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Lyrica Withdrawal Syndrome
Hi everyone...I know that there have been several threads posted by members who are dealing with difficult withdrawal symptoms caused by Lyrica. However I believe that it's time to start recording the experiences of those suffering, so we can understand which symptoms occur commonly. Many people going through withdrawal are shocked by how sick they have become. Doctors and healthcare workers often don't know, or don't believe that stopping Lyrica can be the cause of so much misery. As terrible as it sounds, Doctors often react with anger or frustration when a patient complains of suffering because they don't want to assume any responsibility or accept any blame for prescribing something that makes a patient so sick. "You must be imagining things, or even lying or exaggerating,because this drug does NOT cause this level of withdrawal!"...Well, we know better.
I was prescribed Lyrica for RSD, 450mg per day. I made the mistake of running out when my pharmacy was closed. I became so sick that I was unable to get out of bed for more than two weeks. I was unaware that Lyrica caused withdrawal, so much so that I thought I had the flu! My husband picked up my prescription by chance one day, while having his own prescription filled, and brought it home. I was blown away to find myself completely well within an hour of taking my regular dose. Then and there, I made the decision that I would stop taking the drug. I had found the side effects horrific anyway, with the weight gain, mental foginess and emotional deadness I had been experiencing while on Lyrica. I began a taper immediately. I started reducing my Lyrica by 25mg every 10 days to two weeks. It was rough, especially when I went down in dosage, and it took days to feel even marginally better. Still, I stuck it out, beginning in January 2013, and finally finishing in July of the same year. A long, slow taper, I know, but I went as fast as I felt I could, enough to keep the withdrawal symptoms at bay so I could function. Many have found, like I did, that quitting cold turkey was virtually impossible, due to the fact that the terrible illness of withdrawal would just go on and on, never getting any better. I've heard of people sick for months while going through Lyrica withdrawal. Reading about the experiences of others going through what I was going through was an enormous comfort to me. It made me feel that I wasn't crazy, that I was one of many who had been taken in by promises of pain relief without fear of addiction or withdrawal (that's what I was told!). The following is a list of the symptoms that I experienced during withdrawal from Lyrica. I encourage everyone to add your experiences to this thread as well. Believe me, there are lots of people suffering right now who will visit this sight and be comforted with the knowledge that they are not alone! LYRICA WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME Exhaustion, coupled with insomnia (horrible combination) Depression Crying jags Rage Extreme episodes of sweating Chills Inability to regulate temperature Headache Nausea Stomach pain (often described as stabbing pain) Severe Anxiety Restless Leg Syndrome Body aches Muscle contractions Vision problems Suicidal ideation Difficulty breathing (hard to take deep breath) Lack of desire to socialize in any way Mood swings I know that more symptoms exist, and I hope that you will add your own experiences to this thread. Only by bringing this terrible issue forward will we ever convince anyone...Doctors, health-care workers or Pfizer itself to do something about the irresponsible way that this drug has been fed to us all, and force them to take measures to at the very least inform the public of the risks that taking Lyrica bring. |
Tell your storyand help others!
Gosh my ego is a bit bruised...lots of views of this page, but no one posting. I hope if you have a similar story, you tell it here, even briefly. Reading posts from others who were suffering was some of the best recovery medicine I found (which is why sharing is the cornerstone of the 12 Step Movement). But even if you are just reading, I hope this thread helps you!
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I have to admit your post is a bit disturbing and scarey. I know you are trying to help others (like me) to understand withdrawing form Lyrica is difficult and what we can expect. That is how I found your post. You said you were on 450mgs but you didnt mention how long you were taking Lyrica for. Did it help with your pain from RSD, even though your say your side effects were "Horrible". Were you on another medication for your pain while you were weaning off the Lyrica. (sorry my question mark key is broken).:mad: I take 300mgs of Lyrica for small fiber neuropathy for 8 mos now for neuropathic pain. I think it is helping a little with some of the pins and needles & tinglin pain , buzzin pain, and some burning. My side effects are very painful belly bloating and painful stomach, (little weight gain tho) head fogginess, and depression. My Doctor doesnt want to increase my dose, he thinks the sideeffects outweigh the benefits! I feel the same. I think its time to cut back on Lyrica. I have a script for 25mgs to start titrating. So my "dilemna " scares me to death for three reasons. My pain may get worse. I do not have a back up med for my pain. And the withdrawal symptoms :eek:. I knew withdrawal from Lyrica could get bad, but I guess I didnt realise how bad until I read your post! Are the symptoms you listed only if someone goes cold turkey. Did titrating at 25mgs for many days help make withdrawal less painful for you. My plan is to go sloooowly (again, sorry question mark key is broken). Im going crazy , I dont know what to do. I have pain, but Lyrica is not working, If I go off Lyrica my pain could get worse and will suffer withdrawal side effects too. Ugghh! I tryed Cymbalta, neurotin, and elavil no help and had to stop due to sideefects. (I take a low dose of Xanax for anxiety). How are you feeling today. Are you off the Lyrica completely and what are you taking for your RSD pain. Has anyone else had a bad withdrawal experience with Lyrica. Thanks for letting me vent! |
There is hope
I'm sorry that I scared you. My anger about withdrawal from Lyrica comes not only from my own experience, but also from the thousands of posts I've read from people suffering these terrible withdrawal symptoms with little or no support from their Doctors, who will often plead ignorance or deny outright that this drug causes these complications (self protection from possible malpractice suits). The drug giant responsible Pfizer, is dealing with lawsuits as well, but mostly relating to suicide and suicidal thoughts.
