Pregabalin What Is It Used For?

[manuruth]

Hi all,

I take quite a concoction of meds for my Anxiety,Depression,OCD's etc. And over the last few weeks I have been having quite black thoughts again and have resorted to my old coping skills of Self Harm,which I feel is better to do than me completely snapping and trying another attempt on my life.

So as a result the CPN has been out fairly regularly and has spoke to my consultant who gave him a script for 150mg of Pregabalin for me, split over morning and evening meds. The only thing is I've not been told what I am to expect,feel,reason etc on Pregabalin.

Please anyone with experiences/information I would be very grateful.

Take care all,

Ruth x

ps. I am on day 3 of Pregabalin-not any different at the moment.

[nutteetart]

Hi Ruth
As you know i am on pregabalin and i have to hope its what will help. My psych says he has had very good results on this drug with little side effects.

I am on day 5 of 150mg per day and i suspect he will double it in a week or so. I have been dizzy and tired but then i was like it before. I think i must make my symptoms worse. Im not sure whats drugs and whats me causing symptoms. I too havent noticed any real difference yet except i havent taken any diazepam for 3 days. Subltle, but maybe a sign of good things to come. Stay hopeful hun i will hold your cyber hand while we find out together X

[manuruth]

Hi Nutteetart(seems a little funny calling you this),

Thank you for the reassurance! I am terrible if I am put on any new medication, I really stress and have to find out all the information I can, I suppose this is to reassure myself and in this case especially as the CPN was the one whom spoke to my consultant not myself. There was a time about 2 years ago, I was regularly attending day hospital and was refusing to go on any medication after having a bad experience with Trazadone and the unit's Pychiatrist would write the name down of the medication so I could go away and research it and then I would discuss this with her. I know a bit extreme really.
I know how you feel about being tired, but you would think that as we are so exhausted that we would be able to sleep. I manage to have on a good night maxiumum of 5 hours otherwise 2/3 hrs and that is with taking 15mg of Zopiclone which I have been on for over 2 years.

Well lets hope that other members on here may read our worries and be able to throw some insight/light on this for us!

Take care and have a good weekend and hopefully by next week we will feel some difference as the Pregabalin kicks in more.

Ruth x

[nutteetart]

Hi Ruth

My name is Fay but i have gone by 'Nutteetart' for years.

I too become obsessed about finding out about drugs. I think we have a right to know but the problem is we dont digest the infomation rationally. My partner hides the drug leaflets and forbids me to research on the net but i cant resist. Once i look i feel awful. Why do i do this? I read the most awful things. I was going to tell you something i had read about panic disorder, but i stopped myself because i dont want anyone else obsessing about it. I research and research until i find something negative and thats what i focus on. Anything positive just does not register on my radar.

My psych is really positive about this drug as is my therapist. They are married tho!

Apart from that, i just walked to my local shop on my own. An achievement!
XX

[manuruth]

Hi Nuttetart(Fay),

That's brilliant, well done! I know how difficult it is to go out with someone never mind on your own. I myself have not been for quite awhile, it will be a month on Tuesday and the only way I remember the preciseness of it, is that I had to attend the orthopaedic clinic as I have had my leg in cast since June. I have to attend this coming Tuesday and really don't want to face it but I know I have to go. My partner has been trying to suggest that I go for a spin with him in the car, but one it has to be dark if I were to go and secondly I really just don't feel up to it. So I'm really hoping the Pregabalin is my new "wonder drug".

My other half too does not understand my need to research on the net. Only last night I was reading the "Self Harm" article on here and read out loud to him about how others feel and their understanding and what they should do....well his reply was that it was poo but using the profanity. Which I have read him articles before and the "Crisis Team" have also explained it to him, so I was quite shocked by his reply and hurt that he still is refusing to except the explanation. And even more so as he has "Mental Health" issues himself, which are not prevalent all the time as every now and again he goes into what the "Mental Health Team" say are some kind of "Epilepsy". We actually met while in the local "Mental Health Unit" as in-patients.

So it is very encouraging when you come on a site like this and meet like-minded people like yourself, at least the symptoms are shared and I do not feel like I am totally on m own and going off the radar

Again thank you for your words of encouragement,
Speak soon Ruth x

[lostsoul]

Hi all

I have been on pregablin for a little over five weeks now, I've gradually worked up to 250mg daily. I can say that it is helping but I wouldnt expect the wonder drug effect. I was expecting this too.

A good drug it is but the wonder part can only come from you, it sounds tacky but I'm slowly learning that this is the case after trying many drugs with no relief. I can happily report that this has been the least offensive in terms of side effects so far.

[manuruth]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for commenting on this thread, as you've been taking Pregabalin for five weeks now. It's some comfort that you have not experienced any nasty side effects. I am almost programmed now to expect some with any of the medications I am tried on. I just really want to be rid of mental health conditions full stop and perhaps referring to a "wonder drug" I'm just desperate for the various aspects of mental health that I have to just be non existant now, as I am fed up of existing and not living. I have been in a pretty low state for a good few weeks now(if you can call it good)and have lost all motivation and as you say it does have to come from within to a degree aswell. And as my anxiety peaks the OCD's become worse and then I get to the snapping point and at that point it can be dangerous I know for myself as this can result in me self harming as I have lost total control and need to stop the dark thoughts otherwise it will be an attempt on my life. And these thoughts I find hard to deal with as I do not want to scar my two children(18 and 14), if it was not for that very reason I would not care about existing/living at all and it would be so much easier, than to deal with this heavy yoke round my neck.

