Editorial Note: This post was put together by Johanna Ryan from reports to RxISK on Lyrica – Pregabalin. Lyrica is closely related to Neurontin. Many anticonvulsants such as carbamazepine have been used for forty years for pain syndromes such as trigeminal neuralgia. Neurontin but especially Lyrica have been promoted heavily for this. Both cause dependence and withdrawal and because pain and burning sensations are such a feature of withdrawal, they can both become the problem they are used to treat.
Please describe the side effect, and its impact, in as much detail as you can
Memory problem:
“I developed really bad constipation. My skin started peeling on my hands. I packed on about 20 pounds in two months with no change in my diet or exercise. I’m a high school teacher and had trouble remembering the names of my students. I had significant problems learning new material that I needed to teach. I felt like my emotions were completely shut off. Looking back on it, I turned into a brain dead zombie.”
Did you continue taking the drug? Why or why not?
NO: “The side effects while taking Lyrica were intolerable. I was a brain dead zombie but didn’t realize how bad things were until I was completely off the stuff and was able to reflect back on how I was when taking the stuff.The withdrawal was absolute hell. I tapered in 20 mg doses (the smallest available dose) over the course of about 4 months. I experienced agitation, skin crawling, major depression (I spent most of the summer in bed), panic attacks, and became severely suicidal. About a month after my last dose, in the space of maybe a day, I felt like I had walked out from under a dark cloud that I had lived under for two years (I took gabapentin before switching to Lyrica). I could feel emotions again, the depression lifted, the suicidal thoughts disappeared, and, I could think again! My neuropathy flared up badly as I decreased my dosage but it settled down after a few months (with the help of Lidoderm patches and a B-vitamin/ alpha lipoic acid supplement) and I found that the pain I was left with was way better than the side effects from Lyrica.”
What advice would you give to someone who was considering taking this drug?
“Lyrica does work for neuropathic pain but, in my experience, there are far better solutions for neuropathy. The side effects while taking it are terrible, you won’t know how badly the stuff affects you until after you get off of it, and the withdrawal is absolute hell. If you need to take a prescription neuropathy drug, take gabapentin at the lowest dose you can manage since the side effects aren’t as severe nor is the withdrawal as bad.Here is what I wish I would have known when I first started dealing with severe neuropathy:
If you are experiencing localized neuropathic pain, stabbing or burning in spots that you can point to, use prescription Lidoderm patches on those spots every day for several days. It may take a couple of days but it’ll work wonders. My localized neuropathy was horrifying, 100 (no, I’m not exaggerating!) on the 1-10 pain scale, and when I finally tried it, Lidoderm patches made it completely disappear within about 6 weeks.
For the more diffuse pins and needles type of neuropathy that spreads over an entire limb, try a B vitamin and alpha lipoic acid supplement. There are several published medical studies that show that this works. I take a supplement that I order online called Neuropathic Support Formula. I really didn’t have much hope for it but I was desperate and finally decided to try it. About an hour after my first dose, I was surprised to notice that the constant pins and needles had diminished. I take it twice a day, I experience no side effects, and after a few months, I barely notice the pins and needles anymore. If I forget to take it for more than a day, I notice an increase in pain.
If the Lidoderm and B vitamin/ alpha lipoic acid isn’t enough then try gabapentin (not Lyrica). If you’re thinking about increasing your dose, test out if you will experience withdrawal when you want to get off the stuff. On one of your doses, take one capsule less than you usually do. You’ll know in about 5-6 hours how bad the withdrawal is for you. Some people have no problems with decreasing the dose while others, like myself, experience significant withdrawal (racing heart, skin crawling, agitation, etc.). It’s good to know what you’re facing so you can weigh the advantage of less pain if you increase your dosage vs a longer withdrawal period when it’s time to get off the stuff.
I had neuropathic pain from a broken pelvis I got from a major bike accident and from Cauda Equina Syndrome as a result of a failed back surgery. I took gabapentin for a long time and kept increasing the dose and then switched to Lyrica on the advice of a pain management doctor. I’ve since discovered that all my doctors except one have no idea about the potential severe side effects and withdrawal problems with both gabapentin and Lyrica. None of them had me try Lidoderm patches for severe localized neuropathy (my physical therapist told me about it) and none of them know about B vitamins and alpha lipoic acid.
So, my doctors had things completely backwards. Instead of starting me on treatments with no side effects or withdrawal risk (Lidoderm patches and B vitamins/ alpha lipoic acid) and then adding gabapentin as needed, they started me on gabapentin, kept increasing the dosage until I was at the maximum and then switched me to the even worse Lyrica. I figured out the much better solution on my own and of course, went through the hell of Lyrica withdrawal on my own with no support from any of them. I’m not sure if they really believed me when I told them how bad the side effects of Lyrica and Lyrica withdrawal was.
If you are already taking Lyrica and want to taper off, ask your doctor for a dose equivalent prescription for gabapentin since it’s significantly easier to taper off of then Lyrica. I figured this out towards the very end of my Lyrica taper and it made my last couple of tapers much easier.”
There is a Lyrica Survivors group that is very active on Facebook. It is a closed group so you will have to ask to join the group. There are currently over 1300 members from all over the world. It’s a great place to ask questions and find support if you are struggling with the side effects and/or withdrawal from Lyrica.
PCNG says
Sounds like sensible, rational, real world experience, knowledge and advice being given in that post.
Something is seriously lacking in the training of Doctors. They seem unable to think for themselves or challenge the guidance they are fed. Why is it they seem to have such a blinkered approach? Whether it is neuropathy, as here, or depression, or no doubt all kinds of other conditions which they are attempting to treat, often at great expense (and maybe there’s the rub) they just seem to blindly follow whatever the latest advice is coming from the drug companies, i.e. “prescribe this new stuff”. (An over simplification, I know, but…)
Do they never seek to build their knowledge by listening to patient experiences? Something is rotten in the state of Denmark, but what is the solution? Nationalise the drug companies? Insist all drug company testing and research data is always available to some independent expert body? The current drug approval and reporting back of “side” effects regime seems to be not fit for purpose. I don’t know what the answer is. It’s difficult and the current state of affairs is very worrying. A loss of faith in the medical profession would be a great loss to society and should not be risked.
lzeas says
Having Fibromyalgia, I’ve taken several drugs through the yrs for this problem. Starting with Zoloft. For years. I wasn’t depressed, I had pain, terrible pain, this was my downfall. So , I changed to Cymbalta, gained weight, felt terrible emotionally. Just yuk. I then went on Gabapentin, the weight stayed higher then my usual weight of 109, by 10 lbs. The doctor was sooo excited to put me on Neurotin. A new hell. A walking zombie, emotional ups and downs, like doing a stint in hell. When I went off one of these drugs, changed to another, again, each time was sooo bad, nightmares, unable to concentrate, angry, just plain awful. I am going to my doctor soon & letting her know how the Lyrica has made me feel, & perhaps also trying to wean off of Lyrica by going on Gabapentin. I really to get some semblance of normal back. So, thanks
for the info.
Stephanie Yeider says
I am experiencing nausea from weaning off of Lyrica. I have energy back and for the most part feel like my brain is working again. I have not had a Dose for a month.Are those normal feelings from getting off of it?
XYZ says
You are very lucky getting only nausea. Just take medication for that only and forget lyrica for ever. Good luck.
Ann Kleinman says
Hi,
If you’re off it what are you taking to replace it. I really could use help.
Jeff says
Don’t replace it with anything, Chances are high you never needed it in the first place.
Angelo Scala says
My Doctor willingly forgot to issue a new Rx for Lyrica (aftyer i called for a week straight before I ran out and now, 45 hours without sleep, its really raised my BP, Makes me nauseous and have quite a headache! After what I have read…I hopefully tough this out and not be severely affected.
Dawanna says
I have weird eye problems, like I cannot focus my eyes and it’s such a irritating feeling like I want to rip them off if I skip a dose, I’m scared to go fully off, but I really want to.
Lauren says
DUDEEEE!!! Yes! I fucking hate this part! My vision gets all weird and fuzzy, one of lyricas worst withdrawals.. it’s the beginning phase of withdrawal. I’m withdrawing as we speak off of 7 300mg tabs a day (yes I’m in recovery so I do everything in excess) my eyes were rolling in the back of my head last night my mom heard me screaming and crying at 3am not being able to sleep so she gave me “ONE” Of her 300mg which she can’t STAND doing.. smh
Never get on this drug it’s almost worse than coming off heroin
Beth says
My vision has become blurry and a lot of twitching of my right eyelid.
Very depressed (that’s not me!(
Brain fog, breakthrough pain. Although my pain comes from MALS.
Which Vit B do you suggest?
hazel Kosky says
I have been off Lyrica for a month now, I also have nausea and insomnia expect hope that my brain will start working as before. My main reason for stopping is that I have burning feet at night and have been told by my GP that Lyrica is of no use.
Josh says
Trust me Stephanie, I was on 600mg a day. The doctor actually had my dose at 2×300mg in the morning & same again before bed. I started falling asleep while working with power tools….. it still makes me cringe, thinking back , Its a miracle i never cut off any limbs….. I had carpel tunnel & a mate came into the timber yard to get some wood. He was shot in Afghanistan while on tour… it went through his right leg just above the kneecap & as it was a hollow point it pretty much took off half his left hamstring…. he was telling me how he was feeling much better now that he’d decided to get off the painkillers as he pretty much missed feeling pain or anything for that matter… I was on the same dosage as him & I only had carpel tunnel (felt a bit pathetic) He has kids & said it was the only option as he didn’t even feel much when it came to the most important thing (family)… I decided that day that I was getting off and I called my doctor who tried to set up a system that would have taken a year for me to get clean. I literally didn’t think I could make it a year… I was having withdrawal without even cutting down so spoke to my boss who had to ask me one day if I was on drugs as he noticed me falling asleep whilst trying to put timber in its racking. He came to speak to me on my smoko break and sure enough I was having a power nap. It was plain I was under the influence of something. (Imagine a heroin addict stumbling around) so i said to him that it was the stupid medicine & yeah that I was hating it….I just said can you give me 2 weeks because it’s going to be rough getting off it…. he understood & was fine with that…. it was hard to get off but I was having withdrawal every day as I’d have to take my dose an hour or even 2hrs before my last dose. So 24hrs went to 23 and then 22hrs. It takes about 3 days to get over the major withdrawals & if you get past that then I guarantee it will all be up hill from there. And yes the pain is pleasant compared to having no feeling at all. I was told it was like I was in zombie mode. It really is like getting zombie bit….but this one u can come back from…..Good luck Stephanie & watch that weight fall off . It’s not you , it’s the drugs.
Lyn McEwen says
Did you go off them cold turkey?
Elizabeth Lujan says
Hi michelle,
Would like to know how you were able to get off of lyrica after 18 yrs.? I’ve been on lyrica for almost 10 yrs and would like to get off of it after reading all these scary stories about it. I’m terrified. Please help me with any advice you may have. Thank you. Elizabeth
Lora says
I found significant help from the Icarus Project publication:
https://theicarusproject.net/resources/publications/harm-reduction-guide-to-coming-off-psychiatric-drugs-and-withdrawal/
This particular pamphlet is full of information for the class of drugs which include Lyrica and Gabapentin. I have so much that I have learned over the past 4 years since dealing with a work injury resulting in spinal fusion.
One very salient point from the publication is: Taper at 10 percent of dosage. But understand that every time you titrate down, only do so at 10 percent of the dosage you are currently using.
I was on 450 Lyrica per day.I misunderstood and tried to titrate according to 10 percent of the starting dosage. I nearly ended up in the hospital. I have been tapering for about a year now, and try to taper each month, but not until I have had at least 5 days of manageable symptoms. I have significant withdrawal symptoms, but at least I can survive them. I have found a great deal of help from PT and pure supplements, many that are amino acids.
I would have to write a book to include all I have experienced and learned in consequence, but my main advice (besides the 10 percent) is that:
You must do your own research and be your own advocate.
I now tell my doctor exactly what dosage I need to taper to, and exactly how much liquid plus how many capsules each time I taper. She is a “trust but verify” and checks to be sure my math is right.
Also, know your own body and how to separate side effects from similar physical complaints. I would write more, but don’t want the important points to get lost in the narrative.
Good luck.
danielle hutchison says
hi I am in the process of coming off lyrica at the moment I have experienced terrible side effects including nausea, insomnia, pains in my stomach which a awful extreme tiredness and aches and pains all over my body and tge worst symptom anxiety and depression. it’s been a tough road I’m down to a 50mg dose so still come way to go. but I’m not gonna give up i will be free of this evil drug they call lyrica… be brave and you will get through it..
LJ says
I tried decreasing my x per day me to mg. I can’t stop crying I can’t work, I’m weak.
Pitter Watkins says
I was on 600 mg Lyrica for over 10 years and it took me 3 years to taper off at 25mg a time. I would decrease my dude on my pm meds for 2 weeks then on my am meds for 2 weeks then stay on the decreased dose for at least 3 months, sometimes longer until I finally got off them 1 year ago!!! Yes, I still have fibro and it is awful but I don’t have the Lyrica side effects!
Sherrod says
Hey I have been on lyrica for over a year well February 21st I had a reaction like a person who has Parkinsons disease and I am only 40 and my doctors had me on latuda. That increased my symptoms 100 times well I am off both meds. Been off for going on 3rd day. My withdrawal is just really going to the bathroom but my Parkinson symptoms are going away not gone yet but getting there. Doctors in mental health and pain clinic don’t talk and especially if you are a veteran.
becky bussey says
Hi Michelle did you suffer from fibro pain?i just weened off lyrica and tramadol, horrible itching diarrhea, can you explain more about nrf2 protandim please
Adam says
I don’t know what I’m going to do, because I been taking 900mg lyrica everyday plus I’m on the methadone program as well, but then the doctor just wanted me to jump straight off the lyrica and I did it for a week and it got so hard so I went back on 600mg and I was good for a while, but for some reason after a while I got amuned to that and started withrawals again so I went back up to 900mg, then after a while the withrawals came again and I don’t know why…now I’m on 1200mg of lyrica and I’m still withdrawing and I don’t know what’s going on…I’m so sorry and I have pins and needles all through my body which I never even had before I started taking lyrica, Because I’ve always taken it elicitly to get high…I get hot and cold chills around 5am in the morning until I have my next lot of lyrica… and I don’t know what’s going on if doesn’t matter how much lyrica I have now the withrawals just won’t go…my body’s just so sore and the pins and needles are constant and I don’t know when I run out and if I’ll ever get better.
Lisa says
Hey Michelle , did u taper off lyrica ? I’m on 600 mg every other day for 2 it’s. When I try to stop, insomnia and anxiety are crazy. I take couple things like ashwaganda, b vitamins and magnesium. Nothing helps ! I’m so scared to feel that anxiety again.
Brice says
We put my 98 yr old Mom on Lyrica and Cymbalta about a month ago to help with pain.
Replaced Gabapentin and Lexapro. Her memory dramatically went down hill. I’m hoping it’s a pseudo-dementia from the drugs.
We ended both drugs tonight. Put her on a good quality CBD pill that her doc prescribed just this week.
We just cold turkey stopped the drugs.
If she was on them less than a month will it get out her system in a few days? Will there be lasting effects?
Kathy says
How’s your mom been? I quit Lyrica cold turkey today and haven’t been on for very long, maybe 6 weeks. I already experience aches, pains, insomnia so I’m not sure what is everyday or what could be withdrawal.
Thank you
Jaz says
Hi Kathy
I took myself off Lyrica cold turkey also, it’s been 5 days and I feel terrible. Insomnia, wandering aimlessly, depressed, restlessness and muscles are so sore and heavy.
Would love to know, did you stay off it cold turkey or seek help? I want to get through this, would love to know how long it took you to feel ok of you stayed off it.
Sharon Ward says
Kathy you really must not stop cold turkey. You can be ill and have a seizure. Best way is to see your doctor and do it very gradually. I am summoning up enough courage to taper mine down. I am on 100mg twice a day for severe arthritis and back pain.i have been on it for many years. Good luck.
David Dempsey says
I was giving lyrica by a friend because he noticed I was suffering from depression I was unsure what they where but he assumed me that they would make me feel alone better.i have been on 2 300 mg tab for a month and now I have none left.after reading all your comments im terrified of what I’m about to go through.any advice would be greatly appreciated.thanks
bevery long says
can someone help I was taking 1800mg of gabapentin a day with Effexor then I had total knee replacement should have come home in 2 days then developed blood clots so now on blood thinner that I have to take for 6 mo. only two mo. to go with that started having burning skin sensations all over went to rhm.dr. he said I should switch from gab. to lyrica started taking lyrica and Zoloft I have a brain fog and terrible hot pain on top of head went to er sat was there for 8 hrs. he was mad that I was using the er for chronic pain I also have a swallowing thing that I might have to have botox shots in throat went to pcp yesterday and er gave report to pcp stating that I just wanted some oxy told my pcp I asked about fentanyl,morfine, I did state that my mother took these gave me 9 oxy told him I did;nt need it have some at home I have fibro, sciatic, and tkr that is not healed yet that is what is kicking up spine and burning bad right now can’t stand my head rigtht now dr. told that she could not really help me much mor that I just have to live with it she was never like this and was believing the er dr.
Deby says
I’m a little confused. How does a synergizer help with pain? I have horrible nerve pain in my left side both up and down my body. I have been taking Lyrica & tramadol for years, tried other drugs too but these 2 seem to help the most but I have started to experience some very disturbing side effects. My teeth are rotting from the gums up and my breasts have started to swell and become very painful. I’m terrified! If this medication is rotting my teeth God only knows what it is doing to my bones! I would like to go a more natural route if possible but the memory of the horrific pain I was in before the Lyrica & tramadol is terrifying to me. I have a doctors appointment this coming week and will have a discussion with him on a more natural approach to pain relief as well. I need help & I’m scared!
Jacqui Reid says
My dentist confirmed that the best thing I could do to help my issues was to come off this drug – am currently trying to decrease after 18 years! Any help appreciated x
Melony says
Hi Deby I was just interested to know how you are and if you have had any help in reducing your Lyrica dosage?? I would appreciate any feedback please. Thanks
Sharon says
Deny did you get help for your pain other then the lyrica and tramadol? I am taking those two drugs for the same pain you describe. I would love to know if anything else has been helpful.
Debbie says
I am on 59 mg once at night
just been on it 2 weeks
I dont want to take it anymore- is it safe to stop
it now since its a kow dose and only once a day?
Beth says
Debbie…I started from 100mg three times a day down to 50mg. at night. I did the decrease on my own over a 3 month period of time.
After reading this article I am switching to lowest dose Gabapentin/Vit B/Lipoic acid.
Trying to find which b to take.
I have MALS which brings excruciating pain. The Lyrica did help but my personality is drifting away; very very depressed and flat affect.