I did not get much pain relief from Lyrica. I was on the drug for about a year and a half. My worst experiences came during withdrawal. Yes, I'm now off Lyrica, but it took me seven months, and I basically took as little of the drug as I could take and still get through the day without sitting and shaking in misery in my room. My taper was about 25 mg at a time, tapering down every two to three weeks. I wish that there was some over the counter meds or vitamins that I could suggest, but as my pharmacist said, It's like using an umbrella in a tornado. The only thing to do is try to get as much support as possible, and if possible take some time off if you have to taper down faster than I did. To answer your question, I'm on the fentanyl patch, which works great for me, with few side effects and no druggy feeling. I change patches every 3 days. I researched it well before I took it, and I was willing to risk the side effects listed, none of which I have. I'll have to taper off, but at least that taper is well known. I want to encourage every person who has been hurt by this drug to write down their experience, save it somewhere where you can copy and paste it in every forum possible. Pfizer thinks that they can hide behind the mountain of small print that they publish about Lyrica, stuff that one needs a degree in molecular biology to understand. Information is power, and getting information out is our best tool at this point in stopping the big drug companies from pushing dangerous medication on us, all to bring in more money. I'm sorry to rant on at you, when you're scared and just wondering how the heck to get off Lyrica. As another poster said, "Slower feels better than faster", and that's good advise. You may get lucky and be one of the people who go off with little or no withdrawal symptoms. Good luck, and PLEASE keep us posted! |
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IMO, your worst enemy here is fear itself, and you may be putting the cart before the horse. Everyone is different; not everyone experiences severe withdrawal effects when tapering off Lyrica, and many can taper off of it within a relatively short period of time. Sure, it's scary to read the horror stories, but it's the people who've experienced the worst that seek support and post their stories/complaints, and in many instances, there is incomplete information (e.g. substance abuse, medication interactions, exaggeration, faulty memories, comorbid conditions, details re: discontinuation, etc.) Those who taper with little/no problems don't need support, and hence aren't likely to post their uneventful experiences. This results in a skewed perspective. Getting Off Lyrica Without Problems; Minimize Side Effects Doc |
Remedies That Got Me Through
Oh, the horror...the horror! (My nod to Dr. Smith and Lost in Space)
Thanks Dr. Smith! Of course you are right in that there are plenty of people who have gone off Lyrica with no trace of withdrawal. My husband spent many months in the hospital getting IV Dilaudid every two hours, and was weaned off within a week and seemed to have zero withdrawal symptoms. Lucky him, and lucky you, whoever you are, that stops so easily. This post is not for you. If you read my first post, I was dead sick for two weeks before I even knew I was in withdrawal, so precipitous fear wasn't a problem. I thought rather than scare everyone to death, I'd tell you a few things that helped me a lot, or a little. I did crazy research online to find some solutions. I am not in any way recommending anything. Do your own research, and try what you will at your own risk. This is information widely available online, that I found with Google searches. I didn't have blurred vision, so I don't know about that. OVERALL: GABA. GABA is an amino acid available over the counter. I came upon it by accident at GNC, and thought hmmm...gabapentin/GABA. I bought a bottle, brought it home and did some reading before trying it (***-backward, I realize). Web M.D. states that GABA works by inhibiting brain wave signals. Lyrica is believed to work by inhibiting brain signals. GABA is analogous to Lyrica (chemically very similar, also from Web M.D.) While there are many who believe that GABA doesn't cross the blood brain barrier, the consensus is that some of a dosage does cross. I took mine with grapefruit juice, hopefully to potentiate crossing the bbb. GABA is believed to relax you, help you sleep, aid in fat burning, help with PMS, relieve pain and aid in balancing blood pressure. I was concerned about taking another version of Lyrica, even natural, obviously because I was trying to get off it, but could find no evidence that GABA caused any of the problems of Lyrica, especially withdrawal. I took GABA every night (makes you sleepy) and darned if it didn't make everything easier. I wish I had found it at the beginning of withdrawal, because it did help me very much. GABA was the first (and only) thing I tried that made me forget that I didn't feel well, often for hours at a time (and when I'm ill, I have this OCD habit of constantly reevaluating my current state). Everything else helps, but this was the most helpful. It cost around fifteen dollars for 60 at GNC. Anxiety: Many people suggest a benzo like Valium or Clonopin (sp?). I didn't go that route, because I was afraid of going through withdrawal, which I've heard is brutal. I occasionally used Valerian (tastes terrible) in an oil form. I'm not sure that it really helped. As much as you don't feel like doing it, getting some exercise is good medicine. I tried very hard to walk for 45 minutes every day, and I always felt better after. Flu-like symptoms: This was pretty obvious with ibuprofen, acetaminophen and aspirin available everywhere. Helped the body aches. Stabbing stomach pain: I used loperamide occasionally, which is the active ingredient in Immodium, and can be purchased in any drugstore. Opiate users all have this in their cupboards for withdrawal. It's actually an opioid which has a molecular composition too large to pass through the blood brain barrier. That means it doesn't affect your central nervous system (there are many arguments about this, but I'll go with the science). However your body has many opiate receptors, especially