Just thought I'd say hello here...

[teej]

I've just been prescribed Pregabalin for my GAD.

After trying to get on with SSRI's for the last 10 years (Citalopram, Escitalopram) which has ended up with countless anxiety incidents, and more recently Mirtazapine (which did nothing for me) my doctor out the blue offered me Pregabalin as I'm now considered an extraordinary case.

I was a bit shocked as I knew about Pregabalin but also knew many doctors were reluctant to prescribe it.

I've been given 84 50mg capsules with a "carte blanche" on how many / when to take them but come back in two weeks and see how I'm doing.

To be honest I'm now absolutely terrified about taking any medication - I was going to give myself until the weekend to see how I was doing coming off the Mirtazapine before giving it a try but I'm still terrified!

[spuder]

Hi I would take the meds hun u my feel loads better. I was on mirtazapine what an evil drug it was made me wanna end my life I had horrible thoughts and very depressed now I am on cipralax doc has just increased my dose from 5 to 10 mg cause I am getting panic attacks

[A Nervous Nigel]

Hey Teej!

I'm fairly new to pregabalin as well! Been on it around the one month mark, so starting to get used to it. I started on 50mg x 3 daily, which I think is a normal starting dosage. My first few days on them went well, I hardly had any side effects except maybe tiredness and I was overly confident and I was speaking to loads of people at a party I had that night. Which was probably a honeymoon stage.

I too worry about starting new meds, but compared to antidepressants I have tried previously, pregabalin had the least side effect by far!

You could just try one capsule for your first day and see how it goes? Do you have a free day this weekend? Remember the maximum daily dose is 600mg, so 50mg shouldn't be anything to worry over too much!

There is a few long term users of pregabalin on here, which will probably have some better info on it! But from my first months experience, most days are good and I have even managed to get myself a job in that time! Something I would not have been able to do without pregabalin!

Good luck and I hope things go well!

[unfitwellhappy]

I have been on 600mg / day of Pregabalin for about a year now - it's by far the easiest med I have ever taken.

The only side-effect I had was a slight drunk feeling when I first started taking it, but I thought that was great fun!

A

[teej]

But from my first months experience, most days are good and I have even managed to get myself a job in that time! Something I would not have been able to do without pregabalin!

That's good news! Well done. Very promising. I'm feeling less worried now!

---------- Post added at 14:55 ---------- Previous post was at 14:54 ----------

I have been on 600mg / day of Pregabalin for about a year now - it's by far the easiest med I have ever taken.

The only side-effect I had was a slight drunk feeling when I first started taking it, but I thought that was great fun!

A

Drunk would be preferable over the anxious mess I am right now.

[unfitwellhappy]

Drunk would be preferable over the anxious mess I am right now.

Couldn't agree more - it will get easier

[A Nervous Nigel]

The drunkness seems common for users taking this for the first time and generally fades over the week.. Or if you get your dose upped you may get similar effects again.
I definitely enjoyed my first day on it haha!

I forgot to mention,

The best thing pregabalin has done for me is, removing repetitive thoughts.. I excessively 'cringe' over things I say/do in social situations, sometimes I have suicidal thoughts, which get in the way of my normal life.. With pregabalin I may get the thought but I have the ability to dismiss it! So I still have negative thinking but because it is not overwhelming I can get on with normal daily life activities! Hopefully CBT can solve the rest for me, if I ever get therapy, I was supposed to have my first session last week! But it got canceled! They better ring tomorrow!

Anyways, I really believe that once you try this med for the first few days, you will wonder why you were ever nervous to take it in the first place :P

[keggsy]

Got 75mg tablets here, starting with one a day, then maybe going up to 2.
My anxiety is always evening based, so if I do take it, I'll prob have it at teatime.
Does it help with sleep at all anyone know?

[teej]

Got 75mg tablets here, starting with one a day, then maybe going up to 2.
My anxiety is always evening based, so if I do take it, I'll prob have it at teatime.
Does it help with sleep at all anyone know?

I don't think it's as good at helping you sleep as something like Mirtazapine. I know people take Mirt and Pregabalin together.

I didn't get on with the Mirt though because of the weight gain and the fact I have an eating disorder!

[hanshan]

I take both mirtazapine and pregabalin.

For me mirtazapine is definitely better for sleep, but pregabalin is better for general anxiety. Pregabalin is best for preventing anxiety before it starts, for those people who have a level of anxiety every day. It's not like a benzodiazepine that you can take after a panic attack starts.