New to Pregabalin

[littleme92]

Hi

I have been prescribed Pregabalin to help with my anxiety. I have not started it yet but will start it tonight. I have been told to take 1 capsule twice a day. I have been prescribed 75mg.

I am currently on citalopram for anxiety and depression which was increased from 20mg to 30mg a few weeks ago and then increased again to 40mg last week. My anxiety has been so high about 3/4 weeks ago and I was given diazepam 5mg for 5 days which brought it down, not that much but enough that I could cope with it. Now it has returned and it is so high that my body is constantly tense and I am sometimes throwing up. Each minute feels like a living nightmare like I am constantly wishing the day over in hope that tomorrow might be better. The doctors wont prescribe me any more diazapam and have prescribed this medication instead.

As I had never herd of it before today, I just wanted to know from anyone who has taken this medication, if you find it helped and how long did it take for it to start working.

I am meant to be going away with my mum and dad on Friday for over a week to a caravan in Wales and I am hoping it will have started working before then at least to the point where I feel I can get trough the day without being in constant fear. Even if it just takes the edge off I will feel better.

I have a meeting with the doctor at the hospital to discuss it on Thursday, did you find it started working quickly or will it be weeks before it starts working?

[SmilingAlbert]

Hi Little,

Hello and welcome. sorry to hear you're in the wars. Pregabalin can be very effective, and can also have a positive effect quite quickly. It is often compared to diazaepam and similar in its effects, though chemically it's very different. You can also take it for a long time and for most people it stays effective.

It also has a benign side-effect profile for most people. It may make you feel quite woozy, and for some it makes them feel very good indeed (too good some say!), for a short period. It may make you hungry, so if weight is an issue for you prepare to be self-disciplined with your appetite.

I have taken it for 3 years, and it's still useful, including during very stressful periods; it helped me within 24 hours. It doesn't work for everyone, and not that quickly, but I think it's fair to say it has helped the majority of users coming to this messageboard. It's best to take it in the evening; it can be very helpful for sleep.

I haven't taken citalopram, so can't comment on that, or on this combination; Preg is quite often take in combination with other items though. You mentioned throwing up; this quite a common anxiety effect, sadly; one of the advantages of this medicine is that the NHS advice specifically says that it is medicine that is less likely to cause nausea than SSRI type medicines:

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Anxiety/Pages/Treatment.aspx

There's a good bunch of people here with good experience and indeed knowledge, so please stay in touch for support, and best wishes for a fast recovery.

Albert

[Turnaround00]

HI Littleme

Sorry to hear you are having a rough time.
I would be interested to hear how you go with the pregabalin as I too am now on this drug (2 weeks done). Unlike you though, I started at a minute dose of 25 mg bd then 50 mg bd then today I upped it to 75mg bd.
I am gettign fed up now hence why I upped the dose as knowing the therapeutic dose of this drug is generally considered to be between 400-600 mgs for anxiety.
I too take an antidepressant, prozac, for about 3 months now which has not done anything for e and will prob be coming off that once i am stable on pregabalin.
So far I have not had any bad side effects so hope that helps relax you. Possibly a sdry mouth but that could also be related to the high pollen count at the mo (one thing after the other :))
I was been prescribed diazpam 2 mgs as and when for the last year as was getting panic attacks and in order to get through work and UNI I needed something to getg me through. Whilst the doctors werent throwing the diazapam at me, they definitely gave me too much and shouldn't have waited so long to put me on a smore stable med and what I would say to you is if you can stay away from the diazapam then I would as it really can become too easy to pop when feeling shitty and in the long run it has made my anxiety worse and have been suffering extreme panic attacks for about 4 months now but I think the pregabalin may have started to take a very slight edge off but hard to tell as I still need to take a diazpam every couple of days.
Anyway, I hope we can both get the benefits of this drug and get our lives back again!
Hope to hear how you're doing on the drug and hope you get to go on your few days away xxx

[littleme92]

Hi Little,

Hello and welcome. sorry to hear you're in the wars. Pregabalin can be very effective, and can also have a positive effect quite quickly. It is often compared to diazaepam and similar in its effects, though chemically it's very different. You can also take it for a long time and for most people it stays effective.