Kathleen scott says
Thank you ! Just started on Lyrica! Good to know👍🏻
Jacqui says
Kathleen – your dentist can prescribe a specialist toothpaste which will help x
Kathleen says
Thx for sharing! Just started Gabapentin, 2 wks of Lyrica was enough!
Deedee says
I’ve only been on 75 mg lyrica for 2 weeks, I hate it. How long after you stopped lyrica were you able to start gabapentin? (I took 800mg gabapentin for 3 years, prior to Dr switching me). Thank you
Cmot Dibbler says
Gabitril has been amazing but the difficulty is it’s only in America and it’s now past its patent so it’s becoming more difficult to obtain, I think the Tricare and Medicare pharmacies no longer provided directly so you can still get those coverages if you have them and if it’s a low dose then you should be able to find a podiatrist or orthopedic surgeon who will prescribe it so that you don’t have to wait five or six months at least in my state that’s the waiting time for pain management and approval. I’ve had that since 2010 and I’m now in a country where it’s off the market and you can only get Lyrica. They have just legalized medical marijuana and I’m nearly up the waiting list to see an m m doctor to try to get help that way. I too have noticed the loss of memory function and depression with Lyrica. So I hope you’re doing better now we are going into a new decade so there are many better approaches and often if you can get to your local library or find a sympathetic college that will give you home access to their systems than you can keep up on the research articles for yourself in Maine clinical trials report so long as you have a good grasp of statistics and consult with a doctor but honestly if your doctor is not meeting your needs and you’re having to change medications that many times unless you live in a small or remote location then it’s time to find somebody else.
Ddc
Eliza Roe says
Hi Michelle Lee,
I am so happy to have read that you have come off Lyrica,Tamadol & Oxy & are taking the Nrf2 as I have just made the decision to stop taking 150mg per day of Lyrica & 200mg of Celebrex every day plus the multiple amount of vitamins & replace it with Nrf2 with in the next few days.
I have been worried how this will go as in weaning myself off Lyrica, do you mind me asking what mg of Lyrica were you on daily? And how did you wean your self off it
I understand every individuals experience would be slightly different but I would just love to hear how you went doing this besides going to my GP tomorrow to see what she suggests, I am so looking forward to getting off the 2 medications as they will only do harm in the long run & I can feel myself slowly sliding down hill over the years & I am only 57 years of age,
Kind regards
Eliza
Skelitore says
Slightly different is a huge understatement. People have drastically different reactions to drugs like lyrica especially. Some can walk off with zero withdrawal or discomfort, while others will go through up to 2 years of pure hell. You won’t know until you try it. Switch to gabapentin for at least a year first and taper from that Instead. This is the best advice you have ever gotten, you’d better take it.
Dawn Venter says
Hi Michelle I have been on Lyrica 75mg and Tramadol for 11 years after 2 back operations. I would love to get off these and try nrf2 Protandim. Do you need a prescription, if not shere csn I get it.
Susan says
I was prescribed B12, 1000mg sub q everyday for fibromyalgia. It was fantastic, until the geniuses at the fda decided it does not work. I gratefully took it for 10 years.
It was non narcotic, non addictive, inexpensive, no side effects, it didn’t remove the pain but helped me handle the pain.
It was not a good trade to stop B12 and start Lyrica and Cymbalta. I have nausea and hot flashes from stopping Lyrica.
Why do they(fda) have to prevent people from using safe alternatives?
Debra safe says
They want your money
Steve says
What is nrf2 Protandim?
kelly says
doctors get kick backs from big pharma. how about this I have discovered seizures are caused by to much potassium in the diet. I am calling these tremors…potassium induced toxicity tremors. this is the honest truth. you need more info contact me. why has then not been made public? can not patent a cure, no money to be made, donated, no lab work, office visits, tests, the list continues.
Debra Mathis says
jazzywoman1216@yahoo.com. these tremors u talking about i feel like thier is an earthquake going on inside of me that what ur saying please contact me thanks
Raquel Costa says
I have the exact same problem. I feel that i can’t control them, how can i overcome this? Thank you
Cameron harris says
U gotta go to rehab or try to lean off but it’s hard I love being on lyrica for the high. Take half of the usually amount u take and keep going down half does every other day or take neurotin it stop the withdrawal
Patrice Beckett says
No no too quick, you cant come down by half then every other day where did you get that from your body will probly go into shock.I had to wean down 25mls every 2-4 weeks, I was on 600ml per day, now on 25mls it’s not easy when you get down to last bit.
Good luck to every trying to get off it’s for the best as I found out it kills of the new brain cells, when I put this to the doctor he replied they had only known this for the last 2 yrs.
Kimberly Tinsman says
My husband works for big Pharma and the doctors DO NOT get a kickback. It’s a good drug for some. I myself am trying to get off this awful drug. Just want to make sure Info is correct! Good luck. I have the worst side effects when I don’t have any in my system.
Carmon McFawn says
I agree with your thoughts. I cannot understand why they treated me with Lyrica and continued to increase the dose when it didn’t appear to be working.
Tim says
One word: KICKBACKS! *&^% Lyrica and big pharma, I’m doing a rapid taper, screw this garbage. You’ll regret it. Been on and off it for around 5 years, tapered off 5-6 times only to come back to use it as a detox tool for opiates…Every post on every site i read is negative about it. Only VERY few people on really low doses can tolerate it well from the looks of it, we’re all so different. Peace.
Tim says
I did some research and got idea: Taper off 550mg Lyrica [Pregabalin] with Neurontin[Gabapentin]. There isn’t really a conversion ratio but i’d say Lyrica is 3-5x more potent than gabapentin so l went with 3x so I estimate that 550mg lyrica= 1600mg gabapentin BALLPARK….So far so good! I’m reducing by 200 every 4 days. The most annoying symptom im getting is shortness of breath and pounding heart. When you’re in lyrica withdrawal your body is screaming out for magnesium. It calms your CNS. Calcium and kava also help. YMMV.
kate says
100% agree. I have diffuse scleroderma an autoimmune disease which basically glues your skin to all your muscles/nerves/joints because your entire body is building too much collagen from head to toe.
That being said it is extremely painful all of the time and then it spikes to a 100 and it can last for months. Anyway doctors put me on 600mg of Lyrica 300 morning 300 night.
I accidentally came off 75mg and realised after my body went through withdrawal, that it does absolutely nothing for the extreme pain breakthrough anyway. I came down 75 again when I was feeling strong, otherwise I thought it was going to take me years to get off it.
Now that I am getting lower I went off 25mg and not when I was in a low pain stage because waiting for one was taking too long, and that was just as tough as 75.
I now take 50mg in the morning and 75mg at night. My body churns through magnesium and it is the only thing I can rub on my skin that works at the moment, I have to do it several times a day.
I still have 2 years probably before I will be off it completely, but for now I am having a break from 100 pain and enjoying summer at a pain level of 7 before I do the next lot.
Good luck everyone and thank you for helping
Vicki Myers says
I agree 100%. Doctors don’t think for themselves anymore — at least in Springfield, Illinois, which has three teaching hospitals. I could go to my doctor and mention something I had seen advertised on T.V., and without question, he or she would prescribe it for me. I have had Rh. arthritis for about 50 years now. I believe that they are not as dedicated as doctors used to be when doctors had their own offices, worked out of their homes and/or went to the patient (country doctors). Now business administration seems to determine everything like police depts. that reward highway officers for passing out more and more traffic tickets. The worst is the pulling back of pain killers. The doctors, especially those doing their residences, are brutally insensitive and somewhat sadistic. I am through with them. I am going to naturally healing which, of course, means ignoring age and other defeating factors. You know how the song goes … “Be Happy!”
Chris Walkowicz says
I fired my doctor today for your exact reason. My doctor is half my age and knows nothing. She only knows what she reads. I have suffered from chronic pain for 33 years and thought everything was over. I took tramadol and had a wonderful successful career. Lyrica and Gabapentin are horrible. Stay away. I am going to get off them if it kills me.!
Patty says
I’m so glad I found this blog I felt like I was the only person going through this with lyrica. I have neuropathy and just had back surgery. Prior to the surgery, my doc had me up to 175mg for nerve pain. I have since then brought it down to 125mg. The side effects are so severe I am taking my time getting down more. Thank you all for your advice on ways in which I can help get out of this eventually. This is the next OxyContin but people like us didn’t know that. I’m furious with my doc for getting me into this mess. Thanks again and good luck to all. Xo
Kaz says
Hi all, I’m here after searching for real people who know the withdrawal effects of lyrics, not some false medical research, a DR by the name of DR RUBEN was actually jailed for admitting he falsified the results of his findings on Lyrica withdrawal effects on patients, the people he claimed to have put through trails weren’t even real, I started taking Lyrica ( pregabalin here in the UK ) to help me get of opioids that the DR had been gladly supplying for 5+ years, as it goes I started to get more and more used to it so started upping my doses more and more untill I found myself in a very bad place taking 3 x the recommended daily dose and properly addicted and the withdrawals were just so bad when I tried to stop I would just go straight back on them again, a * friend * suggested pregabalin as a way to curb the worst of the codeine withdrawals, which it did, but by the time I had realised it I was also taking a massive amount over the daily recommend dose of that too, anyway I took myself off to an addiction place that knows a lot about codeine ( and other ) addictions but seems to know nothing about pregabalin if I’m honest, they have me on a once a day dose of 10mg of espranor to curb the codeine withdrawals, which it has and I’m pleased to say it’s been over three weeks since I touched a codeine tablet, but like I said they seem to know nothing about how bad a pregabalin withdrawal actually is, they are expecting me to drop my dosage by 600mg a day jist like that with nothing to help the withdrawals because I don’t even think they would even know where to start with what to give, I know that 600mg os a huge amount to drop in one go and I know from running out of tablets a few times how severe the withdrawals can actually get, I have never known anything like it, I never want to go through that again, anyway I would be really grateful if anyone could tell me what mg dosage is best to drop at a time and how often, to try to avoid if possible,the worst of the most awful withdrawals, also I have read plenty about the psychological withdrawals kicking in even after the physical ones have lessened, as pregabalin actually changes our brains response and I am terrified of this, sorry for the essay, but I can’t find anyone that actually understands how bad trying to kick this drug actually is.
Dina says
I so agree with you on this. I went to a neurologist 12 years ago for neck pain. He put me on lyrica and kept increasing it. It made me dopey. Well 12 years later, and finding out I have psoriatic arthritis, seeing pain doctors, I’m still on lyrica and methadone and oxycodone for chronic pain. I’m so dependent on this junk and want to come off of it all, but scared too because I’m scared of withdrawal. I’ve come way down from 15mg five times a day to 10mg just once a day if that of oxycodone, down from 150mg to 100mg of lyrica. I’m working my way down but it’s a tough road. I was never told what would happen if being on these drugs. Doctors need to be taught better in school.
jamie says
hi, I’m a T 7/8 spinal cord injury wheelchair bound guy. I’ve also been taking Lyrica for 11 years and I hate the stuff.. like everyone I’m totally hooked and struggle to deal with the dependence I have for it. 4 years ago I weened down from 300 to 150. After a few hard months just felt the same as taking a higher dosage. The burning, pins and needles in my legs and butt will always be there I’m just hooked on the drug and its actually not doing a lot for me. They gave it me on day one of being in hospital. Always assumed 75 here in Australia was the lowest dose you could get, so when I found out you can get 25 and after reading all these awesome but horrible stories its time to make a change. Starting this week I’m going to try and keep reducing.. however slowly it takes and maybe one day come off completely!
I don’t even want to get started on the side effects to this nasty drug. motivation, irrational thoughts, speech disturbance and tiredness I’ve put up with for way to long. Lucky to have found this page you guys have given me the motivation.
thank you all
Jamie
Monique says
Hi Jamie
I also live in Australia (Melbourne). Had Spinal Fusion FEB 2021 was put on Endone and Palexia and Lyrica,125mg
Stopping the Endone and Palexia was no problem.
I reduced the Lyrica to 25mg at night only. Then wanted to taper it off.
I was told the following:—
Capsules are great they say.
Open it up, there will be a small section and a bigger section. For a week pour out the small part. Then the next week pour out the large part
Third week, pour out the large, and half the small.
Then skip a pill, like every other day
Then two days until you are off!”
The first 2 weeks were ok. Started on the 3rd week, woke up the following morning and thought I had a Stroke. Was so unstable on my feet could only walk with a Walker, baby steps. Couldn’t co-ordinate and when I talked it was as if I couldn’t form the Words. Two days later I was still like that so I went back on the Lyrica. Today (5 days later) I am a bit better.
I am on the wrong side of 75 years and will NOT go off them. Wish I hadn’t tried it in the first place. I am staying on it!!!!!!!!
Maureen says
I totally agree with all you have said, the medical profession
is responsible for a lot of
unnecessary suffering among patients, because they do not fully understand the drugs they
prescribe
J.D. says
I still believe everyone is different because I had a terrible experience in a day of taking gabapentin. I felt like I was being stung by fireflies all over my chest till I almost went crazy. When my doctor put me on lyrica, it took 3 months to be totally effective, but it worked like a charm.. I did not have all the horrible side effects you experienced. For this reason, I believe that different drugs work for different people.
Johanna says
Working in a U.S. law firm with injured workers, I see people being put on Lyrica and Neurontin for every type of pain imaginable — from carpal tunnel syndrome to back and knee injuries. Here’s what one ortho surgeon told me: They were told (correctly) there was a developing scandal around the overuse of opioids, and they might want to get out of the business of prescribing them. Drugs like Cymbalta, Lyrica and Neurontin were presented as risk-free solutions. They were also promoted for any type of pain that could be presented as “nerve pain” (and last time I checked, hey, no nerves, no pain!)
We need to know more about both Neurontin and Lyrica. We have a few other reports that agree that Neurontin is easier to withdraw from than Lyrica — on the other hand there are more reports of really scary psychological side effects from Neurontin as well as Neurontin withdrawal. I learned from our clients that Neurontin makes some people dreadfully anxious and agitated — while other people get this problem when they stop. (Lyrica can cause this as well.) The FDA has actually logged more reports of suicide from Neurontin than almost any antidepressant — 2,203, with a very high confidence ratio of 11.4. Here’s what one person reported:
“I was told to taper my dosage by one 300 mg capsule every four days starting with the evening dose. By the second night, I was having withdrawal symptoms with racing heartbeat and thoughts. I felt like I was crawling out of my skin. I broke down and took one 300 mg capsule and all my symptoms went away in about 20 minutes. I later started tapering 100 mg at a time and that produced no symptoms.”
(By the way, they said they’d also taken oxycodone for their pain and had less trouble stopping that than either Neurontin or Lyrica! Oxycodone is a powerful opiate that causes lots of addiction so that is really saying something. They also said none of their doctors believed them about their withdrawal difficulties, insisting Neurontin was utterly harmless.)
Rory Tennes says
Hi Johanna
All that and more is true about Lyrica, especially the part about it being ” a harmless sub for opiates) lol. ” harmles ????? ) Hardly
I experianced that ” brain dead zombie effect too on Lyrica.
I take opiates for pain relief currently. I tolerate it very well and have no real problems. I have been on and off it before after surgeries. Not that big a deal for me to get off of it as long as I can manage the pain with another method or when my recovery is over and pain has subsided to a livable point.
In my experianced opinion, opiates are far less harmful than Lyrica or neurontin.
Karen says
I really am shocked at this attack on opioids. Is this a pharmaceutics war to get other drugs to people. We have been using opioids for thousands of years with measured success. I am sure there are abusers as is the case with everything, but who is leading this? I keep getting prescribed all these new drugs – Cymbakta, GABA, Lyrica, etc and they either have not worked or had horrible side effects. s.
Jack says
Lol, are you living under a rock? The USA has a massive opioid dependence rate that at least is a epidemic. We are much worse off then other countries
Don Lynch says
I understand and agree with you. I am one of the opioid statistics. Morphine, Percs, Lyrica, and more. But the thing that sticks out to me is all of a sudden your doctor does not want to prescribe more ( granted the patient may have said something that the doctor saw as a red flag) but they will shut off the meds and now you deal with it. I have seen the same pain doctor for sixteen years. I have been able to get by by switching meds when one won’t work without increasing the dose) My issue is then you find people in pain and they know a street drug will fix it. And now you have someone that would never think of breaking the and now they are felons. All we did was have a failed surgery, bad accident, birth defect. Who should be responsible?
Jen says
I have been on every medication for nerve pain. Had an mpfl reconstruction surgery on my left knee, surgeon botched it. At the end of my p.t. my leg literally gave out 5-8x per day. The surgeon said do h20 therapy, you’ll be fine in 2 months. I didn’t accept that. needed a second clean up surgery, now I have no cartilage in pain been on all “narcotic alternatives” all junk terrible horrific side effects, and actually narcotics are 100X safer why make legit people in pain suffer and send us to the street to get our meds like a criminal and the true junkies all get prescription pain medication???????? I live in a constant pain level 6-8 every day. Why???
Seth T. says
@Don Lynch
Your post is depressingly accurate.
All it takes is one accident, then the escalation of pain management begins. The docs are well-intentioned yet blissfully ignorant – believing what the Pharma companies peddled about “non-addicting” opioids (OxyContin) or nerve pain medicine (Neurontin, Lyrica) marketed for chronic pain.
We now find ourselves in a true epidemic. Doctors are interested in lowering their opioid prescribing rates. On top of that it’s difficult to maintain stable and quality health insurance (no thanks to attempts to dismantle the ACA).
This leaves patients going to extremes… all in an effort to be functional adults.
