View Full Version : Time to call it a day? What next?
Hi
As my previous threads will attest, I've now been taking Pregabalin for 6 weeks and after showing some early promise (although not sure whether that was the medication or a placebo effect) I've been on 500mg per day for a week (titrated from initial 100mg with 2 weeks at 300mg before the anxiety resurfaced).
I really don't feel any better - my mood is low and I feel keyed up and anxious all day - so I think it may be time to start reducing, especially as at this dose I feel "drugged up" (maybe because I am a woman and the dose is too much for me?)
I'm not due to see my psych for another 4 weeks and I don't want to wait that long, only to be told to reduce.
I'm thinking of reducing by 50mg every 4 days or so but then may stick it out at the 200/300mg mark until I see my psych. Anyone with any experience of Pregabalin withdrawal who can give advice? I know I haven't been on it for long but I think 6 weeks is enough time to know if it will work, especially as it seems to be one of the faster acting meds. I'm so disappointed as I'd read such positive reviews.
I'm also currently taking 30mg mirtazapine which again has done nothing other than make me sleep (but I don't wake feeling refreshed as anxiety is there as soon as I'm conscious) and eat so I want to get off that too.
So what next? I'm starting to think that this is me forever now. I don't mean to sound self-pitying but 8 months of almost constant anxiety has really taken its toll, not only on me but also on my relationship with my husband and the future just looks bleak right now.
It isn't going to be you forever, thoughts like that also only fuel anxiety. I am far from one to give advice, as I do the same after every set-back, but you will get through this. Anxiety and Depressive episode are just that, episodes, nothing lasts forever. It is SO hard, and I am right there with you after the med I relied on for 8 years seemed to make me worse after a short 4 month break, but I will figure it out again, and so will you. "This too shall pass" keep on plugging. I would maybe try a TCA. I know you have said you cannot tolerate SSRIs, but was wondering what exactly happens? Do they make you manic, more anxious? They make me more anxious, which is why I don't think I have given any of them a proper trial. This time I have decided that yes, my heart will race, my palms will sweat, my eyes will burn (weird right?), but I will persevere and it will eventually get better. It will for you too, it will probably take a med change or two, but you and I will both get there. Best thing to do is try to enjoy life, even with the anxiety, and the good feelings will come.
Hi Pixie - I don't think that this is you forever. From my experience, even as someone who suffered from anxiety most of my life, there were quite long periods when I was relatively anxiety-free (and medication free). And most importantly, when you are suffering from anxiety or depression or both, everything looks bad when it isn't.
Reducing the pregabalin will probably make you feel less drugged, but I'm worried that it may also reduce whatever effect it is having on your anxiety, even if you don't feel it is fully effective. If you do decide to reduce the dose, your plan to go 50 mg at a time is sensible, at a rate you feel comfortable with.
When I had waking anxiety, I took all my dose of both pregabalin and mirtazapine in the evening near bedtime. Something like that might be worth a try.
Four weeks seems like forever to wait until you see the psychiatrist, but conventional wisdom is that you don't make major changes to your medication until you've seen the doctor. If anxiety gets unbearable, you might be able to see a GP and get some short-term relief with a benzodiazepine. I was able to do that during my worst times - it was very helpful then. Fortunately, I am so much better now, and I believe you can be too.
Hi Pixie
I'm an other who had no success with Pregabalin although I never got beyond 200 mgs. The act of reducing will make you feel a bit anxious but there shouldn't be any withdrawal effects. I'm now on 100 reducing real slow. There's really no hurry to come off but since you're going to do so anyway why not start with just a small reduction.
I'm actually making a small bit of progress with mindfulness, I suggest you build it into your daily routine if you haven't already.
Medication is only half the story really so don't think you're done for just because one type doesn't di it for you
akb
.Hi and thank you for the replies
Anxiety can make you feel very lonely sometimes as, even though I am surrounded by family (husband, 2 almost adult sons) and friends, none of them understands how I feel and I constantly get comments like "you just ned to stop thinking about it". If only it were that easy! So here is a great place to speak to other people who really get it.
