Misc Suffering from anxiety and other symptoms, doc prescribed Lyrica but I'm scared of it

[ksam]

Hi, I'm a student and I suffer from depression, anxiety and also brain fog/irritability/having no clarity of mind. Often when things happen which upset me or scare me it's like my head starts to spin. I get this feeling almost daily and it's totally disabling. When I am in this "mode" I cannot do anything productive or plan something. I hardly ever have moments where I feel like I'm at peace and have a clear mind.
I also have many other "weird" symptoms which I assume have a neurochemical cause which probably nobody knows cause no of my doctors (neurologist,psychiatrist,intern) seem to have any idea what causes it. I have been having visual snow for many years. I also suffer from strong blue field entoptic phenomenon. I see hundreds of transparent little objects moving around in my visual field. Sometimes I also see sparks. I am pretty sure that this is caused by some kind of imbalance or overactivity in the brain.

But it's really frustrating cause even though I'm seeing a psychiatrist in a clinic there don't seem to be any tests available to find out what exactly the cause is. For example I asked my psych wether I might be low in dopamine. He said we don't know. There's no way to test it.
He said measuring NTs in the blood or urine is useless so all he basically does is prescribe new drugs. I was really thinking that if I go to a clinic then they probably have laboratory tests and other stuff available which a normal psychiatrist does not have. I have already tried various ADs without success (celexa,wellbutrin,remeron,agomelatin,tianeptine & memantine). The memantine was my idea cause I thought maybe my irritability has something to do with excessive glutamate. I tried memantine a few weeks but unfortunately at 20mg it messed with my memory.
My recall became totally weird and this scared me cause since I'm a student I cannot take something which makes my memory worse.

Now my psych suggested lyrica for anxiety. I told him that I worry about lyrica cause I read that it dumbs you down. The dumbing down alone would already be a reason for me not to take it. But now I read stuff online where people wrote that they are addicted to lyrica and cannot stop taking it. My doc told me it's non addictive! Now I'm really worried and really don't know if I should take it or not.

I also watched a video on youtube from a really poor and miserable looking guy who said that lyrica destroyed his life. He has a few videos where you see him shaking it's really totally scary. He also said that if messed up his eyesight. After all of this I really feel like lyrica is something WAY too dangerous to even try out. I also read that there are no long term studies cause it's a new drug and that lyrica actually prevents new synapses from being built. To me this sounds like a huge red flag. It sounds like lyrica is a very potent anti-nootropic drug.

I don't know what to do now. My anxiety is a huge problem. But benzos don't seem to be a solution either because of tolerance and addiction and docs also hesitate to prescribe them. Do you have any ideas or suggestions?

 

[Lorne???]

... Not everyone becomes addicted to benzo's, not by a long shot. But they aren't really suitable for chronic administration in most cases.

I don't really know what you're asking. I can say you're problems are more complicated than any one neurotransmitter. I can also say that amateur diagnosis of yourself is just a Terrible idea. Not that all doctors are geniuses,(I love Sekio's joke about that) but they are better equipped than you are. You sound overly anxious, and no treatment will work if you fear every possible AE.

Lyrica isn't particularly addictive, sure, it can be abused, but then so can caffeine. If you're doctor prescribed it it's worth a try; if not then what's the point of seeing him?

But they're us no miracle cure; no drug is full-proof, and some of the more effective ones carry a risk of dependence. Accept that, or seek non-pharmacological treatment.

(Also, it is actually very hard to become physically dependent on GABAergics, and addiction only occurs with abuse, so if you really planned on using them properly that's not a problem)

 

[ksam]

Hello, I'm really scared of lyrica after all the things I read online. I don't know if the only people who say they can't get off it anymore really abused it. On youtube there are also really scary videos from people who took lyrica and say it ruined them. I read a few comments where people wrote they took it for years and now parts of their memory are gone and they cannot remember anything from the time when they were on it.

To me it seems like going on something like lyrica is taking a really huge risk, especially since i cannot risk memory impairment. i need to learn things and memorize things. my doc also said lyrica isn't addictive. he acted like it's totally safe. but he's not the one who has to take it and then is in risk of side effects.

I don't know how other doctors are but my doctor doesn't really seem to put a lot of thinking into my symptoms. I mean I tell him all my symptoms but he doesn't seem to think much about them or try to find out what could cause them. He simply suggested a new drug and that's it. Isn't it possible to draw conclusions from symptoms and then come up with a hypothesis which NT could be involved?

 

[Libertin]

I think you're right to be suspicious of the claim that Lyrica isn't addictive. And right to question your doctor's prescribing of it to you.