John says
This is an old thread that I’m bumping and hopefully some will reply. I’m sorry to hear that stopping Lyrica is causing such much major problems, but what I’d like to know is what dosage you were prescribed and for how long you were taking it. To give you a little background about myself, I’m a recovering oppiate addict who after 3 patterlar tendon scopes from tendinosis (2 right knee, 1 left knee) became over precribed Percocet when I had a 3 month treatment of platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections in my right knee after 2 scopes did not work. I was a college grad at the time (3.7 from Michigan State in Finance after transferring from the D3 school I had an academic scholarship for (as a way around the red tape of D3 sports). Back to my point the PRP injections worked and I could run again but my doctor liberally gave me 70 – 7.5 Percocet which I eventually used for recreation and eventually was introouduct to ROXIE’S (30mg oxy) when my 3month. Treatment ended and I wasnt tapered off. To my point, I’ve taken Lyrica on and off for the past 2 years. I was on Suboxone maintenance for the past 2 years and could take lyrica on and off as I pleased above theraputic doseages where I would start with 750mg and progress up to 1500mg over a 2 week span and run out of my script after 15 days or so. Due to my on and off schedule and having Suboxone around as well as 1.5-2mg of Klonopin (which I have for PTSD after being robbed at gunpoint after buying a Dr. Pepper at the most lit gas station .25 miles from where I lived) I haven’t had any issued with Lyrica dependency. HOWEVER, NOW I have been in a sober living halfway home for 7 months ( April ’18- Oct ’18) and as of July manipulated the system to get prescribed the highest dose of Lyrica (600mg/day). While I definitely abuse Lyrica, it’s kept me sober from alcohol and all drugs ( I went to treatment in January 17 for Suboxone and amphetamines ( Vyvanse and dexedrine, I am ADHD and have taken a form of prescription AMPS since 2011 when I graduated college) but my main question is this. Ignoring my side drug issues ( Suboxone and dextroamphetamine), which I haven’t touched for 10 months, I have been on Lyrica since June 2018. My use has been like this though. June – used the script in 3 days – prescribed 150mg _3x day (450). July – strectched it 2 1/2 weeks. End of August – asked PCP to upgrade me to 600mg day. I’ve probably had 10 days where I abused it and 20 talking 300mg (1 pill) or less for Sept and Oct. Let me first talk about the high when I abuse it and then how I am at thearaputic doses. At 750-1200mg I feel relaxed but very tired. Not to the point I can’t function but for 5-6 hours I just feel “off”, which is a good non-euphoric-feeling but it definitely disrupts my day in making me sluggish and less proactive. Due to knowing that tolerance goes so fast, I only do this every 2 days or so on a script. Yes by now you’re probably saying this guy is an outlier because he’s using it for recreation. I will tell you with conviction thats not the case. #1 It had helped with my residual nerve pain in both my patellar tendons and 2 it has kept me away from all drugs and alcohol. So long long story short is. To those who talk about Lyrica dependence, how long and a what dosage where you taking and did you taper off of it? To all the posts about gabapentin, its goal is the same ( reduce neuropathic pain) but a quick Google will show that Lyricas absortion rate is 90% to 40% for gabapentin and that while Lyrica takes 1hour to be processed, gabapentin can take up to 3 hours to reach full serum value. I conculde my post with this…. I want to get off Lyrica from a daily dependence level which right now is 300mg and walk away so that the side effects are minimal after 1 month of 450/day and 2 months of 600/day. So that I can avoid withdrawals. But by the way I’ve looked hard for this and found no posts on it. My strong thesis is that high doses of Lyrica, while they don’t directly effect GABA, do play a role in alcohol tolerance. I took 1200mg of Lyrica at 9am and then went to the gym at 9:50pm. After a hard anaerobic regime, combined with aerobic exercise, while I was tired, the effects of Lyrica had worn off – which were groggy and in active desires I drank the equivalent of 10 beers and still feel relatively sober. I have a job interview in the morning so I’m not going all in to test my thesis, but 2 -4 locos (14%alc vol) did not take me down and led to this long winded post. Anyways please post your Lyrica dosage and how long you’ve been
talking it to help everyone who is struggling have a better idea of when exactly the withdrawal effects come into play. For examole,.if you’ve been max doses of Lyrica or gabapentin months or a year + be honest about your dosage and how offten you are taking it. These are 2 MAJOR variables that can help other people from making the same honest mistake. I want to stop talking the dose I’m prescribed and have found that my tolerance to alcohol has sky rocketed due to the drug. I haven’t drank in over a year but when I drink on Lyrica my tolerance disappears and 10 drinks later I’m buzzed but not drunk when I’ve abstained for a year. So there is more in play at the GABA level and I have yet to see any research posted about it. So at your own choice l, know that both are synergistic and that alcohol tolerance is reduced under lyrica therapy. Please email me directly at jklein2588@gmail.com so that we can talk about Lyrica and it’s way undervalued effects.
candice says
Hi been on lyrica for nearly 2 yrs .due to shoulder injury had a few ops and now have CRPS and SCS . Was on highest dose for along time. I’m on 2×150 3 x 3 xaday
This week I’ve come down to 1 x 100 3 xaday
I’m struggling mentally and physically.
My brain feels like it’s being squeezed to the point I have to lay down i have never experienced pain like it . my mood is uncontrollable I just want to disappear till it’s all over . my sight is going ( I’m hoping it’s just side effects) so sorry in advance .
my body is shaking .But I’m trying my best for my 3 daughters and husband not to worry. it’s not been a wk yet I know its gonna get worse but I have gone this far I’m gonna win this battle . I think this drug just be band and people should know the full consequences of taking this .
ty candice Great Britain
Joanne says
I feel your pain. Tapering off lyrica the last year on 575mg a day, great tablet for nerve pain, but it’s absolutely hell to come down off. Suicidal thoughts, depression, sickness etc. Please be careful with this medication. I’m down to 50mg the last two drops were cruel.
Victoria says
Agreed. Is death listed on the opiod side effect. It is listed on lyrica and ten years ago it was at the being of the side effect list now it’s at the bottom? Pain sufferers as I want to suffer less but to what extreme. Lyrica was the worst experience in my life.
Gabby says
@Karen you can’t seriously be this slow there’s a major fight with opioids in the United States I have been sober from OxyContin and heroin for about 10 years. My husband got the shingles virus 2 weeks ago the Dr prescribed him nuerontin 300 mg but it wasn’t working so my mother in law gave him her Lyrica she bought in Mexico well needless to say he’s trying to get off it and is feeling horrible and doesn’t know what to do so I’m on this sight looking for any answers that anyone has to help. Somebody please if you know how to get the withdrawals away naturally I’m all ears please email me
Thank you
rob says
PCNG, Johanna, and others,
Opiates will not cause (severe) dependency as long as you have severe pain. Only when you are taking more than you’d actually need to manage the pain you will get dependent because then your body will shut down the production of endorphines in order to avoid overdosing.
Endorphines are the body’s own painkillers and chemically very close to morphine. Oxycodone will break down into morphine once digested. I have taken oxycodone, up to 200mg/day for over 7 years in combination with several other drugs like gabapentin, pregabalin, NSAIDs and paracetamol. I’ve been suffering from severe chronic pain for over 10 years. If I stop taking the opioids, I feel no worse than when I drop my daily cup of coffee, well, apart from the pain, of course. But the withdrawal symptoms are very mild. If you find yourself addicted to (medical) opiates, this is a very good indicator that you’ve consumed more than your body would ask for.
With pregabalin (Lyrica) that’s a very different story altogether.
Recently I’m trying to get off the Lyrica hook and that’s pretty tough. I’ve been taking 3×100 mg and tried to cut the middle one. Suddenly I get all sorts of troubles, from blurred vision to cold turkey, pain all over the body, in muscles, joints, in the head, heart racing, cold sweat, cotton mouth and throat, and even taking an “emergency” dose would help. It’s like the body demands I keep taking the same dose at the same time as usual. Never ever had experienced something like that!
Quitting smoking is peanuts compared to this.
I will succeed eventually but it’s a pain in …
On the other side I must admit it is a very effective painkiller and I was glad for it until I started developing some of the more unpleasent side-effects like joint- and muscle pain, blurred vision and heart racing. So it’s time to pull the plug on Lyrica.
I agree, some doctors are too quick prescribing stuff like this. But we also have a responsibility for ourselves as patients. We want to get rid of pain, with good reason, and that is definitely not an easy task and there will always be a price to pay. Chronic pain is a slow, mercyless and gruesome killer and there is not so much help from pharmaceutics as many would believe. The choice is actually very limited and so far, the only way painkillers can work is by numbing the nervous system and the brain. Which is a heavy price to pay no matter what.
And opiates are still, after thousands of years, the very best and least damaging option we have – so far.
If you don’t agree with me, I’d love to stand corrected! J
ust tell me how.
Don says
Rob when I went to see my last doctor ( a pain specialist) what may be thirteen years ago I was ready to get my referral for a wheelchair. I had given up. With an assortment of medications, which he took some away and lowered doses on all but Lyrica, he increased that. The pain was stabilized. I ask the doctor where my high was, where’s the buzz? He said to me because of the level of pain I will not experience that. And in my case he said there was no up side. In time I will ask to have dosage increases. However I have been able to go this whole period without asking for an increase in doseage. Ha, yet! And I’m 62, if someone says you’ll get addicted. I will have to reply, so? From what I read I have been very lucky as to side effects. And when things do get worse I’ll deal with it. But that pain, if I had it again I don’t know what I’d do. And to have do deal with withdrawal Maybe I do know what I’d do.
Jan says
Don, I couldn’t agree more! God bless & better health!
Connie says
I took my last .25 ml lyrica last night. I have been weaning off slowly from 300mg a day. I have neuropathy in my feet. It makes me very anxious, esoeacually at night. I’m having a bit of trouble falling to sleep at night,and the neuropathy is worse , but I will deal with it!!! I am 61 , and I vow I will be off of all the crappy drugs I’ve been taking by this time next year. Lyrica is the worst!!! I have had my neck fused , plates, bone graft from hip. Both knees replaced , right hip replaced. I had massive pain management drugs and never had a problem quitting any of them . Different story with Lyrica. I believe pain can be managed throu exercise and diet ! That’s the route I’ll be taking from now on!!!
Marg Krueger says
i started lyrica on mar.4/22 25 –2 times daily
mar.24/22 50– 2 times daily
apr.8/22 75– 2 times daily
may18/22 100–2 times daily
somewhere around march 24 i started experiencing severe joint and muscle pain. by may 19 or so
i was starting to get horrible bladder & kidney pains and advised my dr. i was cutting back. Both my dr. and the head psychatrist tried to talk me out of weaning off them. if you absolutely have to cut back go to 75 in the a.m/ and 100 in the evening they said. you should be just fine! i went down to 75 — 2 times daily by may 24. then down to 50 in a.m. and 75 in the eve. by may 30. i went down to 50 x 2 by june 4, and tomorrow i’m going down to 25 in the a.m. and 50 at night. am i weaning off too fast? i have developed severe drooling, tremors, and even worse insomnia issues than i was having previously , and i’ve been suffering with Parkinson’s Disease, dx since 2014. I had some syptoms such as muscle pain, temors, etc. but these symptoms have intensely multiplied! please advise in some way, thank you in advance!
Noel says
Exactly Rob. Studies show 95-99% of true chronic pain patients are not addicted. Will they have withdrawal if taken off hell yes anybody would. Leave my opioids alone the Lyrica I was on was HELL and withdrawal was like nothing and I m am nothing I have ever experienced. Big Pharma is ushing all of this like others say they need to drugs on market to make money
Gabby says
@rob
That’s just not true even if you take opioids as prescribed for any longer than 5 days you will experience withdrawals trust me I know I’ve been sober 10 years from opioids and I didn’t feel “normal” for 4-5 months
Good luck to you sir!
Angela Barrow says
Hi gabby been on pregablin 11 years was on 300mg had to go in Reab it’s been 3 weeks since now without pregablin still feel so bad head shakes feels like it body shakes sweats like out this world palpitations feet legs painfully tingling . Think your right takes months i hope there is a light . Lost my job too feel like I’m in a dark place . Hope you can help
Joanne Slough says
Just try have faith… Its extremely tough and I feel your pain I’m struggling with the withdrawals too, nobidy seems to actually get how hard this is to kick.
Leigh McClellan says
I started taking Lyrica at the beginning of this year. I whined myself off of these pills very slowly. My Last Lyrica Dose was taken in Earily August. Once I removed Lyrica from my system I have been diagnosed with Severe Depression and I have suffered a Mental Breakdown.
Michael says
I really wish I had found this out before, I started taking lyrica. I stopped lyric a week before Christmas 2016, cold turkey. For about the fourth time in 2016 I ended up without medication and wasn’t able to get a refill right away. I was pretty sure lyrica was causing withdrawal side effects and I was more than right.
The withdrawal was 100 times worse than any withdrawal effects Caused by hydrocodone. My skin felt like it was burning, crawling and itching all at the same time. My body reacted like someone was running their nails down a chalk board. I had(still have) insomnia, night sweats, and finally the worse stabbing headache I have ever had. Feels like someone is trying to scoop my left eye and frontal lobe out with a melon baller.
Even with having to use a little more hydrocodone there is no way I’ll ever go back. I will try the vitamin b-12, and wait out the other effects.
Maria Nobile says
Hello, I wanted to let you know that my doctor told me to take magnesium 2 times a day because it naturally calms down inflammation in the body. You can get it from any health food store, Target may have it, and my husband said he saw it in a food store we have up north called Stop & Shop. Although I am still on Lyrica and also oxycodone 5 times a day for the oxycodone, I believe I am having a little bit of relief as far as the inflammation all over my body. I have a very severe back injury, and also suffer from fibromyalgia which some doctors and people say fibromyalgia is not a real disease but I can tell you from experience that I suffer with chronic pain everyday and it makes it very hard to do anything. I just wanted you to know that you might find some relief by taking the magnesium. I hope you find relief and God bless you.
Michael Ranger says
About 4 months ago, I suddenly lost use of my right arm, elbow to fingertips. I stopped the lyrica, and within 10 days, suddenly have started regaining use of limb. However, 4 mnths of limited use caused, contraction, atrophy and muscle loss.
Looking for more instances of this
Tim says
Getting off lyrica feels like opiates/benzos combined. Opiates are a fkn joke next to lyrica, shit should be banned.
Jennifer Mcgee says
I could not agree with you more. I was able to stop Percocet 10,s six a day with a little discomfort. This Lyrica, 300mg a day is a living nightmare. I also quit klonopin , both perc and klonopin after 2 years prescribes but I believe the Lyrica withdrawal will be the death of me. I too believe this crap should be banned. If you have any suggestions or advice for me that you have found to help you with his Hell please let me know. Wishing you the best. I hate that we feel the same pain. Blessings
Misty says
Roy,
I am trying to come off of Lyrica right now. 200mg am & then 200mg pm then I ran out & my TNcare wouldn’t cover the difference so even with primary ins & RX copay card my part was $400 !! I took my las 3 capsules in pieces! I’m in pain, no motivation, no energy, the bottom of feet feel like stone bruises & so does the middle of my back!! I was on Norco 10mg 2x’s a day & 0.5 Xanax 2 x’s a day along with my depression meds & when the “opiod crisis” hit –
I stopped BOTH norco & xanyx fine on my own but this Lyrica is making me feel horrible!!! Dr by give me norco b/c TN opioid crisis & now I can’t get my Lyrica that was my only hope!! I wish I could just take Norco again – I never had a problem & Never thought about using Heroin!! People are crazy! Opioids aren’t the devil – some of this depression medicine & Lyrica seem to be way worse to stop!! I don’t want Percocet it makes me sick & itchy – please just let me take my Norco! Mjustice
Anne Maynard says
I have gotten completely clean from medicines like OxyContin, morphine and even heroin after years of daily extreme doses. I have never met a beast quite like Lyrica!! The withdrawals when I went cold turkey left me crying uncontrollably in a bed unable to move. I am now doing a taper. I have cut my dose in half in two weeks. I’m not one to linger. I am somewhat functional but never will I ever allow a doctor to do this to me again!!
Deborah Minnig says
To Anyone, I’ve ready the posts about some going cold turkey off of Lyrica and some who have tapered. I am on 3600mg of GABA, 120 mg of Cymbalta, 40 mg of Oxy and due to my PCP messing up my last script mg amount of GABA, she put me on 300 mg of Lyrica to carry me out until I can get the full dosage amount I was on (she underprescribed GABA and pharmacy wouldn’t allow her to override the error, so I am short 1200mg of it for 2 months). Well, Lyrica and my body don’t like each other, within 4 days all my joint pain skyrocketed ( I have peripheral neuropathy and Lyme) even with all the other meds I am still on.) She told me to try to ride it out, maybe my body would acclimate to the Lyrica (stupid me for listening to her). Well, after 2 1/2 weeks I said “No More”. Lyria should be used as a sleep med cause, that is all I did, the fatigue was so great, but if I tried to walk – the pain was searing, also had terrible loss of balance and motor tics. So she told me to go down to 150 mg/day “for a few days” and then stop. The Withdrawl is heinous. bugs crawling under skin, sweating, poor balance, insomnia, blurred vision, eye/head/chest pain, etc. How many days until this all stops?? And how will I know given that I am still under therapeutic dosage of GABA? I will try magnesium as someone suggested; anything else? Please respond!!!
Gisele says
OMG you never stop lyrica cold turkey and definitely not at that dose. I just finished tapering off of it. I was told to decrease by 25mg every 7-10 days. I was taking 25mg in the morning and 75mg at bedtime for 3 months before I started tapering down. When I reached 25mg once a day, I took that for 10 days & then on my own decided to take it every second day for 7 days before completely stopping. I still had some withdrawals but they weren’t severe, by the end of the second week the withdrawals were gone. But as I mentioned I was only on them 3 months before beginning the taper.
WL says
I started pregabalin the first week of February 2022 for esophageal hypersensitivity. I want to taper off. I feel that it is very dangerous drug for my memory/brain, along with extremely blurred vision and headaches. Since I have not been taking it much more than 6-7 weeks, will I be able to taper fairly quickly? The pharmacist suggest taking it every other day for a week and then every third day for two weeks and then stop. Any info if this will work without withdrawal or side effect? Thank you.
Katy says
heya, i did cold turkey from 600mg/day of lyrica, it’s brutal. there is a facebook group called lyrica survivors that has literally saved my life. it has tons of support and lots of resources for how to get through withdrawal, and i would have given up if it weren’t for that group, the suggestions for supplements to get are super helpful. hope to see you there.
Casey Webb says
Hi, can you link me to the lyrica survivors support group for please? I can’t find it
L says
My son knows all of what you are describing and more. He was prescribed (along with an insane amount of meds) LYRICA for anxiety
I finally said ENOUGH. The meds were poisoning him
1. I told his doctor we were coming off the drugs
2. I decided which drug was gone first and weaned him of. BENZTROPINE difficult but ok. ZOPICLONE same
3. Then came PREGABALIN. It has taken a year and still a process but I CAN’T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH. 10 percent reduction. (LOOK UP Dr Heather Ashton) we are now at 11 mg. and it’s still a struggle. This drug is a demon but no medical professional will acknowledge?
What I wish to say is, I know your horrible experience is real. Stop it slowly by reducing the nightmare by 10 percent every 10 days… Look up Dr Ashton
In communicating we grow strong
Natasha says
Hi I’m currently on 50mg morning 50mg night pregabalin for anxiety. I have gained weight and can’t stop eating, I still have anxiety the only thing it helps with is sleep. Should I stop taking it? I have been on it for 2 months.
Sally Macgregor says
Lyrica – maybe one of the best Orwellian double-speak brand names ever; lyrical, calm, soothing. I have an interest in this drug on two counts. My mother suffered from trimengial neuralgia, one of the worst head-pains possible. It is sheer bloody agony. No pain killer touches it – so her neurology team tried her on every anti-convulsant/ neuropathic pain drug known to human kind: verapamil, topiramate (which triggered the ‘everything smells and tastes like shit’ described in a recent David Healy blog). Then carbamazepine, sodium valproate – all to no avail. Gabapentin might – might – have sliced the edge off the worst of the pain sometimes, but she was never too sure. Then they tried a new tack: pregabalin, aka Lyrica. 24 hours after the first dose she sobbed all over the man in the local butcher’s shop when he asked her how she was, (my mother never cried), came home and phoned the neurology nurse who said ‘stop taking it immediately’. Lyrica could, the nurse said, make some people feel suicidal.
