Pregabalin with an antidepressant

[funkyman]

Hi
I have just joined today, so I hope I am doing things right
I have been off work for about 11 months diagnosed with GAD / Major depression. I tried quite a few antidepressants, but they seemed to make me agitated and could not sleep and still had a constant stream of worring thoughts especially about losing my job, which is still a possibility. I have also started psychodynamic therapy, but feel stressed to hell when I come out, which lasts for a few days after. I have spent time on the net in desperation looking for a med that could give me some breathing space to be calm enough to be social and start work again. I suggested to my Psy Doc that pregabalin would be worth a go as my GP originally would'nt prescribe it. I will be starting 75mg at night and worried about the effects it has on cognitive functioning as I need to be on the ball in my job. Do the sleepy / groggy effects wear off soon. I had something similar I think when I tried Mirtazipine. I would also like opinions if it would be a good idea to see if an antidepressant would work alongside as I am aware that pregabalin is not an antidepressant
Best whishes all

[AceOfSpades]

Hi funkyman

First of welcome to nmp

I have been on Pregabalin for 18 months now and the side effect wore off pretty quick and with you only being on 75mg at night I would not think the side effects would be that bad.
I am on 375mg and also Prozac (10mg but increasing that to 20mg this weekend) and also Diazepam (as and when needed).

You right Pregabalin is not an antidepressant but it is licenced for us on mild to moderate GAD and it does work well but since I have added Prozac to the mix even at a low dose I feel on top of the world I can do nearly everything I could do before hand.


Good Luck

[SarahH]

Hi Funkyman welcome to pregabalin

75mgs at night only? I wouldn't think that would make you too groggy but it works differently on each person. You just have to try it and see. 75mgs is a small dose so any side effects should wear off pretty quickly.

Sarah

[funkyman]

Hi to Sarah H and AceofSpades. Lovely to have the welcome and the advice. I think the Psychiatrist is starting me low as so far I have had some bad expereinces with various meds. At my next appointment I will ask about a combined approach. I think with the Anx and depression its like chicken and egg. But with every antidepressant I have tried I have still remained anxious even though I was led to believe they would sort both.
Thanks again

[Mark13]

Hi Funkyman

Welcome to the forum.

I was on Mirtazapine (15mg), and had been for 5 years before I added pregabalin.

Those worked well together for a few months for me.

I had the odd memory lapse but nothing major, and I felt more invigorated and upbeat on it - could wait to get out of the house every day.

When I started on duloxetine (my current AD) I barely got out of bed for 3 days, so pregabalin was much easier on the SEs.

[eldimoni]

Just to chime in with my very limited experience so far... as Sarah has said, it is different for everybody. Some people can take it and have minimal sleepiness, whereas for me, Im just about at 25mgs twice a day and it really makes me tired/ zoned out. Im only a few days in though so im sure that will pass.

[hanshan]

Because I feel less anxious, I actually feel much more on the ball in my job. I haven't noticed any cognitive impairment, but I feel much more relaxed in my social interactions, which makes work life so much smoother than before.

I combine pregabalin 600 mg with mirtazapine 45 mg daily. I think combinations with other ADs are not uncommon.

Good luck with pregabalin. Hopefully it will be the med you were looking for.

[funkyman]

Hi to Eldimoni and Hanshan
Thanks for sharing your expereinces. I am now 2 days in and took the meds at about 10.00pm 75mg and felt spaced out at 10.00am this morning. Did not want to get up, but boss rang so soon shocked me into awake mode. 11.30 and feel like I have a slight hangover and feel sluggish. I was like this at the start of Mirts some time back and dont like the feeling of losing control, so really hope it does not take long to pass. I have a 2 week window to get my self back on track for the start of a phased return to work. I was hoping to get up to a higher dose sooner and get over the fog issues before returning as being away for nearly a year is stressful enough without thinking I will fall asleep in front of clients when advising. Just concerned that I will get used to this months dose of 75 and then when I am back and its taken up to 150 say I will be in zombie land again. Not sure if I should ask the Psy doctor about a crash test !!
I am really hoping as you say hanshan, that it has the effect of not letting churned up emotions and anxiety get in the way of interacting with others, since in effect thats what I am paid to to and more or less, why I ended up getting sick. Whats peoples views on it helping to regulate emotions and keep things in perspective in the work place espeacially
if you have issues with percieved criticism.

Kind regards all

[hanshan]

My job is tertiary teaching, but during 2001 - 2006 I was given a supervisory position, which I'm really not suited to. This was before I started pregabalin in 2010. Eventually, the stresses of being a supervisor led to me giving up my supervisor position at the end of 2006, and I went back to teaching part-time.

Since 2010, pregabalin has made a big change for me - I feel more confident and relaxed dealing with people, which has led to me going back into the full-time workforce and taking on a job in Japan.

[funkyman]

Hi Hanshan
I have a similar job and it revolves around helping dissafected teenagers 16-19 and need to feel confident and in better control of fear emotions, specifically fear of failure. Having gone from the most expereinced adviser in my local area (20 years), to someone who felt they no longer had what it takes I am hoping the drug will help combat some of the fear element, as well as percieved paranonia of what work colleagues will make of me. I am also hoping to get some therapy called mindfullness CBT, as the Psychodynamic therapy sent my anxiety into overdrive.

Thanks again