Lyrica Withdrawal

[pasha]

Yet in still I’m on lyrica till this day, and as soon as it loses effectiveness, I quit for a certain period... No ill effects to note.

I follow the exact same method. I take it for several months titrating up. Stop for a short period of time, start as low as possible and titrate back up. Repeat. I think this drug is a godsend for pain, with its biggest shortfall being its rapidly rising tolerance.

I'm not disputing the fact that it doesn't happen to everyone, because it simply doesn't. Many of my friends abuse it. It's common in places where it's sold OTC. Subjectively speaking, the most frightening symptom I've seen happening to people is going into complete catatonia. Others abuse it even more, for longer periods of time, and experience absolutely no withdrawal. Some, take it in prescribed dosages, and get withdrawals which are worst than those abusing it. It's somewhat puzzling.

As I mentioned in the other thread, I haven't managed to identify a solid basis on why withdrawal is a hit or miss when it comes to pregabalin. Based on what I've gathered already, it would be too premature for me to chalk it all up to a history of gabaergic abuse.

 

[Psychedelic Jay]

I follow the exact same method. I take it for several months titrating up. Stop for a short period of time, start as low as possible and titrate back up. Repeat. I think this drug is a godsend for pain, with its biggest shortfall being its rapidly rising tolerance.

I'm not disputing the fact that it doesn't happen to everyone, because it simply doesn't. Many of my friends abuse it. It's common in places where it's sold OTC. Subjectively speaking, the most frightening symptom I've seen happening to people is going into complete catatonia. Others abuse it even more, for longer periods of time, and experience absolutely no withdrawal. Some, take it in prescribed dosages, and get withdrawals which are worst than those abusing it. It's somewhat puzzling.

As I mentioned in the other thread, I haven't managed to identify a solid basis on why withdrawal is a hit or miss when it comes to pregabalin. Based on what I've gathered already, it would be too premature for me to chalk it all up to a history of gabaergic abuse.

The complete opposite happens to me. My muscles flop...

I do agree it is weird.

Kind of like that disease that only happens smoking heroin...

 

[Stargazer]

There, without a shadow of a doubt, is a horrendous withdrawal from Lyrica. You don't even have to take it as long as Ninae did...I binge take Lyrica about twice a month. I take anywhere from500-1000mg or a tad more a day, anywhere from 5-10days ...Let me tell you, even then if I don't taper down...it 's is misery for about 3 days...no sleep, a horrible sweat that you cannot hide, the nervousness?? It's unbearable. The w/d is all-consuming. I know exactly what opiate w/d is like too. I go thru that as well from time to time. I cannot imagine having it become even more intense like Ninae went thru. I see the potential though, no doubt. Thanks for sharing Ninae...your story was pretty much what I was going through when I googled lyrica withdrawal, just on a smaller, still miserable scale. If you don't experience w/d from it, you have to be on something else that is masking it...and don't know it.

And note, I take it for pain too...when I stop, I keep some, and take them on an as needed basis...I agree, it is a Godsend for pain. But jump off of this, without titrating down, even if only on for 10 days, you will be wishing to God you didn't....it's miserable

Don't be insentive what is really happening to other people...it's BAD, just trust those of us that are telling you...there is no personal gain in saying so. I am not being paid, or gaining any special treatment. I know what I went through. Consider yourself lucky if you are able to just drop of Lyrica without any occurence...I have exp benzo w/d its wicked bad, but Lyrica is a combination of opiates and benzos and barbs...I have been through all three numerous times.

 

[missmeyet?]

Wow! I am shocked that Lyrica could cause WDs comparable to opiates or worse. I have taken. It long term and stopped with no tapering and felt a little bad but nothing compared to opiates.

I don't think anyone should belittle the experience that the OP is describing if he had other drugs WDs to compare it to. Remember, experiences like this are somewhat subjective and it is reality for the person who is experiencing it!

I wonder if some of the symptoms during the withdrawal are actually panic/anxiety attack type symptoms. It would fit and explain even a lot of the physical symptoms.

Just a thought.

 

[Psychedelic Jay]

I have fibromyalgia and anxiety...

Maybe some are misdiagnosed. My pain comes right back with my anxiety. But, since I already know how to live with it, it doesn’t feel uncomfortable to any extent anymore.

Lyrica is not a godsend...

But, 500 to 1000 mg a day in binges is just asking for it...

I highly advise people to take breaks and not escalate doses if it is no longer effective.

Your body and your wallet will greatly appreciate it.

And do not use it as a pontentator...

