You are an inspiration to others who go down on medications. That positive view, gives so many hope that they will feel better too once off a medication. Thank you for your post. ginnie

I was on lyrica in the past, but not long enough to have a physical dependancy. I take it, this drug isn't for long term usage? The last thing I need is something that I have to stop taking in the future.

Actually, as an anticonvulsant, it is intended for long-term use, however for neuropathic pain, it 1.) only works on about a third of the patients who try it, and 2.) it sometimes stops working altogether sometime after the upper dosage limit is hit.

Doc

I see, sort of like building up a tolerance to it I take it? I've had so many meds in the past I had to 'withdraw' from. Don't need another! Thanks =)

just remember to have a dr help you wean off medications . it doesn't cost anything . just call the office and have his nurse call you..

I have been taking Lyrica for 6 yrs. Everytime I run out or don't take it I end up so sick. I feel like I am covered in fire ants, nasea, headache, sensitive to light & sound.....etc. Unlike most of the sufferers the psych symptoms are not new to me. I have PTSD. The withdraw triggers me and though I have never been suicidal, this withdraw has pushed me there when I have run out of meds in the past. This time my PCP has taken me from 450mg to 200mg per day and I am doing fine. Yesterday I decided to take it down to 100mg and I started getting all the bad feelings and thoughts. I'm so scared that this med will be the death of me so I started back on 200mg today. How will I ever get this poison out of my body??

Slowly... very slowly. It sounds like you made the decision to go from 200 mg to 100 mg unilaterally (i.e. have you talked to your doctor about this yet)? It may be that you need to taper more slowly. Instead of going from 200 to 100, maybe 200 to 150 (or 200 on the odd days and 100 on even days). Or you may need to stay at the 200 mg level a little longer before the next reduction. There are options.

Everyone is different. There are several threads about this topic, and many stories—you are not alone in this, and there IS light at the end of the tunnel. The light may be a little farther than it appears—tunnels can be like that—but it is there, and each step gets you closer to it.

Doc

I thank all of you who shared your struggles on this forum, it gave me great comfort in the beginning knowing I was not alone.

I started on Lyrica in the winter of 2006 for fibromyalgia and neuropathy pain. I went toxic on it and had to do a 3 day withdrawal. When I started my withdrawal 20 days ago it was pure hell. I did not think I would survive the ordeal. But I'm still Lyrica free. The first day of coming off of lyrica all my major nerve pain ceased (not the neuropathy though). Lyrica created more pain. (there are several articles on this) My doctor gave me a shot of Oxytocin (Pitocin) for the rebound pain on day 5 and now my pain level is about the same as it was while on the Lyrica.

I ended up the the ER with an over the top heart rate. Turns out that going off the Lyrica sent my Thyroid levels way way up. Since then I quit taking my synthyroid. The shakes, anxiety, chest pains, hot/cold spells, sudden rapid heart rate, lack of appetite and sweating, are now under control. It won't hurt to have your doctor check your THS levels if your heart rate increases.

That said, sadly my mind is now broken. I think differently and have developed all kinds of mental, emotional, cognitive and memory problems. The last 6 months of my life are a blur. There are articles of the effects of Lyrica on the hippocampus that explain why this can happen. So now i pray that my mind will heal.

I truly sympathize with your struggles and agree with you. I have a theory that lyrica severely changed my brain chemistry as I was on it for many years..I went off of it for 2.5 months and it was very difficult but then I started to have seizures. I had them before the lyrica but from brain infection due to Lyme Disease decades ago. I was scared and went back on the lyrica because I was pretty sure that going off it was the cause of the seizures.

I wish you the best in staying off it and I do hope your brain will go back to normal. I know all these withdrawal symptoms are so frightening but as many of us have learned, our docs tell us we don't get withdrawal. Most of us know otherwise. Diandra

P.S. Can you direct me to any articles where you learned Lyrica causes more pain? thanks


y

sorry i forgot to bookmark them. But the terms i use in the search were odd and took me to sites that were from collages and such. not the usual sites. something like pregabalin, brain damage, hippocampus. i had to dig deep. next good thinking day i'll try to find them.