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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic

Lyrica Withdrawal

Ninae

Bluelighter
Joined
Mar 18, 2010
Messages
4,522
I've wanted to make a thread on Lyrica withdrawal for some time after living through this horror twice this summer. There are some mentions of in it in the mega thead but just as many claims it doesn't cause withdrawals and it seems like many just choose to believe the best. So considering how bad it is, I think it needs a thread of its own and would appreciate any input from others who have gone throuh the same thing.

For me Lyrica withdrawal is the worst withdrawal I have ever gone through. I have gone through all kinds of opiate withdrawal, and as bad as that is, Lyrica withdrawals is somehow even worse, both mentally and physically. I have heard it described as a combined opiate/benzo withdrawal and this migth be correct. I have never been through benzo withdrawal myself.

To describe it a bit more in detail, mentally the feelings of anxiety, psychosis, and suicidal depression are worse (than opiate withdrawal). Never felt so depressed and miserable in my life, it tops everything I have gone through, and that's saying something. But it was really the physical effects that scared me the most. It feels like there is something seriously wrong with your body and it feels very dangerous. Like you're in a constant state of alarm and can't relax. When you go through opiate withdrawal it's like a bad flu, and as bad as it is it is somehow bearable. The physical symptoms of Lyrica withdrawal are much scarier. I truly felt like I was going to die. Suffered fron extreme hypertension, rapid heartbeat and problems with breathing, in addition to the nausea and flulike symptoms. It feels like a lot of liquid is suddenly relased in your body, filling your lungs making it difficult to breathe, also making it difficult to see or making your sight blurry. Constantly feeling like I was at the verge of a seizure, though this never happened. I think there are many reactions that are dangerous, like the electrolyte balance in your body is seriously screwed up, and more that I can't understand.

This I experienced from quitting cold turkey after using very large doses (like 1500-3000 mg a day), first time after 3 months, and the second time after 5 months. But I have read about people going through the same after using 300 mg a day and not abusing it. The professional advice is to cut out 25 mg every week, or even every third week, in other words a very slow taper.

After my first withdrawal, which lasted 3 days but was pure hell, I was completely apathethic and inconsolabe, not even the fact that another dose was on its way could console me, I was so broken down by the experience. Then when I took my usual dose I just passed out and feel asleep for a few hours, with none of the usual high, like my body really needed the substance. The other time it was after 5 months of addiction and now I had to live through it to the bitter end as all my suppliers failed me. My usual supplier suddenly stopped delivering it without any previous notice.

The worst part of it is that unlike opiate withdrawals where there is a noticable improvement from day to day, with Lyrica there seems to be no improvement. I didn't notice any relief until 10 days, and after 14 days the withdrawal was basically over, but leaving you with bad PAWS and cravings forthe drug. I have also seen some say it lasted longer for them, one that mentioned 9 weeks, but I wouldn't have been able to survive that long. Every day is excrutiatingly long, with no end in sight, I can't find the words to describe the horror of it.

I would STRONGLY encourage anyone who has gotten themselves addicted to Lyrica to invest in an emergency supply that will allow them to maintain or taper safely if they suddenly find themselves running out. And don't be tempted to use this stash to get high with because it will just not be worth it. It will be a lifesaver in that situation and be worth much more to you than a few good times. So if you know you can get it within a week, make sure you have a weeks supply. I guess gabapentin would also work here, and you can invest in some cheap, generic gabapentin.

Another thing is that while Lyrica can get completely get rid of any opiate withdrawals it doesn't work the other way around. Although it definitely helps in that situation and can rid of maybe 50% of the symptomps, and especially help some with the depression, so it is valuable to have going through that experience. But it also tends to make you more sick and can be difficult to hold down when you're already so sick from Lyrica withdrawals, which is the problem with using opiates here. I didn't have benzos but assume they would help. Soma didn't help at all. What did help me was a combination of Hops capsules, Sun-theanine, and Magnesium. Not sure if it was one or all of those substances that helped, but it gave noticable relief. The Magnesium migth have helped with the mineral balance, the Theanine is supposed to increase Gaba, and Hops is meant to have a calming effect on the nervous system. Also sleeping pills will be of great help if you ever find yourself in withdrawal as it will be impossible to sleep. At least that way you will get some sleep, and that will be the only time you will have any peace because your waking time will be hell.

