Hope you are surviving the Lyrica withdrawal hell! Only way to safely do it is like benzodiazepine withdrawal as per Ashton Manual. Go slow ie 10% dose reduction every 2 weeks or so. Caps are now made 25mg strength. I decreased 25mg every 2 weeks. It was hell and I definitely couldn't of held anything together during this time. Many people open up the capsules and take a little out at a time. Some even get the compounding pharmacist to help gradually lower dose. I have even heard of Lyrica liquid in some countries. So just go slowly and you will make it off ok. The withdrawal is punishing. Lyricasurvivors on FaceBook are a great source of info too.

I started Lyrica not even two weeks ago for vagal neuropathy. I was experiencing severe muscle and joint pain as a side effect, so was told to stop the med. I was at 150 mg/day and was told just to stop it, no tapering. That was two or three days ago. Now the biggest symptom I'm having is ridiculous itching. It was severe enough to wake me, and I had already taken 100 mg/benadryl for sleep, which didn't help at all. Googling says this is neuropathic itch, which is not histamine based. Lidocaine aloe gel all over is helping some but I'd like to find a systemic remedy. Ideas?

I've been to many forums and they all have the horrid details of the side effects of being on lyrica. This certainly seems to be a exclusive club that doctors and even pharmacist refuse to acknowledge. I am very grateful for these forums, they have certainly gave me hope in knowing that this will pass in time.
I started taking lyrica in November 2014, for severe lower lack pain. I tried all the other remedies and none of them helped my problem. An MRI revealed that I had severe stenosis resulting in pinched nerves. The lyrica helped my problem but I knew I needed to have a permanent fix. In January I went in for surgery and had a double laminectomy at L3 L5. I continued this drug through January and weened off towards the end of the month thinking that all is good. I should also state while taking the lyrica I knew I wasn't right in the head, things like forgetfulness, bouts of depression, anxiety, loss of appetite etc. But now I'm off of it and on the road to recovery, right? WRONG, in the middle of April I started having flu like symptoms, totally drained of energy, not wanting to do anything but lay in bed, this lasted for about 2-3 weeks. I thought I was going crazy, that feeling eventually went away and all was well again. Then the 18th of June, those same flu like symptoms came back again, and of course again you start thinking something is wrong, why am I feeling like this with no other signs of anything being wrong! My wife thinks I am crazy, I should go to the hospital etc. No one that has not taken lyrica just doesn't understand what this poison does to you!
I do at times wonder myself, can this be from taking this drug after you have stopped taking it 5 months ago? Has anyone else experienced these reoccurring symptoms after stopping 5-6 months ago?
Thanks to all for all the postings about this, as others have stated it is tremendous support and assurance that this is only temporary.

Before my back issues, I tried both Neurontin and Lyrica for non-sciatic non-neuropathic hip pain. It totally didn't help with pain and it made me really sick. Nausea, vomiting, tonic contractions, sleeping 20 hours a day. The docs said they'd never seen anyone react so badly to it.

If you get sick from either, call the drug companies and report the side effects. They are required by the FDA to track it. It's the only way the side effects will be catalogued and eventually when enough people report problems, the FDA will flag it.

Yes
 

I had withdrawals for months. It is the most punishing drug I have ever put in my body. The suffering I went through was nearly too much. But I finally got off, and you can too!

Yes I have been off Lyrica for a year now and still cycle through all the withdrawal side effects on a regular basis. Although everything is getting dampened down more now and I am beginning to enjoy life again. Out of no where I might get a cluster of familiar GI symptoms with depression and anxiety, then that will ease to be replaced by other problems like nerve pain sensitivity heart racing etc. it is so not fun but I am sure in time I will totally heal.

Facebook
 

There is a Lyrics Survivors Facebook page. It's a closed group, but only takes a short time to be accepted. You will find much more rapid answers to your questions, plus the community is great.

Lyrica & SFN
 

[QUOTE=McKenzie;1160505]Yes I have been off Lyrica for a year now and still cycle through all the withdrawal side effects on a regular basis. Although everything is getting dampened down more now and I am beginning to enjoy life again. Out of no where I might get a cluster of familiar GI symptoms with depression and anxiety, then that will ease to be replaced by other problems like nerve pain sensitivity heart racing etc. it is so not fun but I am sure in time I will totally heal.

Hi McKenzie, That is pretty scary stuff. A year later and your still having some WD SE's from Lyrica. How much were you on and for how long did you take it for?
I haven't read any of your recent posts. What did you take the Lyrica for? I'm thinking it was for nerve pain (neuropathy). What are you taking for your pain now that you are off of Lyrica and are "beginning to enjoy life again"? Sounds great! Does this mean there is some hope for the rest of us.. sigh..I take 300mgs day, for three years now..no help or just stopped working, I dk..
I have SFN, can not find a med-combo for this horrid pain. Days like today , where I had a bad on-going flare of stinging, burning , bees stinging me all over pain. I just feel like giving up. Do not know what to do or where to turn ..I do know I do not want to live with debilitating pain anymore. My quality of life is fading away...:Sob:

Down The Rabbit Hole
 

Hi there

I am a new member, though I have visited this site and this thread several times for advice, thank you to all who have posted. I have been on Lyrica for some time (maybe two years now? Before that I was on Neurontin) for radicular neuropathy down my leg and into my foot following a back and hip injury (repetitive stress from teaching preschool). I am on 450mg/day. I have tried to get off the Lyrica many times in the past year and it has been quite the roller coaster. Most of the time I have tried going off it has been due to not getting prescriptions refilled for various insurance BS reasons as I know many of you can relate to. The side effects and withdrawal symptoms are almost too numerous to list, essentially I literally feel as though I am dying when I try to go off, and I am depressed, disconnected and confused on it. I have a plan to try and taper off 75mg/month until I am free of it. My doctor, the only one I am able to see after months of no doctor, refuses to assist with the side effects, such as prescribing an SSRI, and as it is workers comp my primary care doc will also not help, so I am on my own. It is a scary drug; I have been on and off many meds throughout my life but none compare to the roller coaster that is Lyrica. I mostly take over the counter meds to help, such as Benadryl for the withdrawal (a huge help!), but it is scary how much this drug messes with my mind, my balance, my life. Reality and dreams seem intermingled, my pain becomes overwhelming, and I feel that I am slowly losing touch with who I am. I do not work or even drive, and though initially I blamed my injury for that, I now think a lot of it has to do with the Lyrica. I appreciate any advice and/or support while going through this. I am scared, though my life has been anything but easy, this is the hardest thing I have ever gone through. My docs' main suggestion is to switch to Topomax, but that just seems like more of the same problem. My goal is to be med free, though last time I was I was bedridden with pain. I just want my brain and my life back. I have lots of gaps in my memory, I lose time frequently, like a black out with no recognition of what happened. It is intensified with alcohol (and much easier to binge drink on it) so I will be avoiding that completely until I am off the meds, and maybe even after. I wish I had figured out the connection sooner, but many of the problems with Lyrica took some time for me to be aware of. My vision comes and goes, has anyone found anything that helps with the vision probs associated with Lyrica? I know many of you are suffering through similar issues, and I am grateful for this website. Here's hoping we all make it though this.

_________________
"I'm afraid I can't explain myself, sir. Because I am not myself, you see?" -Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

I hope today is a better day. :hug: