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keggsy
06-09-14, 12:11
Hi all, been on various levels of mirt for 8 months, currently on 15mg

Main problem is evening anxiety and insomnia.

Got zopiclone but use these very sparingly.

Just took my first 75mg pregabalin last night as if I can be less worried about whether sleep will come, hopefully sleep onset will quicken.

Am worried about:

1. Whether pregabalin will work
2. When best to take it. GP suggests 75mg twice daily.
3. Building up tolerance and dependency if I take it that regularly and side effects when taking it or tapering off it.

So far after one tablet I feel a bit drowsy and fuzzy but nothing else yet.

Wonder how many people in the UK are on this for GAD, prob not too many with it be relatively new for anxiety.

Thanks all

aprilmoon
06-09-14, 13:09
Hi kegsy!
Was wondering how you were doing.
I haven't been on this,but I've heard some really positive things about it.
Hope it goes well :)

keggsy
06-09-14, 13:52
thanks April.

Not done too bad then last few months but feel like i walk a tightrope each day and night.

Few iffy evenings and nights in last week, so when I saw gp yesterday he wanted me to try preg to try and break the cycle of evening anxiety.

How are you doing anyway?

hanshan
06-09-14, 15:08
Hi Keggsy

1. 150 mg per day is a low dose, but many people respond at that level. Pregabalin has been rated as very helpful for anxiety by two thirds of the people in a small poll on NMP.

2. It's best to spread out the dose at first to minimise initial side effects and also because of the fairly short half life. After that, you can work out the best time for you to take it.

3. You may need to increase the dose at first, but past that the dose should remain stable. Once established, side effects should be minimal, but you may have some start-up side effects. Good luck! I have found it to be the best thing for me for general anxiety.

keggsy
06-09-14, 16:20
Thanks Hanshan for the reply on this and all the other contributions you make on nmp

aprilmoon
06-09-14, 16:21
I'm doing alright thanks.
Been on the same combo for quite a while now.
Finally got to start my CBT a few weeks back.:)

SADnomore
06-09-14, 16:40
You go girlfriend! Keep us posted :winks:

Good luck, Keggsy! xx
Marie

keggsy
08-09-14, 19:37
Day 3, slept OK by my standards last night.
Bit fuzzy during the day and it took a fair while to wake up properly.
Will pop my 75mg capsule in a bit ahead of tonights bed.
Anxiety levels not markedly different yet but the dose at the mo I realise is low.

PartyTime
21-09-14, 12:13
How's it going Keggsy? Good I hope

keggsy
21-09-14, 17:49
Doing okay the last few days, but have a few days off work, so less pressure as it were with regard to sleep.
Still on 1 x 75mg preg plus 15mg mirt.

How are you party time?

SarahH
22-09-14, 12:34
Hi,

75mgs a day really is a tiny dose. The recommended therapeutic dose id from 225mgs a day upwards. But of course we are all different. I was on 400mgs a day but am now down to 300mgs the reduction was absolutely fine to with drawl at all. Yes sometimes it can wear off for some people but don't think about that for the moment. For me th positives far outweigh the negative for pregabalin.

sarah

keggsy
22-09-14, 18:50
Thanks Sarah. Good to know I've got plenty of room for manoeuvre!

SarahH
23-09-14, 09:33
Don't panic if you need to start going up the doses......SOME people need 600mgs a day.... you will find what is the right dose for YOU!

keggsy
26-09-14, 17:41
Saw gp today.
He is happy for me to experiment with dosage and timings.

I'm thinking about taking my normal evening 75mg dose about an hour before bed as usual.

Thinking about when I up my dose to add another 75mg that I take it around late afternoon or teatime.

Thoughts on this please guys - I realise it is 2 doses quite close together but my anxiety is always in the evening, not in the daytime.

teej
26-09-14, 22:30
My anxiety is worse in the mornings. I literally shot up from taking 150mg a day to taking the full 600mg. No real side effects to report... still not loosing any weight but then probably should cut out the chocolate cake and mixed grill from the pub. I do get blurred vision on the odd occasion but nothing a bit of squinting doesn't fix. I got none of the drunkenness or stumbling around. My short term memory and recall of words is terrible but then it always was when I was drinking. I'm still doing a very technical job and coping well too.

