Pregabalin Update

[nutteetart]

I have been on 300mg of Pregabalin now for just over a week and i think i have made huge progress.

I was scared of the medication at first, i felt dizzy and tired but to be honest i did before too, its just worse when you anticipate a reaction. After a few days i have found that i dont wake with the dreadful feeling in my stomach and i have more energy, more focus and more motivation.

I have gone from just about managing around the house and only managing to get into my garden to doing all my housework and sweeping leaves, i even do a little exercise. I have also been to work and done a couple of hours here and there.

I havent done all this completely unaided. If i go for a walk i lean on my bike. I sometimes take half a valium 1mg or a whole one if i am doing something really brave. I also walk with my son and occasionally Jack Daniels helps. Dont tell me off, my doc knows i self medicate but i promise i dont push it. no more than 2 is my limit. Promise. Whatever, i couldnt do any of this two weeks ago. I feel much more positive and clearer in my mind.

Dont give up too soon with Pregabalin for anxiety. My Psych said 'Pregabalin is the ONLY thing in my 20yrs of practicing, that has had significant effects on anxiety'. That is quite a statement if you ask me.

Doing CBT too and my therapist was so pleased with me she gave me a hug and made me cry!

Give it a go. Think i might ask for more!

[lostsoul]

nutteetart

Firstly well done, you have done really well, I'd like to second everything that you have said, its working well for me now too. Not a miracle cure but I'm getting there.:yesyes:

[KK77]

So happy that you guys have made progress and stuck with the pregabalin. As I said, it does take some getting used to but can be worth it. I wouldn't say that it'll change the face of psychiatry ... but who knows ... perhaps they'll turn it into the new Valium......

Go easy on the JD though nutteetart!

[nutteetart]

Dont worry Melancholia. Didnt have any today and still did really well. Getting out a little easier. Got to build some confidence now. Day by day, step by step.

As for you Lostsoul, glad its helping you. Keep me posted, i am really interested.

I can see a small flickering light at the end of my tunnel. Dont trust it yet though.
Fay
X

[lostsoul]

Fay

I will do, I didnt mention it in my earlier post but I have been virtually housebound for nearly two years my job sacked me after I had a breakdown (a well known bank) even though I has not had a single days sick in five years of working for them until that point, I still in the process of taking them to court over a year later. I had returned to work and everything was going well then they sacked my for my absecence. It set me back a long way.

I've lost my partner, job and very nearly my home becasue of this damn anxiety. I've tried quite a few other drugs before the pregabalin and nothing worked just made me worse or did nothing.

8 weeks ago I started the pregabalin and the progress has been slow my doctor is increasing the dose in 25mg increments every 2-3 weeks now as I find each increase really hard because of the dizziness, although its the only side effect I have thank god:yesyes:

Now for the good news about a two weeks ago a decided to start applying for a new job. I used to be a manager in my old job so I'm lucky I have a reasonably good CV, anyway I applied for three jobs. They all phoned me back and I was offered an interview for all three, I decided not to go to the interview for the 1st one as the money was awful, I whent to the other two.

I thought I blew the first interview but the next one when really well, they invited me back for a second interview and I got the Job yesterday:yesyes::yesyes::yesyes: Office manager for a local company. This afternoon I got a call from the first job and they invited me back for a second interview, I turned them down as Im happy with the Job that I've been offered.

Its taken a lot of work and time but I can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel now, I'm positive the pregabalin has help alot I couldnt even sit still in my chair 8 weeks ago during my doctors visit because the anxiety was so bad. I couldnt even dream then that I would have sat through a two hour interview with three managing directors without panicking.

My social worker/doctor/employment advisor are all astounded at the progress I have made in such a short time.

Pregabalin is not the miracle cure I was expecting - I dont think there is one I still feel dizzy every day and have very tight muscles and a tight chest all the time but I'm certainly much better than before.

I always do such long posts - sorry:doh:

[KK77]

That's really good news Dave. You've done very well to have managed all that after having a breakdown. Self-belief is such an important thing. We can lose everything else around us but without self-belief the game is over. I think that if you've had something before and lost it, you can have it again. I've personally had a terrible year. But I have a job, a roof over my head, food and clothes. I know it may sound harsh, but there are people in this world with far, far less than us and in fact we should be grateful for what we do have instead of constantly worrying about things that we cannot change.

I wish you continued progress and luck in your new job...