 

[Stargazer]

Make no mistake "miss" The last w/d I wanted to jump off of a bridge...and I was burning from the inside out as well I didn't know what the hell was happening. Borrowed money from a friend, and got a few...also POTENT opiates help such as phentynol, anyway, ....Chromophobia, u were a Godsend while I was losing my mind. Thanks. Im sorry if I've messed up, I'm new. Psych Jay I have chronic pain, and am cross dependent....Thanks all.

Damn Jay....you are hell bent in smacking us all over the head. and YES Lyrica most certainly is a God Send for my crippling, knock me to my knews pain. Its the only only think I've found that puts a dent in it....Chromophobia has it right...titrate up, take a break, etc. I take breaks, because I don't have a choice...not evough funds or quantity...thank God. Again, I cannot imagine what Ninae went thrugh...Chromophobia....and other members...and Im really really really strong.

Jay....what the hell? Lyrica is a GODSEND and I know Im asking for it .... but yes, Lyrica helps my crippling pain that brings me to my knees

Sorry if I am not typing in the correct format...I've thrown my guts up for the past two days, and had restlessnessness from hell...I took about twenty 150mg Lyrica What do you think of that Jay?....No withdrawal at all...I cannot figure it out., thinking it was that, Maybe cause it was one day....duh? Sorry for this Chromophobia....

Miss...no they are physical and emotional and mental8(

 

[Nately's Whore]

I don't have experience with lyrica withdrawal - but neurontin withdrawal was certainly no trip to Cleveland.

3200mg a day though and nothing else.

Still a walk through the May flowers compared to benzodiazapines even WITH a taper.

 

[Stargazer]

I am SBfromPA's husband, (a.k.a., dopeboymagic) and I'd like to clarify a few things about Psychedlic Jay's above comment. "Jay," was on a roll for all of two sentences, but it quickly went downhill from there. "I too took lyrica, and it had no such symptoms..." I am truly happy for you, however, using one's own metabolism as though everyone's system is exactly the same is naive. "The only thing that is happening to you is the slowdown of noradrenaline is gone and your GABA production is leveling back to normal." This is not always the case and to assume that it is, is setting yourself up for failure. The rest of your above post is quoted below;

You should only get a little anxiety and a bit of an stable cognition, maybe a general sense of malaise.

"It is only natural for you to get a little panicky, it is absolutely no big deal... and not worth exaggerating." Your first sentence has one valid point, however, I do not see M.D. after your screen name, it is a "big deal.". Secondly, stating; "You should only get a little anxiety and a bit of an stable cognition, maybe a general sense of malaise." is a malice and pretentious statement to those of us that have gone through Lyrica withdrawal. Then, your saying, "and not worth exaggerating."? Who gives you the right to decide what is "worth exaggerating." You continued on with this: " , my mom, and my step-dad have been on lyrica since it came out and it causes little to no discomfort." Well, good for you guys, but many of us go through horrendous withdrawal from Lyrica alone, as I did this morning, without aberrantly taking it, just running out it and missing an appointment. You have posted that it is a certainty that anyone that goes through Lyrica withdrawal is taking other meds with it and/or grams per day, this is sometimes the case but many times is not. There are many other issues with your posts but I don't have time to get into them right now. By the way, whether you have one post or 10 thousand , we are all equal, so please do not think that your amount of posts means anything.

 

[pasha]

^ I completely agree with your post. Some people are still stuck in the "if it doesn't happen to me then there's no way it can happen to anyone else" retrograde mentality. I've seen this user rejecting the OP's statement since the beginning of this thread, and even until now where it has an excess of 10,000 views, he remains unconvinced that it does cause withdrawal, and jumping to conclusions that everyone is "exaggerating" and that the case studies provided are invalid.

A few others alike, refuted that it causes withdrawal which I find quite cynical, and for some reason no matter what is said the point doesn't get across. I've seen it happen plenty a few years ago for GHB, kratom more recently, and most recently loperamide. Ketamine is also another one people love to argue about, when in truth every individual who has been addicted to ketamine would testify that the withdrawals are horrific.

I reiterate though. If you've gone through the mess of going through this withdrawal, just do your part and give people a fair warning that it could potentially happen to them.

 

[Psychedelic Jay]

It’s cool to state your opinion, just like I have stated mine.

However, I have no intention on muscling anyone around with numbers... Also, unlike a lot of people with numbers, some are in a stagnant race, posting complete bullshit to get there.

I got that post number from years of being on here... And still feel it has nothing to do with any intelligence of anyone...

I have to reply with that statement simply because someone always has to be a person shooting low blows about that stupid post number....

 

[Katskan11]

never even heard of this drug before.. you americans get all the crazy (best stuff ) ... is it a prescription drug ?