And now – my good friend, in the grip of acute anxiety has been prescribed Lyrica by the psychiatrist. To take alongside the Effexor/venlafaxine she’s been on for the past 15 years, and the zopiclone (ditto). It’s so much safer, the psychiatrist has said, than the benzodiazepines, and don’t worry – you’re on a very low dose. The psychiatrist doesn’t have to listen over the phone, as I do, to my friend’s description of the dizziness, nausea, spells of fluey stuff which happen every two weeks or so – or fill in the gaps when she can’t remember the word she’s trying to use. Or to the descriptions of the three car accidents she’s had since starting Lyrica – OK, small ones so far but what about the next one? My friend always does what the doctor tells her, so is happy to carry on taking Lyrica – but it makes me steaming angry especially when I read that it is the 2nd most heavily advertised drug in the US – and what happens across the Pond is always mirrored here, despite no direct-to-consumer marketing. And Lyrica makes me tired, because I worry about my friend and it’s me who is picking up the pieces of the acute side effects, long distance.
Lyrica – not very melodic, gentle or soothing from what I see or hear.
Nanetet Pacheco says
I have been taking Lyrica for about a week or two and I could not believe what I felt in that short period of time. I was taking it due to a very bad pinch nerve that still causing numbness and pain in my leg. Since I have been on Lyrica I have had sever swelling to the point my skin feels like it is going to rip open. I have gained more weight in one week then I have gained in a month or two. It was causing sever pain in my wrist that I could hardly hold anything to include myself If needed. I have even fell because my leg gave out on me. My muscles hurt and have become week and my leg constantly feel like its going to give out on me. According to my doctor I could stop it because I was on a low dose. Well it has enhanced my anger like 75% and I found my self saying I don’t care if I die I’m tired of life and that is not me. I will have to find some other means of relief I will not take this medications and don’t recommend it to anyone. The side effects are worse then what its suppose to help. This medication may help others but it is not for me at all.
Jess says
How did you get off it?
I have severe anxiety and depression which is brilliantly managed with Zoloft. I have a very sensitive brain and last year managed to totally mess up my Zoloft by taking a vitamin which cleared my liver of any of the meds I had on board.
A neurologist put me on Lyrica, 75mg twice a day at the start of Jan. This was for pain after hitting my elbow and traping the Ulnar nerve (the not so funny bone! I ran out of the first pack and my pain was gone. Without thinking I didn’t go and get the repeat. I had over that last week been only taking one in the morning. Looking back now, I went from exercising everyday and full of energy to slowly loosing my mojo over about a week and not being able to concentrate at work. On Saturday I couldn’t get through my personal training session I had done each week without issue. Sunday I got a bad headache and could not stop sweating and running to the bathroom. By Monday I was in the fetal position, back to wear I was before Zoloft thinking I would die and wondering why I am here.
I called my doctor and he still hasn’t called me back. Shock, horror! I went to the pharmacy in tears and a shaking mess. I spoke to the pharmacist and she told me it was the Lyrica and literally filled my prescription, sat me down and watched me take one. It’s now Thursday and I’m still jittery and extremely sensitized. I can’t eat and have lost 2kg. I have to travel tomorrow and now I’m anxious about that. Does anyone know how long it will take for these meds to stabilize in my body again and get my brain back to “normal”. I went back on so I could mainly function and go on this trip. I can’t concentrate and keep falling asleep. Did I do the wrong thing going back on the full dose to avoid going down the very dark path? How am I going to get off this medication now? The neurologist promised me I would have no issues taking this with my depression and anxiety.
Thanks
Jess
Mark says
Hey Jess, Unfortunely when you start taking Lyrica again, they have a bit of a flow on effect. This means that you won’t get the full effect of the Lyrica drug until it builds up into your system again, over about 1 week. Other than that, my advice is to not let them get into your system again, as we all know that once this shitty drug gets into your system, it bloody hurts to detox out.
Rachel wilkerson says
Exact same issues and Exact same side effects. My leg muscles are swollen and sore. Making it difficult to walk. I would rather deal with the pinched nerve shooting pain down my leg than continue taking lyrica. I have never felt so not like myself ever. Potent and dangerous little capsules.
Anne says
Your friend might want to consider going to Dr. David Healy’s site http://www.RXisk.org and getting sme help with weaning off of the Effexor very slowly, based on the many years she has taken. Weaning off over many months, perhaps longer than a year might be judicious.
Mary says
Effexor has been a lifesaver and a curse. It is so dangerous to wean off of it. The increments of mg per caspule are wide and often too dramatic for patients. It has a very short half life. Withdraw symptoms are like something out of a horror flick. The one time I weaned off I wasn’t on that high of a dose and I was in bed puking for a week. The headache is not even describable. There are patients who convulse and seize, and some have died. When I wean off my current dose I will only do it in hospital. I think we are so quick to take a medication to end our pain that we forget we are changing the chemical composition of our brains.
Natasha says
I was weaned off of Effexor wrongly, given the wrong dosage by a mixed up doctor signing the prescription. I was on 225 and was supposed to be weaned off 75mg every other day, so 37.5 a day. I was given 75mg to take every other day. I have never experienced anything like this in my life. I ended up in accident and emergency with serotonin syndrome. I was given diazepam to calm me down as the panic attacks were unreal. The only good thing to come out of this was the fact I couldn’t smoke anymore because of flu like symptoms and panic attacks so I am now off of cigarettes. I take vortioxetine 10m daily now and have more energy and don’t sleep all day, have night sweats or horrible lucid dreams, nausea, sickness and stomach troubles. There aren’t much side affects on vortioxetine. I have been on lots of different anti depressants for 7 years. I hope to come off of all of it after councelling. I also take pregabalin which I am going to stop as the memory loss is terrible it doesn’t help with my anxiety it only helps me sleep. Good luck with your weaning I know how bad this is but it will be worth it in the end. I don’t recommend anybody start Effexor as it made me ill.
Don says
Don’t give up. Your friend must talk with the doctor. I really feel there is a combination that will work. But what sticks out to me here is that she might need to get another opinion from another doctor. There is no shame in it. And it happens more than you think. My experience with Lyrica is basically love hate relation. But more than ten years later I will still take it vs. the pain. But your friend apparently getting through this is hard, she must be honest with her doctor. I wish you luck, I have been on your end and my biggest frustration was getting “the call” and they will not listen to a freaking thing you tell them. They were basically just calling to talk. Again, Good Luck and God Bless.
Marilese says
According to the FDA Lyrica contains: 1. Titanium dioxide; 2. Red iron oxide; 3.
Sodium lauryl sulfate, 4. Colloidal silicon dioxide
1. TITANIUM DIOXIDE
Titanium dioxide DEVASTATES the IMMUNE SYSTEM because it PERMEATES the INTESTINES causing CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY CONDITIONS which accelerate AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES such as RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS.
Titanium dioxide is a natural mineral used as pigment to color and thicken paints, in sunscreen and oral products, medicines and food products.
You do not want to be consuming the same ingredients in your medicine as in the paint on your kitchen walls. Titanium has health consequences and should not be added to foods and medicine.
Fine titanium dioxide particles escape the immune defense cells that engulf harmful particles, and cause INFLAMMATION which leads to uncontrollable cell death called apoptosis.
The FDA does not regulate the purity of titanium dioxide or the synthetic materials used to coat the mineral and accepts a certain concentration of Lead, Arsenic, Antimony and MERCURY in foods containing Titanium Dioxide.
Titanium Dioxide is TOXIC, alters GENE expression and permeates the BRAIN and placenta – which affects a developing fetus. It also causes INFLAMMATION of
BRAIN TISSUE which results in abnormal brain activity.
Titanium Dioxide particles damage the GUT LINING and are stored in the LIVER, SPLEEN, KIDNEYS and LUNG TISSUE.
The peptidylarginine deiminase PROTEIN is induced in the presence of Titanium Dioxide Particles and causes OXIDATIVE STRESS and INFLAMMATION which
damages ORGANS of the digestive tract and the BRAIN.
2. IRON OXIDE [E172]
Iron oxide black, RED and yellow, is a SKIN and EYE IRRITANT. Inhalation of iron oxides causes lung inflammation. The Genotoxicity of Iron Oxides makes ANY route of exposure hazardous. The Nanotoxicity of iron oxides used in medical treatments cause TOXICITY in some cell types when paired with coatings which bind the iron oxide particles to cell types like cancer cells. While neither the iron oxide or coatings are individually harmful, in combination they cause unexpected reactions in the cells they bind to.
E172 Iron oxides aggravate FOOD INTOLERANCES and cause KIDNEY DAMAGE. It is a suspected NEUROTOXIN which caused BLINDNESS in dog studies.
3. SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE [SLS]
Sodium lauryl sulphate [SLS] allows cleansing products to foam. SLS is a “moderate HAZARD” linked to cancer, NEUROTOXICITY, ORGAN TOXICITY, SKIN IRRITATIONand ENDOCRINE disruption.
Undiluted SLS causes SKIN & EYE IRRITATION, NAUSEA, VOMITING & DIARRHEA. Mercola.com reports SLS is often contaminated with 1,4 dioxane that is “possibly carcinogenic to humans” & causes negative effects in the kidneys, liver
and central nervous system.
4. COLLOIDAL SILICON DIOXIDE
Side effects: FATIGUE, loss of appetite and EYE IRRITATION. High silicon levels cause problems in the KIDNEYS, BRAIN, NERVOUS SYSTEM, CHEST, BONE, and liver.
Occupational exposure lead to lung haemorrhage (bleeding), inflammation of the kidneys, polyangiitis (inflammation of small vessels), RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS & scleroderma (a skin condition).
Tim says
Or you can do this:
-empty the contents of your capsules into veggie caps from a hippy health store
-dump em right on your mouth if you can stomach it.
-Another option is “parachuting” dump the powder into a rolling paper [preferably hemp/rice]. fold it into a parachute shaped ball, twist/fold it together and chug the “ball” down with water.
One med that REALLY helped ME is baclofen [muscle relaxer] it hits your gaba b receptors and considering pregabalin and gabapentin are both gaba mimetic that work on the calcium ion channel its logical it helps. NOTHING helped me more than that. Not even my Diazepam and Lorazepam. YMMV. Good luck!, I know how hard it is, I feel you guys. Almost done…it’s fkn exhausting. I told my Dr to discharge me if i ask for another prescription l hate it that much! Peace.
Ac says
Hi Tim,
So this is an old post and I doubt I’ll get a reply but thought I’d take a chance.
With regards to Baclofen, can you provide some more details like how much you took, how often? Did you need to wean off Baclofen as well?
Thanks!
Michael Ranger says
About 4 months ago, I suddenly lost use of my right arm, elbow to fingertips. I stopped the lyrica, and within 10 days, suddenly have started regaining use of limb. However, 4 mnths of limited use caused, contraction, atrophy and muscle loss.
Looking for more instances of this.
Tim says
https://rxisk.org/kicking-lyrica/?replytocom=18445#respond
This happened to a good friend of mine, he woke up after taking the FIRST DOSE [150mg] and couldnt move his arm. It was like a limp wiener. It went away after a few days and he’s fine up to this day.
K.B. says
I would not recommend gabapentin to anyone. Took it for akathisia from ssri withdrawal. Didn’t have neuropathy. But when I tapered off of it, that’s when the burning and pain began in my feet and hands. Hasn’t improved in 1.5 years. Has gotten worse. Have been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy from gabapentin withdrawal (and other nerve damage from ssri taper).
Sally Macgregor says
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/385791/PHE-NHS_England_pregabalin_and_gabapentin_advice_Dec_2014.pdf
This link is to NHS England/Public Health England’s advice to prescribers of gabapentin/pregabalin (Lyrica) – the document is irritating as it focuses on ‘misuse’ of both drugs – i.e abuse, for recreational purposes which neatly avoids the almost certainly bigger problem of inadvertent dependence – but, there are some interesting stats about the rise in prescription numbers. Also it states that both drugs can be tapered in a week (???!!). I dunno, sometimes I despair.
lzeas says
I know for a fact that they gabapentin & pregabalin are horrible to get off of. I’ve tried both. I would not wish this on my worse enemy. Think of it, it’s as if your brain is being rewired. Truly.
I am not looking forward to my next few weeks. Terrified even.
Anne says
I have been taking Lyrica 600mg per day for 3 years. The thought of stopping this drug terrifies me. The last time I tried to stop I had diarreaha (yellow stool), itchy skin, stomach bloating and cramps, anxiety and depression. I am considering stopping again but am too scared. I have a new relationship and I don’t want to tell my partner I have this horrible dependance. Can someone please tell me a safe way to taper off this stuff, I have to work full time so it’s difficult for me to get off as it makes me so sick.
Janet says
See Anne’s link above http://www.rxisk.org/
I am abandoning a taper after 3 months under a doctor’s supervision. I have gone from 150 mg a day down to 50 and this time was that the .2 go 2:25. Have so many more problems that are worsening I can’t tolerate the pain. In one week’s time having added back in 150 mg I’ve noticed a lot of it settling down. Please be careful. Best of luck to you.
Terry Marr says
I have been in Lyrics (300 mg 2X a day) with effexor for a by.be r of years. After much thought and prayer I decided that my weight gain, high bp and high cholesterol all came about after I started taking Lyrica, which led me to get off of the Lyrica. It has been a long hard road, one that I’m not to the end of yet. I hadn’t realized that I had been living in a brain fog for so long. I am completely off at this point and still going through the withdrawals. I was glad to find this site and to know that I am not alone in my struggles. All I can say is, if at all possible get off of this poison, by lowering the doses. I have been using a rub on all natural pain reliever called, Outback. It truly works. Check it out at outback.com.
cheryl says
See if a special compounding pharmacy can make you smaller does than the pharmacutical company sells. It is expensive but worth it. You have to find a doctor that will go along with the plan and give you a script.. This is how I have had to wean off that nasty Cymbalta or I have horrible effects.
Duane says
You shouldn’t be afraid to let your new partner have any incriminating thoughts about what your about to go through but rather let them know that you got dealt a bum hand in life and unfortunately this is part of it…they should love you fro better or for worse! I have lost 2 relationships because of lack of understanding and no empathay or sympathy what so ever!! As the old saying goes,never judge anyone till you walked a mile in their shoes…. This isn’t anything to be ashamed of but rather they should be there always for support as if the roles were reversed, I’m sure with a statement you made, you sound like someone who wouldn’t do it to them…I am going through all of this right now and am a survivor with 10 tours with the military-which is why I’m on this now because of a broken back and haven’t got this sort of outcome from some of my worst PTSD symptoms. Stay strong and if they don’t understand, point them to some information on this shit and tell them to start reading as your medical team are as useless as a gun with no ammo!! There is no easy way and from what I’ve been reading and trying to understand, we are all in the same boat!! I hate to say that but it seems to be the fate.
D.B
Hope Rubalcava says
I AGREE AND EVEN MORE SO NOW THAT IVE READ NOW 100’s INFACT WAY MORE HORROR STORIES THAN HAPPY ENDINGS AT THIS POINT, I HAVE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES and The FEW COLD TURKEYS ABRUPTLY STOPPING CAUSE THE WORST IMAGINABLE PAIN IVE EVER HAD, and I birthed two Kids and Went Through Opiate w/draw from a Norco I was Prescribed for Endometriosis and Ovary issues for 3yrs AND I AGREE W Many others that was a CAKE WALK IN COMPARISON . Did You End Up ‘Making it Out Alive?
AND HOW?
I Ignorantly attempted to Jump Off Just One 300 mg a Day (A Long way From the 1200mg I was Originally Perscribed a Year Ago But IM SOOOOO DONE I WANT OUT PLEASE GOD EVEN MORE SO DETERMINED NOW
BUT it is Now the next Morning I Almost ended up in the ER PASSED OUT FRM PAIN AND THEN BY 5am broke as I COULD FEEL THE DEHYDRATION TAKING OVER FRM PROFUSELY SWEATING AND EXPELLING EVERYTHING IN ME Took One (Thank God) BUT ITS NOW 3 hours Later and I STILL FEEL SHAKY AND HORRIBLE WHAT DID I DO! And when Will I FEEL BETTER🙏 Any tips or advice would be SO GRATEFUL
Melissa says
HOLY FUCK…..I FINALLY FOUND YOU!!!
FINALLY A PERSON THAT HAS GONE THROUGH EXACTLY WHAT I AM GOING THROUGH….YOUR STORY WAS LIKE READING MY OWN!!!
I also have endometriosis….fybromialgia and sciatica, and severe hip pain.
I AM ALSO A RECOVERING ADDICT CLEAN FROM ALL NARCOTICS FOR 18 MONTHS
I have gone through withdrawal FROM OXYS, PERCOCETS, AND BEEN THROUGH THE GATES OF HELL WITH THOSE DRUG WITHDRAWALS….
THIS….IS….WORST
I AM CONSTANTLY CRYING…..HOW THE FUUUUUCK AM I IN WITHDRAWAL A YEAR AND A HALF INTO MY RECOVERY WITHOUT TAKING NARCOTICS….HOW THE FUCK DID I GET HERE
BURN IN HELL PFIZER ….AND SHOVE YOUR LYRICA UP YOUR ASS
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME, IF I STOP COLD TURKEY….HOW LONG WILL THE WORST OF IT LAST
YES….I KNOW YOU WILL SUGGEST TAPERING OFF….FUCK THAT….I HAVE TRIED THAT FOR A YEAR AND A HALF….NO MORE
ALL I WANNA KNOW….IS HOW LONG WILL THE WORST OF THE PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS LAST….ANYONE????
Kara Vislusky says
I stopped 600 mgs a day of Lyrica after probably 10 years. I thought I could do it cold turkey and found out in terrible circumstances that wasn’t going to work out. I chose to endure the withdrawal, but tapered aggressively. From start to finish it took me 4 months. I’m still waiting and hoping for more improvements in my cloudy brain. It sucks really bad, but it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. I thought it would take forever. Good luck
Manuel says
Neither pregabalin nor gabapentin “cause”neuropathy. That`s not true.
Dr. David Healy says
what’s your basis for saying that’s not true?
DH
Amelie-Tremblay says
Good Morning M.Healy Tank you for your Work!
I’m french canadien from canada so sorry for my english. I just want to tell you, that I have de same problem the nerve problem ( burning skin and a lot of pain after I try to do the tapering of neurontin. I try 2 times in one year but I did very fast and each time it was worse. I wait 12 month and last september I did another try but very slowly. With a compound pharmacie I have oral solution to do my micro-taper every 3 weeks to 1 month. 2% each drop. I dont known if i gone be able to do it all the way down but I doing my best. My dose at start 1200mg, Now 1018 mg
Thank you
Marina Witsky says
Yes they Do! Why would you make such a sweeping ignorant comment? Based on what evidence? I never ever had neuropathy and now I’ve still got 3 years post discontinuation
Jackie says
It’s very true pregablin has caused me so many health issues I never had before starting them 3-4 years ago. I have been off of pregablin for a month and still having problems sleeping and neuropathy which I never had before. I started taking the horrible drug for anxiety. I went through 3 weeks of sheer hell cold turkey from taking 300mg twice a day. I wish I knew all this before i started taking them.
