Lyrica and its addiction time frame. Am I screwed?

[spiels]

Hey everyone, I wanted to know what the general time frame for lyrica addiction is. It's a very odd drug and it seems to be a lot more addictive if the person is taking a gabamergic drug (eg. alprazolam).

I've been taking 1.5g's of lyrica for a week. I've also been taking 2mg of alprazolam for about a year. I have severe PTSD as I witnessed a murder suicide in my backyard. My episodes have been horrible lately, hence why the lyrica is in play. Also, I know that's a large dose considering I'm prescribed 300mg a day. I usually just fill it and let it set, so this is my first "binge". Sadly the xanax is not helping much anymore so I resorted to lyrica to help me. Will I go through withdrawal with only a week of use? Thanks everyone. I just wanted to get info on the time frame for addiction when it comes to lyrica and also learn more about my situation.

 

[Transcendence]

I can't imagine that you'll have to deal with much after a week. I really suggest you do stop now though. I find Lyrica withdrawal to be worse in the short-term than opiate or even benzo withdrawal. I was taking 600mg per day and my limbs would actually swell up if I didn't dose for 24 hours. I was completely crippled by it and couldn't even drive myself 2 minutes down the road to refill my prescription.

 

[ElleAZ]

Unless you have nervous system damage, I think you should be okay.

Lyrica was my first CT withdrawal. I was on it for less than 3 months @ 600mg day for nerve pain. I became a zombie. The withdrawal was two weeks of depression, anxiety, insomnia, depersonalization, and before it got better, I didn't care if I lived another day. I was given it a second time for opiate withdrawal, which was horrifyingly painful, but I refused to even try it. It's a drug of limited use unless it is your only option for pain, IMO.

I am so sorry about your anxiety. I wish I had an answer. A lot of people swear by supplements like GABA and 5htp. I haven't found anything consistant that doesn't result in worse anxiety.

 

[spiels]

I can't imagine that you'll have to deal with much after a week. I really suggest you do stop now though. I find Lyrica withdrawal to be worse in the short-term than opiate or even benzo withdrawal. I was taking 600mg per day and my limbs would actually swell up if I didn't dose for 24 hours. I was completely crippled by it and couldn't even drive myself 2 minutes down the road to refill my prescription.

That's crazy. I will definitely stop today. Any other symptoms than limb swelling?

 

[Transcendence]

At almost exactly 22 hours after the last dose I would begin to feel a surge of anxiety bordering on panic. I would feel very dizzy and become unable to stand for very long. I'd start to feel sick and 'fluish', weirdly similar to an opiate withdrawal. The oddest part was the dissociation. I don't have problems with that normally, but during Lyrica withdrawal I'd feel a sense of being slightly outside of my body just watching everything start to go wrong and feeling helpless to really do anything about it. Two or three hours after this point I'd be almost unable to bend my legs and a ridiculously deep fatigue would set in.

I was on 600mg per day for a couple years. Because of how many times my pharmacy or insurance or doctor would screw up the prescription it actually affected my work life. I gained 20 lbs on the medication and it stopped working for anxiety pretty soon after I started. Again, you should be completely fine after only talking that amount for a week. But trust me, you don't want to find out what that 1.5g per day CT feels like after a few months...I can't imagine. I'm sure it can be useful for pain but I honestly regret taking the stuff for GAD.

 

[spiels]

At almost exactly 22 hours after the last dose I would begin to feel a surge of anxiety bordering on panic. I would feel very dizzy and become unable to stand for very long. I'd start to feel sick and 'fluish', weirdly similar to an opiate withdrawal. The oddest part was the dissociation. I don't have problems with that normally, but during Lyrica withdrawal I'd feel a sense of being slightly outside of my body just watching everything start to go wrong and feeling helpless to really do anything about it. Two or three hours after this point I'd be almost unable to bend my legs and a ridiculously deep fatigue would set in.

I was on 600mg per day for a couple years. Because of how many times my pharmacy or insurance or doctor would screw up the prescription it actually affected my work life. I gained 20 lbs on the medication and it stopped working for anxiety pretty soon after I started. Again, you should be completely fine after only talking that amount for a week. But trust me, you don't want to find out what that 1.5g per day CT feels like after a few months...I can't imagine. I'm sure it can be useful for pain but I honestly regret taking the stuff for GAD.

Thanks for the in depth reply! My HDD fried so I couldn't get the chance to reply. I was in such a fog that I thought I only took them for a week to 10 days. After counting my capsules I realized that I had been taking this stuff for around 2 weeks! I'm on day 3 without it and aside from very light withdrawal symptoms (which could of been from my opiate withdrawals 3 weeks ago, but masked by the lyrica) it wasn't rough. I have an addictive personality but I had STRONG psychological cravings for 2 days, with today being diminished.