 

[pasha]

It's a prescription drug in some countries and not in others. It's called pregabalin with the trade name being lyrica.

Please use google or the inbuilt search engine and you'll find tons of threads/information about this drug.

 

[Snake_Eyes]

I have fibromyalgia and anxiety...

Maybe some are misdiagnosed. My pain comes right back with my anxiety. But, since I already know how to live with it, it doesn’t feel uncomfortable to any extent anymore.

Lyrica is not a godsend...

But, 500 to 1000 mg a day in binges is just asking for it...

I highly advise people to take breaks and not escalate doses if it is no longer effective.

Your body and your wallet will greatly appreciate it.

And do not use it as a pontentator...

Why do you say that? Using lyrica as a potientator I've been able to cut my temazepam in half (15mg vs 30mg) and while my benzo use has increased (3-4 days a week) the overall mg amount that I take really hasn't. Am I setting myself up for disaster with my concurrent use of the two?

I've been taking lyrica for a little over 5 months, prescribed 150mg a day some days less some days more but I've never taken more than 200mg per day or more than 150mg at one time.

 

[BlueHues]

Make no mistake "miss" The last w/d I wanted to jump off of a bridge...and I was burning from the inside out as well I didn't know what the hell was happening. Borrowed money from a friend, and got a few...also POTENT opiates help such as phentynol, anyway, ....Chromophobia, u were a Godsend while I was losing my mind. Thanks. Im sorry if I've messed up, I'm new. Psych Jay I have chronic pain, and am cross dependent....Thanks all.

Damn Jay....you are hell bent in smacking us all over the head. and YES Lyrica most certainly is a God Send for my crippling, knock me to my knews pain. Its the only only think I've found that puts a dent in it....Chromophobia has it right...titrate up, take a break, etc. I take breaks, because I don't have a choice...not evough funds or quantity...thank God. Again, I cannot imagine what Ninae went thrugh...Chromophobia....and other members...and Im really really really strong.

Jay....what the hell? Lyrica is a GODSEND and I know Im asking for it .... but yes, Lyrica helps my crippling pain that brings me to my knees

Sorry if I am not typing in the correct format...I've thrown my guts up for the past two days, and had restlessnessness from hell...I took about twenty 150mg Lyrica What do you think of that Jay?....No withdrawal at all...I cannot figure it out., thinking it was that, Maybe cause it was one day....duh? Sorry for this Chromophobia....

Miss...no they are physical and emotional and mental8(

Sorry about the "knock you to your knews pain", That sounds horrible!....You are inspiring others with your courage and resilience, just so you know....I'll keep you in my prayers! And the thing about my prayers.....well they really f'in get results, that's all I'll say!

 

[laCster]

i am back on lyrica again and i love it!!! everything is so colorful, it is surreal. i have never experienced lyrica withdrawal; hopefully when i come off again i wont expereince any!

i have taken 1600mg in the past 24hrs. 800mg x2 spaced out like 16-18hrs apart

 

[Stargazer]

Thankyou "BlueHues" for your kind words....I seriously do get "knocked to my knees" lol, "knews" was a typo, I'm sure you know that, I appreciate you keeping me in your prayers...You have mine in return.

Chromophobia, maybe Jay is right about it being cross addiction, I don't know...this is a very puzzling medication...however, you know, I know, and many others...that withdrawal is wicked bad....and I agree w you, it is the worst...it feels like everything at once. Keeping your head out of withdrawal while going through it is so vital, as I know you know. But, my God, with Lyrica, it's not possible. I seriously am pretty tough and handle things well, but just lose my shit completely w Lyrica.

It really does put a dent in my chronic pain. I have chronic cluster headaches, and as I'm typing this, Im getting one...I have to go. But thanks for all of the support...reading this thread during lyrica withdrawal helped. Thanks all.

 

[longbeachone]

Hey BL' s,
I am in the final stages of a Lyrica taper that has taken me over five months. I had been taking 450 mg per day, and in the beginning had some relief (RSD). However, that faded away, and I got so tired of the side effects...weight gain, inertia, emotional deadness. I attempted to stop cold turkey last November, and after 14 days of the worst withdrawal symptoms of my life (and I went through withdrawal from fentanyl!), with no let up in withdrawal symptoms at all, I caved in and picked up the hated lyrica again. So, despite being a terribly impatient person, I took the advise of all of the posters here and started a slow taper. Of course my Doctor told me that withdrawal from lyrica should have no symptoms, I still experienced some, but it was manageable. I began by cutting one of the three 150 mg pills out every other day. When I felt okay again, usually about two weeks, I cut out that amount every day. I took my time, gradually cutting down more and more, until where I am today, which is half of a 150 mg pill every other day. Next I will cut that in half, and then I hope it will be finished. I still have some symptoms, namely exhaustion, chills and headache, but I can stand it. To anyone who says that lyrica has no withdrawals, either you've been on the drug and got lucky, or you are full of sh#t, and in that case f#!k off. A little harsh, but you have no idea of the suffering caused by this monster drug.