Rob Purssey says
Useful article, fully available online, on Lidocaine patches “Use of lidocaine patches for neuropathic pain in a comprehensive cancer centre” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2779156/ see also similar articles on that site
Katharine Nair says
Lyrica and Neurontin are, like benzodiazepines, all are members of a class of drugs called gabaergics because they all work on the GABA system. Although not identical in action all effect the GABA system and cause similar patterns dependence and, often severe, withdrawal symptoms. Due to what is called the “kindling” effect, each time a person goes off one of these drugs, the withdrawal symptoms get worse. Therefore, it is possible to hear of people who have not encountered problems, but if they continue to take gabaergics problems will arise. I took various different types of gabaergics for over a period of 12 years before unmistakable withdrawal symptoms appeared. People often take lyrica or neurontin to ease benzo withdrawal–of course they help with the symptoms because they are so similar to benzos but they only prolong withdrawal (as do ALL substances that increase GABA levels, including herbs). Withdrawal from Neurontin or Lyrica should be handled the same way as withdrawal from benzodiazepines–SLOWLY. Check online for the “Ashton Manual” for withdrawal protocols and other information.
Sally Macgregor says
This is the Psychiatric Times’ recent take on Lyrica: for what it’s worth …
‘The relative efficacy and early onset of effect of pregabalin versus commonly used benzodiazepines may represent a new therapeutic intervention for GAD as both a monotherapy (after failure of an initial monotherapy) and as an augmentation strategy. Pregabalin is renally excreted and therefore poses a low risk of drug-drug interactions, lacks withdrawal or physical dependence risk, is associated with minimal adverse effects (dizziness, weight gain, insomnia), and is safe and well tolerated. A potential role for pregabalin may be in patients who are tapering off long-term benzodiazepine monotherapy for GAD. – See more at: http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/special-reports/pharmacological-strategies-generalized-anxiety-disorder/page/0/4#sthash.01y0pvsE.dpuf
Sent from my iPhone
Leslie says
I am currently tapering off Gabapentin. I was prescribed this medication to help alleviate the difficult benzo withdrawal I was experiencing. Gabapentin did nothing to help with the benzo withdrawal except that I was left with another horrific drug to withdraw from. I have learned that if I taper at a rate that my body can handle, the withdrawal symptoms are manageable. But if I taper too fast the symptoms become pretty uncomfortable. The worst being insomnia, burning skin, nausea, dizziness, and flu like symptoms. For me gabapentin withdrawal has been every bit as difficult and maybe even more so than benzos.
James Jackson says
This stuff is awful, only took it ten day for fibro gained 20 pounds I have weighed the same since 1982, felt out of body, unstable on my feet, dizzy, Dr never talked about side effects, been off three days the commercials that I used to laugh at make me cry like a baby, irritable, sad, restless, no energy, can’t imagine the withdraw with long term use!
James Miller says
My case is a bit different. I’m a bilateral above the knee amputee with severe phantom pain. I used Neurontin for about 3 months, and my wife and friends told me that I was a different person at the end: more irritable, anxious, unfeeling. Sheesh! Not where I wanted to go at all. Stopped cold turkey and never regretted it, and had little problem with withdrawal.
Because of that experience, I avoided taking Lyrica or other drugs to treat my phantom pain for about ten years. Walking in prostheses really helped, but crutches eventually damaged my rotator cuff muscles in my shoulders, so had to stop. Then it got nasty. I was out of other options and in intense pain, so I started with Lyrica. After five years or so on Lyrica, I’m up to 600 Mg daily, and my memory is shot. My manual dexterity is lousy, (can no longer play the guitar, my salvation for many years), writing is almost impossible, and painful to boot. Words disappear from my memory like birds flying from a wire when I try to write, and the next time it’s a different set of words. I lisp, I drool. I’m suicidal. I’m sure the effects on my personality are at least in part responsible for my deteriorating domestic relationships, but the view from the inside is murky.
I have no idea what to do.
If I delete the Lyrica , which does work to greatly ease the phantom pain, I’ll face a hell of agony and withdrawal. If I continue, the side effects are going to really hurt me. I fell out of my wheelchair twice last week. Now, -how does one fall out of a wheelchair? Reaching, then dropping something, grabbing for it. Simple.
My advice? Try the other theraputic approaches first, such as B vitamins, alpha lipoic acid, hypnosis, acupuncture for sure (helped me). Don’t expect miracles. Be willing to suffer some to avoid the lyrica/neurontin.
Yes, it’s bought me years of respite, but the costs that I can see are very high, and the costs that I cannot see are very frightening.
If and when you run out of other options, remember it bought me almost ten years of functionality.
Above all, remember that doctors are human beings, and are not immune to the carefully crafted (and edited) sales pitches from drug companies, so may well know little about the real world side effects of these drugs.
My heartfelt support and sympathy to those reading this (if anyone): you wouldn’t be here if you were not in trouble.
Darienne says
Hello James Miller,
I’m looking around trying to find some useful information on how to titrate down off Lyrica. Accidentally came across your post and while it is not trying to answer my question, it certainly made a lot of sense to me and was the first useful post I’ve found so far. Thanks. Darienne
Steve says
What about taking pure GABA at 500mg per day to wean off Lyrica?
Jo Edwards says
Dear James,
What a cruel bind you are in, my heart goes out to you. I am withdrawing from three years of lyrical treatment for nerve pain from trapped nerve in my neck. I stopped taking it after l had surgery to fix the problem, but fell in a heap afterwards and when l spoke to my GP he asked why l had stopped taking it. I replied that l had undergone surgery so no longer needed it. He immediately prescribed it for me again. I tried a second time to stop it and the same thing happened, only the next doctor l saw said that they want everyone to take these drugs now instead of opioid painkillers, and l was put back on lyrica again.
Then l got wise and started looking into these websites. I have tapered off my dosage over last three months and now haven’t taken any for 5 days.
It’s rough l cannot eat feeling so nauseated, tired and fluey but l know this will pass and l will get over this and be stronger for it. These pharmaceutical companies have a lot to answer for.
Victoria says
Jo, How many days did it take to get better? I’m in the process of getting off lyrica for 5 weeks now and it’s thrown my body into a state of tormoil. I’m slowing down the decrease of dosage but no change , still quite sick. I’m stopping it because after 2 years gabapetin / lyrica is noticed pain worse, inability to function, memory loss, hair loss, weight gain 20+ , numbness in mouth other body parts (I can handle pain, not this).
I’m taking b vitamin, in addition to a LDN ? Not sure if LDN is making things worse or not? Any suggestions with the tapering of lyrica ? I’m wanting to go off it all and deal with consequences – this is bad what it’s doing to me.
I’m awful glad my spouse found this site, it’s been awful in my home for all of us
Victoria
Annie says
Hi Jo
Oh I am so relieved to hear you coped with the withdrawal from Lyrica. I had brain surgery and suffered debilitating facial nerve pain, eye problems and constant pain from eating or talking. After finally getting a much-sought after referral to the Pain Clinic I was immediately put on Duloxetine and Pregabalin (Lyrica). While a small amount of relief was gained at first (probably more from being heard and understood) I was recommended to up the dose of each. After nearly a year the pain hadn’t really subsided enough to warrant a weight gain of 14lbs (on a small frame) so I decided to come off them slowly. The weight continued to pile on. One day I thought I would just go for it and go through withdrawal. I had no idea how ill it would make me feel – nausea, diarrhoea, sleeplessness, nightmares, loss of appetite and I am only on Day Four so far. But reading your email has given me hope and I shall continue as I believe I must have gone through the worst. A Psychologist I saw said he thought I shouldn’t be on these drugs in the first place and unsurprisingly I felt so much better while I was seeing him. Thank you for giving your support, that is what we really need the money spending on, not more drugs.
Tim says
Ive been on Lyrica for about three months now. Ive had two torn ligements in my knees,have severe back pain too.Over the years of constant pain after working construction , started drinking, and drinking and drinking . was on vicadin and oxycodone too. Well my drinking got so out of control, ended up with pancreantitis and had to quit. My doctor prescribed me Vivitrol, the shot.Its supposed to block alcohol cravings and block any kind of opiodes, so now i cant take any kind of “real” pain meds, so he put me on tramadol and that lyrica shit.The vivitrol lasts a month , so i have to wait till thats out of my system.As far as that lyrica shit goes with withdrawls,Ill never know cause im getting back on some REAL pain meds!
Shauna Walker says
I took Lyrica 9 pills a day for about a year about 5 years ago. I got to the point where I knew what I wanted to say but the words wouldn’t come out of my mouth. My final straw was being at the store and I was trying to speak to a store clerk to ask where something was but nothing would come out of my mouth. I ran to the restroom and was mortified. The best way I can describe it was like a stroke victim that can no longer speak. My husband and children said I was so moody, they never knew when I would snap and always upset. I was constantly tired and spent tons of time in bed. Fast forward five years to the present time, there are still times when I am unable to get the words out of my mouth. Sometimes I will ask my family questions and then ask them again because I didn’t realize I had asked them. I am on no medication, that was the final medication I was willing to try. I finally found doctors that were more interested in finding the cause of my pain rather than masking it with pills. December of 2015 I had surgery on my obturator nerve. I had a very educated doctor that is the head plastic surgeon that specializes in nerve damage. I was the third patient he has ever done surgery on for the obturator nerve. Here we are exactly two months from the date of my surgery and I am 100% pain free! Best decision of my life. I had many doctors that wanted to just give me gabapentin, lyrica and even pain pills but I chose to not accept that I had to live my life on pills. I am wondering if anyone that has been off this medication for several years like I have has any lasting side effects from them. I am 35 years old and should be losing my memory. I used to remember every single detail about every conversation I had but now I forget that I even had the conversation.
Andy says
Hi shauna, I’m not off them yet but totally understand what you are going through with the speech stuff. I’ve never been the most confident but the last year I have barely spoken to anyone outside of family and a couple of close friends as often mid sentence my mind blanks and it never comes back. I slur and avoid any contact with people for this reason. I’m also convinced my youngest son is slow with learning his speech because of me and that just makes me feel dreadful. I’m sticking at it though, down to a fraction of what I was taking, hopefully I won’t suffer this long term as I’ll never have a career again and my whole family will never have the life back I worked so hard to get them.
BT says
Wow! I too find it difficult to communicate. I’ve become self conscious when I speak because I can’t find the words that I’m looking for. I will be in the middle of a sentence when all of a sudden, I just have no ability to finish it…. I was worried that I might have some sort of memory issue or something. It’s a comfort to know that the problem with speaking clearly is most likely attributable to the stinkin Lyrica. Thank you for sharing.
Leigh McClellan says
I have completely stopped taking Lyrica as of August 2016. I am trying to find out what is going on in my brain for the last year, but now that I am off Lyrica, I can’t remember to pick up my son from school. I’m only 41 years old and I feel like I am 90!
Kara says
Hi, I saw your post from 2016 and it’s exactly where I am. I took 600 mgs of lyrica for years. I spent 4 months tapering aggressively from lyrica, fentanyl, cymbalta and dilaudid. I’m out of the withdrawal and really disappointed in my brain at this point. Do you have any insight?
Mer says
Shauna, I know this is several months after your post, but I’m wondering how you found this surgeon? Did your family doc recommend or did you find him/her yourself? Was it an expensive surgery? Outpatient, etc.? I’m 4 years with post-herpetic neuralgia and have tried about every drug for this, including the latest on Lyrica, which I’m working at getting off because of side effects and not even that effective. I’m scared to possible\y face the pain full on again when Lyrica is done. I’ve looked into possible surgery but my doc says a Pain Mgmt doc would have to order it. I’ve been there too and all they want to do is drug me to sedation. I’m desperate and willing to try a surgery if there’s a good chance of working. I’m not finding much info online about that though. The info out there is sketchy and not convincing that it’ll work. I can’t waste anymore time or money. Any info from your end would be helpful. Thanks.
Andy says
Hi everyone, hopefully the earlier posters are clear of the worst. I came here in search of some comfort but only found more people in the same place as me.
I have been taking a cocktail of pregabalin, codeine phosphate, tramadol and citalopram for the last 18months, in the highest recommended doses (600mg pregabalin, 240-300mg codeine, 400mg tramadol) for (what was believed to be) trigeminal neuralgia. The pains subsided after a particularly long spell of neuralgia so I decided to get off these hideous substances asap to get my life back (for me and my family)
I tapered off the codeine with little problem. Then came the turn of tramadol and pregabalin, I’ve managed to get down to 200mg pregabalin and 100mg tramadol but I’ve hit a brickwall, I am a fortnight in on the lowest doses I’ve managed and it’s pure hell. As a father of 3 young children I’m really struggling, all the worst withdrawals previously mentioned by others plus more. I haven’t eaten more than a couple of biscuits in a day for well over a week, I’m not sleeping (waking frequently with the shakes and sweats), severe mood swings, constant thumping headache, inability to carry out usual day to day things. My poor girlfriend and kids have been through hell with all my neuralgia etc and now I’m just as useless because of the things that are meant to help. She has to work, kids need me during the day and I’ve just been curled under a blanket for days 🙁
Depression setting in, empty feeling all day and night, no interest in anything (literally)
Off to docs to try to get in rehabilitation of some kind tomorrow (if I can muster the energy)
Andy says
Just over a week ago I was here feeling hopeless and defeated. But after some inspiration and a lot of help from my mum I think I’ve cracked it.
I’ve been in hospital twice, put on a drip to help my hydration levels, lost over a stone (15st down to 13st12lb) and still sweating buckets. I’ve now been over 48hrs without any pregabalin and 72hrs without tramadol and I can feel my old self returning.
Stick at it and you can get off them. Now I’m concentrating on getting some exercise daily and eating healthier hopefully the sleeping pattern will re establish itself soon. Just thought I’d give an update (even if it is jumbled!)
I’ll check in again soon, peace.
BT says
Thank you for sharing & for your suggestions! Very helpful. I have severe neuropathic pain in my entire right leg due to a failed back surgery. After the failed back surgery, I was paralyzed from the waist down. It took about 2 years before I was able to walk normally again. I had a Neurostimulator installed in my lower back to combat the severe back pain that the back surgery never repaired. The Neurostimulator works really well & helps manage the back pain & the neuropathy in my right leg. Before I had the Neurostimulator installed, I was in so much pain from the neuropathy that I asked my pain Mgmt Doc to help me find a way to block the pain. I was prescribed Lyrica. Unfortunately, the lowest Lyrica dose didn’t improve the Neuropathy, so my Doctor continued to increase the RX strength. My max daily dose was 3(200mg) every day. I couldn’t function… I became a zombie. My performance at work declined & my social life was zero because I had no energy. I finally had it with the zombie feeling & I decided that I would prefer to have the neuropathic pain in lieu of the awful side effects of Lyrica. I’m titrating down to 3(150mg). I am absolutely miserable. I am severely nauseous, have these hot/cold flashes all over my body, & I have an awful headache. It’s been 5 days since I began titrating & still feel like crap. I was hoping that most of the severe WD symptoms would go away after a few days or at least decline in severity but each day the symptoms remain constant. Ugh!! I have been taking the medication since Jan 2013 so maybe that is why the WD symptoms are so uncomfortable & unforgiving. I too wish that my Doc had informed me of the awful side effects associated with Lyrica but I received zero education. Since Lyrica isn’t an opiod, I thought it would be easy to titrate off but things couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s really disgusting that Docs just hand their patients RX’s w/o education.
One of my Pain Mgmt Docs screwed up & gave me 3(400mg) Lyrica. Thankfully, I just happened to visit my family when I started taking the 400mg pills. My Mother found me passed out & she couldn’t wake me up. She took the pills away & I received medical attention. I’m pretty sure I would have died if my Mother hadn’t intervened. I’m very lucky.
I have Lidoderm patches that were prescribed for my back pain & I will apply the Lidoderm patch to my leg with neuropathy & see if that will decrease the pain that is now coming back more strongly now that I have cut 25% of my daily dose. Thank you for the Lidoderm Patch suggestion. I hope it’s easier to taper off my last medication (Oxy) & be done with this brain dead zombie feeling. Best wishes & Good Luck to all that are going through WD due to Lyrica taper.
BT says
I forgot to mention in my post above that I can’t sleep, I have no appetite (good thing since the Lyrica caused me to gain weight), I feel depressed & have a lot of anxiety. My mind continues to obsess about things that I can’t control. I don’t want to do anything active…I too just want to lay under a blanket & sleep until the titration is complete. One day, I actually had suicidal thoughts & that scared me so much since I’m generally a very happy & carefree person when I’m not taking Lyrica & Oxy.
piros444 says
Hi,
I’m the one who wrote the original post from which they put together this blog. I’m pleased that it’s helping some people find their way. It’s been a few weeks since you posted this but I thought I’d reach out.
Since my taper off Lyrica, I’ve learned that I did it way too fast, tapering 400 in 4 months. I’ve read, I think on this site, that tapering should be done at 10% cuts every month or so similar to benzos. I had to fight my doctor to get a prescription for the smallest available dosage capsule of 25 mg. They told me that I should taper 100 mg at a shot and when I tried, I thought I’d lose my mind. Another thing that made it easier was to calculate the dose equivalent amount of gabapentin (you can google it) and taper that. The smallest dosage of gabapentin is 100 mg which is a less potent amount of drug than 25 mg of Lyrica. It still sucks to taper it but it wasn’t nearly as bad for me as Lyrica.
It sounds like you are really suffering so slowing down your taper or holding constant at a dose for a while might help. I know you want to be rid of the stuff but don’t let the withdrawal hurt you. You’ll get there eventually.
I was also on oxy and was so grateful for the stuff since it helped calm the anxiety, agitation, and panic attacks. I’m now pain free and no longer need oxy so I’m tapering off of it with the help of my amazingly supportive orthopedic surgeon who is letting me set the pace. It’s a piece of cake. I just go nice and slow, listen to my body, and don’t even feel it. Everyone’s experience is different and some people have a hard time coming off of oxy but then they don’t know what bad withdrawal is like because they haven’t been through Lyrica hell. All the best!
Ronza smeirs says
I just stipped lyrica, 2days… i was on 75mg for a month, increased to 150 another month, and 75 mg again fpr two weeks… as per doctor instructions! Two days amd i feel like hell… how can I manage the symptoms? I tk lyrica after Chronic Fatigue Syndrome diagnosis, big mistake… how can i ease the widthrwal symptoms? And how long do they last?
