I have tried coming off this drug 3times. last time reducing dosage. But pain increased also. had a miserable month. The worst being when I actually stopped it. By the next day, sweats, itchy skin, pain unbelievable. saw Gp mid afternoon. all he offered was go back on at lower dose. by night time, I was a wreak. bedrest.couldnt move. screwdriver burrowing into my lower back, unbelievable.
survived the night, but next morning, returned to full usual dose of 600mg daily. By the following day, I was bouncing around back to usual self. took me another week to feel less fatigued etc.
its a dangerous drug. I felt like one of those heroin addicts coming off cold turkery. I lothe this drug,but it works for me.

Sorry to hear about your Lyrica struggles. I have posted many many posts to this thread, going into detail of my battle coming off the drug. Specifically, I want to respond to your experience with horrible pain initially trying to stop lyrica. I had a similar experience, which I can now say was a side effect of withdrawal from lyrica. My pain was horrible when I first started tapering down, but I've been off lyrica completely for 15 months now (wow, almost can't believe it's been that long), and that pain did subside. I still have my normal pain for which I originally took lyrica for, but I'm so glad I pushed through to get off Lyrica.

Thanks for your post, I Thought I was the only one.

I had been on 600 mgs a day since 2007 for nerve pain. I know what you are going threw. I am now taking 300 mgs a day and suffer sweats just walking to the kitchen, no stairs. I feel sick to my stomach all the time. Did or do you feel sick to your stomach when you stopped taking Lyrica?

Hope you get to feeling better and the withdraws go away. I have tried several times to get off lyrica with no success.

Vbeck

hi vneck...I am off now 3 wks but was only on 125mg per day. I was nauseas but more loss of appetite, had no interest in eating at all which was a good thing because I am over weight. I was very short tempered and jittery but most has worn off. I also had wicked sweats just walking, had to change clothes several times a day. Lyrica is excellent to help neuropathy and was a Godsend to me at the time...I am not knocking it by any means...just harder to get off of than I expected although my doc did warn me to do a very slow wean because I am prone to seizures.

Nothing wrong with staying on the 300 mgs if you need it. Are you having the sweating at that dose or just when lowering the dose? Diandra

I am 66 years old and have been on 300mg Lyrica twice a day for approximafely two years to treat pain from degenerative arthritis of spine plus scoliosis. I am concerned about the amount of this medication I am on and, after reading about the severe withdrawal symptoms, am very frightened. If I had known I would never have started. I also am on Ciprelax for depression and slow release morphine for pain. Any advise for me.

Welcome Dinnie.

Someone will be along to help.

Hi Dinnie, welcome.

Regarding your dosage...
...so your dosage doesn't sound that far out of line.

I think the important questions are:

1. Is it helping/working?
2. Are you experiencing any intolerable side effects or adverse reactions?
3. Do you have any renal impairment, and is your doctor monitoring your renal functions? (Lyrica is metabolized in the kidneys)

It's important to consider that while some people do have a difficult time discontinuing Lyrica, most do not. People having difficulty/trouble have reason to post & seek support, while people who have no issues don't need support, so they don't post. This can give a false/skewed impression of things.

Are there any other reasons besides dosage that concern you or cause you to want to discontinue the medication?

Doc

Hello, I'm new here as well. I'm 52 and have been on Lyrica for 8 years. I chose to take myself off it and have started a 150mg once a day instead of twice. I'm fairly worried about the withdrawal effects headed my way. I'm on day five. So far just a lot of nausea and haven't slept well. Yes, just work up and decided to get off all medicine and coffee. Yes I'm crazy. The only other prescribed medicine I take is Ambien. Once I can get control of being off the Lyrica then I'll focus on getting of the Ambien. Just wondering what I might be expecting for my next side effect. I don't wont to wake up everyday and think I feel a certain way because of decreasing my Lyrica, don't want to set myself up for failure, it that makes sense.
It's nice to know other people are going through this as well, don't feel so alone.

I can't remember where I saw it posted, but someone suggested drinking something sweet in the morning when you first wake up to handle the nausea. So I did this morning and it helped tremendously, thank you to who ever posted that. Just the little things might get me through this.
SLE

I am not sure how to start a new thread, but I am giving it my best shot. I suffer from Lupus, Si Joint pain, and chronic lower back pain. My pain is so intense sometimes that I just don't know how I am going to make it. My back has been fused at l3 l4 l5. Ever since then my life has went down hill. Currently I have one neurosurgeon saying I need si joint fusion and another saying they don't think that is it. If anyone has suffered from si joint pain could you please tell me if your pain is always one sided or do you also get pain on the middle of your spine at the lower end of your back?