I take 300mg at 0600 an hour before I get out of bed and another 300mg at 1200 just before lunch. Sometimes if I'm having a bad morning it's 1100 when I'm taking it. Normally by 1500 I'm feeling fine. So swap that around for your evening anxiety and maybe take your dose at 1500 and 2100 and see how you do? I think once you build up to a therapeutic level of the dose in your system things will become eaiser? I've yet to try taking my full 600mg in one go but I think a very bad morning may see that happen!

As for my anxiety it's probably saved me. I'm currently trying to withdraw from the Mirtazapine as I felt it was increase my anxiety (I'm extremely sensitive to any serotegenic drugs) and the pregabalin has meant I can actually live my life again. It's certainly one of the cleanest medications I've taken WRT to the side effect profile.

I think the greatest realization I had with the pregabalin was not to be scared of it. I'd been through the drug roundabout so many times with serotegenic drugs giving me this side effect and that side effect and never working that i was terrified of it. I was at my absolute lowest when i decided to take it and now I have much hope of recovery as I am improving day by day.

:bighug1:

hanshan
27-09-14, 06:32
Hi Keggsy,

Pregabalin has a relatively short half-life, so timing when you take it can be helpful, similar to what Teej says. I'd give it a try - you can always change if it doesn't work for you. I take my dose just before bed, as my anxiety actually seemed (before pregabalin) to build up in the early hours of the morning while I was still asleep - perhaps due to the natural melatonin to cortisol shift.

SarahH
27-09-14, 10:57
Why don't you try splitting it into 3 doses..... it works for me...but we are all different.

Sarah

keggsy
27-09-14, 14:34
Thanks all three of you for your advice - appreciate it.

teej
28-09-14, 13:30
No problems. :D

keggsy
20-10-14, 18:20
Well I've been on 150mg of preg for 3 days, 1x75 at 4pm, the other at 10pm with 15 mirt.
No noticeable side effects or benefits as yet.
Slept OK the first couple of nights then last night could not get off and had to take a zopiclone.
Sigh.

aprilmoon
20-10-14, 18:51
Hi kegsy
Just wanted to say hello
I remember when I first posted, and you sent a kind reply.
How are you doing?

keggsy
20-10-14, 19:54
Hi April.

How are you?

I've been okayish over the last few months, anxiety just bubbling away under the surface. Just can't shake the sleep obsession but hoping as I up the pregabalin dose it will help. Still on 15 mg mirt.
Every day is a reset button, good or bad - depending on how I've slept.
Silly really but the way my mind is, prob need more CBT.

DOT COTTON
23-10-14, 00:51
I cant understand people who take Pregabalin before bed, Im usually running round manic when I take them

hanshan
23-10-14, 05:35
Hi Dot,

Pregabalin does affect people differently. If it makes you feel excited, then taking it during the day would be best for you. It's probably a good idea to spread the dose out to reduce the effect at any time.

DOT COTTON
23-10-14, 16:17
Hi Dot,

Pregabalin does affect people differently. If it makes you feel excited, then taking it during the day would be best for you. It's probably a good idea to spread the dose out to reduce the effect at any time.

hey, I am 225mg twice a day I usually take one when I get up and then the second around lunchtime. I am also 45mg Mirtazapine so I take it an hour before bed with 2 diazepam and I drift off nicely! :)

keggsy
23-10-14, 17:34
interesting Dot, as many would say 45mg of mirt before bed can be more stimulating than sedating.

My anxiety is mainly evening based so that is why i currently take my pregab afternoon and evening.

DOT COTTON
23-10-14, 20:17
interesting Dot, as many would say 45mg of mirt before bed can be more stimulating than sedating.

My anxiety is mainly evening based so that is why i currently take my pregab afternoon and evening.

