Dr given me Pregabalin 25mg - anyone else had this?

[SarahG]

My doctor has given me a new drug today which I can take alongside my normal meds (Sertraline 100mg) called Pregabalin (25mg). Apparently it is a relatively new (and expensive) drug. I have been told to take it as soon as I feel panicky (usually first thing in the morning) and it will reduce and numb the symptoms within 15/20 minutes.

It all sounds great but has anyone else had this drug. Did it work for you and most importantly, did you have any side effects???

[hev25]

Hi Sarah, hope your well. nice to hear somebody in the same boat. ive taken my first tablet this morning a 50mg dose for my GAD. I am a very anxious person anyway so I was anxious about taking it and side effects etc but i seem to be 'ok' up to now. i have ashtma so i was worried about breathing, taking inhaler etc but i also think a lot of it is my anxiety. ive not really had any side effects up to now, and took tablet nearly 2 hours ago so im just taking it easy at the min, watching tv and having a hot drink. i felt a bit cold the first few mins after taking it but i think that was me getting myself worked up again. on a positive side, my behaviour is more calm although i still have feeling of anxiety i feel more calm and relaxed. i think with time this will help .have you started taking yours yet? good luck with it, let me know how you get on xx

[hev25]

- just thought i'd update! after initially feeling anxious and a little bit worked up this morning, i felt nice and relaxed this afternoon. i even managed to go out, something which i struggle to do these days (i hate being in the car) although my boyfriend drove as i didn't feel like i should. i feel like it's wearing off a little now but im still quite happy and calm which is good. think after a few days i'll be used to it hopefully. x

[nutteetart]

Hi,
I stated on pregabalin in October and i am now on 375mg per day. I too was terrified of it at first. Its stupid isnt it that you know you need help but you are too scared to take the meds!

Anyway, I was told to taken them regularly and not as and when as you are but i was completely housebound. I could hardly walk, the world was disorienting and scary but within two weeks i made a significant improvement. I have to pay for my shrink and he said that in 25years of practice, this was the only drug that had made a significant difference to people suffering with anxiety conditions. Hang in there kid.

I am having a really awful day today but in general, i have made huge progress.

Dont be scared. Its to be expected that you fear something new.

Fay
XX

[SarahG]

Thanks so much for your replies. It's nice to hear you both are doing ok with this drug. Given me more confidence to take it when I need to. Suppose I was just concerned about taking ANOTHER drug as well as sertraline and anti-sickness pills. Will let you know how I get on... although I've had a really good day today and actually took kids out to McDonalds this evening. Was out for an hour and a half which is 3 times longer than any other trip outside the house this last month!

[Danath]

My doctor wont prescribe it because of how expensive pregabalin is.


He prescribed me Gabapentin instead stating that all Pregabalin does is turn into Gabapentin when it enters the body.

what the hell am I supposed to believe?? I hear many arguments for and against taking Gabapentin for anxiety, but everyone seems to get on quite well with pregabalin.

[hev25]

Hi Fay, glad to hear you felt better after taking it. I've also heard from somebody else who has used pregabalin that it takes a few days to adjust to it so i'm going to stick with it and see. lol i studied ALL the side effects on the leaflet before i took my tablet this morning to the point where i seriously had doubts about taking it but i'm glad i did, just got to think at least you can say you've tried it even if it doesnt work out. its a positive step in getting over anxiety which as i've learnt was ruining my life and me as a person so it's worth it. I was prescribed this after visiting the priory, i was advised that my gp may not be too happy about giving me this because it is costly but i had a referal letter sent across to them- i've had sooo many problems in the past with my gp too! but luckily everything went ok so i have these tablets now. would be nice to hear how everyone else is getting on with this mediation. xxx

[nutteetart]

You sound really positive. Lets face it, you have nothing to lose.

I am still extremely agoraphobic but i am hoping that will come in time. We are not weak people and the struggle has to be worth it.