It also has a benign side-effect profile for most people. It may make you feel quite woozy, and for some it makes them feel very good indeed (too good some say!), for a short period. It may make you hungry, so if weight is an issue for you prepare to be self-disciplined with your appetite.

I have taken it for 3 years, and it's still useful, including during very stressful periods; it helped me within 24 hours. It doesn't work for everyone, and not that quickly, but I think it's fair to say it has helped the majority of users coming to this messageboard. It's best to take it in the evening; it can be very helpful for sleep.

I haven't taken citalopram, so can't comment on that, or on this combination; Preg is quite often take in combination with other items though. You mentioned throwing up; this quite a common anxiety effect, sadly; one of the advantages of this medicine is that the NHS advice specifically says that it is medicine that is less likely to cause nausea than SSRI type medicines:

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Anxiety/Pages/Treatment.aspx

There's a good bunch of people here with good experience and indeed knowledge, so please stay in touch for support, and best wishes for a fast recovery.

Albert


HI Littleme

Sorry to hear you are having a rough time.
I would be interested to hear how you go with the pregabalin as I too am now on this drug (2 weeks done). Unlike you though, I started at a minute dose of 25 mg bd then 50 mg bd then today I upped it to 75mg bd.
I am gettign fed up now hence why I upped the dose as knowing the therapeutic dose of this drug is generally considered to be between 400-600 mgs for anxiety.
I too take an antidepressant, prozac, for about 3 months now which has not done anything for e and will prob be coming off that once i am stable on pregabalin.
So far I have not had any bad side effects so hope that helps relax you. Possibly a sdry mouth but that could also be related to the high pollen count at the mo (one thing after the other :))
I was been prescribed diazpam 2 mgs as and when for the last year as was getting panic attacks and in order to get through work and UNI I needed something to getg me through. Whilst the doctors werent throwing the diazapam at me, they definitely gave me too much and shouldn't have waited so long to put me on a smore stable med and what I would say to you is if you can stay away from the diazapam then I would as it really can become too easy to pop when feeling shitty and in the long run it has made my anxiety worse and have been suffering extreme panic attacks for about 4 months now but I think the pregabalin may have started to take a very slight edge off but hard to tell as I still need to take a diazpam every couple of days.
Anyway, I hope we can both get the benefits of this drug and get our lives back again!
Hope to hear how you're doing on the drug and hope you get to go on your few days away xxx

Thank you both for replying, I have just taken my first capsule now, I am hoping that I wake up tomorrow feeling a little better. I would actually be pleased if it made me hungry as my appetite always disappears when my anxiety is high.

I'm really happy that it works for you SmilingAlbert, that is great to know.

I hope it works Turnaround00, I'll try to keep you informed on how i'm doing with it.

[littleme92]

Just a quick update

I took my fist pregabalin before I went to bed on Tuesday night. I felt awful Wednesday morning with depression to the point where I didn't want to even get out of bed and face another day. I think that was because I had a bad day on Tuesday though. I was very spaced out on wednesday. Couldn't focus much but tried to keep busy. I wasn't as anxious as Tuesday though. Yesterday I was still very spaced out and kept shaking in the morning because of the anxiety. I went to the hospital in the afternoon for a medication review. They are keeping all my medication the same as they say I need to give it time to work and there will be set backs. I felt a little less anxious last night but not by much.

Today I woke up this morning really depressed. I had to go to my gp to get a sick note for work and I didn't feel right when I was there. I had really bad anxiety this morning to the point where I thought I was going to be sick again. I went out with my mum and the dog and we had barely got out of the house when I had to give the lead to my mum as I was shaking so much that I thought that I thought my legs were going to give way and my hand felt like it didn't have the strength to hold the lead. (I only have a small dog and she is almost 10 now so she is easy to walk)

We are going to Wales this evening and all day I have felt like i cant cope but I am hoping a change of scenery helps. I don't feel like the pregabalin is helping at the moment but it is still early days. I will try to keep you updated with how I'm doing if anybody is interested.