Pharmaceutical fraud is rife, Pfizer have an interesting reputation. Drug companies have a history of incentivising doctors to do certain things, such as prescribe their products. Doctors often have to see many, many patients and don't have much time or compassion for any of them, unfortunately this seems to be common.

I'm pleased to see you've expressed concern about using pregabalin¹, it makes for a refreshing change from those who walk blindly into chemical slavery. I personally would be extremely hesitant to use a GABA analogue such as pregabalin to treat any condition. Continue to do your own research and remember: it's your health, your responsibility.

¹To clarify, the drug being discussed here is pregabalin, marketed under the name 'Lyrica'. It is not a benzodiazepine, it is a GABA analogue.

 

[Snake_Eyes]

How old are you? I have eye floaters and all the other shit you listed and when I went to see an eye specialist he said that he couldn't see anything medically wrong with my eyes and that it was age related. He also said that he had pretty much the same symptoms as I do except his started in his upper 20's while mine didn't start until I was 37-38.

I've been on Lyrica (and benzos) for a year and a half and from my experience it does "dumb you down" my short term memory is really bad. There are times where I have to read something 2-3 times just to grasp it. During this time I've taken anywhere from 50-300mg a day.

Withdrawal from pregabalin seems to vary from person to person. I have read on here and other sites of people taking 150mg a day for 6 weeks and having horrific w/d symptoms lasting longer than when they were on it, others say every time they miss a dose they feel it. Other's have taken much larger doses for longer and can simply quit without any problems. About 6 months after starting lyrica I had to drop from 150mg to 50mg overnight and stayed on this dose for a month and the only w/d symptom I had was a mild headache that lasted for about a week..even to this day I can easily skip a day or two.

 

[EP158207]

You are wise to question the rationale behind your Dr prescribing Lyrica. It is a very effective pain killer, sleep aid and also fantastic for anxiety too. However, its hard to say how it will affect you, as it seems to have a different profile depending on who is using it. Not everyone experiences WD, but those that do sit on a spectrum from horrifying, month long nightmarish WD, to mild headache and anxiety. So without actually taking and coming off pregabalin its hard to say how you will react to it.

Secondly, there are some serious side effects, from memory loss to blurred vision. Again, not everyone experiences it.

I think you should take the prescription, but dont use it everyday, and do not abuse it. If you used it say once or twice a week and gave your body a chance to rid itself of pregabalin, then you should be fine.

Edit: I have found that the brain fog can be counteracted with caffeine and Mg.

 

[ksam]

Hello, I'm 30 and I have had floaters for 6 years. The all of a sudden got a lot worse back then. Before this time I could see them every now and then but now they are much more. I have also been to opthalmologists and they also said it's "normal" and harmless. This is silly imo. It's not harmless at all when it causes depression and when you cant enjoy being out in the sunlight anymore. I also have a feeling that lyrica is a potent drug and this scares me. If it didn't have all these dangerous side effects then I'd be very happy.

But I don't want to start with a drug knowing that it could as well cause huge damage and make everything much worse. Even if I felt great being on it then I could still be scared of what might happen when I want to stop it. Also since I'm a student who has exams coming up which I'm also afraid of how exactly does going on a drug which dumbs you down help me!?! I really dont get it. I just wish there was a safer alternative to lyrica. But there seems to be none.
Benzos are also no solution cause doctors do not prescribe them for daily use and having a benzo for example which you may only take every now and then isnt a huge help for GAD. Have you heard about silexan? It's lavender oil and supposedly helps against anxiety too. But I also read some say it's estrogenic which wouldn't be good. I am also sceptical wether it's really potent. I mean when I take 1mg ativan I also do not really feel very much. It's not like I jump around and feel totally free and nothing bothers me anymore... http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24456909

Taking lyrica only every now and then doesn't make much sense to me. My doc told me that in order to work it needs a few weeks.
I also dont know how much you'd even have to take to even feel an anti anxiety effect and what this effect feels like.
Does it totally kill fear? Do you walk around and nothing scares you anymore or how does it feel?

 

[theedeadmau5]

from a recreational POV, lyrica is a pretty potent sleeping pill. it is usually prescribed for nerve pain when meds like gabapentin don't really do the trick. from my experience, and this is just my opinion of the drug, i really don't see why a person would be prescribed lyrica for anxiety when there are other options that are much better, like a benzo obviously. i can kinda see how benzos carry a somewhat higher risk for dependence, but it's not like they are a cure for anxiety. as for neuropathic pain, they are very effective. but i have discovered that relief will not be felt until after a few days of taking it. and anything above 150mg for a first time user is going to knock you flat out. like i said, it is effective but be very wary of your dosage, because the sedation effects do not diminish with just a night's sleep, they will be felt way into the next day if you aren't careful.

