Best way to use it...addiction?

[snookiebookie]

Hi everyone,

I've just been prescribed pregabalin, and Oh...My God! Wow. It's amazing.

However, on a different forum site, someone has suggested that it's addictive.

What was more worrying, they suggested that it's effects can lessen if you are on it for a long period of time. They went on to say it may be better to use it intermittently/periodically. That way, you get the full effects when you need it and avoid addiction.

What do you think?

If this was true, I'd probably take it at the beginning of the week (as returning to work is a big trigger) and maybe before social events.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Thank you.

[Avasmummy_x]

Hanshan has been on this med a while and he's still getting the best out of this drug! My doctor says it is not addictive at all.

I loved my first week on pregabalin it almost felt like diazepam with a sedating effect but a nice one and my anxiety was almost non existent. Ive been on it since November and have had to mess with the dosage but it seems to be doing its job now. So the key is finding your right dose

Some people like Sarah have it teamed up with a anti d and that works best for her.
I'm finding mine is beginning to beat the anxiety teamed up with cbt.

[hanshan]

If you don't have any previous history of substance abuse/misuse, there is absolutely no evidence of pregabalin being addictive if taken as prescribed.

I would like to have any links to any evidence of addiction, but please distinguish between websites (like this one) which deal primarily with people with medical problems, and websites which deal with multiple substance users sharing drug information.

It is well-documented that in the first days of taking pregabalin, some people experience a temporary euphoric effect. It is also well-documented that this effect soon wears off. However the anxiety-reducing effects don't wear off after prolonged use.

I suspect the short life-span of the euphoric effect may be what leads the drug-misuse crowd to recommend a stop-start approach, in order to maximise the short-lived euphoric effect, but hopefully that does not apply to NMP posters.

[snookiebookie]

Hi,

Thank you for your comprehensive answer.

As stated in my question, the original comments about addiction were made on a forum site. It is a site similar to this one, so the comments have no factual basis. But I asked the question to dispel my doubts.

Yoy have reassured me that there is little risk of me becoming addicted. What I really appreciate is knowing that the anti anxiety effects shouldn't fade over time.

Many thanks.

[SarahH]

To be fair for SOME people the drug can wear off after long term use BUT its only been reported in a few people. I think its a great drug for anxiety.

Sarah

[hanshan]

Yes, I have to agree with Sarah that some people have reported it "stopping working" after some time. But what is interesting is that when it stops, it seems to do so any level of dose. People want to give it up, rather than increase the dose.

If you have no history of substance misuse/abuse and take pregabalin as prescribed, there is little chance of you developing some kind of misuse disorder.

However, there has recently been some press about misusers of other drugs taking pregabalin, which I feel is totally unbalanced, in that it makes no attempt to explain or justify the legitimate uses of pregabalin.

Eventually, any misuse issues will sort themselves out. I suspect that they are overblown.

But legitimate users have to put their case too - there is no-one but you speaking up for you.