in the gut. 4 mg took care of this every time for me. Once again, I took with grapefruit juice. Pepto Bismol also helped. Sweating: Oh, my most hated symptom! I would break into massive, drenching sweats where water would roll down my face and my clothes would be soaked. I once again found help from those handy opiate users (some of them could be biochemists...and maybe they are!). The biggest help was benedryl, hands down. But it made me so sleepy, I could only take it before bed which kept night sweats away and gave me the added benefit of extra sleep. Afrin nasal spray was helpful during the day. It contains a chemical similar to the blood pressure med Clonidine, commonly prescribed for alcoholic withdrawal. Lots of people get a prescription for Clonidine for withdrawal, but I didn't, so I don't have first hand knowledge. Beware though...Afrin can be highly addictive too. I tried to use it sparingly. There are a number of prescriptions for hyperhidrosis (sweating) which I also did not try. If you have used them, please post and let us know. Finally Sage oil, in tea or capsules, which I got at GNC. I'm not a big natural remedy person, but this did help. I rubbed sage oil on my wrists throughout the day. Insomnia: I used everything I could find that was available otc. As I mentioned earlier, I took benedryl every night for sweating, great for sleep (but druggy aftereffects in the morning were a price I paid). Variously I tried Unisom, Tylenol PM (especially when my body was aching) and some of the newer preparations like Tylenol PM with no pain reliever, just sleep meds). I can also highly recommend Sleepytime Herbal Tea, which can knock me out if I make it strong (I use 4 tea bags!). There are many other drugs available with a prescription, so go to your Doctor for these. I was scared off Ambien by stories of people driving off of cliffs in their sleep. Exhaustion: I KNOW that what I used was not good for me. I drank Monster no calorie energy drinks. There is a ton of evidence that energy drinks are terrible for you. But I'm just being honest. However, my Dr helped me by switching me from Prozac (I took for depression) to Wellbutrin, which gave me energy and had the major added benefit for me of curbing my appetite, which helped me lose all that lyrica weight. This is absolutely a conversation to have with your Dr. after doing lots of your own research. Never again make the mistake I made, by not thoroughly investigating what you put in your body. These things helped me. PLEASE add your own tips. Everyone who reads this, however, must understand that these are things that helped me. I'm NOT a Doctor, and these are related to you not as recommendations, but as my personal experiences. Be your own advocate and research what might help you. Let me know if it does. |
Thank You!
Triviafriend,
I'd like to thank you for your wonderful post for the lyrica withdrawal symptoms that you faced. I too was on lyrica for only 4 months, taking 450mg per day. I stopped taking it because of the following side effects: EXTREME joint pain blurred vision nausea massive weight gain lack of sex drive dizziness depression I did wean myself off of the medication following my drs instructions and have been off of the med for 3 months now. I did have many of the side effects that you encountered, and thankfully my symptoms have all improved with the exception of the joint pain which is excruciating. The lyrica was prescribed to help with chronic neck pain I was having, being supplemented with 7.5mg of hydrocodone every 4-5 hours. Unfortunately, with the joint pain that was caused by the lyrica, I'm now up to 15mg of hydrocodone every 4 hours. I was suggested to see a rheumatologist who performed massive blood work, all resulting with inconclusive results. So, now I'm faced with taking more hydrocodone than I've ever needed before, which is also being supplemented with 4mg of tizanidine at bedtime to help with sleep, and no solution to my joint pain. I've always been an incredibly active person, who now is feeling crippled with pain if I sit for too long of a period of time (5 minutes is too long), and no solution to my condition. My doctor doesn't want to believe that the lyrica could possibly have caused the joint pain, but I NEVER had any of these pains until I took the lyrica. Depression is major for me and I have been taking 150mg of welbutrin for 3 months which isn't helping. I suppose what I'm trying to offer to other members is to please just be extremely cautious with lyrica and do your research. Only we, as the patient, truly know our own bodies, and must listen to them carefully when taking medication. Lyrica is an incredibly dangerous one that medical professionals are prescribing far too easily, with limited knowledge of it's side effects. Quote:
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Same
I also found out the hard way about Lyrica withdrawal. I was put on it by one of the pain pill pushers(M.D). No one ever said ANYTHING about withdrawal. I had a laminectomy on 2011 and just quit cold turkey not knowing any better. 5 days later I had one of the darkest days of my life. I couldn't figure it out. Until I went online. There it was from others like myself. But I went back on it because it worked. Now I have been weaning myself off it for about 3 months. I was on 300 mg/day. 75 mg 4x's a day. So I started with dropping one pill a day for two weeks at a time. It was not really a problem until the last pill. At that time I started to take one pill every other day for 3 weeks. Then I stopped a week ago. I began to realize yesterday that I was beginning to have withdrawal again. The coughing, flu like feeling. The shortness of breath. I could not go to sleep for 3 hours after I laid down last night.I guess I will have to go back to the regimen of every other day or maybe every third day (or night). In the interim as I was going through all this, I had surgery on my right foot. I had to take pain pills which probably masked the withdrawal. I also, on some nights, would take some Xanax. It was an old script my wife had that had expired but it did help me sleep. I may ask my Dr. for some lower doses to help. But I think that many, not all, Dr.'s just push the drug company pills.
