Help! Should I continue pregabalin!

[Benjammin69]

Hi all!

I really need some help I have been diagnosed GAD for 3 years... And been taking propronalol 160mg a day for that time. Recently I have had a relapse in my anxiety went to the doctors and didn't want to be put on an ssri so got prescribed pregabalin 25mg am/pm, I was on that for a week then the recent week I have been on 75mg am/pm, it is coming in to my 3rd week and I am seeing no results or no relief, I have read people have relief within a week but also read some people are 3-4 weeks! I'm just looking for a bit of advice should I continue..... I've had some side effects nothing major except yesterday I slept 14 hours straight!!!

Any help much appreciated

[hanshan]

Hi Benjammin69,

Welcome to NMP - I hope you find some help and friendship here.

As you have read, pregabalin works quickly for some people, but for others takes a few weeks. If you are not experiencing major side effects, I would say to continue on your new dose (150 mg per day) for a week or two, and if there is still no relief, consider increasing the dose. You can increase the dose to a maximum of 600 mg per day, but you should know if it is having a beneficial effect after a couple of weeks in the 200 - 400 mg per day range. Best of luck with pregabalin.

[Benjammin69]

Hi, thank you and thank you for your reply.

Maybe I'm just being impatient, the only side effect I've had is heightened anxiety oddly enough.

I was on 50mg and then I have been on 150mg for a week with no relief yet due to see the doctor on the 10th to discuss upping the dosage to something more beneficial as I really have high hopes for this one.

Fingers crossed as its a struggle everyday at the moment

[SmilingAlbert]

Agree with Hanshan. Sleeping for 14 hours you see as a 'side effect' - many people with GAD would see that as a positive; a body in anxiety can rarely sleep for anything like that long. It may be a sign that Preg is being helpful and helping your system get the rest it has long craved. As H says, you have quite a lot of room up on the dosage, and I were you I would consider those possibilities if need be.

Albert

[Benjammin69]

Thank you for your response - I didn't think of it in that way maybe because my mind is not resting that I think they are not working but yet they are allowing me to sleep etc. I'm going to discuss with doctors about possibly increasing the dosage as I'm now on my 3rd week and none the wiser to calming my mind down. I did start low on 25mg for a week so only been on 150mg for approximately 10 daysZ

[Benjammin69]

Hi just wanted to post an update - I read that this drug helped so many people instantly that I got fixated on why it didn't help me so I eventually jumped up doses over a short space of time to 300mg a day from 50mg. This actually had a different reaction and caused physical illness associated to anxiety but also a level of depression that I never knew I had.... So the doctor has reduced my level of pregabalin to 150mg and also given me sodium valproate to stabilise my moods....

Hopefully this mix works as I have never had depression or suicidal thoughts before which was a scare and a shock to me

[hanshan]

Hi Benjammin,

You were probably also a bit anxious hoping pregabalin would work and work quickly. Please be calm and give it time, if it is going to work.

Your doctor has prescribed you calming and stabilising meds, but you will also need time and some conscious efforts to beat this, but beat it you can.