[Swmnupstrm]

Podiatrist gave me samples to start on - felt my gabapentin dose was a little high (600 TID) and felt I'd get better relief with Lyrica.

Took first dose night before last and woke up wanting to end it all. Just felt really down and hopeless. Scared the stuffing out of me - can it really affect a person that quickly????

Yikes

[rscowboy2005]

[QUOTE=Swmnupstrm;653028]Podiatrist gave me samples to start on - felt my gabapentin dose was a little high (600 TID) and felt I'd get better relief with Lyrica.

Took first dose night before last and woke up wanting to end it all. Just felt really down and hopeless. Scared the stuffing out of me - can it really affect a person that quickly????

*** Not my experience. OTOH, I was switched to Lyrica from nortryptiline (sp?) or something similar that gave me panic attacks. Those made me feel as though my life was ending. Maybe 5 months Lyrica experience.

Cowboy

[Swmnupstrm]

Thanks, Cowboy - know these drugs affect everyone differently - and many have success with Lyrica. I was hoping it would be useful for me, but I'm a little gun shy now at this point. Have since talked to another person who had a similar experience within 24 hours of the first dose. Bad body chemistry for some of us, I guess.

[aussiemom]

That isn't the s/e I get with that class of meds. I feel like there is an elephant on my chest, can't breathe. But it does happen that fast for me.

[Hockey]

You are far from alone in experiencing suicidal thoughts while taking Lyrica. In fact, there is a class action lawsuit on this very issue: www.lyricasuicidelawsuit.com

Cheers

[mrsD]

What dose did you start at? Lyrica should be titrated up.
Your doctor may have given you high dose because you use Neurontin already?

Sometimes CNS side effects go away. They can be variable.
When I started tramadol, a whole 50mg made me hallucinate all night long! I stopped taking it that way and now only use 1/2 tablet, and not often. I rarely get that side effect now but last night I sort of woke up and had a touch of it. I am really sensitive to tramadol, but I had alot of pain this weekend from overdoing garden work, and needed one. (I call this effect for me "tripping").

Lyrica and other anti-seizure drugs DO have a suicide ideology warning. Getting that side effect on the first dose, is not common. I suspect it was dose related. Or you should get some kidney tests...since this drug is excreted whole by the kidneys, and not metabolized.

In any event, I'd report it to the doctor. Also look at the sample pack and see what the expiration date is. Samples are often short dated, and yours may be expired! (doctors don't often check this, like pharmacies do).

[Swmnupstrm]

I will report it, Mrs. D, thanks.

She started me at 75 at bedtime, after taking 600 of gabapentin am and 6 hours later.

I do have to mention that I am prone to depression anyway, have previously been hospitalized for it. Possibly it's my chemical makeup - . Surprised me, though, as I have been on many different antidepressants and never had such a reaction.

And, no, I don't take any now, so it couldn't be that kind of interaction.

Anway, thanks for all the input here - my sister is a nurse practitioner and I discussed this with her last night - said she will use caution when prescribing to her patients with history of depression in the future.

[nide44]

Originally Posted by Swmnupstrm

I will report it, Mrs. D, thanks.

She started me at 75 at bedtime, after taking 600 of gabapentin am and 6 hours later.

I do have to mention that I am prone to depression anyway, have previously been hospitalized for it. Possibly it's my chemical makeup - . Surprised me, though, as I have been on many different antidepressants and never had such a reaction......

It is not an antti-depression med like Cymbalta.
It is a anti seizure med.
Equivalence is 300mg Lyrica=1800 gabapentin
(1/6 ratio - 75mg Lyrica would equal 450mg gabapentin)
That would equal 600+600+450= 1650
You may have been over your limit for the time period.

[Swmnupstrm]

Thanks for the dosage comparison chart, Bob.

Didn't mean to say it is an anti - d; just after all the anti d's they have put me on over the years, none seemed to send me into a tailspin; at the most they did nothing.

Just was surprised at the reaction. But hey, will talk to doc, back off on the gabapentin and perhaps give it another go.

[nide44]

Maybe the doc didn't mention it, but the Lyrica & gabapentin have to be totaled together to see what your total intake is. that's the reason for the equivalency.
If you are taking, say 3000 mgs of gabapentin and add Lyroca, you have to back off of the gabapentin to still equal the 3000mgs.
When I switched to Lyrica completely, I had to have a titration chart of backing off gabapentin and adding Lyrica, in increments of 50mg of Lyrica, until I had completely replaced the 4200mgs of gabapentin with the Lyrica. I started with 150mgs of Lyrica and reduced 900mgs of the gabapentin. It took about 10 days.