Mara says
I just started decreasing my Lyrica doses, I was on 600 mg a day. My side effects are itchy skin, sweating, agitation, shortness of breath and feeling like I want to jump out of my skin. I am thankful that I’m on Oxycodone because it takes the edge off of the withdrawal, and doesn’t seem too bad, so far. This is my 5th day and I have gone from 600 to 300 mg in this time. I’m going to stay on the 300mg for another week and see how I feel. I’ve had an l5 s1 fusion 6 months ago, and was on lyrica for 2 years before that. I feel like the Lyrica actually is making my pain worse, has anybody else had this? Now that I have reduced my Lyrica my pain is reducing.
Jo Edwards says
Hi B T.
I hope you are doing ok. What l know about lyrica tapering is that you have to do it slowly then stay at that level so that your brain and body catch up with each other then lower the dose again and stay with that level for a month and so on…..it has taken me three months to get down from 75mg twice a day to zero. Now the hard stuff is happening for me but l will persevere, l hope you do too God bless and good luck
lzeas says
Sounds like wise advise. I am also on 75mg 2x daily. I will try this. I too, believe in perserverance, & God bless you.
Chrissie says
I had endocarditis, septicaemia and discitis in 2014. Operation to stabilise back left me completely numbed down right side and legs feeling as though encased in concrete, loss of balance and tinnitus. GP prescribed Lyrica for back pain and Zopiclone for insomnia. Side effects from Lyrica include drenching sweats day and night. Night cramps in legs. Muscles jumping around in legs. Fuzzy head. Weight gain. Itchy skin. Made decision to try and come off all drugs as felt I was being poisoned. Discussed coming off Lyrica with GP and was advised to reduce from 2 x 150mg to 2 x 75mg daily for one week, then down to 2 x 50mg daily for one week and finally 2 x 25mg daily for last week. Have not had an unbroken night’s sleep for months and was feeling utter despair until I found this site. Referred shoulder pain leaving me exhausted. Now feeling a lot more hopeful but wonder if a month is long enough for total weaning? Stopped Zopiclone without tapering off so have had double whammy but am now going without those. Pain from shoulder was breaking through every night even whilst taking them anyway. Is there light at the end of my particular tunnel? I am 75 years old.
Karen says
Since the US is tightening up an Opiods, I’d like to know if the other Drug companies are behind this? Yes, I hear we have a lot of illicit use, but the dangers seem tiny compared to the issues I have faced with the new line of drugs. I have never been suicidal or lost my mind on Oxycodone, etc.
Linda says
I so agree with you. The war on drugs is really becoming a war on pain patients. We are treated like abusers and addicts. They have tried to tell us that antidepressants are safer options. NO! So much suffering with withdrawal and anxiety from these horrific drugs. I have refused all these drugs but paid my dues with gabapentin and Lyrica. Lyrica the worst of the two. A year long taper off each. At the end of Lyrica I have been left with painful knotted muscles in my legs. I can’t go for a walk anymore. If I do, I have terrible leg pain the next morning. It’s been four months. I take oxycodone to cover the Lyrica pain. When on 300 mg it altered my gait. I could hardly walk. I hate Lyrica. Pfizer should be sued for so many lives ruined. More succumb to damage to their eyes, hearing, muscles, minds, memories every day.
Nonna says
Lyrica has been one of the worst experiences of my life…besides weight gain and ruined eye sight…when I try to taper., which I am currently doing..I am in so much misery it’s almost impossible…God help us…this would make a perfect war time weapon..it’s that bad..and people all over the internet r saying the same ..and yet it continues to be advertised…and promoted on TV..it’s a shameful thing…
Marlies Gaunt says
I took and am still taking Lyrica for General Anxiety Disorder. My GP recommended I should eventually take 600 mg per day.
I felt quite well for 1 month and then the initial beneficial effects disappeared and more and more unpleasant side effects showed up.Even my gait became weird and unsteady. Lethargy (extreme) not being the same person, generally feeling unwell and losing my memory. Strangely enough my anxiety actually INCREASED but I was still hoping that the good effects might appear again so I continued for another 8 months. I have now given up on this drug and am weaning myself off it. It is the very worst poison I put into my body ever and I would advise anybody against it. How could such a drug ever make it onto the market????
Joanna says
I have been taking Lyrica for fibromyalgia for one year. It seemed to help, at first. Then, slowly, all the pain and depression and flu-like symptoms reappeared. I tried to titrate down from Lyrica two months ago, them my boyfriend died unexpectedly and I upped the dose again (200 milligrams twice a day; a total of 400 milligrams per day). I would like to get off this terrible drug, but just two days of trying to taper, I felt like I was going to die, to explode inside. My boyfriend died while I was in this state of hell.
Question: Have any of you switched, gradually or quickly, from Lyrica to gabapentin, then slowly tapered off gabapentin? If so, what was your experience?
Thank you for your posts. This information is so helpful and makes me feel less alone.
piros444 says
Hi,
I’m the original poster of this article. Towards the end of my taper, I switched to the dose equivalent of gabapentin: 50 mg Lyrica = 300 mg gabapentin.
Here is the reference: https://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/medicalpubs/pharmacy/septoct2005/pregabalin.htm
I found that tapering gabapentin was easier than Lyrica though it was still tough.
If you’re looking for a support group that has more activity than here, there is a closed Facebook group called Lyrica Survivors. There are around 1300 people in the group from all over the world dealing with Lyrica problems and is a great place for support.
Melissa says
Please help…..I’ve heard of the closed Facebook group Lyrica survivors. But like I said, it’s a closed group, as in invitation only. Are you on it, can you invite me… my name on Facebook is Melz Macri from Vaughan Ontario Canada
Thanks
Smarty says
The Facebook group appears to be taken down. It won’t even come up in a search.
Teemu says
You have to search the group in Google, “Lyrica Survivors”, then you will find it.
Chrissie says
Like you Joanna, I have found this site to be very helpful. It has given me hope of getting some sort of life back. I am 75 and possibly may not have many years left. I would like to enjoy them.
margriet says
Has anyone tried whilst reducing the Lyrica to start on the neuropathy support formula? If so where can you buy this?
The original post mentions this but I don’t seem to be able to find it in the UK.
Do people really find it easier to reduce the amount of pregabeling compared to Lyrica?
piros444 says
Hi,
I’m the one who wrote the original post. Neuropathy Support Formula is now called Nerve Renew. It helps with nerve pain, not really with the Lyrica withdrawal symptoms. It’s made by a company and I think they export to the UK. I put their website as a link below.
Regarding pregabalin, it’s the generic name for Lyrica. If you meant gabapentin, in my experience, it was easier to taper off of it than off of Lyrica and it’s how I finished the last of my taper. 300 mg gabapentin = 50 mg Lyrica. I attached the link to my source for this conversion.
Finally, if you are looking for a more active group who have experience dealing with all awful things Lyrica, ask to join the Lyrica Survivor’s group on Facebook. There’s always a lot of activity and it’s a good resource for all your question and also general support as you deal with this drug, it’s side effects, and tapering off of it.
This is the website for Nerve Renew: http://www.neuropathytreatmentgroup.com/landers/5/
This is the link on gabapentin conversion:
https://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/medicalpubs/pharmacy/septoct2005/pregabalin.htm
Chrissie says
Did you actually try Nerve Renew? I have seen this advertised but was unwilling to try OTC treatments without consulting my GP. Does it actually work?
piros444 says
To the moderators of the comment section:
I’m the one who wrote the original review that you turned into this post. I’m grateful that you’ve helped me get the word out about how problematic Lyrica can be.
I’d like to ask that you add the paragraph below to the post, if possible. I check in here every once in a while and have read comments from people asking questions and looking for support with Lyrica, however there isn’t much daily activity here but Facebook has a great group that I’d like your readers to know about.
There is a Lyrica Survivors group that is very active on Facebook. It is a closed group so you will have to ask to join the group. There are currently over 1300 members from all over the world. It’s a great place to ask questions and find support if you are struggling with the side effects and/or withdrawal from Lyrica.
Manuel says
I don`t believe lyrica has all of the withdrawal symptoms you say. Scientific research says that while it has some serious side effects , they don´t mention anything of the effects you describe. Properly used it may work for different conditions.
Dr. David Healy says
Manuel
By scientific research you mean drug company studies, with complete lack of access to the data?
DH
Piros444 says
Manuel,
I’m the original poster that this blog is based on. While I’m sure there are people for whom Lyrica is very helpful and that they have minimal problems with it, I can say with absolute certainty that nothing I wrote about my experience was exaggerated in any way. The side effects and withdrawal from Lyrica was one of the most horrifying experiences of my life. I continue to call attention to the problems that Lyrica can cause because there are way too many people like you, especially doctors who don’t believe that this can happen. Too many patients are left to deal with this horror on their own. I got through the experience, barely, and now feel strongly that I need to speak up about what happened to me.
louise says
why don’t you take it for a few months then come off it, then come back to this forum and tell us how you don’t believe it causes all these problems?
Regardless of what you believe or not, the struggle is real. I only hope that you don’t have to take this drug for anything, or someone you care about!! Such a stupid statement to make! Do you think everyone in this forum is lying?
Marina Witsky says
I have been off Lyrica for 30 months and am not taking any other medication. I have suffered the classic Windows and waves healing over that period. It has been beyond hell. Has anyone else suffered for this long post discontinuation and what are your current symptoms?
Jen says
I took lyrica for six months it was insane, headaches, aggressiveness, anger, suicidal thoughts, hostile burning while urinating, no I have no std, and then the hives came…..I got off withdrawal was worse Thing I’ve ever been through, I had a knee stabilization surgery, and a clean up surgery to follow I’m in constant pain, doctor wana keep doing injections and they DON’T WORK!!!!!
AMITRIPILINE =ZOMBIE GABAPENTEN=NO MEMORY WHATS LEFT IM 30 CANNOT RUN JUMP PLAY WITH MY SON AT THE PARK GO FOR A LEISURE BOAT RIDE A WALK LONGER THAN 3 BLOCKS…….WHAT CAN I DO WITH MY LIFE NOW????? I LOVE BEING A MOM BUT MY SON WILL BE IN SCHOOL AND I WANT A JOB, I CANT SIT OR STAND TOO LONG NEED CONSTANT COMPRESSION. SUGGESTIONS?????
Maria says
Yes i have many withdrawal symptomes.
What are yours?
Best wishes Maria
Maria says
Yes me! I am 10 months lyrica free.
I have many symptomes.
Maria says
Yes i have bad symptomes. You can contact me. +4369911190703
Mer says
I’m currently taking lyrica for post herpetic neuralgia. Going on 4 years. Started lyrica in December. Currently taking 150mg 2/day. I want off this badly. But I’m scared of the nerve pain flaring up out of control again. I’ve tried everything available for this pain and nothing works. Lyrica controls more than the rest but the memory issues, slow thinking, lack of emotion, and just knowing it changes brain chemistry and possibly permanent changes just have me spooked. My husband is against my stopping this. I haven’t told my doc yet either. Why keep taking it if it doesn’t work al the time anyway and the side effects suck!
I have several days left before renewal. I also have several days left of 75mg since doc increased dosage,
I forgot to take my night dose last two nights because I worked so late. So since I already lost those, I figured I’d just start trying this now. But I’m really scared too. This pain is relentless and disabling. I add narco for pain as needed. Doc is ok refilling it since she knows me and my situation. Anybody think this is a good idea?
piros444 says
Hi Mer,
You might want to try B vitamins and Alpha Lipoic Acid, which has been shown to help with peripheral neuropathy. I take this stuff called Nerve Renew that I buy online that I’ve found to really help my neuropathy from spinal cord damage. It doesn’t have any side effects and is worth a shot. They also sell another product called Nerve Repair Optimizer that helps with the bad flare ups I get at night. If you can point to where your pain is, prescription Lidoderm patches can really help with that.
Norco can definitely make the neuropathic pain more manageable and your doctor is absolutely right that it is a reasonable thing to take. I don’t know if they told you (nobody told me about it) that Norco has acetominophen in it so make sure that you don’t take more than 3000 mg/ day of acetominophen per day since above that dose, it can cause liver damage. (The dosage of acetominophen is the second bigger number on the side of the bottle in mg.) As long as you stick to the Norco daily prescribed dosage and don’t take cold/flu medication or Tylenol, you will stay below this acetominophen dosage and will be fine. As far as addiction risk, keep an eye on your dosage and your psychological response to taking it and don’t increase it without discussing it with your doctor but don’t be overly worried about it. I found that opioids helped me taper off of Lyrica since it helped calm down the terrible panic attacks and agitation I experienced. Tapering off of opioids was a piece of cake and I barely noticed any withdrawal symptoms at all.
If the side effects from Lyrica bother you then tapering to a lower dose is a good idea and there is no reason that your doctor shouldn’t support you with this. If you get to a lower dosage and you can’t control the pain in some other way, you can always increase your dosage again. None of your decisions are permanent choices! You don’t have to completely taper off of it since even going to a slightly lower dose can help with the side effects that are bothering you. Make sure you listen to your body and don’t try to taper too fast because it’ll be too awful.
Not refilling a prescription and trying to do a rapid taper is probably a bad idea and the side effects would probably be unbearable. With regard to tapering, nobody told me that when you taper off of a drug like Lyrica, you can get something called rebound pain where the pain flares up to a higher level and then settles back down after a while. Once I understood that this was what I was experiencing, it was a bit easier to live with and I was also lucky in that it did diminish over a few weeks. Again, the B vitamins/ alpha lipoic acid and oxycodone (in your case Norco) helped me get through it.
I hope this helps!
Take care,
piros444
Johanna says
Mer, have you tried speaking frankly to your doctor? I know that’s not always possible … at least once I have been forced to make changes without telling the doctor, because they made it clear they would not listen to my concerns. But maybe you could start by discussing lowering your dose, and describe the side effects that are causing you such trouble. The doc might at least agree to that, and prescribe 75 mgs again. Which would give you more options for tapering off entirely if you have to.
Try filling out a RxISK Report on this website. It can be really useful to assess whether the memory and mood problems are really due to the Lyrica — and convincing your doctor (if they’re willing to listen at all). Might help get past those automatic, “oh-I’m-sure-that’s-due-to-something-else-not-the-drug” reactions.
Tapering off the drug slow and steady really is the way to go. More than once I’ve missed a dose by accident and then figured, well, I survived, so why not just stop right here? Usually a mistake. And if you do use Norco (hydrocodone) to cope with the pain coming off, KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN. It’s a synthetic opiate and very addictive, which of course you know. Avoid thinking of it as a permanent solution, and watch out for any feeling you need to up the dose …
The Lyrica withdrawal Facebook page may have a lot of good ideas. (My own drug withdrawal experiences have been with antidepressants and amphetamines not Lyrica.) Best of luck!
Mary says
Took 9 weeks of tapering diazepam for gad that was ok then started on Pregabalin at only 50 mg day as I’m very sensitive to meds I have diabetes not too badly and fibromyalgia more fatigue based than pain only on Pregabalin for 14 days made me feel really bad with pm bleeding sore bleeding piles low blood platelets tiredness insomnia have had for about 9 months wobbly gait dizziness in morning will never go near this med again
triple s says
Hello everyone
I am 20 yrs and i have been taking pregabalin 75 mg per day 10 tablets. And i have been doing this from 4-5 months .
I was introduced to this drug by my friend for getting high.
It felt good in 1st month and for some reason i was unable to get the drug . then i started experiencing those symptoms.
so i arranged the drug somehow and never missed a day taking it.
Now i want to just stop it.
but i can’t
done this 2 times
1st time by cutting down when i reached at 5 tablets per day that day was horrible so at end of the day i had to take one more tab
at night i realised that i can’t stop it next morning went back to 10
yesterday i didn’t took any
and went a long way from my home and didn’t took any pill with me..
My stomach started panning at starting then i started sweating then headache then blury vision.
after half the day was passed i loose my control on not going back home. .
went back home took the pills .
i want to stop it
help me
what should i do
how should i do
Piros444 says
Hi triple s,
I’m so sorry to hear about your struggles. It sounds like your body has become physically dependent on a very high dose of Lyrica. 750 mg/day is a much higher dose than what doctors usually prescribe. To get off this drug, you will have to taper slowly. Try cutting 10% at a time, which is just one capsule, no more. You will feel awful for probably several days but it will probably be manageable. Let your body adjust until you feel well then cut another 10%. Trying to completely cut Lyrica off cold turkey or by 50% is horribly difficult and could even cause you long term physical damage as many stories I’ve read will describe. I think slow and steady is the way to go.
Since you started taking Lyrica to get high, I think it is very important for you to also address this issue. Because you have already abused one type of drug, you are at risk of the same behavior with others. Whatever you do, don’t try to dig yourself out of this hole by using/ abusing another drug to do it. This is how many young people end up deep in drug addiction and then sometimes even dying from overdoses.
You have called out for help, which is a really good sign. I would highly recommend finding a psychologist who specializes in addiction to help guide you. A sympathetic, knowledgeable person can make this difficult process easier to bear. He/ she can also help you work through why you started abusing Lyrica in the first place. You should also join the Facebook Lyrica Survivors page. There are lots of kind and helpful people there who can help support you.
Please take care of yourself and stay safe!
Piroska
helen says
I want to thank all you brave people for sharing your experiences! I’m here because my elderly 4-pound chihuahua has been on lyrica for neck pain for about 7 months and he went from being a cheerful little guy to a complete zombie who wanders around the terrace lost and bumping into things. It’s getting worse and how he can’t find his way around the house either. I started weaning him off the lyrica about 4 weeks ago and it’s hard to do just 10% per month since that would mean over a year to get him off, and he’s so old he may not have a year left. Plus he can’t talk and tell me how badly he’s feeling. He’s done a lot of shivering and I can tell when he wakes up in the morning that he needs his “fix” … I call him my doggie with the DTs. He’s had nausea too. Has anyone else had stuffy nose as part of the tapering?
To those suffering from anxiety, just a little thing about me which may or may not apply to you. Please don’t take offense; I’m trying to help! I suffered from terrible anxiety as a young person and found that Gestalt / primal scream therapy really helped. Generalized anxiety is like a pressure cooker. You have pain inside but you can’t express it because there’s a lid holding it in. My pain came from my mother’s death, but people have all kinds of reasons for pain. Just living in the world today can be very painful. Gestalt and primal scream therapy help you to blow some of it off. Try an experiment. Get on the freeway with the windows rolled up and scream. Just scream and scream and scream until you can’t scream any more. Simple experiment, see if it helps.
Warmly,
Helen
triple s says
thx for reply piros444
as i mentioned i did it in cold turkey way
like
9 tabs-2days
8tabs-2days
7-2
6-2
5
this day i loose control the feeling was awful and i think i can’t describe it.
so again went back to 10
what else can i do?
can you mention any plan that i should follow
so that i can cut it down within one month.
piros444 says
Hi again triple s,
Unfortunately, I am not an expert on tapering off of Lyrica so all I can do is tell you what little I know from my own experience and what I’ve read about the experience of others. I tapered from 400 mg/ day to 0 mg/ day in 4 months cutting in 25 mg doses every week or so. I found this to be barely manageable with regard to the withdrawal but it was pretty horrible and looking back on it, I should have done it much more slowly. What you are trying to do isn’t what is known as cold turkey, which means that you stop all together without tapering. You’ve tried that without success so now you are trying to taper, which is a better way to go.