I now hope everyone have now been sufficiently warned and will think twice before getting yourself addicted to this substance. Keeping it to once a week, or less, to avoid addiction would be a good idea. I know it might seem hard to believe as it seems so gentle and with so few side effects, but believe me it was the WORST withdrawal I have ever been through, and the worst time of my life so far, so consider yourselves thoroughly warned. You can find also find hundreds of threads about Lyrica withdrawal if you google the net, all very consistent and describing the very same symptoms.
 
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I've never tried Lyrica, but from what i've read, most people would dissagree that Lyrica provokes worse withdrawls han say benzos, o methadone... mehadone W/D was a bich...
did you at least aper your Lyrica W/D because that changes a lot of hings
 
No, I didn't taper, and believe this is very dangerous.

I know most people don't WANT to believe that Lyrica gives bad withdrawals, but they haven't actually been through the experience. I'll just say I've withdrawn from most opiates and found it to be worse. Might not be worse than withdrawing from a large methadone habit, but that's not saying much, it's still bad enough. Respect the drug, like any drug that can mess with your psycholgy as bad.

The ones who say withdrawals aren't that bad are usually the ones who have been taking low doses for a short period of time. You might need to have taken it regularly for as long as 3 months to get bad withdrawals, but we are all different. Very small doses might not give so bad results. Would be very interested in hearing other's experiences.
 
Yes Lyrica can cause dependency, leading to withdrawal symptoms.

It is no surprise that this drug caused dependency and uncomfortable withdrawal for you.
 
Wow, when I was taking 450mg/daily I went cold turkey and suffered very minimal withdrawal symptoms. My muscles hurt a bit and I had some anxiety but that's about it. I had been taking it for 2 years. My doctor didn't even bother to taper me off. It was real easy. About a year later I went back on it though because my anxiety/insomnia had become a problem again. I now take 600mg/daily. Its helped my taper from benzodiazepines so much easier.
 
Nothing is WD proof, but this is certainly the most exaggerated thing I have ever heard.

Unless you stuff down grams at a time of this, you will has little to no side effects.
I too took lyrica, and it had no such symptoms...

The only thing that is happening to you is the slowdown of noradrenaline is gone and your GABA production is leveling back to normal.

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.

I, my mom, and my step-dad have been on lyrica since it came out and it causes little to no discomfort.
 
Wow, when I was taking 450mg/daily I went cold turkey and suffered very minimal withdrawal symptoms. My muscles hurt a bit and I had some anxiety but that's about it. I had been taking it for 2 years. My doctor didn't even bother to taper me off. It was real easy. About a year later I went back on it though because my anxiety/insomnia had become a problem again. I now take 600mg/daily. Its helped my taper from benzodiazepines so much easier.

Interesting. I guess differences in biochemistry might account for that. Here is a link to a forum with countless horror stories (if it's okay to post that):

http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/showthread.php?t=60400
 
Interesting. I guess differences in biochemistry might account for that. Here is a link to a forum with countless horror stories (if it's okay to post that):

http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/showthread.php?t=60400

I've read the horror stories on OD and it simply amazes me that people suffer anything more than moderate withdrawals. I wonder if people exaggerate their withdrawal symptoms though and *think* that its worse than opiate withdrawals and all that. I just find that crazy. I know you say that your withdrawals are really terrible and I believe you but I simply find it amazing. Its just hard for me to understand because of how it was so easy for me. I have a friend also who went off it with no problems.