I am determined to beat this. The forums help and like in the 12 step programs, being aware of what is happening is the first step. |
I will probably be taking Lyrica for the rest of my life. For 2 reasons. First and foremost, it truly does help me, there has been a significant amount of pain loss since I started it 5 years ago. Secondly I recently ran out due to a prior auth issue with my insurance and had none at all for two weeks, and I literally wanted to die. I could NOT deal with the discontinuation syndrome plus the return of the pain. I won't got into all my issues other than to say my pelvis was crushed in a car accident and rebuilt, and without Lyrica I have a severe tail-bone pain that is just unbearable. Add to that the freezing and sweating, diarrhea, bloating and depression and I was seriously suffering. I finally got it again today two hours ago, took a double dose and one of my reg pain meds, and now I'm almost 100% again.
When I first started taking it, I felt drunk, it was horrible, but then I quit taking it during the day, just taking it like a couple hours before bedtime and then again when hubby gets up to go to work at 4am. I'm sleeping off the side effects. For me personally the benefits outweigh the risks, it keeps me off the heavy heavy pain meds and as long as I can get it I'll be ok. THIS time, I'm going to save some back, that way if this ever happens again maybe I'll be ok. I do feel for those of you going through the w/d from this. It IS real, it DOES exist. I just wish I had more words of comfort to offer. God Bless you all. |
Thank you!
I just want to say thank you so much for this thread! I am currently trying to get off of gabapentin and having terrible withdrawal symptoms (many of which are similar to those you've listed, such as terrible hot flashes/sweats). My doc had also prescribed Lyrica so I wondered if switching to it would help me with gabapentin withdrawal. Now I see it would be going from the 'frying pan into the fire'. Thank you so much for saving me from a bad decision!!
For those suffering from neuropathy/pain, I highly recommend you look into PEA (PeaPure), a supplement with NO side effects that really works! |
Lyrica withdrawal
Hi TriviaFriend,
I have just joined this forum, because I was looking for answers for why I have been feeling so unwell this past 3 weeks. I tapered off slowly, but possibly not slowly enough. It has been helpful to me see that many of the symptoms that I have been going through are listed by others. My understanding was that symptoms would be milder than they have been and would take no more than a week to get through. But clearly everyone is different. My Symptoms include: Exhaustion, coupled with insomnia (horrible combination) Depression Extreme episodes of sweating Chills Inability to regulate temperature Headache Nausea Muscle aches Short of breath Lack of desire to socialize Mood swings Thanks so much to all for your interesting information |
[QUOTE=Island Mist Woman;1017944]Hi TriviaFriend,
I have just joined this forum, because I was looking for answers for why I have been feeling so unwell this past 3 weeks. I tapered off slowly, but possibly not slowly enough. It has been helpful to me see that many of the symptoms that I have been going through are listed by others. My understanding was that symptoms would be milder than they have been and would take no more than a week to get through. But clearly everyone is different. My Symptoms include: Exhaustion, coupled with insomnia (horrible combination) Depression Extreme episodes of sweating Chills Inability to regulate temperature Headache Nausea Muscle aches Short of breath Lack of desire to socialize Mood swings Thanks so much to all for your interesting information Hi Island Mist, So Sorry you are going through so much suffering :hug: I am on Lyrica too. Is that the medication you are withdrawing from? How much were you taking and for how long? I am on 300 mgs day, for about 9 mos now. Its not helping me too much with my pain. What were you taking it for? I have idiopathic small fiber neuropathy. Lyrica is causing my hair to fall out, so I will have to get off of this med soon. Ive read so many horror stories on people who are withdrawing from lyrica. It scares me to death to think that Im going to have to suffer more pain on top of this neuropathic pain. Would you mind telling me how slowly you tapered. Do you think if you tapered slower that would have helped? Are you trying another medication for your pain? I know doctors tell you that you can taper off this medication in one week, :mad: well we know that is not true! It frustrates me that Doctors dont even know how bad this medication can be or either they do know and turn a deaf ear! I hope somebody will chime in soon to reassure you that you will feel better soon. please keep us posted. Thanks Marie |
Opposite Lyrica problem?
This my sound weird, and I'm probably not in the right arena, but I'm trying to wean ON the med, not off. I need help with the pain of RSD in my face, jaws and neck. I had 5 stellate ganglion blocks in Feb and it was a miracle of help. I weaned off Fentenyl patches and the other anti-seizure meds I'd been on. Unfortunately, it only lasted about 4 months and the pain is coming back and has been for the past almost 2 months. About a month ago, I had 2 more injections. I caught an upper respiratory infection about 2 weeks ago. The coughing is not helping...at all.
