Lyrica
 

I've been taking lyrica for nere pain and am trying to quit cold turkey. Have you been able to stay off of Lyrica. I've tried to quit b/f without success in the long term.

I took 150 mg per day for one year and stopped it suddenly (ordered by my doc).

2 days I felt "weird". Doc put me in B-complex pills and I feel perfect. No pain, I could sleep, no tremors, no depression, no bad dreams... nothing. Actually felt better than when taking the Lyrica (which also helped me alot.)

Good luck !

Lyrica Ruined My Life!!!
 

I quit Lyrica. I tapered down from 300 mg over 5 weeks. Then another two weeks of absolute HELL.

I've suffered from fibromyalgia for nearly 18 years. I was on Lyrica for 13 months. After the initial loopiness and scary leg swelling, I started working out and the leg swelling disappeared. I got strong again and felt almost normal. It was wonderful until I got a lung infection and became very depressed and suicidal.

I'm thinking, "I'm not suicidal..." so I checked my meds, and sure enough, Lyrica has suicidal thoughts listed as well as infections. I was also experiencing blurred vision as well. That was 6 MONTHS AGO!!!

Since then, I've lost my income and become basically un-functional. Homelessness is just around the corner. My doctors think I may have a brain tumor or cyst. Just before I started tapering off, I started getting headaches. They've gotten worse. I'm poor so approval for an MRI is taking weeks. I may die first.

(FDA approval was delayed because Lyrica causes tumors in mice. Pfizer convinced them that was just because of high doses.)

To taper off, I took Soma - a muscle relaxer. It really helped until I ran out. By then, I was bedridden and of no mind to manage to get a refill so I suffered through the last two weeks.

If anyone hears of a lawsuit, let me know. I'd like to join in. Lyrica is extremely addictive - even after the free sample period. It only works for a few people. I read an estimate that only 15% will be helped - but nearly everyone who tries it will get hooked and have to suffer the withdrawals. If you go cold turkey, your brain could swell - this has been documented.

Shame of Pfizer. Shame on the FDA. The advent of Lyrica is nothing short of criminal abuse of the already suffering.

I wish I'd never heard of it. I would advise everyone to avoid this poison at all costs.

weaning off lyrica
 

i am coming off 600mg of lyrica 1st week 300mg,but was sick to days and missed it got suicidal thoughts,crying for two days i could not believe this .today i start 75mg 2 times a day im nervous,petrified more like it.

Hi Nancy, I am new to this posting site but I was looking for assistance in getting off lyrica. If you are still around and posting, please let me know how your Dr. had you come off the drug. I simply have to get off and I am in a new city and don't want to start with a new neurologist right now. Thanks

What dose are you on, Chica43?

Taking 175mg. only in evening along with 40 mg cymbalta. Cannot tolerate at all to take during the day and, as it is, I am still so lethargic and bloated just taking it in the evening. As well as other negative side effects.

Okay, then I will wait for someone else to help you... I was on 300mg at one time... but just recently weaned off of 75mg of Lyrica.. if you were on that low of a dose, I could tell you how to do it... but don't remember how I went off off it when I was on 300mg (that was a few years ago) and don't want to give you the wrong information! Just thought I'd check though in case I would be able to help.

I didn't have any major side effects with Lyrica... it just made me very hungry... I didn't notice it when I was on the 300 mg... but when I was just recently on it. I was on it for peripheral neuropathy that I got after having gastric bypass surgery. Well now my stomach is so small and the Lyrica made me SO hungry--not a good combination. By all means it was not a major side effect, and if the Lyrica was doing some good, I would have stayed on it--but it wasn't helping at all, so I went off of it.

The bloating is a mild side effect usually, but being lethargic usually is a pretty big deal... and "other negative side effects"... if you are having multiple side effects, it is probably best.

I appreciate your erring on side of caution, but would appreciate knowing how you weaned yourself off the 75mg per day.

My doctor had me go off of it the exact same way I went on it... I went from 75 mg 3 times a day down to 50 mgs 3 times a day for 5 days... and then 50 mgs 2 times a day for 2 days and then stopped. The problem with Lyrica is that as far as I know, it's all capsules, not tablets that can be broken.. I was only on it about 3 weeks this last time, so I was still using samples from my doctor (because my insurance has a fit when we try to get them to pay for Lyrica... so my doctor gave samples to see if it would work first) so I had access to both the 75 mg capsules and the 50 mg capsules. I'm not sure how that would work in your situation--are your pills 175 mg capsules? Or do you take 2 or 3 of a certain strength to get to 175? Without a doctor giving you the correct pills to wean off of it, it will impossible if all you have is a 175 mg capsule... unless someone out there knows something I don't--such as breaking them open, but as far as I know, that can't be done.