[Turnaround00]

Thanks for the update Littleme, I am definitely interested!
Hope you are feeling a bit better and hoping Wales is a distraction.

I have been okish so far. Wed, Thurs, Frid and today I have left the house and gone for a little walk but I am still afraid to go as far ads town incase I get a panic attack. Because I have been at home now for nearly 3 months, agrophobia is playing a part, which is weird as I never thought leaving the house would be this much of an issue for me.
Anyway, I think the pregabalin is doing something as my panic attacks are lessoning and when I do feel a little off or feel like a panic attack might be coming, I seem to be able to normalise again which I could not before.
Today is the first day I have felt nausea though as well as a kinda dark/doomy feeling in my head and since I have been taking the 75mg bd, I have had headaches, almost like a hungover type headache.
I have a face to face apt with my gp on monday which I am going to try to attend as havent been that far away from my house yet. If not I will have to have a phone consultation aas am nearly out of meds.

My latest worry is that this drug might do us harm in the longrun. Just reading stupid stuff on google (which isnt good). I know we need something to make us better now but what if we keep needed more of it as the months/years go by and then what if nothing works for us then and we are just in a constant state of panic!?!!?!
Sorry to put a downer on stuff, just been a negative nancy today.
Think it started on Thursday when I rang the doc to say I was nearly out of meds and she went through all the days I had taken a 25mg cazpsule then when I increased etc to see that I had now only 3 left. I was like why are you acting like I am lying and she was lke sorry I dont think you are lying but this drug is been abused and sold on the streets so we have to be very careful and monitor what we are prescribing.
Just made me paranoid and obviously researched it and see people use it in obviously alot higher doses to get high etc and also the gov wanted to make it a controlled drug so all this just makes me over think :/
Anyway just remembered another side effect. My sjort term memory is pretty shocking since the increase. Really have to think to remember little things. Appetite defo has not increased so not sure why they say the weight increase is a common side effect.

Anyway, thats my update. Hope you're well and hopefully we feel better again soon.

[hanshan]

Hi Littleme92 - Sorry to hear that you have been having a rough time. Your dog must have been wondering why you were shaking the lead so much.

Usually pregabalin works fairly quickly, but you need to give it some time if your anxiety is running away with itself, and you might need to increase the dose. Starting a new med and preparing to go away on a holiday are both triggers for anxiety. Hopefully, now you have got away you'll be feeling calmer. Good luck.

[Turnaround00]

Today has been an improvement for me. At times I have felt like life is sweet even. I walked to the shop, first time in nearly 3 months, and I survived :) I had a sit down near shop to gather my thoughts as I could still a little dizziness brewing and didn't want to go into panic but it settled and I walked back home and felt okay.
I have been very busy at home and in the garden all evening too and haven't had a valium in 3 days so I guess the pregabalin is starting to do something or else I am overloaded with vitamin D from todays sunshine :)
How is it for you Littleme? Have you noticed any improvement? xx

[littleme92]

After feeling awful on Friday, the past few days have been a bit better anxiety wise. I don't know if it's because I'm away or the sunshine or the pregabalin though. The anxiety is still there but I have been able to go out with my mum and dad to the shops and the beach. Though I am still feeling anxious in the shops. I don't think I would be able to go anywhere on my own yet though. I can still feel the bad anxiety in the background though if that makes sence so I am worried that it will come back strong again soon.

The only problem is, the depression seems to be strong since the anxiety has died down a little. I feel like I want to cry all day which is stopping me from enjoying myself like I want to be able to. I am just hoping that when the anxiety gets a little bit better, the depression will get better as well.