Utah49er
I tried various SSRIs during my last episode of anxiety in 2014 but without success:
Citalopram - turned me into a zombie even on the lowest dose. I could barely function and spent most of my days asleep for the 2 weeks I took it so my GP decided to swap to......
Sertraline (Zoloft) - no start up/side effects but sadly also no reduction in anxiety even at 150mg
Fluoxetine (Prozac) - first couple of weeks started to feel some positive vibes but then anxiety came crashing back with suicidal thoughts to boot so was taken off that quickly!
Venlafaxine (Effexor) - was petrified to try this as I had heard awful things about side effects but actually I had very few and anxiety improved (had one setback and the dose was increased). I was on this until July last year and after 2 years my GP felt it was time to come off.
Like you, how I wish I'd just stayed on the medication! October last year anxiety was back and Venlafaxine did nothing except make me worse. How can something that was so beneficial turn against you?!! Go figure that one.
So next we tried Duloxetine but I had to discontinue that after a week in which I felt more jittery and wired than ever and had what felt like no sleep whatsoever.
So then Mirtazapine which helped me sleep for a few weeks and I thought I was getting somewhere but once again anxiety decided otherwise. Hence the referral to the psychiatric team and the current add on of Pregabalin.
How are you doing on Paxil? Any sign of improvement yet?
I sometimes think I ought to give another SSRI a go but my GP and Psych haven't suggested it and I guess they are the experts so I'll continue to be guided by them.
Hanshan
Thank you for all of your words of wisdom. I cut my dose last night from 350mg to 300mg and took 150mg this morning (so just a 50mg reduction) but I won't rush to drop further unless I really can't feel any benefit from the Pregabalin. I do tend to feel far worse in the morning when I wake up so I may switch to taking the full dose at night - again, I'll see how I go.
I have to do 2 weeks of jury service from 19 June so if I still feel as bad, I will ask my GP for a supply of lorazepam (Ativan) as 0.5mg this always helps. I really don't want to sit in a courtroom all day feeling anxious!
akb
Thank you too for sharing your experience of Pregabalin. As I'd read so many positive reviews of this medication and so many others didn't work for me, I was so convinced this would be the one to "cure" me and didn't consider for one minute that it might not. Still, we live and learn and I'm also seeing a CBT therapist so will speak to him tomorrow about other techniques that might help.
Ultimately though, I think it comes down to acceptance of the anxiety for what it is - just a feeling, however awful, that can't hurt us. Yes, it is usually brought on by a stressful situation or series of events but then these get resolved but the anxiety has then taken on a life of its own. Medication can help but true recovery lies within us and I really need to keep reminding myself of this!
Hopefully this week will be a good one for all of us!
Hi Pixie - Can you ask the doctor for a note to excuse you from jury service? Anxiety is a genuine reason for not serving, not just because it may hinder your recovery, but also because it may affect your ability to concentrate and make the best decision. It's not being selfish to excuse yourself.
MyNameIsTerry
12-06-17, 08:08
Hi Pixie - Can you ask the doctor for a note to excuse you from jury service? Anxiety is a genuine reason for not serving, not just because it may hinder your recovery, but also because it may affect your ability to concentrate and make the best decision. It's not being selfish to excuse yourself.
They ask about these conditions on the form they send out with the initial summons. It's not an automatic withdrawal but they do ask if you are currently undergoing treatment. No doctor can withdraw you from jury service here, only the court can. The doctor can provide evidence to suggest you should be withdrawn.
You can ask to defer but the next time you will not have that option and you need to do this at the beginning of the process.
I had the summons a few years ago and just stated my anxiety disorders plus current treatment status and I was quickly dismissed.
Given the dates here, I would say she's been accepted so getting out of it may not be possible unless the condition has worsened?
