trial basis. From my experience, what I've read, and posts to NMP, some tolerance develops in the first few weeks (ie higher doses), but then it levels out. There have also been reports of it stopping working. On the other hand, I've been taking it for three years now, and it's been working quite well to stop unwarranted anxiety at the same dose.
Good luck with pregabalin. If you are feeling less anxious after a couple of days, that's a good sign.
I've had a really bad weekend. I have a severe choking phobia. I have'nt been able to eat or drink anything since Saturday morning. I haven't been able to swallow my tablets. My psychiatrist gave me an emergency prescription. He double the dose of pregabalin to 300 mg. He's put me on the liquid pregabalin. I won't get it until Wednesday. I won't be able to eat or drink anything until then. I hope doubling the dose helps, because I was doing so well on pregabalin until the weekend. Do you think it will help?
Pregab is the best drug I have ever taken. It completely solved my anxiety issues (still f*cked with treatment resistant depression through). I started on 150mg/day and now taken 450mg/day. I have never experienced any side effects. Of course you need to take the tablet and importantly in 2 or 3 separate doses. Forget your driving worries; get these phobias treated. I have had bad experiences with hypnotherapists but I think they may be good for you. Or CBT. Maybe you can swallow food/drink with more confidence if you tilt your neck back and use a sports drink type bottle to squirt liquid in.
Anyway you will fall in love with Pregab. Good luck Jamie x
Thanks Jamie. I've just sent you a pm x
Hello Joanne,
Hang in there, I know this must be a difficult time for you.
Pregabalin comes in capsules. If you can't swallow, you can probably open the capsule, dissolve the contents in a very small amount of water, and then take it as part of your natural swallowing process. This would be the same as liquid pregabalin.
Good luck.
you certainly could do that. I used to open the capsules and split the dose as I ran out of the 75mg's. The stuff inside looks like cocaine and tastes horrible. Mix it with cordial. Problem solved!
Had my first dose of liquid pregabalin today. It tastes horrible. I have a piece of chocolate after I've taken it. It was 140 mg. I take 280 mg because the liquid pregabalin is 280 mg not 300 mg. I'm hoping to be able to take the capsules soon, because they are the full strength. I feel a very light headed because I took pregabalin on an empty stomach. Hopefully, I'll be eating in the next couple of days, when the pregabalin is in my system. Sorry if I don't make sense. I feel a bit drunk!!!
Gareth2013
19-09-13, 07:13
Hi Joanne,
I saw your posts on pregabalin and thought I would share my experience of taking this medication. Currently I'm in a private psychiatric hospital receiving treatment for bipolar, depression and GAD. I was prescribed pregabalin for the first time just over a week ago. My starting dose was 150mg, 50mg three times a day. This was increased a couple of days later to 300mg, 100mg three times a day. I have found that this medication has helped my anxiety a great deal. I did however feel sleepy in the afternoon for a few days but thankfully this seems to have passed now. I do however still feel slightly 'drunk' and hope this feeling will subside a little. I have started taking pregabalin as I was concerned about taking oxazepam all the time as it is a benzo.
I am due to be discharged from hospital tomorrow and will post again next week to update you further on my experience with pregabalin.
Gareth
I am still on 300mg split dose, but I have swelling of my hands, which is very painful. The pregabalin has decreased my anxiety significantly. I am still having a lot of problems at home because my sister and nephews have been staying with us for 5 months because they are homeless. To say that my sister and I don't get on is an understatement!! I'm seeing my psychiatrist in a couple of weeks, I am wondering if I should ask him if I could discontinue the pregabalin, or should I stay on it because it is really helping my anxiety, but my hands are very swollen and painful?
Sorry for the long post. I really love pregabalin, it's just a shame about the swollen an painful hands. I've noticed that it's my right hand that is the most painful.
I really need your advice.
Do check with your GP. Swollen hands could have many causes, which could be treated.
Try to take time out, whenever you can, to reduce stress with your family. If something provokes you, try to let it go by, if you can.
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