Thanks to all who responded to my question about tapering off of Lyrica. I have been traveling a lot lately and just talked to my doc at my appt. last week. I recently had a Spinal Cord Stimulator implanted for my neuropathy pain which has reduced my pain by 20-25%. So she had no issue with taking me off the Lyrica. (In addition to causing a 25% weight gain, it has effected my eyesight as well.) I am starting today and should be completely off in 3 weeks or so.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer.
Nancy

I took myself off of it since the Dr's ignored me when I complained of blackouts, confusion, and many other mental problems and being a nurse I knew to taper but I also knew the drug was killing me!It took over a year to begin to get short term memory back.... I took it for nerve pain! I guess I am saying if your Dr does not address problem and you know med is harming you, get off of it! I am tired of being a lab rat!!

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.