I had started on 25mg at night for 2 weeks and 2 days ago I increased to 50mgs out of desperation. I want to give the medication a chance to work, but I feel SO weird, kinda like brain zaps or withdrawal symptoms from antidepressants. Any suggestions? Thanks, Beth |
Lyrica withdrawal
it is important to know how addictative this drug is and how short a time period it takes for the drug to show the side effects. After 3 months on a 150mg dose and following exact medical advice on a slow a careful reducing dose plan, I have still suffered severe suicidal thoughts, severe abdominal pain, insomnia, rage, despair, exhaustion aand the list goes on. I wish I had never taken this drug, even the limited pain relief has not been worth it
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Lyrica withdrawal
[QUOTE=Marie33;1017960]
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I am just getting used to this site and these posts. I just tried to post under the Lyrica Withdrawal Forum, but I am not sure where the post went. Yes, it is Lyrica that I am withdrawing from. I was on 300mg at bedtime. I will try and figure out how to do these posts properly so that I can continue my own journey of withdrawal. I have found the posts of others very helpful, but sure don't look forward to feeling like this for months. It makes me quite angry that Dr's don't seem to know about the severity of the withdrawal symptoms, and neither does the drug company manufacturing this drug. It is so wrong. I have not found any information on the incidence of withdrawal symptoms. So 10% of people go through this? or do 90% of people go through this. I wish you well in your own journey. I hope that you will be one of the people who does not go through withdrawal. Take good care D. |
[QUOTE=Island Mist Woman;1018795][QUOTE=Marie33;1017960]
Hi Marie, I am just getting used to this site and these posts. I just tried to post under the Lyrica Withdrawal Forum, but I am not sure where the post went. Yes, it is Lyrica that I am withdrawing from. I was on 300mg at bedtime. I will try and figure out how to do these posts properly so that I can continue my own journey of withdrawal. I have found the posts of others very helpful, but sure don't look forward to feeling like this for months. It makes me quite angry that Dr's don't seem to know about the severity of the withdrawal symptoms, and neither does the drug company manufacturing this drug. It is so wrong. I have not found any information on the incidence of withdrawal symptoms. So 10% of people go through this? or do 90% of people go through this. I wish you well in your own journey. I hope that you will be one of the people who does not go through withdrawal. Take good care Hi D Thanks for responding. Are you still withdrawing fro Lyrica? How are you feeling now? You said you were on 300 mgs at night wow that seems like a lot of med at one time. I take 100 3xday. Unfortunately its not doing much.How long were you on it for? and why are you getting off it. Do you have a "backup" med for your pain? Did it cause your hair too fall? :mad: Hope your doing OK! Thanks Marie |
Me too
Well at least I know why I'm sick as a dog... I have been on Lyria for more than 5 years for fibromyalgia. In general it has worked very well for me, although not as much in the past year. I've had more breakthrough flares.
About 4 months ago I developed what is currently diagnosed as an atypical neuralgia that makes it nearly impossible for me to talk. It has ruined my life. As my job involved tons of talking, I have been on medical leave for the past 8 weeks. Finally ended up with a neurologist who is attempting to treat the problem. He prescribed Trileptal, and had me taper off the Lyrica. Because I had researched withdrawal, I was expecting some problems. Right. Down from 450mg to 150mg, within 2 weeks. That was not so bad. Then he said to stop. Not. Symptoms include: Nausea Profuse sweating Depression Lethargy Itching Chills Crying I will call him in the morning and insist the taper be done more slowly. In the meantime I'm just going to take a pill. The good news is that my neuralgia is better. Not gone, but better. |
you are so right about the horrors of this drug. I just posted my story, but I am new to this forum, to forums in general, so I hope you can find it.
I am ^ months into withdrawal after only taking 100-150 mgs. daily for 3+ months and still not right. how can this drug be legal? and why aren't doctors aware of the dangers. and they were so worried about 10 mg.s of oxycodone for my pain. that withdrawal/side effects was nothing compared to lyrica. |
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Trivia, thanks for your post...very helpful as I am currently tapering but I was only on 100-125mg daily but for 4 or5 yrs. You covered most symptoms and I can only add: - Heart palpitations and chest pressure and jaw pain - Language issues...using wrong words or slurring or stuttering - Uneven gait, clumsy(I seem to misjudge corners in my home and walk into them like I am drunk). I do agree that withdrawal is more difficult than expected and I have gone off all my pain meds twice before, including oxycontin. I did try to get off lyrica about a yr ago but was not prepared. This time I have joined a health club that has sauna and jacuzzi and warm pool. I find exercise difficult but am forcing myself to swim slowly and sit in sauna to get rid of toxins. I also hired a friend to help me food shop and make large glasses of veggie juice each day and I am eating really well. I don't know if Lyrica also suppresses endorphins like opiates do but, I know you are supposed to do things to help kick endorphins back into gear like listening to happy music...dance around a bit if you can manage...watch funny movies...cuddle with your loved ones or pets(my cats are amazingly sensitive to my situation, it is just uncanny!) Now this is personal and off track a bit, but, I am doing some soul searching and my pain doc has always emphasized stress makes pain worse. I have identified some issues in my life that bother me the most and I am working on those...like reaching out to siblings I am estranged from and forgiving folks for hurt to me, etc. It is cathartic. I wish you all well as you try to get off lyrica. My advice is very slow and steady. My doc lets me use Lorazepam to help with withdrawal symptoms and because this has also kicked my BP into overdrive, I can use Clonidine which also helps with wd symptoms. Take care, D |
Heart Palps and chest pressure from Lyrica withdrawal?
just wanted to know if others had chest pain or heart palpitations from Lyrica withdrawal. I know my BP is up but this feels more like it is caused by withdrawal since it came with many of the symptoms that Trivia listed.
