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teej
29-07-14, 12:53
I've just been prescribed Pregabalin for my GAD.

After trying to get on with SSRI's for the last 10 years (Citalopram, Escitalopram) which has ended up with countless anxiety incidents, and more recently Mirtazapine (which did nothing for me) my doctor out the blue offered me Pregabalin as I'm now considered an extraordinary case.

I was a bit shocked as I knew about Pregabalin but also knew many doctors were reluctant to prescribe it.

I've been given 84 50mg capsules with a "carte blanche" on how many / when to take them but come back in two weeks and see how I'm doing.

To be honest I'm now absolutely terrified about taking any medication - I was going to give myself until the weekend to see how I was doing coming off the Mirtazapine before giving it a try but I'm still terrified!

spuder
29-07-14, 13:56
Hi I would take the meds hun u my feel loads better. I was on mirtazapine what an evil drug it was made me wanna end my life I had horrible thoughts and very depressed now I am on cipralax doc has just increased my dose from 5 to 10 mg cause I am getting panic attacks

A Nervous Nigel
29-07-14, 14:10
Hey Teej!

I'm fairly new to pregabalin as well! Been on it around the one month mark, so starting to get used to it. I started on 50mg x 3 daily, which I think is a normal starting dosage. My first few days on them went well, I hardly had any side effects except maybe tiredness and I was overly confident and I was speaking to loads of people at a party I had that night. Which was probably a honeymoon stage.

I too worry about starting new meds, but compared to antidepressants I have tried previously, pregabalin had the least side effect by far!

You could just try one capsule for your first day and see how it goes? Do you have a free day this weekend? Remember the maximum daily dose is 600mg, so 50mg shouldn't be anything to worry over too much!

There is a few long term users of pregabalin on here, which will probably have some better info on it! But from my first months experience, most days are good and I have even managed to get myself a job in that time! Something I would not have been able to do without pregabalin!

Good luck and I hope things go well!

unfitwellhappy
29-07-14, 14:37
I have been on 600mg / day of Pregabalin for about a year now - it's by far the easiest med I have ever taken.

The only side-effect I had was a slight drunk feeling when I first started taking it, but I thought that was great fun!

A

teej
29-07-14, 14:55
But from my first months experience, most days are good and I have even managed to get myself a job in that time! Something I would not have been able to do without pregabalin!

That's good news! Well done. Very promising. I'm feeling less worried now!

---------- Post added at 14:55 ---------- Previous post was at 14:54 ----------


I have been on 600mg / day of Pregabalin for about a year now - it's by far the easiest med I have ever taken.

The only side-effect I had was a slight drunk feeling when I first started taking it, but I thought that was great fun!

A

Drunk would be preferable over the anxious mess I am right now. :D

unfitwellhappy
29-07-14, 15:31
Drunk would be preferable over the anxious mess I am right now. :D

Couldn't agree more - it will get easier :)

A Nervous Nigel
29-07-14, 15:41
The drunkness seems common for users taking this for the first time and generally fades over the week.. Or if you get your dose upped you may get similar effects again.
I definitely enjoyed my first day on it haha!

I forgot to mention,

The best thing pregabalin has done for me is, removing repetitive thoughts.. I excessively 'cringe' over things I say/do in social situations, sometimes I have suicidal thoughts, which get in the way of my normal life.. With pregabalin I may get the thought but I have the ability to dismiss it! So I still have negative thinking but because it is not overwhelming I can get on with normal daily life activities! Hopefully CBT can solve the rest for me, if I ever get therapy, I was supposed to have my first session last week! But it got canceled! They better ring tomorrow!

Anyways, I really believe that once you try this med for the first few days, you will wonder why you were ever nervous to take it in the first place :P

keggsy
29-07-14, 17:14
Got 75mg tablets here, starting with one a day, then maybe going up to 2.
My anxiety is always evening based, so if I do take it, I'll prob have it at teatime.
Does it help with sleep at all anyone know?

teej
29-07-14, 20:46
Got 75mg tablets here, starting with one a day, then maybe going up to 2.
My anxiety is always evening based, so if I do take it, I'll prob have it at teatime.
Does it help with sleep at all anyone know?