The Mirtazapine makes me sleepy, I Assumed it was same with everyone as my prescription tells me to take at night.

keggsy
23-10-14, 21:28
you are right Dot, but 45mg is the higher dose and this in some people can be more stimulating than the lower 15mg dose which is reported to be more sedating.
If 45mg makes you sleepy, then job done!

hanshan
24-10-14, 11:32
My take on the "15 mg is sedating, 45 mg is stimulating" advice is that if 15 mg is too sedating, 45 mg may slow that down a bit, but even then 45 mg is sedating. And of course, it does vary from person to person. (I take 45 mg and find it very helpful for sleep).

KK77
24-10-14, 12:17
I think all doses of mirt will generally make you feel tired at night, but it has quite a long half-life, meaning the dose will most likely affect you the next day. Perhaps 45mg will stimulate more the following day than 15mg, which I've heard a lot of people say makes them feel groggy and sluggish. Just generalising as we're all different...

keggsy
24-10-14, 17:57
I wish the 15mg was more sedating for me!!!

NinjaKitty
27-10-14, 12:13
Peronally for me i found the sedating side of Mirtazapine wear off within a month by the time i got to around 30mg i didn't find it sedating at all, now im on max dose 45mg and have been for well over a year now and I don't find the Mirtazapine sedating but i do feel it calms me down.... I may add i dont take it for anything but anxiety.... and take sleep meds to actually sleep, but since pregabalin was added I am definitly more tired before bed now, buti have been told the pregabalin can increase the sedating side of all my medication.

good luck and stay positive

Kitty xx

keggsy
27-10-14, 18:26
Thanks for your post Kitty.
Hope you are doing OK.

keggsy
07-11-14, 20:24
Well, still on 150mg per day, split into 75mg at 4pm and 9pm.
Anxiety not too bad but definitely lurking in the background.
Sleeping up and down still - had to have half a zop last night as mind would not shut off.

Not had a drink for the 6 weeks I've been on preg but do fancy just one glass of wine or one beer occasionally. Would not be more than that as one is always enough for me.
Do others on preg have an occasional tipple?

KK77
07-11-14, 20:47
Well, still on 150mg per day, split into 75mg at 4pm and 9pm.
Anxiety not too bad but definitely lurking in the background.
Sleeping up and down still - had to have half a zop last night as mind would not shut off.

Not had a drink for the 6 weeks I've been on preg but do fancy just one glass of wine or one beer occasionally. Would not be more than that as one is always enough for me.
Do others on prey have an occasional tipple?
Gives me bad hangover effect next day so I rarely drink now - but I take double your dose. One glass should be OK though.

keggsy
07-11-14, 21:21
Thanks kk.

hanshan
08-11-14, 05:55
Had me worried for a moment - I thought "on preg" meant "pregnant"...

I drink some alcohol with pregabalin. A small quantity should not be a problem, but the two do interact. It's best to have a friend around who knows you are "on medication" who will keep a watch on you, just in case. Don't drive.

NinjaKitty
12-11-14, 16:03
Had me worried for a moment - I thought "on preg" meant "pregnant"...

I drink some alcohol with pregabalin. A small quantity should not be a problem, but the two do interact. It's best to have a friend around who knows you are "on medication" who will keep a watch on you, just in case. Don't drive.

Just wondering, I don't drink on my medication due to the massive black writing on the box saying do no drink alcohol with this medication...... My question is, do you clear you alcohol intake with your Dr before you drink on these meds or do you just go ahead and drink anyways?

I'm not saying what anyone is doing is wrong but my pharmacist and Psych both told me no alcohol whatsoever with pregabalin as it is unsafe and may cause issues....... So has anyone been told different from their dr or psych about lcohol consumption while on these meds?

Thanks
Kitty xx

hanshan
13-11-14, 10:00
I just go ahead, but do so very cautiously, particularly at first, and read up on any potential dangers.

I don't think the warnings on the box back in Australia were quite as strong as to say "no alcohol" at all, rather something like "exercise extreme caution and do not drive or operate machinery". I never drink and drive anyway, and I'm definitely not going to pick up a power drill or chainsaw.