I hope you continue to find the Pregabalin good to tolerate and that you continue to be able to find it in yourself to take steps to recovery.
Take care
Ruth x

[manuruth]

Hi Fay, Dave & all,

Well it is day 6 of the Pregabalin. I seem to be slightly calmer but the last 24hrs been experiencing really bad headaches. I of a norm experience headaches but these seem to be different. I'm taking painkillers like I normally do for them but again they don't seem to touch me, so the only conclusion is perhaps they're related to my stress. A dear friends mother, whom also was a good friend passed away early hours of this morning and my dear friend is a single father to a boy of 5yrs of age. My partner and myself have been looking after his son for the last few days as he has sat with his mother in hospital, so I have been tense about when you get that phone call etc. This morning in the early hours out friend came over (his son was already sleeping over) and we tried to be there for him at this sad time. I had to go to the hospital this morning, to see the consultant about my leg. While in the bathroom getting showered etc I had a terrible attack of the nerves where I was trembling all over, I then felt sick. I continued into the living room and had to have a sudden request of a bucket where I actually was heaving and bringing up bile. I put this down to the fact that this was my first time out in exactly a month and I really was not looking forward to it. But I think the fact I was also feeling upset and had been anxiously awaiting news on our friend, plus the new medication (Pregabalin) combined could be the reason for the feeling sick (which I still feel) and the bad headaches. So I need things now to settle down, which isn't going to be easy when a funeral will be taking place anytime and I really don't know how I will face that to be honest. I know I should go for our dear friend and respect for his mother, our friend.
I hope that you Fay are finding the Pregabalin beneficial!
Hopefully by the next time I write on here things will be more settled and I can see the effects of the medication. Till then take care all,
Ruth x

[manuruth]

Hi all,
Well on wednesday it will be 3 wks of taking the Pregabalin. Too be honest I'm not quite sure how it is benefiting me yet. Pysch on thursday so will see what he has to say. Saw my phsycologist last tuesday and she feels I am pretty low at the moment, and has told me I must ring Crisis if things peak. No motivation still and even felt I was going to die when I eventually fell asleep.for a few days..weird but I really didn't care if that had been the case, it definitely would of been easier for everyone to think of it as natural causes. I will keep it short this evening as I really don't feel up to talking, sorry.

Hope everybody is not to bad in this horrible struggle. x

[manuruth]

Hi all,

Psychiatrist in the morning, shall see how he feels I am doing on the Pregabalin 150mg. Don't really want to go to be honest, I will get in there and sit and shake, gasp for breath etc as I'm trying to talk to him it's always the same. He will probably tell me I'm going through a bad episode and to make sure I attend my psychologist appointments. But words like that don't make me feel any the better, he most likely will try and pick some positives (well things he feels are positive) the same as my psychologist does. And my appointment is a joint appointment with my partner, the psychiatrist always does see us together, but I feel tomorrow I need to see him on my own as my relationship I feel is breaking down. I don't know how much it is to do with my mental health or if it is a bit of my partners. He has not been officially diagnosed, he baffles the mental health team so they have come to the conclusion it is a form of epilepsy and treat him thus for. He goes into a periodic state of not being able to do anything for himself, a state of confusion and disorientation. This can come on at any time normally he goes a few months of being ok and then it just comes on all of a sudden and can last for a few weeks normally around 3 weeks but the last time was 5 weeks. Before we were together he was always hospitalized as the main concern was keeping him safe, but now I am with him it is left to me with visits from Crisis to keep him safe. This puts an extra weight on me as I become very anxious when trying to make sure he is okay. The point of me saying this is the in between periods when he is in supposedly good mental health, I don't think he is as he becomes hard to reason with, it's not a lack of knowledge more how to use the knowledge. He also becomes very defensive, he is sleepy and at the moment threatening he is going to leave one minute and then the next saying sorry because he knows I'm at rock bottom at the moment and all this is putting a further strain on me. So that is the reason I feel I must see my psychiatrist on my own. I just don't know is it me or what. At the moment it would be so much easier not to be in existence, I'm wondering if I need to go in for just a couple of days to sort my head and a few of the physical symptoms and illnesses I suffer are back with avengence. But I don't want my psychiatrist to think I am making a fuss and he most likely will be reluctant to admit me as they know that I'm here watching over my partner and he seems not to cope when I'm not about. I'm just not sure how much more i can bear though.
If anybody happens to have heard, experienced or seen similar episodes to my partner, I would be very happy if you would be able to share those, as he really does need a proper diagnosis.

Sorry to have gone on tonight but it's easier to write it down then to verbally say it face to face to somebody. Thank you for listening.

Ruth x