Diazepam to Pregabelin presciption

[tamo]

I posted this in the medication section then I saw this thread and posted here .


Hi , it's been a long time since I posted but have been popping in and out the forum mainly for reasurance .

My post here is about Being on Diazepam for 40+ Years on various doses . Sometimes I abused them but mostly stuck to GP prescription .

I started attending therapy via Drink and drugs service run by NHS (WLDAS) and had my diazepam tapered to Zero . My last Diazepam was 15 Oct 2019 .

My phsychiatrist had put me on Pregabelin 150mg daily split into 3x50mg on 2nd Oct 2019 .

So I am on pregabelin only now for about 7 weeks and feel awful . Night terrors and morning panics are back full force . I am really struggling to go on with these symptoms which include depersonalisztion and unreality feelings , sinking floor , wet face sensation ,numbness ,trembling ,the whole lot .

Now am wondering if the pregabelin are causing this or is it Diazepam PAWS .

My Phychiatris and CPN have increased the pregabelin to 300mg daily starting Tomorrow Wed 27th Nov but I am not happy at this and have asked them to taper me off them rather than double the dose .

It seems to me that all that has happened is they have taken me off one addictive medication and put me on another .

I am at my wits with this and don't know what to do .

I am 63 year old male with lots to look forwrd to if this would just go away .

I'd be grateful if anyone has experience with pregabelin for anxiety .

Thanks for any advice in advance .


__________________

[panic_down_under]

Now am wondering if the pregabelin are causing this or is it Diazepam PAWS .

Hard to know because diazepam has such a long half-life which can delay the onset of withdrawal symptoms. How did you taper off it?


It seems to me that all that has happened is they have taken me off one addictive medication and put me on another .

Pregabalin does have the same dependency issues as the benzodiazepines, although they usually taken longer to surface.


I am at my wits with this and don't know what to do

I'm wondering why the psychiatrist prescribed pregabalin for anxiety and not an antidepressant?

[Phill2]

Pregabalin (Lyrica) is used as an antidepressant.

[tamo]

My taper from 6mg daily of diazepam took 9 days . I know thsi was too quick

[panic_down_under]

Pregabalin (Lyrica) is used as an antidepressant.

It is?

[lebonvin]

It is?

Doc Google says so

[panic_down_under]

My taper from 6mg daily of diazepam took 9 days . I know thsi was too quick

Yes, by several months. Was that done on medical advice?

As I understand it you began taking pregabalin either just before the last diazepam dose, or at about the same time. So when did the "depersonalisation and unreality feelings , sinking floor , wet face sensation ,numbness ,trembling ,the whole lot" start?

[lebonvin]

I ain't no expert here but yous can't just come off ANY benzo in 9 days you been on 40 years.

As for pregabalin, folk gots different opinion on it but it done me no good, works for a bit then poops out.

[KK77]

I ain't no expert here but yous can't just come off ANY benzo in 9 days you been on 40 years.

As for pregabalin, folk gots different opinion on it but it done me no good, works for a bit then poops out.

Does buggery all for my depression. Supposed to create a "buzz" at very high doses - which is why it's now a controlled drug pfft - but I suspect its effects wear off quickly.

In the UK it is used for neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, epilepsy and GAD.

[tamo]

Thanks for the replies . I started to get loads of wierd sensations about 6 days after my last diazepam . I started on pregabalin 13 days before my last diazepam (physchiatrist instructions) . My reduction from 6mg to zero in 9 days was MY decision and was adviced against by my care workers. Sick of tablets ,all of them .
Here is the most annoying part : They wanted me to double up the pregabalin to 300mg daily . I am not doing it as I can't bear the feeling of not knowing I am me . I think there is a combination of both coming OFF diazepam and going ON pregabalin , one drung leaving my body as another goes in . Its 'in my opinion bad practice . I blame no one but myself for allowing this .
Pregabalin give me a whole load of unwanted side effects . This drug is not for me , I'm going back to basics and use the tools I learned years ago , deep breathing ,more exercise , meditation if I can .

PS I have never heard of pregabalin being used for depression as it's meant to calm things down .

[panic_down_under]

I started to get loads of wierd sensations about 6 days after my last diazepam

Which points the finger squarely at diazepam withdrawal.


I started on pregabalin 13 days before my last diazepam (physchiatrist instructions) .

Sounds like it may have been prescribed more to lessen the diazepam withdrawal symptoms than to treat anxiety, though that seems to have changed with the dose increase recommendation.


This drug is not for me , I'm going back to basics and use the tools I learned years ago , deep breathing ,more exercise , meditation if I can .

Hope it works for you. Exercise stimulates (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1413959/) the growth of new brain cells in the hippocampal regions of the brain, the same process (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC60045/) by which antidepressants work, albeit with less potency. So do Omega-3/fish oil (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23746276) supplement, btw.


I have never heard of pregabalin being used for depression as it's meant to calm things down .

It isn't, except as a supplement to ADs for anxious depression, plus there is some evidence that it may aid the maturation of brain cells in the hippocampus, but it remains to be seen if this is clinically significant.

Pregabalin has essentially the same affect as benzodiazepine (BZDs), but does it from the opposite direction. BZDs increase the influx of negatively charged chlorine ions into neurons which makes it harder for them to increase their electrical charge to the 'firing' potential. Pregabalin (and gabapentin) produce the same outcome by reducing the influx of positively charged calcium ions.

[tamo]

With hindsight I should have let the diazepam withdrawal run its course ,do what it does which isn't pleasant at all . Having introduced pregabalin before and during withdrawal from Diazepam condused / confuses me as I dont know whats causing me to feel so bad . Anyway I have decided not to increase Pregabalin but to reduce and quit them.

Interesting information P-D-U , Thanks