Yet another pregabalin diary...

[Mark13]

I'm on day 11 of Pregabalin treatment for GAD (I already take 15mg of Mirtazapine to help me sleep).

Day One (75mg twice a day)

Took the first tablet around 1pm on an empty stomach. Soon felt great, all my worries disappeared, I felt physically and mentally lighter.

Went out for a 7 mile walk. My head felt clear, the world somehow seemed brighter and sharper and I felt more part of it (I suffer from derealisation constantly).

This initial feeling dulled during the day to a feeling of relaxation and contentment, the second dose I took around 7pm.

Day Two

Again took the first dose early afternoon, again before food.

Felt great again. Went out for a walk with my wife, felt light, happy and "loved up" (never taken an E, but I imagine the effect is similar). My wife found my behaviour disturbing and annoying, I was hyper-excited - not a normal good mood.

Got home, read up on the drug, to find that "mild euphoria" is a side effect. Aah, I see.

Day three

Back to my usual state of anxiety, no euphoria from the medication.

Day Four

Out for a 9 mile walk with my wife. Feeling my usual anxious self. When I got home though my mind really "crashed" my anxiety went through the roof for a few hours, really horrible.

Days Five and Six

Again not feeling much of an effect, a slight calming maybe, but nothing obvious.

Day Seven (2 75mg capsules, twice a day)

Got the GP's agreement to double the dosage.

Went out alone for a 7 mile walk. Felt no different, apart from very thirsty. Very sleepy after second dose at 7pm.

Days Eight, Nine and Ten

Slightly calmer maybe. Very sleepy again after second dose. Also after second dose get very annoying double vision which makes it possible only to watch TV one-eyed.(side effect of dosage)

Day Eleven
Out with my wife for a walk again. Felt great after my first dose. Calm and relaxed, best I've felt since the "euphoria of the first 2 days" but more measured and realistic.

This crashed at about 6.30 when I suddenly got stressed and became my usual paranoid over-sensitive self. Slightly calmer after second dose, but very drunk feeling, hard to keep my balance, and the double vision is very bad (although tolerable at my PC, but impossible to watch TV)

By the way, I use a pedometer as I'm trying to diet, hence the walking distances above. Also I don't drink or smoke, so the drunk feeling today is particularly annoying (I got bored of drinking years ago, but I remember the feeling of being drunk )

Mark

[hanshan]

Hi Mark,

So good that you have posted - please keep it up, it will help others taking this medication.

More than one person has reported initial highs, followed by lows. Please stick with it, and report back on how you are doing after another week or two.

Good luck with pregabalin.

[Mark13]

Thanks hanshan

Rather than bore everyone with a daily post, I'll update it every few days.

Thanks for showing an interest.

Mark

[BobbyDog]

I take Pregabalin and am finding your post very interesting, I experienced the same side effects as yourself when I first started taking this medication. I look forward to reading more about your experiences.

I am up about 6 months now, most side effects gone. Still having very heightened anxiety symptoms, but recover time from panic is much quicker.

[Mark13]

BobbyDog, glad to hear you're benefitting from Pregabalin.

I was fooled into thinking those periods of "mild euphoria" were me getting better fast. Unfortunately not but they were nice side-effects. I'm looking for a more subtle response from this drug now.

I'm still taking 300mg but yesterday, I spaced the dosages 12 hours apart, which stopped the double vision from the second dose which was obviously too early.

I'm seeing my Doc on 17th to review and possibly increase the dose - 450mg is the next step up I believe.

What dosage are you on?

Mark

[hanshan]

I take 600 mg a day, but I must be some kind of warhorse - there seem to be people doing quite nicely on 75 mg a day. I have to say that with most medications I have to take the maximum dose to register any benefit.

That said, it's been the best thing I've come across for anxiety in several decades (like I can remember before there was television - a long time).

[Mark13]

Thanks hanshan, that gives me hope for the future.

I'm into week 6 of my absence from work, and I want to go back, but I have to feel stronger than I have for years because it was work stress that caused me to go off long term for the first time in 5 years.

I've managed to take my split dose 9 hours apart now without any double vision, I'm trying this because no doubt if the GP agrees an increase it may be to 450, which would be three times daily, although I now see Lyrica do 200mg capsules so I may get put on 400mg.

I notice the price per month, that the practice has to pay, for twice daily is over £64. 60 times higher than taking the old tricyclic Amitryptiline for a month. No wonder there aren't many people on these boards being prescribed it

That said 75mg twice a day costs them the same as 300mg twice a day, so now I'm on the drug, they shouldn't balk at increasing the dose on grounds of cost.

Cheers

[BobbyDog]

I have been on 300mg for about six months now, I couldn't see my gp increasing my dose, when I initially asked for the medication, I was informed it wasn't used to treat GAD/Panic Attacks, I knew different so asked to see a another gp within the same practice, that went down like a lead balloon. I also take Amitriptyline and Mirtazapine, which is another reason for them to keep me on my current dose.

[Mark13]

BobbyDog

I'm happy to be on 300mg if that's the right dosage for me. As yet, I feel a little calmer, but being off work there are no major stressors so it's difficult to judge.

I'm fortunate that I saw probably the only Doc in the practice (we have 7 Doctors) that would have been willing to prescribe this, so I'm hoping he'll also be happy to experiment with dosages.

The BMJ / BMA literature states that it takes 4 weeks before any noticeable beneficial effect, so I'm still hopeful, but I feel maybe the changes will be subtle and I'll only notice improvement when looking back rather than analysis my feelings on a day to day basis.

[Mark13]

Diary continued

Days 12-15 (Days 5-8 on 300mg)

Although the double vision has gone, taking the dosages too close together is giving me a drunk feeling (head spinning, stumbling around the house). So I'm keeping 10 hours between dosages now.

I'm alternating between feeling quite calm for hours, and then back to agitated again, but I still feel there is some degree of progress.

The calm periods are getting longer, and any minor trigger during these periods still has my mind racing, but my body doesn't react as it used to (no cold grip in the heart and throat with churning stomach). Also I can dismiss minor things more quickly because my body isn't on alert just my mind.

Calming my body down (even if it doesn't work mentally) would be a great leap forward for me and enable me to be more objective, rather than irrationally panicking (not a panic attack). If the experience of the last couple of days is an indicator of things to come then this drug could be much better for me than a beta-blocker for physical calming (I've been on both Propranolol and Atenolol).

Not wanting to jump the gun, but the last couple of days has given me a great deal of optimism that, even those there's no magic wand, this medication might be a valuable tool in supporting my other endeavours (self help books, including CBT).