I'll try to keep you updated on how I am going on. I am so glad that you are feeling better Turnaround. Keep updating, I am really interested on how you are doing :)

[Turnaround00]

Hi Littleme

You are really doing very well. Going out to the shops etc is a massive thing when we feel this bad so try not to be hard on yourself. Sorry to hear that the depression has been bad, I am sure this too will sort itself out soon. Remember you have recently upped the anti D too so things should really change soon and you may be feeling a bit low from the increase in that.
Has your doctor indicated how much pregablin to increase to?
I went to the doctor today. My firt proper 'outing' around people etc. The walk there was fine and sitting in waiting room was mostly fine but could feel the background anxiety and was afraid it was going to show its face. When I was in with doctor I was quite anxious speaking to her. Its kinda like a claustrophobic feeling I get, having to talk to a person in a formal setting, knowing I must stay there. I ended up standing up and just apologised and said I am anxious which she clearly could see.
Anyway, got another script for pregabalin but she didn't want to increase dose yet as its only been a week on the 75mg twice a day. I just said fine and left as wanted to get out of there but to be honest I would prefer to increase as really want to just be better now. She said it can take a couple weeks but all the medical sites online say to increase after 7 days if tolerated.
I dunno, I am fed up with doctors. Not sure they know what they're doing half the time, especially with mental health anyway.
I am feeling a bit fed up now as really thought I would have been 'normal' at appointment but had that horrible dizzy weird crap in my head where it feels like a seizure is coming.

Things will get better littleme, they always do. Just remember tomorrow is a new day and a new day brings a new mood/feeling. Sometimes when I have had the real doomy down feeling I felt my best a couple days later so couldl just be your body adjusting to the new meds.
We can do this xx

[Turnaround00]

How is it going now Littleme?
I have increased today to 75mg tds. Are you finding it helps?

[littleme92]

Ok so here is my update.

I am still on holiday but I am going home tomorrow. While I have been here I have been doing a lot more walking which seems to help me at the moment. I am not sure if I need to be on a higher dose of the pregabalin at the moment as the anxiety is still there all the time, though at the moment I don't feel as though I am watching the clock waiting for the day to be hover with in hopes that tomorrow might be better so it could be helping a little.

I have managed to get out more and even went on a day trip and went on a small boat cruise (it only lasted about 15 minutes). When I was there it felt like the anxiety came back strong. I felt like I needed to get off but as it was a boat there was no way off and I think that made my anxiety worse. I was with my mum and I was going to pay for us both but when the man came to collect everyone's money I felt like i couldn't do it and talk to him as I was really panicky and everything felt too much so my mum had to pay which made me feel guilty.

Apart from that although the anxiety is there all the time I have still managed to talk to a few other people without panicking which I feel is an improvement.

I think when I get home I will ask about increasing the dose as I think it might help. It will be two weeks on Tuesday night that I started pregabalin and they said that it can take up to two weeks before you see a real effect so I will give it up to then and if I am still feeling anxious all the time I will see if they let me increase the dose.

[hanshan]

Hi Littleme - You've been getting out, walking, and talking to people, which is great, even if some anxiety is still there. The boat trip was probably a bit too much pressure this time, but there's always next time. Talk it over with your doctor if you feel a dose increase would help - good luck.

[Turnaround00]

That is really good so be proud. You are doing really really well. Is it 75mg twice a day you are on?
I have felt a bigger improvement since I added another 75mgs.
I have been walking lots too and a few times I have actually forgot about the panic and anxiety and then suddenly I realised I wasn't anxious and thinking about it and I was like hmm wait a minute :) So I think I higher dose would benefit you too. There is definitely something to say for this pregabalin.
Let me know how you get on with doc etc and if you increase your dose

[littleme92]

Thank you both for replying, it is nice to have support on here.

Turnaround - yes it is 75mg 2 times a day I am on.

I have just got a quick update.

Today I have been very anxious. I have come home from Wales this morning and in the afternoon I had a visit from a lady from the mental health team to see how I got on while I was away.

