Diary of a new Pregabalin taker!

[Belfry1973]

Day 10 - Has been rubbish Twitchy again, eating for England, etc, but cant honestly say this is down to the medication or me getting a bit anxious about going away for the weekend. Meeting lots of people I dont see very often and going out to the pub , we'll see how it goes!

Just also to say I'm doing Day 10 actually on Day 10 because I wont be back till Monday, and I'll be sure to update you all!

[JT69]

Hi Belfry,

You will be fine once you get there....its natural to feel a little anxious and twitchy!!

Hope it goes well for you.

Take care
JO.xx

[duck1]

Hello Belfry
Hope you are still doing O.K Hope you don't mind my question, my husband has just been prescribed Pregabalin for serious rheumatiod pain so I am a little confused at it appears to be an anti anxiety med. We were led to believe it was a pain killer. Thanks Duck1

[Belfry1973]

Hi duck

Pregabalin is foremost a painkiller, or should I say helps to relieve pain, it also an anti-convulsant and more recently found to be effective for anxiety. I take it for the last two reasons, I do also have rheumatoid arthritis but havent found it effective for that, but I'm sure you know there are many different types of rheumatoid arthritis!

I shall be updating my diary shortly, due to being on a lovely holiday!

[Belfry1973]

My hugest amounts of apologies for leaving this for so long, what with the weekend away and then catching up with everything its been mad!

If you read the previous post you'll know I was going away, so firstly heres the weekend!

Friday - I was fairly nervous, out of my comfort zone and going to meet old friends, but also people I hadnt met before. But the evening went fine and I didnt even feel the need to drink a lot to calm my nerves as I have in the past! Even after seeing some poor chap get thumped unconciousness didnt have me stressing other than to help him

Saturday - In the day time we went off to a very busy market and small theme park, 1000s of people around us, but it was ok, I even wanted to go on the rollercoasters which I havent done in months. The evening was a bigger group of friends, some I hadnt met before so I was a little introverted but soon opened up.

Sunday - Got thoroughly depressed watching the England match, but then I wasnt the only one, I did feel the need to spend the time with my partner though rather than with friends. At this point the whole weekend had taken its toll!

Since then I've been fine, went shopping this evening and my partner wandered off but didnt feel the need to keep him in sight or worry about him. I'm also taking a big step tomorrow by getting the bus into the centre of Manchester and I aint really stressing about it, nor am I about going back to work next week! But we'll see!

So the meds seem to be doing the work, not woken up anxious recently or got anxious in my own home, the visual disturbances have almost stopped (this is more likely due to my epilepsy though), and I dont stress about having a seizure everytime I walk out the door!

Side-effects - Oh they are annoying me now! My mouth just does not always work the way I want it to, words can come out wrong or I'll just stop dead when talking because I cant remember the words! But as mentioned before its a small price to pay for the place I'm in now!
The weight thing, its better, I'm no longer eating all the time, but when I do feel hungry it will come one all of a sudden and hits really fast! The weight gain has slowed down, but no sign of that extra 10lbs coming off anytime soon!
The dry mouth is liveable with, you know that cotton wool mouth feeling you get when you wake up? Well, its like that and mostly all the time, thankfully I dont have full sugar drinks or I'd be huge!

So its all good guys and I want to cos I'm damn happy! I'm going to pick back up in a week or so, but will check for posts, but keep well and keep taking the meds!

Bel
X

[JT69]

Hi Bel,

Really glad you enjoyed your weekend...you did really well and it is very encouraging for you. I can relate to the hunger thing...it just comes on??..I havent been on the scales lately as I know I wont like what I see...but like you say a small price to pay to get your life back.

I hope the good journey continues for you and you go from strength to strength. How long have you been off work?

I hope it all goes well for you next week.

TC
Jo.xx

[Belfry1973]

Thanks JT

I've been off work for 6 weeks now, its going to be difficult going back because they have been the biggest source of my anxiety but I'm on half-pay and I cant afford not to. So I'm just going to suck it and see and wait for them to give me my notice!

[Belfry1973]

well, if you had read my first post you would have seen that I am also taking the Pregabalin in the hope of it also stopping my seizures, well it hasnt! I was lucky enough to have another one last night

But the every so slightly teeny weeny spark of light is that I dont feel so nervous about it! I got up got dressed, went out on the town, went into the bar myself leaving OH outside, etc, without a panic attack!

And yes I'm almost constantly thinking about it, but its more on a bugger bugger bugger basis, rather than a omg, I cant go out, I'll have one in the street, people will rob me, they'll laugh, etc

Long may this continue, going to speak to my GP tomorrow though about increasing the dosage.

BTW still got the dry mouth, but the weights dropping back off again!

[Belfry1973]

I shouldnt be so pessimistic!

If you had read my above posts you will have seen that I was going back to work this week, well it wasnt entirely a success and they are complete but I'm still there! The low dose of pregabalin I was on obviously isnt enough to let me cope with the stresses and strains of working, and I've spent the past 2 days in tears and panicking!

So, the dose has been doubled to 300mg a day and I shall still carry on my diary to let you know if it works, and whether the side effects come back or change.

Love ya all

Bel

[rambler]

I do keep having highs which is quite pleasant, but the downside is then dealing with the come-downs, they arent bad enough to make you depressed, but to the outskirts of anxiety where its always just twitching at the edges!

I so agree with you, Belfry. I'm on day 4 of 100mg twice daily and I feel exactly how you describe. I'm feeling better than I have in ages and I think it's a wonder drug...but I'm so physically twitchy. I can't sit still, I can't sleep, I can't eat. I'm going to read on with your post and see what I have to come!