It's a poor way to run the system where some need meds to get them through it. Maybe one day a sharp barrister will raise it given how benzodiazepines can impair thinking?
If I recall my mother's summons rightly, she was accepted and close to the date she had to call each day to check if she was required. They select more than the need. In the end, she wasn't selected so was dismissed. If the OP is at that stage, they may still avoid it but it's a few years before mine and I can't remember all the details about the dates to be sure.
Thank you Hanshan for your suggestion and Terry for your comments too.
I did have the option to opt out of (or rather defer) the jury service when I received the summons in the middle of April. However this coincided with a period when my anxiety felt as though it was beginning to be brought under control and I wrongly believed that I would be much improved by now.
Having said that, whilst I may feel awful most of the time at the moment, maybe 2 weeks away from work is just what I need! Work is probably the biggest contributory factor in my issues at the moment. I have recently given up a very stressful role as a bank manager and have moved to another area of the business. However, the office is far too quiet (everyone works in silence and I'm used to chat and banter) and whilst I know that I'm more than capable of carrying out the role very well, I'm not sure it's for me (but that may just be my anxiety misleading me.....). I just don't want to make any more life decisions until the anxiety is at least more under control, if not eradicated.
I had a really bad day today, sat at work thinking how boring the job was (for the record, it's not - there are some monthly tasks that are repetitive but otherwise the role is vry varied. So maybe 2 weeks in court will give me some distance and clarity (even with the help of lorazepam, which I must stress leaves me feeling calmer but not sleepy).
After that it will be 10 days until my next psych appointment. Who knows what she will suggest next? I'm starting to think I'm beyond help haha (laughing about it now but some days I genuinely believe what anxiety tells me).
How can something that was so beneficial turn against you?!! Go figure that one.
My thoughts exactly! Though I was so scared of the initial anxiety increase, I didn't give it the time it needed. How long were you on Effexor? I am convinced if I had stayed on the Zoloft I got off of in March, I would be better by now.
How are you doing on Paxil? Any sign of improvement yet?
Good, I am only Day 4 on the therapeutic dose of 20mgs, and day 12 overall. So far it has been a much better and easier road than my start ups on Zoloft and Lexapro, but I am also on the pregabalin this time which does help (especially to help me sleep as I was waking at 4-5am during my other trials). I am very hopeful with Paxil. It may take a dose increase, and I seem to be a slow responder for some reason this time, but at least with pregabalin I think I can give the Paxil the 8-12 weeks it will take to wait for it to kick in.
How long were you on Effexor? I am convinced if I had stayed on the Zoloft I got off of in March, I would be better by now
I was on Effexor initially from July 2014 to July 2016 and like you I was completely free of anxiety. Honestly I wish I'd never stopped taking it as it's almost been harder to deal with the second time around. I persevered with it again for 2 months from October-December last year before conceding that I was feeling steadily worse rather than any better. I just can't understand how it calmed my mind so well last time but seemed to cause more second time around!
I was on Effexor initially from July 2014 to July 2016 and like you I was completely free of anxiety. Honestly I wish I'd never stopped taking it as it's almost been harder to deal with the second time around. I persevered with it again for 2 months from October-December last year before conceding that I was feeling steadily worse rather than any better. I just can't understand how it calmed my mind so well last time but seemed to cause more second time around!
I am right there with you! Took a 3 month break from Zoloft, tried to go back on (I wasn't feeling THAT bad when I tried to go back on) and it increased my anxiety 10X. Now 5 months later I am still reeling, trying to find the answer, and trying to get my freaking life back. My anxiety was NEVER as bad as it has been these last 5 months of med trial and error. However, the 3 weeks I was off of everything, I was no better, and probably worse. So though I don't have any answers, I am here to tell you, you are not alone! Anyone else have any insight as to why a 3 month break from a med could cause so much anxiety and pain?
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