I have been really bad in the past. I spent last summer sitting in my garden like a vegetable. I could hardly move. Now i am back working in my little shop behind the scenes. Every day is agony still and each new step fills me with horror but i am better than i was and each day is a step nearer.

Whats a typical day for you?

[SarahG]

Hev: apparently the pregabalin cost about £65 for a month supply so no wonder my doctor told me not to leave them on the bus! LOL

[hev25]

lol, omg thats expensive! no wonder there reluctant to give it out!:) im on my third day today, feeling much better with it. I've been told to take two 50mg tablets for the first two days (one each day in the morning) and then today the third day take one in the morning and one in the evening. I think it took me about 24 hours to get used to it but im gradually beginning to feel a little better. Think maybe taking two a day will help a bit more. How are you doing with yours?

A typical day for me... I think morning is the worst time of the dya for me, I always feel panicky when I wake up. I'm on maternity leave at the minute and should have gone back to work a few weeks ago but I'm just not well enough in myself even though I want to, and the morning is just horrible- I struggle to think properley about what I need to do and driving my little boy to school. Even thougn it's not far away I hate being in a car, as a driver AND a passenger. I feel rushed by other drivers and I feel sick from being in a car- I had this when my little boy was first born, a touch of PND I think which triggered off my GAD and this lasted for a long time. Now after my little girl was born all of this has come back- feeling overwhelmed by everything. One thing that bothers me at the minute is I seem to be allergic to EVERYTHING. Some of this I think is real and some of it I think is the anxiety- air fresheners, deodrant, flowers, dust, hand soap YOU NAME IT!lol. I feel sensitive to fragrances and worry about my ashtma, it's hard to know whether it really is an allergy problem I have or if it is all part and parcel of my anxiety? Does anybody else have this or is it just me? :) As the day goes on around late morning early aft I feel ok, then probably 5 onwards I feel my anxiety coming back and anytime I get in a car. I used to love going out, shopping and nice walks and I feel bad that I don't feel up to doing more things with my son who wants to play all the time like playing games outside. I want to get better sooo much for my children, I live for them but It feels out of reach- I guess we all just have to take it day by day? I think this weather helps too! I would say the last few months have been bad being stuck inside, snow etc but finally I cna go out and get some sun which seems to boost my mood a bit. Night time is usually a time of worry for me- I've been sleeping better with these tablets but before I could sometimes be up until 4-5 in the morning with panic attack, struggling to breathe. Think thats the worst time too, when everybody else is asleep.

Hope you are all doing ok and have had a nice weekend! be good to hear how your all finding it. xxx

[SarahG]

I've still not taken one of these because my doctor has given them to me to take "as and when I need them" much like diazepam. She reckons they will calm my anxiety symptoms within 20 mins or so. I am taking 100mg Sertraline on a daily basis and finally after about 6 weeks they seem to have kicked in. Doctor gave me the pregabalin on Wednesday and to be honest, I've felt a bit better since Thursday so have not taken them.

My worse time is first thing in the morning too. I've started getting up as soon as I wake up because even if I lay in bed for 10 minutes, it makes the anxiety much worse. I just need to get up and get on... and it has helped! That's weekend lay ins out of the window though! :)

I get that really strong sense of smell thing too Hev and so does another friend I have made on here because we have been discussing it. She says she can smell car fumes and petrol etc. really strong at the moment and it makes her uncomfortable when she goes out now. I just seem to smell everything stronger. Perhaps it's a symptom of the anxiety or perhaps it's a side effect of the meds??? Who knows!

[nogiets]

I have had to fight and fight to get LYRICA PRESCRIBED BY MY GP and only one GP at the surgery has got the guts to give it to me (at least for a month). It is expensive, that's why. DO try it - if SSRIs don't work for you, then this drug may do the trick. It works in a completely different way. A consultant or pychiatrist may prescribe it - if you can afford to go. But try VERY hard to get it for a trial at least. It is terrible that GPs don't give it just to save money when anxiety causes such terrible life-ruining effects.