Thanks, Diandra |
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the worst part was not knowing the lyrica was causing these issues. I had been to a chronic fatigue clinic and this doc diagnosed me with black mold toxicity. when I started having these strange symptoms/side effects, I thought it was deoxing from the mold and/or one of many supplements he had put me on along with lyrica. I was on 100-150 mgs. daily for about 3+ months. then stopped all supplements and the lyrica cold. within a day or two I felt the strangest feeling I have come to aknowledge were symptoms of dissociative disorder. Mind you, I have never had any psychiatric or mood disorders prior. some people have called it brain zaps....but for me it was the most terrifying of the sx. It felt like I had done LSD. for anyone who hasn't, it makes you feel you are detached from yourself. sort of a very uncomfortable tingling feeling in my brain. I though it was a stroke. I also had a burning feeling in my chest, heart palpitations. EVERYTHING felt strange to me, like all my brain circuitry was going crazy. I would not know how to drees properly, all my clothes except for seats felt uncomfortable, foods tasted different, my breathing felt forced. hot and cold at the same time. night sweats, big time. insomnia and a type of narcolepsy, where I would shut my eyes and be asleep immediately.I also had severe short term memory loss, more like amnesia. things from several years ago I could not remember. The bottom line was, I was not feeling, tasting as I had before this drug. How doctors can not know how horribly this drug can effect you or that the withdrawal can make one feel like there is no option but to check yourself into a mental ward. anxiety is too mild a word for what I experienced. it was pure terror. I'm sure it would not have been as severe an experience for me if I had known it was the lyrica.I was told it was a panic attack, detox from the mold toxins, so being confused and not even considering this drug could be the cause, made it all the more terrifying. Since I didn't know, when my bone pain came back I would take more lyrica for a few days, then, boom I would have a setback. It has been 5 months since taking it regularly, and 3 weeks since I stopped completely. Things are much better, the worst was about 3 months long. I am still not back to my "normal". I am wondering if anyone out there who had similar problems with this drug have gotten their "normal" back? or can this drug have permanent side effects that never stop? I am so grateful for the people in this forum. I have been struggling to find a diagnosis to what my disease is. When you have one doctor telling you you have MS and another that it's chronic fatigue, which both illnesses are really just a list of symptoms, it makes me feel really discouraged and hard to trust or know who to believe. I need a root cause so I can tackle this from the inside, not just treat symptoms of different problems that must all be related to one root illness. Thanks all, I hope to get to know you all and be anyone's shoulder to cry on, as misery does love company. peace, sara |
Hi Everyone,
I'm so glad that some of my information has helped you! I have now been off Lyrica completely for several months. I'm finally starting to feel human again, but going through the nightmare of Lyrica withdrawal affected my overall health so drastically that I believe I've lost years of my life to this drug. The good news is that you can stop. If you are one of the lucky ones who have no withdrawal, God bless you, enjoy your freedom. However if you, like me, dealt with, or are dealing with these issues now, I'm so sorry. All I can tell you is the longer you can taper, the easier it is. I've finally lost much of the weight I gained too, 25 pounds so far, with 10 more to go. Once again, for some reason, the lyrica weight I gained was so hard to get rid of. I was down to about 1200 calories a day, no fat, no meat, no sugar. Using this regimen, I was able to lose this weight in about three months. Be strong...You can get through this! |
I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and put on lyrica a year ago. Worked up to 150 mg. Needed to increase but decided to taper off instead due to the side effects. The medicine did help with the pain but started to experience brain fog, confusion, blurred vision, weight gain, and hair loss. The main reason I made the decision to stop is because when I would forget a dose, it felt as though I was on my death bed! I thought that a medicine couldn't be good for my body with those withdrawal symptoms. I notified my doc and her instructions were to take 75 mg for 7 days then 75 mg every other day for two weeks. This is my first morning after the decreased dose. It's pretty awful. My eyes feel swollen, nausea, vomiting, gi issues, and general pain. I am hoping my body adjust quickly! I am wondering if I should see how I feel over the weekend before I ask my dr. It could be a coincidence and the weather change causing my illness, but it feels like when I miss a dose.
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I had to taper at a much slower rate to avoid withdrawal. I went down around 10 mg per week, eyeballing my dose. It took 8-10 months in all. Crazy, but true.
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always remember tapering off medication needs the help of a Doctor .. Never do it on your own...
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Hi there. Just reading through some of your posts and I think what you are doing for people going through this is wonderful. I am about a month and a half off Lyrica after tapering off 600mg at my highest dose. Your post on GABA and how it helped you to feel better really helped to connect the dots. You see, I was put on benzodiazepines back in 2008 for mild generalized anxiety.
I was feeling ill about 6-8 months later and didn't know it was that little pill making me sick. Long story short it took about another year to realize I wasn't dying from some odd disease (all work ups were 100 percent normal) and no doctor caught it was the clonazepam and Lorazipam causing such ill effects. Little did I know that the real horror would be when I went cold turkey and the nearly 15 months of relentless withdrawal that makes my Lyrica withdrawal feel like a walk in the park!! What I'm getting at and what we need to spread to these folks out here is that Lyrica is thought to act on the same receptors that Benzodiazepines do. This is why many of the symptoms are similar when withdrawal hits! These receptors take months (and for some years) to "reset" and regain affinity to attract GABA and cause the nervous system to calm down and the odd symptoms people feel to dissipate. I did a LOT of research while in benzodiazepine withdrawal and have educated myself FAR beyond what your run of the mill physician will tell people. I was told I was crazy, that NO DRUG can cause withdrawal months after cessation. What they don't know is that it's the ADAPTION AND CHANGE in the brain that is causing the problem, not the actual drug which had left the body months ago. Same holds true with Lyrica. If you have any questions or would like me to help anyone on here (I am new on here) please let me know. Like I said, I am only a month and a half off Lyrica and am experiencing about half of the symptoms you have listed but compared to what I have been through, this is something that can be tolerated and put up with because it does get better it's just that people are quite surprised to find that these class of drugs can create such a long and painful withdrawal syndrome. No other class of drugs, even opiates, cause such a long drawn out withdrawal. If anyone needs help or questions answered let me know. I'm not a doctor, just someone that has been severely injured by big pharm and a medical community that is completely unaware of what the drugs they so freely dispense can do to people. |
Lyrica withdrawal
I was only on Lyrica for three weeks and came off it because of weight gain, I tried to come off first by stopping the tablets all together but the withdrawal was so bad that I started them again and decide to taper coming off, the withdrawal is still not very nice as I got to the taking none stage. Hopefully each day will get better
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Me too
Thanks for this post triviafriend.