 

[theedeadmau5]

you could talk to your doctor about prescribing you adderall for your anxiety. i know it isn't typically prescribed for anxiety but there have been several cases where it has helped people. and since you are a student it wouldn't hinder your ability to do your school work but would actually help you. just a thought, good luck.

 

[edgewise1]

I can see lyrica being prescribed for anxiety, in the short term. I would simply take the prescription as written for a week or two to see if it does help.

We can sometimes overthink things and all we can see are the most awful of the side effects listed. Another thing to remember is though you read the "terrible" stories about lyrica, keep in mind that terrible for one may not be bad for another.

Good luck with the problems.

Edited to add from Wikipedia;

ANXIETY DISORDERS
The World Federation of Biological Psychiatry recommends pregabalin as one of several first line agents for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder, but recommends other agents such as SSRIs as first line treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.[12] It appears to have anxiolytic effects similar to benzodiazepines with less risk of dependence.[13][14]

 

[Thanatos9]

I've been on 600mg a day pregabalin for a couple of years for anxiety. I've also been a benzo addict for about 3 years. Pregabalin imo is not really psychologically addictive because the recreational effects go away if you take it every day, large doses (1500mg) just make me feel stupid and dizzy.

Hello, I'm really scared of lyrica after all the things I read online. I don't know if the only people who say they can't get off it anymore really abused it. On youtube there are also really scary videos from people who took lyrica and say it ruined them. I read a few comments where people wrote they took it for years and now parts of their memory are gone and they cannot remember anything from the time when they were on it.

You should stop reading scare stories imo, these things usually happen to a small minority whereas most other people with the drug are fine. And a lot of people on places like benzobuddies and paxilprogress are simply hypochondriacs (yes benzo withdrawal sucks, so much that I've contemplated putting a gun to my head, but I don't believe you need to take 10 years to taper off 10mg of diazepam ).

 

[EP158207]

Wht not take it every other day? Or only when you need it? Its not the case that it needs to build up in the system for it to work for anxiety, thats mostly for neuropathic pain. Its really good for GAD, and can be taken every few days and you will feel less anxious the day after you dose too. I suggest you give it a go.

Also, all the negative side effects of Lyrica such as constipation, blurry vision, brain fog can be minimised with supplements, good diet and exercise. (Considering you are an otherwise healthy individual)

 

[DETROIT*edm*JUNKIE]

depression/anxiety/brain fog.........

bro.. no pill is going to magically take away those symptoms forever, they are a part of this human life.. just as happiness/sadness is..

you will find relief in a lot of pills, but will that relief be forever? probably not..

honestly......

try phenibut.. makes me happy, more productive, sleep better, takes away anxiety.......


its also very cheap.. its legal, and its a DRUG.. its marketed as a supplement.. this shit is a strong drug bro..


tolerance will shoot up..

it'll lose its effectiveness..

slightly addictive...

but worth a try for some temporary relief.

 

[ksam]

Hello, phenibut also builds tolerance fast from what I read. I also don't know if it's safe to take with SSRIs. I don't want to take supplements because then I don't know about interactions. Does Lyrica even work when taken prn? My doc said it needs weeks until it works. And do you not also have to slowly increase the dose? What if you simply take let's say 200mg every now and then will this not knock you out? What worries me most about lyrica is the dumbing down effect and also possible withdrawal issues. To me this doesn't seem like a good choice for me.

 

[edgewise1]

Then dispose of it. That way you have nothing to fear from it.

How is it prescribed? When I first begin taking it I was prescribed 75mg once a day for three days, then twice a day after three days. My dr told me the same thing about it may take up to 2 weeks before I would notice it. I could actually tell it was working after the first dose! I was prescribed this for neuropathic pain in my legs due to a spinal cord stroke. Of course I was already on tramadol, oxycodone, and morphine daily when I started the lyrica so that may have been why I felt it from day one.

The number 1 side effect I had was an increased hunger. I also experienced sleepiness for the first couple of weeks, but that eventually stopped.

Lyrica can be addictive and therefore it can have a withdrawal profile. But as long as you do not abuse it, take as prescribed or only as really needed, then addiction/withdrawal is something that can be handled by titration of the dose downward.

Bottom line is that you will not find out if it works unless you are willing to try it. If not, then reread the first sentence.


Edited to add;
I think the "dumbing" down effect would likely go away after the first couple of weeks, or once the sleepiness left. I also think that large doses, abuse, are much more likely to cause a problem rather than therapeutic doses.

 

[theedeadmau5]

the initial dosages of lyrica will make you sleepy, but eventually your body gets numb to those effects and by that time i'm sure the ssri advantages will be seen. but it sounds like you just do not want to take this med, so don't. there really is no reason to keep repeating yourself, we get it, you are reserved about it.