My Pregabalin Journey

[mr benn]

Intersting thread. Not a medicene i was aware of until i came on here. Im currently on Trazadone (175mg) but dont feel it does me any good.
Im very wary of taking new tablets tho as I seem to react to the side effects , and my Anxiety makes me monitor for them even more.

Im also intrested to note you mantion your Pschologist is reccomending your tablets. When I asked what a psychologist does instead of a CBT specialist this wasnt mentioned. I wanted to see a psychologist as something different to CBT but they wouldnt recommend it. Felt i was being fobbed off a bit.

[john61]

That's quite a med regime you have there.good plan to get off the benzos I think.my cpn says pregabalin is a clean drug.my only usefull tip is don't run out of pregabalin,in my experience its quite a unpleasant withdrawal if you get caught out and have to go cold turkey with it.but you're probaly more organised than me so it won't happen.

[SarahH]

Well done!
I am on 3x100mgs a day and have been since April 2013 (400 initially down to 300 in last 6 months). I combine it with 20mgs of Citalopram, which is the right balance for me.
Ad you go up the doses the SE's will be less severe and disappear more quickly.

Sarah

[NinjaKitty]

Intersting thread. Not a medicene i was aware of until i came on here. Im currently on Trazadone (175mg) but dont feel it does me any good.
Im very wary of taking new tablets tho as I seem to react to the side effects , and my Anxiety makes me monitor for them even more.

Im also intrested to note you mantion your Pschologist is reccomending your tablets. When I asked what a psychologist does instead of a CBT specialist this wasnt mentioned. I wanted to see a psychologist as something different to CBT but they wouldnt recommend it. Felt i was being fobbed off a bit.

My Psychiatrist prescribes my medication, that's my physchiatrists job i also have Psychologist who does my CBT therapy councelling etc, 2 sepreate people, psychologists dont prescribe meds or they dont where I am only my phsychiatrist.

so yes psychiatrist is for meds etc and monitoring your progress
psychologist is for therapy etc

Pregabalin is good so far no real major issues except drowsy but even today im on day 4 of 3 a day and im noticing im less clumsy or drowsy.

Kitty

---------- Post added at 11:10 ---------- Previous post was at 11:05 ----------

That's quite a med regime you have there.good plan to get off the benzos I think.my cpn says pregabalin is a clean drug.my only usefull tip is don't run out of pregabalin,in my experience its quite a unpleasant withdrawal if you get caught out and have to go cold turkey with it.but you're probaly more organised than me so it won't happen.

John I am really lucky that my dr;s and my psychiarist makes sure i always have enough medication, I get prescribed all my meds on a monthly bassis (every 28 days really) so i order them 3-4 days in advance so i dont run out, on the upside I sometimes forget diazepam doses so i never completely run out of medication, im always very strict about my meds never take morethan prescribed or anything like that, it's a bit OCD to be honest i have to take them same time every day, i dont deviate from my schedule and my tapering is done slowely, I never quit anything cold turkey, I have successfully tapered of benzos in the past usually ashton method crossover taper to calium and reducing doses by anythig from 1-2mg every 2-4 weeks, and have done so twice now very sucessfully with minimal issues.

im just very Lucky that my dr's recognise the need to taper slowely and efficently last time i was on temazepam at 30mg for 2 yrs and i withdrew over 9 months crossing over to valium and came out it unscathed.

Thanks for the msg
Kitty

---------- Post added at 11:16 ---------- Previous post was at 11:10 ----------

Just to Add im due a updose in 2-3 weeks of my pregabalin probably to 75mg 3 times a day or 100mg 3 times a day not sure what he has planned for me yet, but even at this dose i am finding my anxiety is much much less and im not feeling like i even want to take my valium but sine i ave been on them for 2 yrs this time round i can;t just quit cold turkey, so today im on 2.5mg valium in the morning 5mg afternoon 5mg early evening and will gradually taper off again in 2 -3 weeks. slow and steady is the best option i have seen what rapid withdrawl and cold turkey can do to people. I also have 2 kids to think about and having a mother incapacitated by medication is not a good thing.

on the upside i am now going out more and taking my daughter out for longer and longer each day, before i could only manage maybe half an hour now im out for 2 hours without an issue, and thankfully my afternoon dose of pregabalin is when she naps so by the time she wakes up the initial drowsy feeing is starting to dissipate

My children are my life and coping with a toddler and a teenager is stressful wnough when your a single mother, Im jst happy i can be the best mom can be to them.

Kitty xx

[NinjaKitty]

Ok so on day 8 of 3 50mg tablts a day and still not able to shake the tiredness, Im not sure if 3 times a day is working for me or if i should just wait it out for a another week or so till i see my Psychiatrist again, feeling lethargic and unmotivated right now which for me sucks, i hate not doing anything, I am also experiencing my agrophobia coming back but i have had a rough week emotionally with friends and such so i am putting my low mood down to outside problems and not my medication.

So tomorrow i will if it kills me get my butt moving and go out and stop wallowing at home feeling emotionally drained.

I feel like a bad mother and a bad person for being so unmotivated and emotional, but it is coming up to "that time of the month" and that always has me spiralling out of control

So thats my update so far, just want to feel semi normal again and live instead of just existing.

Kitty xx

[SarahH]

Ok so I am NOT a Dr but it may well be that the amount of Valium you are taking plus the Pregabalin is making you feel so lethargic.This cross over period is going to be tough for you but keep going!!!!
Just another pointer. My Psychiatrist told me that Valium can make people depressed..... Hopefully you will eventually be just taking Mirt for depression/sleep and pregabalin for anxiety........... keep going

[hanshan]

I agree that as the pregabalin goes up, the valium on a regular dose should come down (you can taper). You can still keep some in reserve if a bad spell hits.

[NinjaKitty]

Thanks guys
I am currently already tapering off my valium, im down from 5mg 3x a day to 2.5mg one dose but still 5mg for the other doses, the taper has to be small and slow i have been on them for a very long time, in all honesty my valium has never made me depressed before, I should have been more clear that i honestly think mmy circumstances at the moment and other outside issues are adding to my depression, depression isnt my main issue, in fact it isn't an issue it is something i don't worry over, im due major surgery in 4 months time and its scaring me, and my anxiety has been terrible the past week. Lots and lots of outside factors.

Im certainly not someone who blames my depression on my meds because on or of them if fluctuates (especially around that time of the month).

Today however I feel much better for having a good sleep and it being undisturbed for once. I think possibly i was just hacing a few bad days

thanks for the input

Kitty x

[SarahH]

Good to hear

[hanshan]

Hi Ninjakitty,

Major surgery is scary for anyone, so anxiety here is very normal. Also, in my experience, anxiety about one thing can set off anxiety about other things, plus physical symptoms. Keep us posted about the surgery if you feel it helps.