You managed to get to 6 tablets per day then at 5 per day, it became too hard and you went back to the original dosage of 10 per day. This indicates that you are trying to taper too fast and undid all the tapering you accomplished in the previous days. You might try cutting 1 tablet per day and staying there for a week until the side effects aren’t so bad. Then cut 1 tablet again and stay with it until you feel better, and so on. From what you’ve described, you are trying to taper too fast and end up back where you started because of it so you are not accomplishing what you want to do.
Remember, that as you get to a lower and lower dosage, a 1 tablet/ day cut becomes a larger and larger percentage cut of the dosage you are at. So, when you taper 1 tablet/day from 10 tablets/ day (1/10) that is a 10% taper. When you cut from 6 tablets/ day to 5 tablets/day that is a 17% taper (1/6), 1 tablet/day to 4 tablets/ day is a 20% taper (1/5), going from 2 to 1 is a 50% taper. This means that as you get to a lower and lower dosage, each taper becomes a bigger percentage cut and will be harder to do.
If you are taking tablets, a solution to this increasing percentage problem is to cut the tablets in half with a sharp knife or pill cutter so that you taper a smaller percentage making the side effects of the withdrawal less awful. If you are taking capsules with powder inside it, you can try carefully pulling a capsule apart and pouring out part of the capsule then put it back together with the partial fill. You can carefully save the powder in a dry small container and buy some other cheap capsule over the counter drug like some vitamin or herbal supplement, dump out the contents and partially fill it with the saved Lyrica. Another thing I’ve read others have tried (I never did) was to make a suspension of the powdered drug from the capsule in water so that you can taper at a lower percentage. You can Google this, if you want more information on it.
Unfortunately, from everything you’ve described, your goal of getting off your high dosage in one month is just not reasonable. Remember that you aren’t taking a traditional drug of abuse such as cocaine, heroin, etc. so if you turn to a doctor, psychologist, or drug abuse counselor, they definitely won’t judge you because what you are dealing with isn’t anywhere as bad as what others they treat are dealing with and they will be happy to help you. You said you are 20 years old. I’m a high school teacher and can tell you that if a former student turned to me to ask for help with a problem like yours, I would definitely do what I could to find help for him or her. So, please think about people who have been in your life: relatives, friends, neighbors, faith leaders, former teachers, etc. Is there someone who you can turn to who can help you deal with all this? One of the side effects of Lyrica that you probably can’t feel right now is that it can really affect your ability to think clearly and rationally and to make good choices. I certainly struggled with this when I was taking it and when I was tapering off of it. So, this could explain why you keep trying the same taper system over and over again without getting to a lower dosage longer term. Another person who cares about you could help you make better decisions because I think right now, as with me and so many others, Lyrica is affecting your ability to think clearly.
I really think you need to accept that you will need to do this taper much more slowly than you would like. Unfortunately a tough withdrawal with tapering is a common side effect with Lyrica for many people who take it, no matter how you got there. Also, from what I experienced and from what I’ve read from what others have experienced, tapering too fast from Lyrica can cause major depression and even suicidal thoughts. This drug affects your brain to a major extent and you have to slowly pull it away to give your brain a chance to adjust to not having it around. If you try to do it too fast, you won’t be able to stand it and end up going back to a higher dosage, which you’ve experienced several times now. If you try to taper too fast it can potentially cause long term damage to your brain function.
I hope this helps you understand what you are facing. Again, try tapering more slowly, cutting 1 pill or capsule every week or so. Wait until the side effects become manageable before you cut another pill. Go slowly and let your body adjust. Remember that every pill you can cut and not go back to your last dose is one step towards your goal. Don’t think about getting to 0 because that’s too far away of a goal. Think about just one pill less, wait for your body to adjust so that that is now your new dosages and you don’t have to go back to the last dose. Then, think about just the next pill to cut and not further. Again, wait for your body to get used to it. You will get to 0 eventually but it will take several months at the very least.
I hope this helps.
Take care and stay safe!
piros444
Ashley Tarver says
My Mom completed suicide a year ago while being on Lyrica for years. Should I report this to someone? If the information would prevent a future suicide, it is worth it
piros444 says
I am so sorry for your loss! Unfortunately, you are not alone in this nightmare. I’ve heard of completed suicide from both taking a constant dose of Lyrica and especially when tapering off the stuff.
Yes, absolutely, report this to Pfizer, to your mother’s doctor, and to anyone else who will listen. Suicidal ideation and completed suicide are becoming more known as horrifying side effects of Lyrica, yet many doctors don’t know this yet. I’ve heard so many patients reporting the same experience I had, with major depression and serious suicidal ideation and that doctors simply don’t believe us when we turned to them for help with these severe side effects.
If you can stand to deal with it, please join me in screaming your experience from the rooftops to anyone who will listen. I’m the original poster of this blog. While my pain doesn’t remotely begin to approach yours, knowing that I’ve helped spread the word about the terrible potential side effects of Lyrica has helped make some sense of my own suffering with regard to the terrible potential side effects of this drug. If this forum has made your own suffering a tiny bit less terrible then I’ve accomplished far more than I originally hoped to accomplish when I originally wrote my comments.
All the best,
piros444
lzeas says
This was written by a young teenager who committed suicide, and was later found by her mother after her death.
“What has my life become? A never-ending struggle to do the instinctive, mundane tasks that should be carefree.” “But this is what I spend my worry on. Whether I can make it to the next activity, task, hour, conversation, smile. No one knows what it’s like.” End of quote.
I wish I could put my arms around that young woman and say that I understand. How I wish.
I really think we need to get real about our weaknesses. The appointments we can’t make, times we cannot keep. For myself, I experienced that people DO NOT understand, NOR accept. Now, I just say, I cannot make it, at least that is HONEST with ME. Seems like that goes a LONG ways, and I feel better for it. I try to accept the small but precious life I have.
Regina says
My husband had neck surgery and was prescribed Lyrica about 3-weeks post-op for the nerve pain he was still experiencing. He took his last dose after 30-days (no one said anything about tapering). Yesterday he said he was so tired. Like he just couldn’t wait to lie down. He also felt feverish and looked pale. In the night, he awoke with severe nerve pain in his neck. It’s this common? Will it subside?
Thanks for any input.
Delia says
Prescribed Lyrica this may for anxiety 75mg x 2 daily, how I wish had never agreed to take this drug. Took for 4 weeks felt sick and dizzy, told gp wished to stop and was told could stop uimmediately, queried this but was reassured ok. I experienced cramps, insomnia, dry eyes, racing heart, now tinnitus, extreme suicide ideation, all these problems went on my notes as depression and anxiety, no gp would listen about the withdrawal effects, have been off work, muscles are wasting, can’t read or function, have no energy feels like am dying, so scared, friends find hard to understand and say am depressed, I just want to scream and cry but can’t.
Terry says
all I can say is how can anyone allow anybody to suffer in this way and not be accountable, I have been on lyrica 100mg x2 now for just over a year , the first time I took it I felt high for 24 hours which was a lovely break from the anxiety that I had been suffering , then after a few weeks I started to have low moods blurred vision and feelings of fatigue , 6 months after taking it I decided that I needed to come of it as it was not treating my anxiety and just causing me to suffer in different ways , well over 6 months I have managed to get down to 90 mg and the suffering I have endured is of a biblical proportion , the deep dark depression , the overwhelming feeling of hopelessness the anxiety has increased 10 fold , but what is worse of all is the suicidel thought and idealations that it has brought with it , when you have a ,loving family and a good life to be struck with this is unbelievable it has got so bad that I had to get proper help as I thought that I was a risk to my self , the nausea ,headaches sweating not sleeping I can live with they are not pleasant but compared to the rest they are liveable , what have I ever done to anyone so bad that they needed to inflict so much pain on me , my only crime was asking a doctor for help with my anxiety , please think twice before using this medication if I can spare just one person from this hell it will have been so worth it ,
philip says
dear terry, I too have been on pregab 2x 100 mg a day, but recently reduced slightly I can’t tell whether the suicidal thoughts, vertigo like symptoms were me or the medication, or another med, anyway I’m on less now. hope your unbearable symptoms have receded and you are on sensible meds and dosages.
Jo-an says
Hello, I have been on Lyrica for about 4 months and am about to have major surgery in three days. I forgot to ask the Dr whether it is safe to have the operation whilst on this drug. Dose 75mg twice a day. Does anyone know the answer to this, as I am afraid to ask the Dr at this late stage. I certainly don’t want the Op to be cancelled.
I, too have been experiencing big changes such as very blurry vision, inability to remember things, general confusion and thinking that I may be getting Altzeimer’s disease or that the symptoms might be coming from one of my heart drugs or the statin I am also on. However after reading these posts I believe that Lyrica is to blame.
I think I will just go ahead and have the operation and keep quiet about being on this awful drug and start titration after getting over the surgery. Hopefully being on it will not cause anything bad too happen.
Thanks, Jo-an
Delia says
Following attendances at gp surgery querying debilitating side effects of lyrica predominantly swollen, painful, tired and unresponsive eyes, swollen face, tinnitus, all dismissed as impossible, I am now on record as requiring mental health assessment. Distraught, suicidal ideation throughout, researching methods, so exhausted haven’t slept since May, catch 22 situation, the capsules – red and black – did not even match the description on the leaflet, they could have been anything. I believe I have been poisoned. How wish could turn clock back, the constant discomfort affects every day.
Renee says
I was a perfectly healthy 47-year-old when I suffered a C6/C7 spinal cord injury 20 months ago. I am now a quadriplegic with two young kids suffering a great deal of emotional and physical trauma which makes it difficult to sift through what is causing various symptoms. I have been on Lyrica from the very beginning in the hospital when I wasn’t even coherent enough to know what I was taking. I have asked my physicians about getting off this medication all of whom have recommended against it due to the pain they believe I will suffer. I am incredibly grateful to find this post and all of the comments. I mistakenly missed my last five doses (Just 1 1/2 days) for the first time ever and have been suffering terribly. I’ve been trying to figure out what is causing my suffering and decided to Google this issue once I realized the missed doses. Gratefully, I am going to try to get off this medication slowly as recommended here and using some of the suggested alternatives. I’m going to insist that my doctors help me. Thank you all so much and wish me luck. Keep me in your prayers. I will do the same for you and write in with any useful updates.
Delia says
Now diagnosed with depressive episode, monitored closely like having guards, nobody interested in hearing about lyrica side effects. Have lost patience of GP surgery. I wasn’t like this before taking lyrica. I had a personality, could work, think, talk, laugh, read, watch tv, walk outside, go to cinema, go for meals, sleep well. My heart is broken. My son’s heart is broken, he’s lost his mum and our life. It is a nightmare of Kafkaesque proportion. I can observe my disinterest in life, the weight and effort of movement, the lethargy and confusion, I just can’t change it or bring myself back. I wish I had my life back. The noises in my head are horrible, the suicidal thoughts endless, the days terrifying, the nights worse.
Hazzie says
I have been on lyrica for 3 years now for bad anxiety. I was better, mentally. Now I realize I was feeling high all along. I had a job, went back to school and stuff. But also gained 50 lbs. I took 150 mg in the morning and 150 mg + 50 mg at night. A month ago I stopped the 50 mg cold turkey and suddenly I couldn’t leave my bed, nausea, everything was hurting. I absolutely love school but I had to stop a few weeks ago ’cause I had no motivation anymore. I can barely leave my bed.
I’m an ex-smoker, but I can easily say that it’s a real joke next to stopping lyrica. Now i’m focusing on getting my life back on track.
I really feel bad for each and everyone of you. This drug is hell and should’nt be suggested.
the side effects and withdrawal are a nightmare.
i reduced the mg a few weeks ago and people already notice a weight loss….
I really hope you guys are hanging in there! Its one hell of a fight, but I want to believe that it’s gonna be worth it in the end.
Denise says
what gets to me the doctors will give out this drug knowing how bad the side effects and withdrawels are but very reluctant to perscribe diazepam in uk ,its given out like smarties and people are now pushing it to make money completly crazy
Delia says
I contacted Pfizer today to ask why the capsules I took – 75mg red and black – did not match the leaflet description – white and orange. Was told they don’t do red & black capsules and that this is not normal, an urgent enquiry of the batch number has been raised. Told my gp about this today.
Dee says
Omg!! I’ve finally found out what can only be described as a nightmare, for me! Lyrica! I’ve been using this drug on and off for about 5yrs, prescribed for nerve pain in my neck. During the yrs I have never noticed any withdrawal symptoms, then 3 months ago I started decreasing the amount I was taking, I decided I no longer wanted to be on it since I am on percocet. I started having the worst nausea of my entire life, then the headaches started, the 2 combined caused me to think suicide. For 3 months I thought maybe I had cancer. I racked my brain trying to figure out why I’d been so sick. Thank God I decided to look up Lyrica and it’s side effects. I will never take this drug again and will certainly never praise it as a wonder drug, as I have in the past!!!!!
Delia says
Please be aware that Lyrica can be re-imported into the UK from other countries and Europe by ‘parallel’ companies. Check everything adds up as counterfeit pharmaceuticals can make their way into the supply chain. This may have happened in my case, Lyrica which was ‘re-imported from Slovakia, but I foolishly did not scrutinise the information. The importing company does not have a legitimate contact number on their website which is worrying. Am left with life changing side effects which may or may not be from Lyrica and very sad. Pfizer have been very interested and reported the matter to the medicines and health care regulatory agency who will investigate. Unfortunately no capsule left for them to test so goodness knows what I consumed, whether it was Lyrica and if so how much. My life is a nightmare as have been unable to work and the stress is hard to bear.
Unfortunately no sample capsule
Delia says
Occupational Health physician has assessed me as having been made ill by Lyrica. Will it be enough though.
Jessica says
I’ve been on 75mg for the past 18 weeks due to nerve pain in my spine. About 5 weeks ago I began getting confused at work, having panic attacks and since been slowly weened off but side effects have been exactly what everyone has discribed on here! If I hadn’t read all of your info, I would believe I was psychotic. Thanks for all your help guys. I’ve got an app. tomorrow with my gp. I was supposed to have a dose tonight but I’m not going to do that to my body. I feel like I’d be poisoning myself. Here’s hoping I can find a safer alternative.
SPierce says
It’s not that the physicians don’t realize what this family of drugs (Gabapentin & Lyrica) is doing to the patient. Sadly, it’s that they seem to care less and less as they continue to greedily pad their pockets from the Pharmaceutical Companies. TRUTH! Western Medicine has been compromised from the inception of the compound labs. Use your God given “wise-dome” and research natural remedies FIRST. God gave us everything we need to heal ourselves on this planet!! Be encouraged. YOU can live a naturally healthy life.
If anything, try marijuana for pain along with turmeric root for inflammation for starters along with exercise and a cleaner more organic diet.
Believe me, I popped a pill for everything for 49 years until I finally had an awakening.
Western medicine is killing us good people!!! WAKE UP!!!!!!
Denise says
I was on Lyrica 13 yrs due to hormone imbalance migraines from a complete Hysterectomy. I was taking 150mg 3 x’s a day=450mg. It got to the point where the side effects were worse than the migraines. My Neurologist did not want me to stop, but I put my foot down. I tapered down slowly for 9 months, going down 25-50 mg every 3 weeks. On 10/26/2016 took my last pill, I went for 28 days with no problems and then insomnia came knocking at my brain, from 10/24/2016 – 12/02/2016 got only 1 or 2 hours of sleep, went to ER BIG MISTAKE, I wanted a shot to help me sleep, but Doctor insisted on Zolpidem for 5 days, I slept, but come day 6 all HELL broke loose, burning skin and tingling, OMG, day 7, 6 hours of sleep, now it is day 7-8 no sleep for 2 days, I am at my wits end and beginning to not trust Doctors anymore. Lyrica withdrawal is pure HELL, I am sure in a few more weeks possible 4-8 weeks this will stop, I hope. My poor husband can’t take this anymore. I have tried OTC sleep aids does not help. Sooner or later my body will get tired and I will start sleeping again, PLEASE someone HELP.
Linda says
Did you try taking chlorpheniramine maleate (antihistimine), or kava kava (herb), or drinking Nighty Nite tea? Sometimes putting a cool cloth on the forehead does the trick and winds the brain down. Also, a new way I’ve found to lull one who is in pain to sleep is to make a 3-sided pouch out of a folded-over clean dishtowel, put dried corn in the pouch, and then sew it up. Put it in the microwave for however long it takes to get comfortably warm. Put it on your belly at night. Or, some people put one in each armpit. Get someone to record their cat or dog breathing heavily while asleep. Make a sound loop out of that and use it in an MP3 player with headphones. Don’t stare at the internet before going to bed. Get a TENS unit or two, put them on the muscles that get tensed when you’re trying to sleep. Keep it turned down low. Buy a massaging lounger and try to sleep in it.
Make a swinging bed. Attach steel cable to hooks in the ceiling rafters. Rock yourself to sleep. Really! Eat some cheese before retiring. Soak your legs in epsom salt.
Delia says
Denise, so sorry to hear you are suffering so badly, I have experienced this and they are desperate, dark days indeed. I too begged my gps for help. It will end, though it feels like it never will. Meanwhile take care of the things you can control, healthy food, water, walks etc. Wishing you all the best.
Denise Book says
Thank you for your response, I am about through 11 weeks of withdrawal, not tingling as much, occasionally have some night sweats, insomnia comes & goes, but getting better. I was only getting 1 or 2 hours of sleep, then I got a weeks worth, during Christmas I did not sleep for 4 days straight, when we got home I slept for 8 days & now I have not slept for 2 days due to night sweats. I am sure this will soon end, but in the meantime I fill like crawling under a rock.
Carol says
I am so grateful to have found this site.
2 1/2 years ago my doctor suggested Lyrica with the proviso, ‘if you can tolerate it.’ That should have rung alarm bells. I have tried to tolerate it hoping that my pudental nerve pain would get better. In fact it has got worse and the side effects, even though I was originally on a low dose (100mg at night), have been very unpleasant. I have managed to reduce the dose down to 75 mg at night but the withdrawal is still horrid. What is very interesting is that I have been battling blood pressure with an increased heart rate. I now realise, with much research, that this must be caused by withdrawal effects from Lyrica. I know this as I have carefully tailored my life to make sure that I should not be suffering from BP. Getting off Lyrica completely is really important as I don’t want to be on BP meds too long. Has anyone else been suffering with elevated BP and increased heart rate since being on Lyrica? Best Wishes and Thank you!!
tom says
Yes, my blood pressure was up after stopping Lyrica 9 days ago. I been on it for over 12 months for nerve pain from shingles in my eye and forehead/scalp which developed into PHN. I was on 6 X 75 mg pills per day. Tried getting off about 6 months ago by reducing 1 pill every 3 days. By the time I got down to 0 I had to get back on them because of the withdrawal effects. After everything stabalized again I started all over again get off them reducing down from 6X75mg one pill ever two weeks or so. My last pill was on Dec 15,,,,,,,,this has taken over 3 months…I am still having withdrawal effects, trouble sleeping, constant nausea. As far as the pain goes it has increased a little bit but is bearable much better than staying on lyrica.