I was anxious all the time I was away but it was manageable as I was able to get out but today I feel like bad anxiety has come back to the surface if that makes any sense.

It feels like I have come back to reality which is making me think about going back to work and then I worry that I won't be able to cope again and I don't want to have to have time off as soon as I go back which is worrying me.

I told the lady about how I felt like the pregabalin is helping a little but not a lot so she said she will talk to the doctors at the hospital and see if my dose can be increased. I just hope this bad anxiety is a temporary blip as I hate feeling like this.

[Turnaround00]

Ya I understand. Hopefully the doc gives the go ahead for the increase. Everything I read seems to say that a higher dose is needed for anxiety with pregabalin. When are you meant to be back at work? Perhaps some sick leave would be good until you feel stronger?

[littleme92]

I have been to the doctor today and he has given me a sick note for another 4 weeks but he said if I feel ready to come back to work before then, to make an appointment with him and he will give me a fit for work note.

I have also had my pregabalin increased to 150mg twice a day starting tomorrow morning, so I am hoping that will help.

I think I am going to ring work tomorrow and ask if I can speak to the hr manager and ask if I can come into work and speak to them in person to explain how I am doing and give my sick note in and explain what the doctor said.

I think it might make it easier when I return to work.

[Turnaround00]

That sounds like a good plan. I was hoping to do that too but panic attacks were preventing me from speaking to anyone etc. Think its a good idea if you can.
Hope the 150 mg twice a day helps. Im on it 2 days now. Felt kinda stoned earlier and walked just out the back with boyfriend and dog but was still feeling dizzy and anxious!
Anyway keep us updated

[littleme92]

Its my 4th day on 150mg twice a day and I am feeling less anxious. I think I have actually had moments where the anxiety isn't there at all. I have been waking up in the morning and actually feeling relaxed and comfortable in bed rather than having that feeling of dread and anxiety.

I am not sure if it is the pregabalin increase or not that is making me feel like I am getting better but I hope it continues.

[Turnaround00]

Hope so too. Its looking good though! Do you find the increase in anti d helping?

Also. have you noticed yourself been a little clumsy since increase or just me?
I have had two pretty bad bangs to my head in the last few days and they were real stupid things. The first one, I walked to the window in the bathroom to look out art something but forgot to lower my head and walked straight into the wall. The other one yesterday, I was pittign a magazine down when standing then turned to go back into kitchen and again walked straight into the door and I wacked my forehead so hard I thought the door was going to fall down lol
Its weird its like my spacial awareness is off or I am a second or 2 slowed in my body/brain. Anyway, apart from a massive bump think I will be okay. Luckily I am not well enough to go out to the pub etc as I's be hiding my bump!
Have you been going out much?

[littleme92]

Hi again

After a good couple of days, I have also had a bad couple of days. I have had bad derealisation which has made me feel like I am going mad. I went to a drop in centre for people with mental health problems which I was terrified about but it turned out to be less anxiety provoking than I thought it would be when I was actually there. Usually my anxiety wouldn't have gone after it was over but it did so maybe I am getting some benefit from the pregabalin. I have also been feeling depressed but not as bad as I was so I am hoping that the cit increase is finally starting to kick in. It seems to be taking forever though

I have also received a letter this morning from work and they want my GO to refer me to a fit for work scheme which seems to have fuelled my anxiety as I don't think I am ready for that yet. I still haven't been out on my own without my mum or a care worker yet

[Turnaround00]

Sorry to hear you have had a little blip but remember thats all it is, a little blip.
Don't let it try to beat you or get to you. As you said you have had a couple of good days and parts seem a bit better on the whole so this is probably the turning point now!! I think our thoughts play such a big role in it all. Its hard I know but just keep trying to replace a bad thought with a good one, thats what I am doing. But I am still struggling too. I am going back out into the world soon :) Have to force myself back into town and I am going to try by somethign in Asda. How pathetic it is that it has come to this eh but positive thoughts.....
Is the fit for work scheme like where they want you to see like a medical person to make sure you are fit to return to work? Do you feel you are ready to return? If you're not ready just let them know you are still sick. Try not to get anxious about it but I know it is hard. I too was told I had to see Occupational health before I return but I have told them I will be out until sep/Oct so I will not have to see them until then.
Maybe give them a buzz today so you can get it out the way and you can stop worrying then

