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Gabapentinoids The Lyrica (Pregabalin) Mega Thread v 2.0

Cyanoide said:
I get those symptoms too. Last winter I CT'd from a daily dose of around 1200-1800 mg (yes, my doses tend to grow quite extreme due to the tolerance building up heavily) because I ran out of supply. I got horrific anxiety and depression, alternated between complete and utter lethargy and complete overstimulation, complete insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting and nausea. Combined with a marked increase in heart rate and BP.

I can give advice regarding my tapers but please don't take this as some kind of medical advice, and we are all different and react differently.

When I've used such high amounts (like now) I usually start the taper from 900 mg. I haven't found any need to start the taper from something like 1500 mg or 1800 mg. 900 mg has always been enough to keep the worst WD at bay and sleep somewhat normally.

Usually, I reduce the dose every 4th day by 150 mg, but for some every 7th day may be needed.

So from 900 mg, it would look like this
900 mg x 4 days
600 mg x 4 days (this step I usually cut the dose by 300 mg, for some it would be better to stay at 750 mg for 4-7 days).
450 mg x 4 days
300 mg x 4 days
150 mg x days (this is where it gets hard, so I sometimes stay at 150 mg for 7 days)
75 mg x 4 days
So this taper would take 24-27 days.

Some people even reduce from 75 mg -> 50 mg -> 25 mg but I have never found a need for that. 75 mg is such a small dose that you really don't get any severe withdrawal at that point anymore.
A more cautious version of my taper schedule is to reduce by increments of 75 mg; 750 mg -> 675mg -> 625 mg -> 575 -> 525 -> 475 -> 425 -> 375 -> 325 -> 275 -> 225 -> 175 -> 125 -> 75 (and from 75 with increments of 25 to 50 and then 25). This would obviously take considerably longer.

There are few remedies for pregablin withdrawal. Benzos alleviate some, but only some, symptoms. And if you do take benzos, take them vary sparingly. As you probably know, they are a completely different ballgame to withdraw from. Gabapentin most probably share a cross tolerance with pregabalin, as both are gabepentinoids with pretty much the same method of action. That's why I would avoid taking gabapentin. There is a study that says there is no cross tolerance between gabapentin and pregabalin (e.g. this study) https://patents.google.com/patent/EP1196160B1), IME they share a very high degree of cross tolerance. Although gabapentin is both less potent and weaker in just about every aspect, it might be easier to switch to it when you've reached a lower dose of Lyrica and then continue the taper with gabapentin. But I have to admit that trying to switch to gabapentin has failed every time; gabapentin helps somewhat with the insomnia but not for the anxiety and depression.

On another note, I've found Taurine to help quite a bit with the anxiety. It's a (very) weak GABA-A agonist and has a slight sedative effect in high doses. And it's very safe to take it. Other than that, there's not many other drugs that may help. For insomnia, a small dose of mirtazapine (7.5 mg) and a high dose of melatonin (6-10 mg) does also help somewhat for the insomnia. I'm not that familiar with antiemetics for the nausea, but there are certainly some ones (any idea anyone?) out there that helps. Maybe antihistamienes like hydroxyzine. If you have a raised BP or heart rate during withdrawal, a beta blocker like propranolol is helpful.

To be really honest, the thing that has helped the WD's most is alcohol. And that's pretty much the worst thing to start taking regularly. If you have a high degree of self control, taking a few beers every now and then is no big issue though. If you struggle with insomnia, I can't say that you can't take a few beers if the insomnia is really bad. You might get a few hours sleep until the alcohol wears off but that may be better than no sleep at all.

Edit: Squeaky, I tried to PM you but you have chosen not to receive PM's. If you don't mind I'd be glad to send you a message.

Pregabalin withdrawal is hard but perfectly achievable. I've detoxed from benzos 3 times (and has to do a 4th it seems...) and that was in a totally different league, you can't die from Lyrica withdrawal, it's just nasty but it also gets better somewhat quickly in my opinion. There's no PAWS like for benzos that lasts months to years. When WD'ing from pregabalin, you start feeling better within days to weeks. Again, some suffer considerably longer, but at least it may give you some hope that for all it's not the case.
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You are so right about lyrica wd.I went months of lyrica binges and stopping abruptly.Most the time after a week of high dose binges I would feel shitty for a couple of days then back to normal.But it got me in the end I had a bad wd felt depressed no energy but b6 day 7 each day a massive improvement.I say by day 10 I was back to normal no anxiety but fatigue l8ngers a little longer.Opiate wd is worse but lyrica wd is a headfuck plus the anxiety is same as opiate wd.Lyrica a wonder drug for wd but we have add8ctive tendency and the euphoria lyrica causes can lead to what happened to me I swapped my opium addiction to a lyrica one.
 