Also, I tend to take my dose just before bed, so if I have a drink in the evening, the levels of pregabalin will be at their lowest for the day.

keggsy
14-11-14, 21:00
Had one drink last week in the evening but it prob hindered my sleep and anxiety more than it benefited them.

Saw GP today. He wants me to try going up from 150 mg per in 2 doses that I currently take.
He suggests 225 for a week, then 300 mg going forward
Wants me to spread the dose out thorough the day rather than just the aft/evening I currently take it.
Should then give me a good idea as to whether pregabalin will be effective, as 150 mg is only doing minimal improvement to the anxiety.

keggsy
24-11-14, 18:41
Right, from today am going up from 150 to 225mg, split into 3 doses per day.
Hope this improves things!

hanshan
25-11-14, 12:12
I hope it does too. It's still a modest increase, and you can easily go up to 400 mg a day or more.

keggsy
25-11-14, 21:42
Thanks Hanshan.
Felt a bit spaced out since moving up. Nothing too bad though. Perhaps a bit less anxious.
Good to know that there is still room to manoeuvre being on 225mg now. Do get worried that the higher the dose, the harder it will be to come off it in the future.

hanshan
26-11-14, 04:17
If you feel that your anxiety is getting better and you can cope by yourself, you should slowly move down to lower doses, and only move down when you feel perfectly okay at a certain level.

keggsy
18-12-14, 09:38
Currently still alternating with 225mg and 300mg per day.
Few blips and insomnia episodes but generally coping not too bad.
Not looking forward to the new year as this was when it all felt apart for me in 2014.
No reason though to think calendar dates mean anything though.

keggsy
17-01-15, 16:09
Been on 300mg for a few weeks. No changes much.
Will all my anxiety tending to be from tea time onwards through to bedtime, any one got any thoughts about taking my whole day dose then.
Would 300 mg be stimulating rather than the relaxing/sedative effect I need?

hanshan
18-01-15, 03:53
Hi Keggsy,

I don't think they would be stimulating.

You could take the first dose of the day around 3 pm and space them out from there.

keggsy
18-01-15, 09:45
Hi hanshan,
I currently take 150mg about 2pm and 150mg at 8pm.
Was thinking about taking the first one at 5pm or even taking them both around 7 or 8 to get the full anxylotic effect when I need it just before bed.

hanshan
18-01-15, 09:55
What works for me is a space of about two hours between taking pregabalin and noticing an effect (then it happens quickly) - but this is just me. You will need to experiment to find what works for you.

keggsy
18-01-15, 10:31
How much are you on per day Hanshan now and what doses have you been on?

hanshan
18-01-15, 11:03
I take 600 mg per day just before bedtime as my anxiety issues tend to be early in the morning.

I've been taking pregabalin about four years now.

missfishlash
20-02-15, 12:19
Finally been prescribed Pregablin after two years of facial tingling/pain which caused anxiety issues...jury's out as to wether the anxiety causes the facial symptoms but there you go :) Fingers crossed for me that this might be the first step in feeling normal again :)

hanshan
21-02-15, 03:25
I had facial tingling on one side for several months. No cause was found, but I think it may have been pressure on a nerve from an extruded root canal filling. Eventually it went away (I also had more endo work done on the tooth at considerable expense).

But good luck with pregabalin - it is effective for certain kinds of nerve pain and for generalised anxiety, so it may help on two fronts.

missfishlash
21-02-15, 09:25
Took first one last night and had to sleep on the sofa with the tv on because I always start panicking on new meds, but slept well in the end. Feel rather woozy and a bit sick this morning, but the tingling and pain has improved already! Whether it's psychological or actual we shall no doubt see but if I've actually found something that really works I will be over the moon, and I'm sure the side effects will wear off....happy Fishlash today :)

hanshan
21-02-15, 11:47
Hi Fishlash,

The side effects should go soon, so hoping that positive effects continue on.