 

[AlphaOdure]

I think it is relatively safe to say that it is HIGHLY SUSPECT to rely on the "literature" of these pharmaceutical companies who produced these classes off drugs for profit, relying on fraud & breaking the law (see source below); & especially given how both eli lilly (manufacturer of pregabalin) & Parke-Davis (manufacturer of gabapentin) got their fucking asses sued off for via results from their initial "studies" saying it's gabapentin is a the WONDER DRUG... CURE ALL.. pregabalin is safe, no dependency issues, excluding any addictive, withdrawal, or suicidal potential.. (which is now SUPPOSED TO BE explained to any consumers. Well it was NEVER EXPLAINED TO ME.. Doc's need their kick backs, eh?) Guess-fucking-what? They're illegal off-label promotion of gabapentin & pregabalin cost both companies least ~$2 billion & gabapentin (not sure of pregabalin) has a black box warning for doctors/pharmacists!! ..here in the US at least. No matter, it is commonly fucking ignored. Again, i'm not solely relying on studies that are ALL fucking sponsored by legal-dope-dealers.. their activities clearly show they have no intention of creating helpful medications to cure diseases, but merely using pharmaceuticals as a means to make as much profit as possible.


I speak as a recovered/recovering heroin/fentanyl addict (~5yrs clean, 4mg/day buprenorphine); current barbiturate user (Rx for butalbital, 2000mg/day) & current/recent gabapentin user (2400mg/day & increasing, started at 900mg/day), I AM JUST SAYING- trusting these initial studies are like trusting a goddamn used car salesman w/ your fucking life! The jury is still out on these class of meds. I certainly felt very uncomfortable (even while being on high doses of barbiturates & increased dosages of my usual buprenorphine Rx) when I ran out early of gabapentin. Conversely? I can take roughly ~50%-75% of my typical barbiturate daily dosage & be comfortable if i take 1.5x my gabapentin dose or more (sorry, i know this is about pregabalin, but, they're one-in-the-same, pregabalin is just severely more potent).



I'm JUST SAYING.. don't fucking rely on these greedy fucks ($3.063 BILLION in sales, in ONE YEAR ALONE, 2010) who peddled these classes of drugs without concern for adverse effects, withdrawal, etc--it took myriads of lawsuits, FDA fines, EU fines, & numerous out-of-court settlements for both of these asshole manufactures to finally start noting in their fucking commercials that they're "not for use in persons with history of drug abuse" HINT HINT (OH, can't fucking advertise TOBACCO? But any pharmaceutical? SURE! That ~$3 bill in profits buys a lot of US congressman/women).


Again, we're supposed to abide by & believe the "scientific data" (& i'm not a conspiracy theorist type) produced & performed by researchers, pharmacists, pharmacologists, & other neuropsychiatric scientists all bought & paid for by pfizer (pregabalin manufacturer, fined for bribery & improper promotion for off-label, un-studied effects, referenced below), parke-davis (manufacturer of gabapentin & original producer of pregabalin, but the rights were sold to *SURPRISE* pfizer! & mind you, parke was fined & sued to hell, as mentioned, nearly half a billion dollars for illegal promotion to doctors for treating ailments. Ailments never even researched for efficacy against placebo at the time), also their shell-pharm-companies, & other for-profit-fuckhead pharmaceutical peddlers who jumped on the cash-wagon via private investing & share-holding (eli lilly being one of 'em- wouldn't trust for a moment given their huge lawsuits regarding SSRI adverse effects they conveniently failed to mention until someone put a gun to their fucking head & pulled the trigger)... SO here ya go:


#1 -- http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/art.20983/full

Dr. Crofford has received consulting fees of less than $10,000 from Cypress Bioscience, Eli Lilly & Co., Orphan Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, and Wyeth. Dr. Rowbotham has received consulting fees of less than $10,000 from Eli Lilly & Co. and Xenoport, owns stock in Xenoport and Neuromolecular, and was a coinvestigator on a study of gabapentin funded by Pfizer. Dr. Mease has received consulting fees of less than $10,000 from Pfizer, Cypress Bioscience, Eli Lilly & Co., and Pierre Fabre and owns stock in Cypress Bioscience. Dr. Dworkin has served on the advisory board or as a consultant for fees of less than $10,000 for Abbott Laboratories, Alpharma, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Elan Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly & Co., GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Merck KGaA, NeurogesX, Inc., Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, and UCB Pharma; has received consulting fees of more than $10,000 from Pfizer, Allergan, Novartis, Epicept, and Endo; and owns stock in NeurogesX, Inc. Ms Corbin, Mr. Young, Ms LaMoreaux, Ms Martin, and Dr. Sharma own stock in Pfizer.

