Misc Pregabalin (Lyrica)--What is an effective anxiolytic dosage?

[pharma-sutra]

I've searched through the net and BL, but there really isn't a concrete answer for which dosage would be the most effective for anxiolytic effects? Some say 75mg, others say 150 or 300mg. All over the place. And there is no information on whether you should redose throughout the day, even though people have stated that their doctors have instructed them to dose 3x or 2x a day. Doesn't Lyrica have a very long half-life? Why would you redose throughout the day... can someone please explain this to me? (for anxiety relief...not pain relief)

Also, I noticed that many people claim that this drug takes forever to kick in, but what is the definite answer for the onset period? I'm guessing 1.5-2 hrs, but other claim that eating before or while you take it may hamper absorption rate... thus delayed effects.

IME, I've only dosed up to 150mg, and the duration is about 6-8 hours (however, there is usually a little bit of benzos thrown in the mix; such as one 2mg clonezapem OR 2-3x of 1mg etizolam). I have social anxiety and I find this prescription to not live up to the hype at all. Blurred vision, nodding off, stumbling around, and inability to god damn ejaculate.....that is not exactly the desired effects for most people. It's confusing that many people, including BL'ers claim that it makes them chatty, sociable, and is recreational at high doses (300mg +) and even going as far as to compare it to GHB and MDMA. IMO, that is totally bogus, stop the marketing already. Pfizer is essentially making us their guinea pigs.

 

[Mercc96]

I would say start at 150mg max a few times a day. The side effects will become less pronounced once you get used to it. If you go up to 300mg a day then you are likely to notice alot more of the side effect and I think higher doses are more geared towards neuropathy. Mixing benzos and lyrica greatly potentiates the benzos , which might explain the side effects you mentioned

 

[ErgicMergic]

I'm guessing you have the 75mg capsules, so titrating your dosage should be really easy. For anxiety relief based on your tolerance, I would recommend taking 300mg of Lyrica once a day when you wake up, along with 1mg of clonazepam, since 150mg lyirica and 2mg clonazepam [= 2mg of xanax] makes you feel barred out/buzzed. I've been taking 150-300mg of Lyrica and 0.5-0.75mg of clonazepam once a day since August/September, and it's worked great for anxiety relief, panic attack prevention, depression improvement, opioid potentiation, benzo potentiation (watch out!), etc, and it mixed fantastically with weed.

Keep in mind that Lyrica/Neurontin greatly potentiates benzos (and alcohol, for that matter), so be extremely careful, it's not the same kind of alcohol+benzo synergy at ALL, it's a super-potentiation that can be unpredictable in even the most experienced benzo users at doses of 150+mg lyrica or 300+mg gabapentin, having the potential to knock a reasonably low tolerance novice on their ass.

300mg is far too much for someone inexperienced with gabapentin/pregabalin (150mg of lyrica is a perfect dose for them), farrr too much for those with low tolerances to benzos, alcohol, and gabapentin/lyrica.

At a higher dose, lyrica takes on a more dissociative nature, with possibly intense euphoria of a CEV psychedelic nature which meshes with music in a way almost as perfect as real psychedelics and/or dissociatives, which can be 300mg for a first time user, or 600-900mg for an experienced user; heavy motor function loss is to be expected, so if you're going to have the experience in a physical setting, make sure it is not something too technical such as a hike with poor terrain or a walk/run at too steep of an angle, etc, just take it easy to avoid injury but don't be afraid to explore whatever interests you. :D

Lyrica can be an extremely rewarding, magical, therapeutic, euphoric, psychedelic, you just need to realize that if you want to use it for anxiety/depression in the future as medicine, you can't EVER abuse it, and if you are just dying to experiment, do no more than 600mg once every once or two, since tolerance gains with lyrica are unreal: they build up so quickly, and remain so permanently (even quicker than benzos and alcohol)!

 

[pharma-sutra]

Yeah, exactly, I don't feel that lyrica lives up to it's hype as potential "miracle" anxiolytic for it's therapeutic can only be optimized with another medication (ie clonezepam). In addition to the side effects already mentioned, I've already started to notice the "mind fog" that everyone's been talking about. Usually I'm able to dish out witty comebacks and go on intense intellectual arguments with my mates and what not...but when on lyrica I god damn lose my train of thought more easily than as if I was stoned off my ass. And the dissociative effects you've describe is noticeable at 2mg clonezepam and 150 mg lyrica, but definitely not as debilitating to my motor skills ketamine. However the hampering of cognitive ability troubles me and interferes with the very intent of using this medication: social anxiety relief. Even with adderall, I still cannot converse and debate with my colleagues on subjects that I used to think I have at least some extent of expert knowledge. In fact, I sometimes even find it hard to even hold grasp of social situations (much like feeling you get when you smoked herb and then feel lost in people's conversations who aren't high, and eventually turn from being talkative to retard just sitting there)

 

[plague66]

From what I know, you should not take Lyrica with benzos or atleast take the Lyrica few hours after your benzo. If I have no tolerance to Lyrica, I can take 150mg and be high all day. It gives me stimulant-like effects and also removes 90% of opiate withdrawal symptoms if needed. When it peaks I can almost compare it to speed. But the next day you will already need 300mg to get the same effects, the next 600mg and so on. But I have noticed that as fast as the tolerance goes up, same fast it goes down. I skip 4 days I can get high with 150mg again.

Some people prefer to take doses like 1200mg with no tolerance (meaning they take it once a week or like that) and just be completely fucked up but I prefer smaller doses which act almost identical with GBL/GHB with some speedy effects. Enhanced senses (music, feelings, talkativeness) etc...

 

[pharma-sutra]

That is so weird you feel that way plague. Honestly, I can conclude that the hit-and-miss factor for this one is very big. I'd say, about 50% of the people who use lyrica would describe the effects you've just laid out (G with speedy effects). Others who don't respond too well to it (like me), experience lethargy, confusion, and disoriented. And I have tried this medication numerous times without any benzos added and I don't ever dose consecutively for multiple days.

On the other hand, I had never tried this drug for recreational uses, and never went past 300mg/day. Maybe I'll wait out a week, then down a 1200mg dose and see if it actually is any fun at all. I'll update on that.

 

[pasha]

Start as low as possible, such as 75 milligrams twice daily, then keep working your way up from there by increasing to 75 milligrams thrice daily whenever the dose stops becoming effective, which will surely happen. As an anxiolytic, and especially for social anxiety it can be very effective. Nevertheless this drug probably has the fastest rising tolerance of any pharmaceutical drug which is its biggest shortfall. There's no need to gain excessive tolerance where it isn't necessary.

If you feel you're not comfortable with the side-effects, don't take it. I should also note that this drug carries the risk of dependence and withdrawal, and you'll have to be willing to sacrifice it as a withdrawal aid (which it is the gold standard for) at the expense of becoming dependent on it as anxiolytic.

 

[pharma-sutra]

Yeah, would a weekly cycle between kratom and kava kava be a good idea? For instance, Week 1 Lyrica, week 2 Kratom, week 3 kava.

By the way, how does pgn act on cross-tolerance with benzos and other Gabageric drugs? I'm assuming it's nature for fast tolerance would make it ill-advised to use other gabageric to cycle with.

 

[pharma-sutra]

I'm gonna bump this thread, because I haven't been able to find a solid answer as to why I am experiencing tremors and excessive shaking while on PGN. It only occurs if there was an intermittent break of a few weeks to even a few months from occasional use (avg 3x per week) and then resume. Dosing doesn't matter, tremors occur even as low as 75mg. It gets to a point that it creates panic attacks, which is contradictory to anxiolysis.