Yep, I went through it too (for RSD and DDD)... and had all of those horrid symptoms as well. I also got some severe rashes on top of bloat, foggy, dizzy, depression... My doctor said nothing about withdrawal being worse than the side-effects, but they were until I was put on Neurontin, a sister drug, and the S/E (side-effects) stopped. What trial and error this process is..and we are all different in how we respond to any drug or treatment... Prayers for us that we help each other to find what can work! May you be painfree!! :hug::grouphug: Hana |
[QUOTE=pdk2026;1050044]Hi there. Just reading through some of your posts and I think what you are doing for people going through this is wonderful. I am about a month and a half off Lyrica after tapering off 600mg at my highest dose. Your post on GABA and how it helped you to feel better really helped to connect the dots. You see, I was put on benzodiazepines back in 2008 for mild generalized anxiety.
I was feeling ill about 6-8 months later and didn't know it was that little pill making me sick. Long story short it took about another year to realize I wasn't dying from some odd disease (all work ups were 100 percent normal) and no doctor caught it was the clonazepam and Lorazipam causing such ill effects. Little did I know that the real horror would be when I went cold turkey and the nearly 15 months of relentless withdrawal that makes my Lyrica withdrawal feel like a walk in the park!! What I'm getting at and what we need to spread to these folks out here is that Lyrica is thought to act on the same receptors that Benzodiazepines do. This is why many of the symptoms are similar when withdrawal hits! These receptors take months (and for some years) to "reset" and regain affinity to attract GABA and cause the nervous system to calm down and the odd symptoms people feel to dissipate. I did a LOT of research while in benzodiazepine withdrawal and have educated myself FAR beyond what your run of the mill physician will tell people. I was told I was crazy, that NO DRUG can cause withdrawal months after cessation. What they don't know is that it's the ADAPTION AND CHANGE in the brain that is causing the problem, not the actual drug which had left the body months ago. Same holds true with Lyrica. If you have any questions or would like me to help anyone on here (I am new on here) please let me know. Like I said, I am only a month and a half off Lyrica and am experiencing about half of the symptoms you have listed but compared to what I have been through, this is something that can be tolerated and put up with because it does get better it's just that people are quite surprised to find that these class of drugs can create such a long and painful withdrawal syndrome. No other class of drugs, even opiates, cause such a long drawn out withdrawal. If anyone needs help or questions answered let me know. I'm not a doctor, just someone that has been severely injured by big pharm and a medical community that is completely unaware of what the drugs they so freely dispense can do to people. Hi Pdk Can I ask you what kind of symptoms you were having that made you feel sick from the little pill? "I need help with questions I have about Lyrica and Clonazepam". What is your diagnoses, what did you take Klonopin for? I am so overwhelmed with pain, side effects , anxiety and fear . I suffer from Idiopathic Small fiber neuropathy, and the symptoms for this horrid illness are horrible. (all my tests results suggest I am otherwise "healthy") I get Severe buzzing throughout my body that has caused bad tinnitus (I never had it before), I feel the buzzing through my body and I hear it in my ears. Along with burning on my legs, arms, torso, face and feet. Tightening and squeezing pain in my thighs and calves. the list goes on. I take 325 mgs Lyrica for 16 mos, I feel it is not helping. I take 2 mgs of Klonopin for anxiety. ( I used to take Xanax for a generalized anxiety disorder too, but my psychiatrist changed it to Klonopin.) I need it now more, for this chronic pain. I would like to go off the lyrica , but I am afraid of the withdrawal, plus I do not know what else I could take for this buzzing, burning and pain. I tried cymbalta, neurotin, elavil for a few days and could not tolerate the SE. How are doing since your Lyrica withdrawal? What do you suffer from, and what do you take now in place of the Lyrica? I am beside myself. I'm in alot pain, depressed and don't know what to do. Pain management doesn't know what to for me either and like you said Doctors are not aware of the side effects and withdrawal of these medications. I believe I will be on Klonopin for the rest of my life. I wonder if any of these two pills are contributing to my symptoms? I would like too know how your doing. Maybe we can talk in private. Any advice or suggestions you can give would be greatly appreciated!! In pain and depressed...:hug: |
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Pdk only posted here that one time, and has not logged on again since then (2/9/14). I hope other members may be able to answer your questions. Quote:
I understand your apprehension about discontinuation syndrome. Despite the fact that it is wider-spread than most doctors are aware of, I believe—from what I have read about it—that most people are able to discontinue it successfully within a reasonable time. We do not hear/read those success stories because those patients have no reason to post to groups like this—they are getting on with their lives. Unfortunately there are no crystal balls; there is no way to know ahead of time if there will be any problem without trying. Discontinuing—or tapering down—may also help dispel the uncertainty of whether the Lyrica is of any benefit to you or not. Please don't let fear rule you, or get in the way of helping yourself. This group is here to help you with that as well. Quote:
I admire everyone—patients and doctors alike—for not giving up hope and continuing to try to find help for us all. Best wishes, Doc |
I'm just so heartbroken for all of you having to go thru this nightmare with Lyrica.
