Have you contacted your PM and told him or her about this. If not, please do so. Every anti convulsant, to my knowledge, needs to be gradually stopped.

Thank you.

This post was made last year so thankfully, I am no longer suffering from the withdrawal symptoms. It was absolutely horrible coming off the Lyrica and I have heard that withdrawal symptoms are common on that drug unfortunately.

I think my doctor took me off the Lyrica way too soon but i'm not sure. It took ages for me to get it out of my system and for the withdrawal symptoms to stop!

Thank you for your post though - i'm sure it will help someone else in the future!

Thank you Dew! As I mentioned in my previous post, this was from last year so thankfully, i'm not having the withdrawal symptoms now! It was absolutely horrendous coming off the Lyrica and it is something I never want to deal with again lol!

I'm sorry that you had problems on it also. I also gained a LOT of weight on Lyrica (I think it was about 30lbs in 2 months) and even though I am now off the Lyrica, the weight asn't come off. I never used to be really skinny but was just the right size and now I am overweight. My mum has contacted a program where we live to try and help disabled kids lose weight without having to exercise that much and they said that they would accept me as long as I got a GP's referal. I just want this weight to be gone ... i'm sick of not being able to fit into my old clothes ... I wouldn't mind too much if the Lyrica helped me but it didn't!!!

Thanks again for your post - i'm sure it will help someone and i'm sorry that you had a rough time on Lyrica also!!

My neurologist did not warn me how truly addictive Lyrica is. He said 'tapir off of it slowly". I was on 300mg twice daily. Over 3 weeks I reduced to one 75mg a day. I stayed on that for three days, then nothing. Within 3 days I had (are you ready):

etremely hot in head/core while feet ice cold, migranous (photophobic) headache, yellow diarrhea, poor sleep, PERSISTANT ANXIETY, memory loss, inability to respond to questions, dizziness, vertigo, mood swings/crying, focus on death and loss, bruxism/jaw pain, low back and shoulder pain, and, of course, depression.

On the plus side, my foot burnig was not worse. It was about the same as before I started the med.

Neurologists should never start this med. without a very clear and exact path for getting off of it. Tight supervision must be a given. This med. as prescribed today is very dangerous.

Dew,
I just had to reply to your post. I was on 60mg of Cymbalta for only 2 months. My doctor wanted me to switch to Lyrica. Upon quitting Cymbalta I was hit with the worst withdrawal symptoms I have ever experienced. I am talking about extreme vomiting and twitching along with severe headaches and "brain zaps" (the feeling of lighting going off in your head). I do not recommend Cymbalta for ANYONE. However, I am not a doctor, so obviously listen to them. I just had to throw my caution your way.

Chad

...and now I'm saying it again.

Can not understand why any doctor does not try opiates first. Safer, much more likely to lessen the pain, and if ya need to come off of it, fairly easy, comparatively. (comparatively, mind you) I find it amusing that all the new drugs, which cost huge amounts of cash and are more dangerous, are the 'first choice'. Hmm...can you say kickbacks? I knew you could...

I am so glad I've found this site. I was prescribed Lyrica back in the beginning of August for Fibro, and some alarm bells should have started going off I guess when I started taking it. First I started with 25mg going to 50 twice a day. Problem was I was having side effects with every small dose, dizziness, little anxiety etc. I was going fine until I got a dental infection and needed IV antibiotics, and pain meds. I stopped taking the Lyrica due to all of the other meds I was taking. What a huge mistake. The withdrawal from the Lyrica has been horrible, severe dizziness, headaches and the anxiety has been unbearable, to the point I panic and feel like I am dying. I have just figured out reading this post that I am having withdrawal. Even yesterday the emergency Dr was baffled by my symptoms. Laying down I have really low blood pressure, bit just sitting up, my blood pressure sky rockets. I'm convinced it's withdrawal.

My question, has anyone else experience withdrawal on a low dose like this?

Smoke..... How you been?

I must say, that I've been alarmed at the rate that these expensive meds are being written.
Thousand dollar a month drugs. WHAT? Would you pay that if you didn't have insurance?
Yea, yes, I've paid a lot for my insurance.
But, I don't consider it a reason, to simply get the most expensive treatment!
Expensive = Good Result? Haha, Try Again!

I've been a business person, all my life.
It doesn't add up to value.

I take methadone for pain. My doctor gives me samples of anything expensive. (I know, that costs too).

But, I still don't want to see my Ins. co. paying big bills! It doesn't boost my Ego!

My methadone, compared to anyone's OxyContin, is about $30/mos., add in the $15, for Miralax, the adjunct laxative that keeps things moving.
And, say, $45....
How's that compare to a Gee Whiz ($1000.) Script for some fancy thing that people sell too often on the street?
It just doesn't work for me, and yes, I've tried it.

I like old tried and true, things. in almost any phase of life.

Most Every person I've known personally to be put on OxyContin, has come off it, within a year.
Same with all the other "New" "HD" Pain relievers.

I, personally like to keep it simple.
And,, methadone has some problems. It can shut down your breathing! I have a bad case of Apnea, so I use a CPAP machine when I sleep.

There is No patent on Methadone!
So, it's inexpensive!
Why would anyone think that "they're worth" the most expensive drug?
Does it relieve your pain, to think or know that your ins. co is paying so much for you?
Gimme a Break....

It's been my prediction, to all my friends who have rsd, that, they'll be on methadone within a short period of time....
But, the Drug Company Sales People, who come in, EVERY MONTH, and order a big, paid for, lunch for the entire office, isn't pushing Methadone!
(Ya'll got your eyes open on this stuff?)

No, they want to sell the PROFIT MAKING DRUGS!
And,
it's getting "Pushed" onto YOU!
Feel good about that?
Then carry on....

If you're wisdom, rather than Ego driven, talk to your doctor, on an intelligent, and frank basis....

If you're thinking, what have you got to lose? I'll tell you in one word....

PAIN!

Be well, ,ya'll....

love, and peace,,,,,

pete

I have actually had good results with Lyrica. I am on 225MG per day, and I have not had a single side affect. I know that this does not help, except that you can know that not everyone has side affects while on Lyrica.

However, I said it earlier in this thread, beware of Cymbalta if your doc wants to go that route.

I do wish you luck, and hope that you find relief soon.

Chad

I was on Lyrica for about a week and started gaining weight. Gained 17 lbs in no time. I still have about 10 of that to get off and can't. The side effects were horrible too. My feeling is that if you gain up to 60 lbs. on a med, and that's what I have seen as an average on here and from people I have talked to then to me, it's not worth it to take. Putting on so much weight puts you in a catagory of getting more medical problems, so it's a no win situation.

I just went off of Crestor cold turkey last month and the side effects from doing that was horrible. I went off of my Methadone cold turkey last year and didn't have any of the side effects I had from the Crestor.

I do agree with Pete on this medication thing. I think the kickbacks are so great on some of the worst ones that they hand them out like candy without trying any thing else. My step-son told me yesterday he went to the Dr. for his shoulder thinking they would give him a shot in it to help it and they gave him narcotics and muscle relaxers. Triggerpoint injections do help a lot of things, also PT, blocks. No kickbacks on these things though.

Ali, I am glad that you are doing better. I hope you can get that extra weight off. I started walking again to try and get mine back down.

Ada