#2 -- Additionally: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8234533.stm

US drugmaker Pfizer has agreed to pay $2.3bn (£1.4bn) in the largest healthcare fraud settlement in the history of the Department of Justice...It comes after the firm was found to have illegally promoted four drugs for uses which had not been approved by medical regulators....The civil settlement also relates to allegations that Pfizer paid bribes and offered lavish hospitality to healthcare providers to encourage them to prescribe four of the company's drugs. These [included] Lyrica

(CONT)I just wouldn't trust any goddamn study (which some of you are deducing alleged "facts" from) on the effects of any of these new class of drugs by these legal dope peddlers. Seriously. They may be helpful medications? But, this shit needs to be under government, civic, or populace control, & readily available to those who need it--i.e., single payer or the UK's NHS-type system. Anticonvulsants & antiepileptics are NOT something to be taken lightly.. they may not act as positive modulators at GABA^A receptor binding-sites, but that in no way-shape-or-form means they're any more safe to go cold turkey from; especially given these class of GABA analog drugs are very new & poorly understood.

 

[longbeachone]

Great, informed post. I agree that these big pharma companies value money above all, but I also look back on how I took this drug on the advise of my doctor and shudder at how trusting I was. He's a DOCTOR! He would never LIE!! I will never ever just assume safety when planning to take an unknown chemical into my body.

I plan to take another jump down in three days. I admit I am getting antsy about getting this over with, and I am tempted to try to just cold turkey it from here, but then again if withdrawal symptoms return more intensely, I would probably take too much to compensate, and its back on the carousel. The major symptoms I am still experiencing are exhaustion (stayed in bed all day yesterday, slept probably 20 out of 24 hours), and headache. Normally I would not allow myself to sleep for that long, but it was my day off, and my husband was away on business. I think I could sleep the whole day away every day if I let myself. I was never like this before, always up and busy.

Some positive things happening as a result of getting off lyrica:
1. Brain fog lifting. I am feeling more myself now, not dazed.
2. Weight coming off. This is without trying at all. I gained between thirty and forty pounds. I am not trying to lose weight at all, quite the contrary! In my attempts to "treat myself with kindness" during this taper, I am denying myself nothing, yet the weight is leaving as easily as it came (Thank You Lord!).
3. I have not found my pain to have increased. However, I was initially given lyrica for peripheral neuropathy, and then I received a new diagnosis of RSD, so it probably never helped anyway. Geez, I feel like an idiot.

I had to go ahead and get another refill, because I got down to three pills. I was going to try to make them last through the bitter end, but it would push my taper forward too quickly. I am quite proud of myself for accomplishing this taper off lyrica, and I don't want to screw it up. I am getting some relief from pedialyte and chelated magnesium, even though my pharmacist told me not to get my hopes up. He told me that withdrawal symptoms for this class of drugs is brutal (why wasn't I EVER given even a hint of this information prior to starting lyrica...GRRRRRR!!!!), and supplements are like standing in front of a tornado with an umbrella. Still, it makes me feel like I am helping my body, even if it's strictly placebo.

I'll post again after my next drop, which will bring me to 35 (approximate) mg every 48 hours. You wouldn't think a small amount like that would matter, especially after taking 450 mg per day for SO long, but it makes a BIG difference.
Peace.

I thought I would be sailing into the finish now, but I'm still stuck at 75mg every other day. I had a rough night last night (I was scheduled to take my dose this morning). Had terrible dreams all night, and woke up with a bad headache and nausea. Took 75 mg and was fine within half an hour. But I'm not going to let myself get discouraged. It will take as long as it takes. Sucks though.

 

[Toz]

I'm not suffering withdrawal from lyrica but from it's sister drug gabapentin. I quit this horrible poison one fucking year ago and I still experience horrible burning pain everywhere and creepy crawlers / cold sweat / vision problems etc IT NEVER FUCKING ENDS. Do not take this fucking shit drug unless you really need it. I have heard lyrica withdrawal is even worse and I can't even begin to imagine how it could possibly be. Fucking heroin and benzo withdrawal is a walk in the park compared to this.