A close friend of mine (no, I'm not doing that SWIM shit), started with 150mgs and within a year, he was being prescribed 1200 mgs/day. He gained A LOT of weight (water retention). I remember we went out to eat and drink one night, and I kid you not, he ate a fairly large Philly cheese steak, half a pan of pizza (large), and a platter for two at a BBQ spot. This was all in a matter of 2 hours. Then he quit cold turkey, and I only know the details, 'cause he'd call me pretty often to try and get his mind off the WD symptoms. But he was SUFFERING. He said it felt like a combination of extreme opiate and benzo WDs. I've taken a couple of his and loved it, but there just wasn't enough information available about this stuff at the time so I didn't get into it. In hindsight, I'm really glad I didn't. This stuff is too good when it works.

This stuff also works well for opiate/benzo WDs. But it doesn't work the other way around.
 
Hello everyone. I was given some generic pregabalin from a friend. It is a fat red and white capsule but has no writing on it. Inside are small clear crystals. They were not in blister packs. This is unlike my lyrica. Could anyone please help me confirm if these are safe to consume (I'm not using these to get high). Thanks!
 
Corrupted said:
Hello everyone. I was given some generic pregabalin from a friend. It is a fat red and white capsule but has no writing on it. Inside are small clear crystals. They were not in blister packs. This is unlike my lyrica. Could anyone please help me confirm if these are safe to consume (I'm not using these to get high). Thanks!
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Sorry, we are on the internet and can't do that.
 
WhatRdose said:
A close friend of mine (no, I'm not doing that SWIM shit), started with 150mgs and within a year, he was being prescribed 1200 mgs/day. He gained A LOT of weight (water retention). I remember we went out to eat and drink one night, and I kid you not, he ate a fairly large Philly cheese steak, half a pan of pizza (large), and a platter for two at a BBQ spot. This was all in a matter of 2 hours. Then he quit cold turkey, and I only know the details, 'cause he'd call me pretty often to try and get his mind off the WD symptoms. But he was SUFFERING. He said it felt like a combination of extreme opiate and benzo WDs. I've taken a couple of his and loved it, but there just wasn't enough information available about this stuff at the time so I didn't get into it. In hindsight, I'm really glad I didn't. This stuff is too good when it works.

This stuff also works well for opiate/benzo WDs. But it doesn't work the other way around.
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The lyrica is amazing for opiate wd wish I knew about it for my detox.I found out on day ten when I still had bad anxiety and legs that felt like stone.It helped me sleep but then I smashed the hell out of them and the wd was brutal mostly anxiety and a deep deep depression that lasted 6 days till it got better.I had a few days now on it felt shitty but taking codeine which helps hopefully it's just the normal two days of feeling horrible and not the depression afterwards.
 
Got a question if anyone can help.

Been on this stuff for ages for anxiety. Obviously it stops working after a while due to tolerance. I tapered down off my dose but I stayed on 75mg per day because I didn't want to face further withdrawal (even a small one) due to other health issues. Now for various reasons I might up my dose. Asked the GP and they would only put it up to 200mg per day.

Would going up from 75mg to 200mg give me any anxiolytic effect? And any weight gain effect? I'm trying to achieve weight gain and also some help with anxiety. I felt that I'd needed a higher dose increase. I don't want to up the dose if it's not going to do much. I know the effect won't last forever but I have a tough couple of weeks coming up so it would be helpful to have a couple of weeks like when I first starting taking it and it was having a v good anxiolytic effect. Have been taking valium but I don't want to use it too often, which is why I'm considering this. For what it's worth I'm a 33 year old male, very tall (6ft 3) but massively underweight (55kg). I tend to have high natural tolerances for drugs but that may have gone down since I lost the weight.

Many thanks in advance.
 
75mg never did anything for me. But 200 mg definitely had an effect.
If I were jumping from 75 to 200 I would feel it for sure. No weight gain, but feeling a little tipsy for a few days surely.
 