[loulabella]

Wow - it's great to hear these stories - I am on pregabalin 150mg a day for headaches alongside my anxiety - has been a decrease in headache pain at 150 so I am hoping they will not have to increase too much to completely rid me of the headache - as that is the aim - I don't want a reduction, I want it gone completely!

Well done Nutty - great progress and lostsoul, perhaps no so lost now... ;)

[nutteetart]

i feel dreadful today. There are lots of colds and bugs around so i dont know whether these could be confusing symptoms and they are creating anxiety. If that is the case does that mean the Pregab isnt working? Feel bad enough to go to bed. My head pressure bad and making me disoriented. Fear of tumor again now. Cant cope with making progress and then having it taken away again. Really fed up

[anx mum]

Good 2 hear ur doing well. Im on 300mg of pregabalin feel its helped me anxiety but since thursday been getting headaches again.

[KK77]

It's just a blip nutteetart - you'll feel better again soon - don't let it undo your progress. I feel pretty crap at the moment too but you just can't give in to this.

[nutteetart]

Thanks Alex, but i just feel so hopeless. How can the Pregab support you one day and then not the next? I feel like i have gone back weeks. I went out this morning,did something physical and came back a wreck. Been in bed all day since. Hope it is a blip. I will let you know.

[KK77]

So how's everyone doing on the pregabalin? It's been very quiet here....

Because I've been on it so long now (stopped counting the months but must be 8/9) I can't really comment. I did reduce the dose from a whopping 600mg to 300mg and I didn't feel any difference really - just reduced my appetite a bit (which I'm not moaning about).

Many doctors are hailing it as the *new* Valium, which I have my doubts about, but, anyway, hope you're all doing well on it.

[lostsoul]

So how's everyone doing on the pregabalin? It's been very quiet here....

Because I've been on it so long now (stopped counting the months but must be 8/9) I can't really comment. I did reduce the dose from a whopping 600mg to 300mg and I didn't feel any difference really - just reduced my appetite a bit (which I'm not moaning about).

Many doctors are hailing it as the *new* Valium, which I have my doubts about, but, anyway, hope you're all doing well on it.

Melancholia

I still have my new job four weeks in. Still feel dreadful tension everyday but I'm still making progress. The pregabalin still seems to be doing its thing for me, apart from I'm still very dizzy all the time. I dont think this is because of the pregabalin though I've been like this for two years so it must just be a symptom that is not yet under control.

We will all get there eventually I know it!!:yesyes::yesyes::yesyes::yesyes::yesyes::yesye s:

[KK77]

Melancholia

I still have my new job four weeks in. Still feel dreadful tension everyday but I'm still making progress. The pregabalin still seems to be doing its thing for me, apart from I'm still very dizzy all the time. I dont think this is because of the pregabalin though I've been like this for two years so it must just be a symptom that is not yet under control.

We will all get there eventually I know it!!:yesyes::yesyes::yesyes::yesyes::yesyes::yesye s:

I get the dizziness occasionally too but apart from that no other side effects.

Keep up the good work - you will get better! :yesyes:

[nutteetart]

Hi all, thought i'd update.

Been doing really well. Considering i have been on the pregabalin 375mg per day for about 4-6 weeks, looking back i have come a long way. 6 weeks ago, i was working at home and couldnt really face the world or even friends and family. Now i have found some creative things i can do in my work and i am going to work everyday. Sounds huge but i own a little grocers and its only a 2 minute walk away. I can now walk there though which i couldnt before and i can be taken in the car a few miles now.
I am busy all day, everyday, almost to extremes at times. Scared to stop. I am far from cured but i dont live my life curled in the foetal position anymore and i can walk and not shuffle. Most of the time i can hold my head high rather than frowning and not looking ahead of me.
Went to nuero last week, he reckons i suffer with basilar migraines. Not convinced but he has given me small doses of amiltryptiline (i think) which is an old type anti depressant, but like i say, i am not convinced of that diagnosis. He wants me to have a ct scan on 27th. Terrified of that because i become a wreck again in the hospital, shuffling, cant bear the light, i shrink into myself, dizzy, wanting to find the way out, cant breathe. terror.
Anyway, basically i am quite pleased with myself although i am still a little negative and feel hopeless at times. I am scared i wont be able to lead a normall life still. Whatever, i am doing really well on pregab so if anyone is trying it, definitely give it a go. It has worked better than anything else i have tried and that list is quite long!
X

[loulabella]

Hey Nuttee...

How are things going? Is the ami helping with headaches? I have neuro in feb for headaches. x