Please read and guide me! Pregabalin AGAIN

[chl_hobbs]

Hi all

I have had an awful 2 years and now am suffering from major anxiety, related to my health. I always think the worst is happening and that I will die soon. This has come from a small camera op 2 years ago and the surgeon ended up somehow tearing my spleen. He didn't know he had done this and when I woke up and told them I was in pain, they didn't believe me until it was too late. I was whisked away to a major hosp by ambulance and told id lost too much blood and might not survive an emergency op. my daughter was only 1 at the time and I screamed and cried and begged them not to let me die as I had a baby girl waiting at home. I woke up in intensive care, after a MAJOR 5 hr operation, and several blood transfusions.

I had ptsd from this, and had therapy whilst taking citalopram. The therapy helped and I stopped getting flashbacks etc. However I was experiencing lots of ectopic beats (an extra heart beat) and came off the citalopram. I was very very anxious and the GP asked me to try pregabalin. I was scared at first as the side effects are in BOOK form more or less! BUT it seemed to calm me down a lot for a good 6 months.

I then happened to have an xray of my heart and an echo scan, which said my heart was on the 'upper limits of normal' with a slightly reduced function(only by 1%). I immediately blamed the pregabalin, and stopped it....

Well in the 6 months up until now since being off pregabalin, my heart obsession has increased. I am in a&e every week as I DO get chest tightness, pressure, throat spasms, dizziness, blurred vision, numbness in arms hands and feet randomly, and awful awful chest pains. They are in the middle of doing more tests (most have come back ok), and the last final one is a ct scan of my heart which is a whopping 3 weeks away.

The adrenaline running through me these past 3 weeks has been unreal. I cant stop shaking. My heart rate keeps shooting up to 140+ and I feel the pain makes me near to passing out. On Monday I was at work (im a teacher) and I almost DID pass out. My gp asked me to go back on pregabalin... I didn't want to because of all the heart side effects and the fact that it says don't take if you have a heart condition, but my gp said "we don't know that you DO have a heart condition, Charlotte. Youre 30 and it's very unlikely at the moment. Please, take it".

So, I did. Tonight Im on my 4th dose. Im only taking 25mg at night then next week I will up to 50mg and so on. Last time I remember experiencing a mild euphoria and positiveness. So far I feel nothing.... just a bit more dizzy. I haven't got the shakes as much (im guessing the adrenaline/anxiety was causing that before) so I think maybe its helped that??? Im STILL having this chest squeezing pain come on out of nowhere. I keep thinking its angina or coronary artery spasms....espec as I get numb hands too. Its intense. The pregabalin hasn't touched it, which worries me as it cant be my anxiety causing this then :(

I have work tomorrow and Im so scared I will have episodes infront of the kids. Its horrible. I do have acid reflux too... but I don't know if these symptoms will be caused by that.

I hope this pregabalin works. I NEED some rest and I NEED this to stop. I cant think Im dying 24/7. Its not fair.

Sorry for the rant, just need some support and to get it out I think. Will keep posting my updates as the pregabalin continues...

Charlotte x

[hanshan]

Hello Charlotte,

I have a heart condition (arrhythmia - atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter) and I take pregabalin, no problems. (I do take other medications, particularly sotalol if the arrhythmia occurs.)

[chl_hobbs]

Hi all. Well day 9 of 25mg pregabalin and i have to say i feel slightly mentally better but phyaically feel awful. I am to take lorazepam as well due to the length of time ive been on it i cant just stop aa it needs to be slowly withdrawn. Im only taking 0.25mg lorazepam 3 times a day.
My chest pain still happens. It comes on from nowhere. Its a restrictive,pressure type pain. It is around mybcollar bone and in my lower throat.. its been 6wks nownand ecgs,echo of heart and treadmill ecg were all ok. Im waiting for the final tests which is a ct of my heart arteries. Im so scared all of the time. I keep thinking an artery is semi blocked. I cant tell if its gotten worse or better on pregabalin,but it hasbt gone.i keep getting pins and needles in my arms and legs too :( i dont know why it wont go and the drs arejt worried....but they dont have to live like this. Every morning i wake with a headache and blurred vision. Is this lorazepam related? Is pregabalin making it worse?

Desperate

[hanshan]

Lorazepam or pregabalin are not very likely to cause headache or pins and needles (although no-one can put a limit on potential side-effects).

Blurred vision is more likely to be a side-effect of these drugs, although low probability.

Overall, you have to factor in anxiety in causing your symptoms.

[virgopunk]

To be honest 25mg sounds like a very small dosage, particularly given your current circumstances. As I understand it 300mg to 400mg p/d for GAD is normal. Your GP may start you oin a small dose but should be looking to increase it to a level where your symptoms have been alleviated.

It sounds like your headaches are more likely to be the physical symptoms of the considerable stress you seem to be struggling with at the moment. Headaches and incredible tension in my neck were a regular daily occurrence for me before I started on PG.

I've been on 150mg for a week and am now on 200mg. Personally, I have to say it's made a big difference to how I feel. I can actually function at work and get out and about. The reduction in the awful adrenal feelings is exactly what I needed (that's why I chose not to accept an SSRI at the current time).

Maybe you should discuss increasing your daily dose with your GP. I'm sure you'll get to a level where you start to feel an improvement.