Survival0200 said:
I wonder if Lyrica can be prescribed to be taken "as needed"?
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It's supposed to be every 12 hours but can be taken only once a day if that's all that required. Usually when instructions say "as required" it means "as required" up to the maximum frequency and dosage, which for pregabalin is up to 300mg b.d. that is, no more than 300mg per individual dose and no more than this dose twice a day.. In this case "as required" doesn't mean just as many as you want, when you want. This is something that doctors sometimes overlook to tell their patients. When they say "as required", it is assumed that they have already gone through the MAXIMUM dosage and frequency of that medication with the patient beforehand.. and as I say in this case it's max 600mg/day and a dose every 12 hours maximum. This is clearly outlines in the patient information leaflet in the box (although in the case if pregabalin, the package insert leaflet is like a copy of War and Peace.

It's like with paracetamol, it may say "as required" but it assumed you know that means "as required" up to a maximum of 1,000mg q.d.s (4 times a day i.e. max 1,000mg every 6 hours, maximum daily dose of 4,000mg.
 
I am prescribed Lyrica for nerve pain. It takes a day or so of using(or not using) it to see a change. So as needed would not work since there is no fast connection between taking a pill and getting relief from pain. I can take oxy as needed since it works in about 30 minures and goes away a couple if hours later.
 
I just take 600mg all in one go, chew the capsules up and wash down with a coffee. I've just got out of jail and PG is the drug of choice (and spice of course!) I've taken 900 this morning but I was high yesterday so not expecting a massive buzz. Tolerance is quick to accumulate with PG. Have fun!!!!
 
I just read a statement from the FDA in the US. They are mentioning Pregablin and Gabapentin together with the opioid crisis as drugs of abuse.
Sounds like the prescription situation here is going to become a real pain in the ass in the next couple of years......
 
Squeaky said:
I just read a statement from the FDA in the US. They are mentioning Pregablin and Gabapentin together with the opioid crisis as drugs of abuse.
Sounds like the prescription situation here is going to become a real pain in the ass in the next couple of years......
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Although not a controlled drug in the UK yet, my doctor reckons it's going to be scheduled soon... 5 or so years ago, doctors over here were dishing them out like candy but they've wised up now. Also. as the poster above alluded to, they have overtaken subutex as the number 1 prescription drug of abuse in British prisons according to a few articles I've read and from a school friend who has recently been released from prison.
 
I finally had a chance to try the generic pregabalin in Canada. They were only 25 mgs pills. I get gabapentin prescribed for sciatica. The pregabalin seemed almost exactly the same, except 400 mgs of pregabalin seemed to work as good as 3200 mgs of staggered gabapentin.

Jeez, anything can get a person "high" if they took enough. Too much money in this, maybe a little more restriction but these are not going away.
 
JackARoe said:
I finally had a chance to try the generic pregabalin in Canada. They were only 25 mgs pills. I get gabapentin prescribed for sciatica. The pregabalin seemed almost exactly the same, except 400 mgs of pregabalin seemed to work as good as 3200 mgs of staggered gabapentin.

Jeez, anything can get a person "high" if they took enough. Too much money in this, maybe a little more restriction but these are not going away.
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Depenting on you're brains what kind of effects you get, I know lot of people who don't get any kind of pleasent effecets from pregabalin no matter what dose. I personally get very powerful effects from it, its like opioid or ghb high. So I like it even better than oxycodone. Gabapentin never have gave me any kind of "high" no matter what dose, I tried 4g but nothing.

Pregabalin also makes me extremely horny.

Any other enjoys nicotine while on pregabalin? It seems it has some synergy.
 
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I am suffering from Fibromyalgia & Panic disorder, my Dr prescriped lyrics, Xanax, cymbalata [Duloxetine]. Lyrica makes my depression vanished in 2hr, Xanax fight my Panic disorder, cymbalata for Fibromyalgia. But the pain still my middle name althougth my depression goes away.i have tried all antidepressants in the world for the last 10 years but only the lyrica do the job excellently so I may name my new born baby lyrica. But pain still story of my life, I have used many sedatives to control my pain & best was tramadol for my Fibromyalgia pain case cause it is SNRIs and also bind to opioid receptors by power of 1/200 of morphine. If any one can help me to fight my Fibromyalgia I may give him all I have in life just to feel normal again even for one day.
 
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