I've never been able to take Lyrica because it is in the same family as Gabapentin (Neurontin). I went LITERALLY psychotic on Neurontin. It wasn't until I was calling people in the middle of the night telling them, "I know where "they" take you when you go to sleep. DON'T FALL ASLEEP!" that anyone knew there was a problem. I was hearing music that wasn't there. Then I wasn't sure if dreaming was reality or if reality was dreaming. I was taking the Neurontin for neuropathic pain. So since I couldn't take it or Lyrica, the went with Zonegran - an old school anti-seizure med. Very low-dose that had nothing to do with me currently being diagnosed with Epilepsy (wasn't even high enough dose to be therapeutic for that). The Zonegran was used in conjunction with Hydrocodone 10/325. I'm currently weaning off the Zonegran as I was diagnosed with Epilepsy last week (I had seizures way before I ever took any of this stuff, we just never realized they were seizures before now) and will be taking 1000mg a day of Kepra. I just want you to be careful with Lyrica or anything in that family - including Neurontin. I can tell you of at least 10 people I know or have met thru my internet talks about what happened with me, who went psychotic on the medication. One woman started beating her husband in his sleep and she was this tiny, frail, girlie girl. The best thing you can do is be your own advocate. This thread is fantastic - it gives people a place to see that they are not alone and that there are ways to handle things. This entire website is a huge blessing to me. I hope all are as pain-free as possible, can withdraw easily and can live as normally as you want. That's not asking much, is it? (says the girl with 7 diseases). ;) |
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http://doublecheckmd.com/EffectsDeta...67412&eid=1192 Good to know. Quote:
Doc |
I stopped taking Lyrica 10 days ago and I feel horrible-I was on lyrica for over 5 years following a car accident with left me with back issues and nerve damage. I am feeling so unwell. I did not taper off I went cold turkey which is indescribable.
The feeling of unease, flu like symptoms, and sleeplessness are the worst symptoms. Going to work is a nightmare because I can't concentrate and I want to lie down all the time. I am flying out of state for work today and I am dreading feeling so ill |
Kgardner, can you take some Lyrica? You can't go cold turkey, friend. You've probably read a bunch of the horror stories here, but cold turkey just makes it worse. Don't try to go cold turkey, ESPECIALLY when you are flying out on business. Just stay on it til you get back and can see your dr and come up with a plan to taper down. Saying a prayer for you, friend.
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The old tv show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" had an episode where Buffy was in the hospital but when she'd go to sleep she was in another world where she was awake. She couldn't tell which one was the real world. That's what it was like for me. I hate Gabapentin, but Doc you actually made me laugh about it. Gotta love a smart *****. :) |
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I've never had a psychotic episode (I think after forty-mumble years together, my wife would have mentioned something... :rolleyes:) and I've never gotten into dream interpretation, but I've had my share of recurring dreams (and hence, dream worlds), and I'm (quite often) a lucid dreamer. Gotta love "normal weird" too... ;) Doc |
I've not read much Lovecraft but am aware of the concept of dream worlds.
I, too, am a lucid dreamer. I actually had to learn to be one to deal with recurring nightmares that ended up playing out a scenario of something tragic that happened to me as a very young child. My family never got help for me and never spoke of it after it happened so I spent nearly 20 years having horrible "dreams". Finally I started therapy and was taught the theory of lucid dreaming and how to "take charge" in my dreams and how to wake myself, and completely move body positions so that I would not drop back into the terrifying dream when I went right back to sleep. Finally, with lots of guidance from my counselor, the dream "played" itself out and the repressed memory came forward and was able to be dealt with. But since then I've been a lucid dreamer. Of course I talk about dreaming when I'm a World Class Insomniac, but when I AM capable of a few hours of sleep I can choose to be in charge after years of training. Of course, none of this has to do with Lyrica, but I appreciate the questions Doc. I've read around the site a bit and you always crack me up AND educate me on different subjects. |
Lyrica Withdrawal
First, I am beyond thankful to have found this sight.
I have had Fibromyalgia most of my life, I don't remember a time when I didn't have FM pain, fatigue began to take it's toll in 2000. I have been on a smorgasbord of medication and until I went on Neurontin nothing seemed to work. Neurontin lost it's effect after 2 yrs., I went off of it with no problem. Sometime around 2006/2007 I was in a trial program for Lyrica and figured it was an easy transition since Neurontin had worked. For roughly the last 4 years I started having a huge variety of problems but they were so sporatic my drs failed/refused to make the connection, until, my dentist told them that some mouth problems I was having had to be because of medication because my teeth were fine but beginning to decay due to severe dry mouth! Sooooo, I began titrating off of Lyrica and until this moment I had no idea there was even an issue trying to do so. I'm starting my forth week and I too am going through what Trivia and others are going through. The worst for me is nausea, a ringing in my head, severe muscle spasms, fatigue and insomnia. I had started taking SAMe (for Osteoarthritis) about 4 months prior to all this and I think that is why I am not having the anxiety & depression like others, it's there but nothing like the other issues I'm having. What a nightmare! |
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