Pregabalin and ME- from Black Hole to Super Nova or a small cool faint RED Dwarf?

[hanshan]

Hi David,

I'm sorry to hear about the mood. I don't think it's directly caused by pregabalin. In my way of picturing things, pregabalin is like an eraser - sometimes it erases a bit too much, but it doesn't actually lower mood.

Have you tried bupropion as an AD? It's mainly marketed as an anti-smoking medication in Australia and possibly the UK, but it's the 4th highest prescribed AD in the US. It is an atypical AD with a fairly stimulatory profile.

Hope things get better soon.

Take care,

Hanshan

[Danath]

Just read your thread from start to finish. Quite a transformation seems to be taking place, for the better. I've been trying to get a doctor to prescribe pregabalin two me for around 2 years now. the first claimed it was identical to Gabapentin (which he prescribed me instead when I asked for pregabalin). around 6 months ago I asked again at my new surgery. The doctor said she had contacted the head pharmacist who said it was not licensed for use on anxiety in this pct.

---------- Post added at 01:11 ---------- Previous post was at 01:08 ----------

I see another doctor today, same surgery. He has been agreeable to suggestions i've made previously. Hoping he will go ahead and make the prescrition.

[hanshan]

Hi Danath,

Pregabalin is an approved medication for general anxiety in the UK, and has been since around 2006.

I'm not familiar with the health system in the UK, so maybe certain areas can set their own limitations. If they do so in the case of of pregabalin, it is probably due to cost rather than efficacy. Pfizer holds the patent (I thought it was due to expire, but I recently saw an expiry date of 2019), and presumably it charges as much as it can until the patent runs out.

Good luck, and keep in touch as to how your doctor's appointment goes.

[Danath]

Well would you believe it? despite the cost, which we discussed, Dr. Evil, God save him, actually went ahead and prescribed the stuff! Yes Hanshan I agree thats the case, however despite it's indication for this use,
in the UK, you'd be amazed at how many professionals i've shocked by pointing out its use in this field, it has lead to much rumagging through BNFs(drug book) by them when ive pointed it out. anyway, this is Ando's thread so I won't spam it. I eagerly watch your progress brother. rest easy.

[hanshan]

Hi Danath,

Good news that you were able to get pregabalin prescribed. I hope you can start a thread saying how you go.

Pregabalin is not approved for general anxiety in the US, which may account for some of the lack of knowledge of UK-based physicians, as much of their info comes from the US. Also, the manufacturers of pregablin's precursor, gabapentin, got into trouble for marketing it to doctors for unapproved purposes. This may have resulted in an over-degree of caution in marketing pregabalin - I don't know.

Anyway, hope to hear how you are going in your own thread.

[hanshan]

Hi David,

How are you going? You haven't posted for a few days.

Hanshan

[Ando1967]

Hi Hanshan and Danath
I think there is a general lack of knowledge re the efficacy of this drug for anxiety amongst GPs (in the UK anyway). My GP told me he uses it a lot for fibromyalgia but had NEVER used it for anxiety (he was also busy rummaging through the BNF)- as Hanshan mentions cost may be an issue here. I don't know if the pregabalin caused me to wobble a bit on the depression front (the psych said this can happen )- now that I have reduced it to 75mg BID my depression has lifted a little (okay in reality it's still very bad - HAMD rating ~ 33) but i'm still here and the anxiety is controlled - maybe I am lucky and this drug just really works for me even at low doses. I still feel the waves of anxiety but it's like a heavy mental blanket has been tossed over it -I sometimes feel it's wrestling below the surface but i can live with that - it's very rare for it ever to become part of my "reality" if that makes sense. It's atrocious that you have had to fight so hard and for so long to get a trial of this med Danath- I really hope it works for you - please let us know. It would also be good to know how you are going Hanshan. Take care - David

---------- Post added at 01:06 ---------- Previous post was at 01:03 ----------

p.s. Hanshan I have tried buproprion "off label" in the past - had some minor side effects and didn't persist but I am giving it another go
We will see
:-)

---------- Post added at 01:10 ---------- Previous post was at 01:06 ----------

p.s.(2) And the melatonin (not the homeopathic variety) has arrived - so the battle is being waged on all fronts

[hanshan]

Hi David,

Good to hear that there's some good news - the arrival of the melatonin, and the possibility of bupropion working the second time around. Keep us all posted.

I think GPs generally are very conservative with new medications - they move in a herd, with no-one wanting to stick their neck out (if that isn't mixing metaphors too much).

As for me, next week is the beginning of the new term at the institution I'm teaching English at, so back into it. There are various stresses, but most of them have a deadline point to meet - having achieved that, the stress is gone. Also, they are productive stresses, in that, once met, they have a positive outcome. Of course, there is always the ongoing stress of being a linguistically challenged foreigner bumbling around in Japan, trying to communicate at a level less than a five year old child, but then you've got to be a bit crazy..

Don't give up hope. There's always something around the next corner.

Hanshan