I don't think it's as good at helping you sleep as something like Mirtazapine. I know people take Mirt and Pregabalin together.

I didn't get on with the Mirt though because of the weight gain and the fact I have an eating disorder!

hanshan
30-07-14, 11:10
I take both mirtazapine and pregabalin.

For me mirtazapine is definitely better for sleep, but pregabalin is better for general anxiety. Pregabalin is best for preventing anxiety before it starts, for those people who have a level of anxiety every day. It's not like a benzodiazepine that you can take after a panic attack starts.

teej
03-08-14, 10:22
Well I bit the bullet and took it.

So now I'm on 15mg Mirtazapine (still!) and 150mg of Pregabalin today (3 x 50mg).

I had a great day yesterday... managed to take the family out, survived a family meal in the evening.

Woke this morning feeling better but before taking my dose I had a panic attack.
Yesterday evening I decided to consult Dr Google about Pregabalin (I know I know - my bad) and now I am convinced I'm going to blow up like a balloon with water retention (despite having never been prone in my life to that).

I took the dose anyway... :wacko:

hanshan
03-08-14, 10:41
Hi Teej,

Good luck with the pregabalin. I seriously doubt that you will swell up like a balloon! You might get some swollen ankles, and gain a pound or so (but it's just water). The main thing is whether it makes a difference in helping you feel better.

teej
03-08-14, 12:16
Hi Teej,

Good luck with the pregabalin. I seriously doubt that you will swell up like a balloon! You might get some swollen ankles, and gain a pound or so (but it's just water). The main thing is whether it makes a difference in helping you feel better.

Thanks Hanshan. The support here means a lot.

I've severely reduced my carb intake (as that increases water retention) and am drinking plenty of water. I've also ordered some herbal water balance tabs from JustVitamins - both of my parents-in-law use them with success. I think in those first weeks on the Mirt I literally just binged on carbs! So it's nice to kick that habit.

I'm also trying to make sure I exercise plenty... I cycled commuted 4 days last week so I'm just servicing my bicycle this afternoon with a look to doing that again next week. It's 10 hilly miles each way so good exercise.

teej
08-08-14, 17:20
Well the pregabalin experiment finished after four days. I'm pretty gutted as I thought this would be "the one".

I was on 3 x 50mg over the day.

Worst problem was I developed breathing problems.. :scared15: I've always been a tad asthmatic but this was something else. I did note this was in the rare side effects though - but as soon as I've stopped taking them this problem has cleared up. I was using my inhaler 3 - 4 times a day and since I've stopped taking them I've not needed it at all.

The other problem was that I couldn't cope with the cognitive side effects from the point of view I couldn't even do my job. I just sat at work staring at my screen like a slack jawed youth. I do a very technical scientific job so that was a no go. My boss even asked me if something was amiss.

Went to the doctor this morning and they pretty much washed their hands of me. The exact quote was "there's nothing else we can do for you". I'm going to be writing to the practice manager this weekend. This was combined with me asking to come off the mirtazapine since I think it's making me more anxious.

:shrug: So not sure what to do now!

SmilingAlbert
10-08-14, 21:32
Hello Teej,

Sorry to hear all this. I think you need to push for a referral to a psychiatrist asap. GPs can only do so much, and I'm appalled to hear they have 'washed their hands of you'.

Many people seem to have benefited from a combi of Mirtazapine and Pregabalin. I would suggest you visit a shrink asap and say you want to start again. You probably need a larger dose of both Mirt and Preg, from my strictly amateur POV. But there are other options too.

Best of luck to you - remember there is always a tomorrow!

Albert

teej
11-08-14, 10:20
Thanks Albert - I'm seeing my regular Doctor in a weeks time and will probably be pushing for a referral as this has just gone on too long!