[littleme92]

I've not updated in a while but I feel I need to give an update now. I was discharged from the home based treatment team last week and have also been referred to the fit for work scheme. They don't think I'm fit for work yet and will give me another call on 10th August.

After a while of bad depression and the Anxiety flaring up again it seems to have eased a tiny bit. I have been back to the doctors today and they said that they won't put the pregabalin on repeat prescription as they want to keep an eye on me so just given me another prescription for a month and then I need to make another appointment with them. I am still on 150mg and they don't want to increase it at the moment. I feel that the pregabalin is helping a bit as I have been able to get better sleep and I am having days where the anxiety is low but I am still feeling bad some days.

It worried me as they told me not to take a high dose of the pregabalin especially with the citalapram as it would kill you. I don't think that's right but I saw a different doctor as my usual doctor is on holiday so I will make an appointment to see him next time.

[hanshan]

Hi Littleme - It's good to hear that you are having some better days, and I hope they can help to get you through the not-so-good days.

That's completely untrue about the maximum dose "killing" anyone, either by itself or combined with an SSRI like citalopram. Both of these medications are safe, even at high doses exceeding the maximum dose. Either the doctor is severely misinformed or telling lies - I don't know why. Aspirin or paracetamol are more toxic in overdose than these meds.

[Turnaround00]

WTF is all I can say regarding what the doc said!!?!?

WHat health care professional even speaks like that??! I really can't believe he said that to you......

It has freaked me out even though I don't think it is true it still is in my thoughts now (being a health anxiety sufferer)! Must have been worse for you been there listening to that. You should have called him a dick and told him to go back to med school or get a brain!

Glad you're doing okay, was only thinking yesterday that I hadn't seen any updates from you lately. I am on 450mgs the last couple of days and today was my best day. In town I was able to do some shopping. Still some anxiety but seems more promising.
I am not sure 150mgs can really help much more nut its up to you and doc to increase I guess.

I still can not believe that doctor said that :)

[littleme92]

Sorry for bot updating that much but I have had a few weeks of not much anxiety followed by my anxiety increasing again. I think this is because it was my Grandads birthday and we went out to to the pub with a few friends and I was really worried about being around people incase I panicked. I was then waiting for a call from the fit for work people on 10th August but when they rang I was out at Tesco with my mum and dad and didn't here the phone ringing. I called them back twice and each time they said they would get somebody to call me back so basically I am still waiting for them to call me back and my anxiety is through the roof again :weep:

I had an appointment this morning with my doctor who has put my pregabalin on repeat prescription, I am still going to see how I go on 150mg twice a day because I have had a longer period of good days last month. I think it is helping me unless something major happens and then my anxiety all comes back.

I actually forgot to take my meds this morning so I am going to have to wait until tonight before I take my pregabalin and tomorrow before I take my citalopram. My anxiety and depression have both been bad today so I am wondering if that has had any effect at all.

I'm not sure if anyone is still reading this because it has been so long since I updated but if you are, have you ever missed a dose of pregabalin and did this have any effect at all?

[Turnaround00]

Hi Littleme

Glad you updated, was wondering how you were getting on. Good that you have been having more good days.
Perhaps just knowing you missed the dose made you more anxious? The half life of citalopram is 35 hours so I cant see that missed dose causing much problems, especially not on the first day you missed.
Regarding the pregabalin, I have missed bits but never a whole dose so not sure but again I doubt it as pregablain builds up in your system so I would imagine missing one day wouldn't cause problems.

Hope you are still improving