You can't relate benzodiazepine withdrawals because Lyrica doesn't directly effect the GABA-A receptor so you don't experience seizures from withdrawals like you do benzos, barbs and alcohol.
 
Nothing is WD proof, but this is certainly the most exaggerated thing I have ever heard.

Oh no, this was no exagerration, wish to God it was, but a very precise description of my experience.

Sure, there are differences in individual biochemistry which will account for different experiences withdrawing from this drug. But my intention was to help those who are likely to go through the same as me, not the ones who will have an easy time of it. You never know until you go through it, and it's better to be safe than sorry. Wouldn't wish what I went through on anyone.

Take care everyone.
 
I've read the horror stories on OD and it simply amazes me that people suffer anything more than moderate withdrawals. I wonder if people exaggerate their withdrawal symptoms though and *think* that its worse than opiate withdrawals and all that.


It might amaze you, but I certainly didn't imagine it. I well know what opiate withdrawals feel like, and it was worse than even coming off the hardest opiates. But keep in mind I took incredeibly high doses, like 1500-3000 mg every other day for months. It might just be dangerous to abuse this drug. I only wanted to warn you, but if you'd rather not believe it there's not much I can do about that. I just hope you never have to go through what I went through.
 
tapering any physically addctive drug that causes withdrawl is the key IME
 
yes. tapering is the way to go, but it's not always the road able to be traveled when excuses fly around. i'm sorry you went through that, but i am sure you are stronger now because of it. thanks for the info!
 
You simply will not be in nearly as much dangerous as benzos or barbs in withdrawals.

This is way better than a 8 year life on Phenobarbital.
I was in the hospital room seizures every time I tapered too fast.
 
May not be as dangerous, but it was the worst time of my life, and I don't think anyone would want to go through that.

Was over after 10 days for me, and I've seen this confirmed by several others who quit longterm Lyrica/Gabapentin use CT, so maybe this is a common experience. After those 10 days I was left in PAWS/strong cravings from the drug for a long time. Not in WD, but still hard.

Just letting people know what to expect as there still seems to be much ignorance about it. I expect these will be well known facts in not too long. In fact, I'm waiting for a stricter scheduling of this substance.
 
May not be as dangerous, but it was the worst time of my life, and I don't think anyone would want to go through that.

Was over after 10 days for me, and I've seen this confirmed by several others who quit longterm Lyrica/Gabapentin use CT, so maybe this is a common experience. After those 10 days I was left in PAWS/strong cravings from the drug for a long time. Not in WD, but still hard.

Just letting people know what to expect as there still seems to be much ignorance about it. I expect these will be well known facts in not too long. In fact, I'm waiting for a stricter scheduling of this substance.

It won't because it is just not that dangerous dude.

I'm telling you, if you were on a benzo or barb, you would have seized your body to kingdom come. This is mere child's play and most definitely your fault. This is a guideline on every package type for this medication. And TAPERING IS ON ALL OF THEM.

There is a warning of W/D with lyrica. It is just nowhere in the same league as benzo or barb W/D. You only have a really great chance of seizing only if you were already an epileptic who did not taper....
 
I am so sick of these threads about Lyrica withdrawal. I don't think my doctor would be scripting my Lyrica if it was that addictive since he is pretty much Anti-abuse medications period. Then again, my doctor doesn't know shit about anything.

But Lyrica withdrawal being worse than opiate withdrawal? Yeah right.
 
i think it could be if a person is eating right and exercising and getting good sleep and then starts with any drug that can give withdrawals but continues as much as possible to be eating,exercising,sleeping as before that person will have less of a problem coming off the drug than if that person was not doing the proper things all along. the state of being in bad shape magnifies a whole bunch of stuff, including negative effects of getting off any particular substance. perhaps people alter their own biochemistry by the way they treat themselves. people in good shape maybe not so much a problem as others (or themselves) in bad shape.
 
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