I wish I knew how long the nausea will last? Anyone have ideas it is awful.
Let me know.
Thanks
Tom says
I to have had an increase in BP readings since going off Lyrica 10 days ago.
I have been on 6X75mg for 15 months or so for nerve pain from shingles in my left eye and forehead that developed into phn. Tried going off it this summer by tapering down a pill every three days but the withdrawal effects once I got off the last pill were so bad I started using it again 6X75mg.
For the last three months tapered off 1 pill every two weeks or so and have been totally off Lyrica for 10 days. Have had withdrawal effect of sweats,chills, nausea, twitching etc. The pain has increased a little but not much. My short term memory is improving.
Does anyone have any experience how long the nausea lasts, I am not eating much?
The side effects of Lyrica that I had while taking it was, Twitching, memory loss, weight gain (which I am now losing due to the nausea). It is a very rough drug to be on and seem is also as rough to get off of.
Thanks.
Neicey says
Was on Lyrica 13 yrs., I had a complete hysterectomy in 2001 & 2003 I started having migraines due to a hormone imbalance. I started with 75 mg 3 x’s a day & gradually went up to 150mg 3 x’s a day. The side effects from the Lyrica we’re getting worse than the migraines.
I am 59 now, The migraines are going away I have not had one now in over a year. I taper down very slowly going down 10% every three weeks, which took me nine months to come off Lyrica. The withdrawal symptoms have been “PURE HELL”, I have been off completely now 10 weeks (01/04/2017). I have experience insomnia, hot and cold flashes, anxiety and burning and tingling of the nerve endings in my body all over. I have started sleeping again and the nervousness is starting to taper off and the Exide he’s tapering off I am still tingling a little but not as much I go about for five days and tingle very little and then about the fourth or fifth day I’ll have about 15 hours of tingling in one day. I hope that within the next 6 weeks all this Will stop completely.
Adam says
My wife, mother of 6 ages 2-10, was abusing Lyrica for six months after the Dr. switched her to help her move off Oxycontin. She would abuse by taking thirty (30) at a time after reading up on how to get high off this stuff. Then she would suffer through withdrawals and try to figure out how to get more. She would get open sores on her legs, back face and arms. One had to be lanced. Then for two months, before all this came to light, she started making Poppy Seed tea in the laundryroom, which she says was way worse than the Oxy she had been abusing. Doctor now has her taking one 50mg Lyrica per day to taper, which I control. With the tea and Lyrica she had a resting heart rate of 120, slept 15 hours a day, slurred speech and a lazy eye. After two weeks she is still having detox pains, but now the mental aspects of addiction are at the forefront of the battle. She started an outpatient program for women this week and AA. I can see the women i married now and am shocked at how bad this secret had been for her.
doctor says
I am a so called “junior” doctor with 10 years postgrad and I really had no idea about the withdrawal effects of neither pregbalin nor gabapentin. Never prescribed them though. Don`t you think that your doctor will know much about side effects of medicines please! We only know what we are told to know. If a phrama company withholds information about a side effect of a good selling drug how do you expect that doctors would be knowing about that? Seriously? It is a money driven business where people`s lives on the platter. Doctors are blinded by the pharma company and the demand from patients are excessive. Think first a bit before you blame your doctors! If you think there is a serious side effect go to https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/ and fill out a form. It is you the patient who will know the best what the side effect are not your doctor!
piros says
doctor-
I understand that doctors can’t be expected to know everything, however the almost inevitable response from doctors when we present with terrible side effects or hellish withdrawals from medications like Lyrica is to tell us that we’re depressed, or it’s all in our heads, or we’re making it up, or other people do fine. The worst of you told me straight up to stop wasting their time.
Read through the comments here and you’ll hear countless stories of us being ignored or dismissed. The truth is, the vast majority of you simply don’t want to hear us. You see us as stupid and hysterical liars.
After being betrayed by so many of you, I simply don’t trust doctors anymore. I find my own solutions and if I need help from a doctor I go and politely tell him what my problem is and what solution I need. He writes the appropriate prescription and I’m on my way within five minutes. He then gets to charge my insurance $285 for typing what I told him to and signing his name. Medicine is one hell of a racket!
Delia says
It is understandable that gps may not know the whole situation re side effects of medication, but they are recommending products and in my view it would not be unreasonable to expect that gps show some interest in what’s being reported about a product that is going to have significant impact on cognitive functioning. It is also questionable, in my view, whether the appropriate response to a desperate patient reporting withdrawal is ‘well you’re depressed’ or you’re stressed’ or ‘the medication is out of your system’. They did not listen. I had two empathetic responses in four months. One from a call out gp who told me a prescription for Lyrica would NOT have been the first response to someone presenting with my symptoms and certainly not for someone who was working full time. Second from the fantastic OH practitioner. How lucky I was that he knew about this pernicious medication and ‘got’ my situation. I was saved from losing my employment and potentially my home. This is serious, patients are simply asking to be heard.
Henry says
I have been suffering from chronic Migranious Neraligia .Chronic Migrane/Cluster Headaches.A localised chronic/pain that runs from the back of my right eye to my brain and seems to affect my neck the pain can last for hours and days..the periods in between are like dull pain(feels like i have a sharp scewer pushing on my Brain) .Over the years I have given up consumables that will trigger this such as,alcohol,cigarettes,all processed sugar etc…however there are many other triggers.. such as extremes in climate,solvents,unexpected stressful events..etc where i cannot escape this crippling pain
After years of trying other medications,none of which worked(sorry, codeine and paracetamol..panedine forte works(sort of), but this is only a dull band aid..however it works , i am acutley aware of the pitfalls of opiates and stay away )
I was prescribed Lyrica approx 18 months ago..I asked the questions from the outset..What are the side effects? and can i jump off if required
2 doctors and my neurosurgeon told me quite clearly..There are no side effects..and you can easily stop at any time..in fact my neurosurgeon proudly proclaimed that i could safely stay on this for the rest of my life..
So i ended up taking approx 300mg per day..150 im morning and 150 at night.For the first 2 months it seemed to be working and i had relief,but the side effect seemed large but i could apparently seem to ignore these( ringing ears..loss of memory..lerthargic..and i felt i was loosing my mind)
Spurred on by the belief my doctor told me i could stay on lyrica for the rest of my life ..consequence free . went to see my doctor and told her i felt it was not working after 12 moths and she proposed i increase my dose to 600mg per day
Well,the past summer here in Australia we were experiencing many heatwaves like we have never seen..35-42 C days, day after day..My headaches were increasing and out of control and the lyrica was not working for over 12 months now and it felt like it was making thisngs worse, it seemed like the drug it was doubling back on me,i felt unwell in my body and mind.I realised this is a serious drug ,so i did some research online.. and was aghast at the people who were telling their stories of depression,withdraw and i was shit scared.I have been in withdrawal from opiates and knew something of withdrawl.
So i made my mind up and told my wife.I knew this would be difficult as i have my own business and 2 small kids too.
I rang the local detox Unit and asked if they could help..they said no it was not a recognized drug…so i was on my own.There was no way i was going to any doctors for any more advice
I made my mind up 16 days ago the first 3 days i halved my dose and then… jumped off cold..Locked myself in my office with a matress 12 days ago..the withdrawals were the worst..i was crippled,sweats, diahore,madness,isombnia,grinding nausea…and of course the reason why i took the medication was for headaches now they were worse than ever….couldn’t work..cant communicate
Today I am getting better really slowly..it is one step forward and 2 steps backwards… after 12 days Lyrica free..i dont think i will be ready to go back to work next week. If i try and push myself it goes back to bad quickly.
yesterday is the first time i could go out with my family, and after 2 hours i was a wipe out and couldn’t communicate very well.But My ears are still ringing but not nearly as bad,i am feeling emotions again.The pins and needles are lessening as the days go past
But … you can do this!!! you can withdraw from Lyrica cold turkey !!.
In fact i would not want to do it the other way ,it was like extending the agony in the first few days when i was in withdrawal and taking the half dose..I am glad the drug is nowhere near my body and the dollars ane nowhere near the drug companies.
What does this drug do to you to be so bad for withdrawal??does it store in your fats to come out at a later date..this drug is truly evil.
Lyrica is Just another side effect of the propaganda industrial civilization /capitalism requires to prop up the big players at the expense of the consumers.they only care for finacial returns..yet these are Human stories..unbelieveable
You can do this ! and the sooner the better for me.. it is all uphill from here without lyrica in my life.All the best in your Journey
And what for my headaches?..no idea..but i will not believe the doctors anymore the Lyrica was increasing my headaches in the end.
Audrey says
Hi Henry,
I took Lyrica too and have emotional blunting issue since then….What about you?
Winny Wolfe says
Hi Audry. I’ve been off Lyrica since 2017. Was on very high dose for neuropathy.
I still to this day have been very personally emotionally void or blunt. I also seem not to recognize when someone I’m interacting with has been hurt or is upset. Not normal for me. I used to cry at the drop of the hat. Also was a very empathetic person.
It’s almost like I have some form of Aspergers syndrome now.
Peter says
I’ve been taking Lyrica now for a while, titrated up from 400mg per day to 450mg per day recently for nerve pain in the right leg that presents as a burning sensation. I’ve been getting really bad wobbly head, vertigo type symptoms, plus anxiety and panic attacks. Also really bad heartburn and also dry mouth and peeing loads. It does mask the burning in my leg, but I am wondering if the trade off between the benefits and the side effects is really worthwhile.
Chris says
Hi Peter, the trade-off is not worthwhile at all. There are thousands and thousands of Lyrica users and former users who all say the same thing. Lyrica is a poison and the side-effects are numerous and horrendous.
Go to the Lyrica Survivors Group on Facebook. It is a closed group. They have over 4000 members and are looking for testimonials to bring a class-action lawsuit against Pfizer. Very reputable group with members worldwide, and lawyers who are gathering information.
piros says
I have a nerve injury and know that burning feeling well. Lyrica helped but the trade off of side effects wasn’t worth it. I take B vitamins and alpha lipoic acid and gabapentin. The other thing I’ve found recently is kratom, a ground up tree leaf from SE Asia that is a relative of the coffee plant. It’s legal in most US states and you can get more info from the American kratom association. I order it online from a local supplier. It really knocks back the neuropathy so I’ve been able to cut way back on the gabapentin.
Karen says
Hi Guys – I, also have been taking Lyrica for probably a year and a half but only 75mg twice daily for debilitating sciatica nerve pain. However, I too, am endeavouring to come off it slowly over the next month – probably should have asked the pharmacist how to reduce it but just decided make out my own slowish plan. 1) because it is not a desirable drug to be on and 2) I have recently been informed that it is good for nerve pain but not sciatic! Therefore I might as well not waste my time taking it and wondering why it was even prescribed! Some of your stories aren’t good and I was sorry to read them and wish you/us a better scenario for the future. Being simply out of pain and not Needing to take stuff is what we all want. From a fellow sufferer – cheers, and the best of luck to you all – me too! We probably need it.
Chris says
I was taking Rewisca or Lyrica for GAD (Generalised Anxiety Disorder) a daily dose of (50mg x 3) for only two and a half weeks and had to go cold turkey. The final dose taken at night, I awoke after a very disturbed nights sleep left me exhausted. I couldn’t get out of bed; chronic fatigue; blurred eyesight; stuttering; forgot things like leaving the cooker on; I couldn’t even remember my wifes name for a minute or two; slow speech; neuropathy in my back and arms had got worse; dizziness; confused, and so on.
Had to go cold turkey as I just felt so ill. Spent the next week in bed.
It is now 13 days after c/t and the symptoms have mostly gone. I will never take Rewisca/Lyrica ever again. Its a poison.
Declan says
I abused Lyrica heavily for part of 2015 and for half the year in 2016. At first, just high doses occasionally, then, taking large doses daily, sometimes breaking the pills apart and snorting the powder.
A few times, I ran out, and the w/ds were horrific: like the worst flu imaginable, body aches, temp. fluctuations, sweats, no appetite, pain in feet and hands, vision problems, and all the rest–but perhaps worst of all–was the overall feeling of total apathy. Fortunately, these bouts were fairly short lived (at least until I got more pills). Then, a year later, my supply ran out. And it is then the real hell began.
Same w/d symptoms–only this time they lasted for weeks, then months at a time. I have not taken L for nearly a year now—and the symptoms continue, albeit a little less severe than before.
I have gone for weeks feeling like my old self again–only to then plunge again into the dark depths of these terrible symptoms. They are here now and have been for the last 3 weeks. I have no idea when they will leave again or if they will ever leave completely.
So I am approaching a year of this now. Taking L is the worst decision I have ever made and I am now wondering if I have some kind of permanent damage.
delia morris says
Dear Declan, I took prescribed Lyrica, 75mg x 2 daily for just two weeks. I experienced immediate horrific withdrawal symptoms of various kinds for six months. I thought my life was over, they were so frightening and severe I could hardly walk or breathe. I recovered as swiftly as I descended, over a few days, like coming up for air. During that time I forced myself to walk and eat. So compare the length and strength of your use. However it sounds as though you are having glimpses of recovery. Persevere, because the human body is amazing and will heal itself. Best of luck.
Declan says
Thank you for your reply. After a year of this, any words of encouragement are appreciated.
shunya says
I leaned on Lyrica for 1 year to mitigate chronic pain left over from shingles. Now I am trying to taper – it is very hard- as I prepare for a hip replacement. Do you think now is a good time to stop the lyrica since I will be on opioids for the hip pain? Or maybe too much at once? Does anyone have experience like this? Thanks !
kat says
What an awful drug. After my doc prescribed gabapentin for 3 months, and suffering the side effects (which are the exact same as lyrica) and having zero effect for postherpetic neuralgia, I was then put on lyrica. The first capsule (50mg, imagine that), made my throat swell up, made my sinuses burn, my eyes hurt and burn and a feeling of heat all over my body. I talked with an emergency physician and because this was my last option (doc halted the only thing that worked for me, oxycodone, lowest dose possible, only on it for 30 days), I asked if perhaps the 25mg would be helpful yet prevent the originating reaction. He agreed it was worth a try, as did my physician.
Over a year later, after taking only 50mg twice a day, I am now a useless zombie. I have post-it notes all over the house to remind me of things I need to get done. I can’t talk to people long enough to have a meaningful conversation because a) aphasia, b) irritability, or c) cannot hold concentration long enough to sustain a conversation. The current dose only barely takes the edge off my pain, and that is on a good day – which are few and far between. I fall asleep at the drop of a hat, cannot drive while on this medication, thus has taken from me any ability for simple tasks such as errands, appointments, visiting, etc. Brain fog, dizziness, forgetfulness, depression and weight gain has turned me into someone I don’t recognize anymore. Before this medication I was active, happy, energetic, social and looking forward to the rest of my life.
I just want to say thank you to the real addicts who have done everything in their power to take away from the responsible patients pain control that is effective. I also want to say thank you to the physicians who are paranoid to prescribe effective pain medications to patients who are responsible with use and who have a legitimate need. Lastly, thank you to the CDC for sticking their nose into patient’s business and lives and denying them the ability to have a meaningful life free of pain. They are solely responsible for the hilarious “guidelines” for physicians to prescribe based on the “first choice” medications to treat pain. Gabapentin and Lyrica are two. The same drug minimally changed between them, so Pfizer can continue their patent and ignore hundreds of thousands of individuals who no longer have quality of life thanks to these “wonder drugs”. So, thank you Pfizer as well. Thanks for even making the smallest attempt at making IMPROVEMENTS to this POS drug, you’ve surely recouped your millions from R&D 100 times over, so maybe do the right thing and improve the drug with less side effects, or get out of the business of pain control because you’re doing a lousy job, and you’ve failed miserably (or should I say, you’ve failed millions of people who trusted in your product but now look forward to a class action lawsuit against you some day).
Winny says
AllI can say to that last paragraph is AMEN! AY-FREAKIN-MEN!!
Karen says
I was on lyrica for about 4 years @ 300mg a day for fibromyalgia. I was always under the impression that it would help me. I knew I suffered from the dizziness due to the meds, but I never put my other new problems on the drug. Almost 2 years ago my legs became weak and I needed a cane, I could not seem to full my lungs with oxygen like before. And this on top of the blurriness my eye doctor said was lyrica induced, the dry mouth my dentist said was lyrica induced and the cavities that came with that. 5 weeks ago my insurance company cut me off cold turkey. My doctors hands were tied but he fought nonetheless. I accepted the risk and stopped it….the first 2 weeks were absolute hell! I could not eat and barely could drink water. Doc gave me zofran and prayed it would help. It did and now I can eat most days …..but nowhere near as much as while on lyrica ….i had gained 100 pounds in those 4 years…on my 5’3″ frame. I now am losing the weight and the original pain never really went away, but it isn’t much worse. I use topical OTC creams for now as I am waiting insurance approval on a tens unit. The worst thing, bedsides my easy irritability some days (that started ON lyrica) is my gut….it is having the worst time with the adjustment….i am taking a really b vitamin heavy multivitamin so that I am sure is helping, but some days it is like IBS wants to ruin my life….it is like angry….irritated…and it doesn’t matter if it is diarrhea or constipation, irritation and nausea are my constant companions. I know it has only be 5 weeks so there is better times ahead ….and I have to keep telling myself that at least now I have my mind and emotions back.
I would not recommend it as a first try for sure, but I know many people feel relief while on it….hell, I did at the beginning. I just wish the companies would lie to doctors that only want to help their patients
Patricia Hanawalt says
Completely understand as I had been on Lyrica and other poisons as well. Please do not advise people to use Gabapentin instead. That’s very dangerous, Gabapentin is the new street drug. It is going to be a controlled substance, may already may be in some states. addicts use it to mix with heroin or snort it. It has to be weaned slowly The withdrawals are horrific, the side effects are as well. It can cause hallucinations and early onset dementia. short term memory loss is common. It can drive you crazy. I hope everyone does their own research before taking any medication.
Winny says
Also tapering now from a two month prescription of Pregabalin (Lyrica) 150mg x 3/day, due to spinal injury/sciatic pain. Not even bothering with Dr’s knowledge. Doing on my own. Just beginning my journey. Had most, if not all side effects described here and now starting to feel the withdrawals. Scared but determined. Cut out my lunchtime dose of 150mg about a week ago and so far not too bad. Just a feeling of disconnection occasionally and the tinnitus has ramped up. Sleep takes longer to come but still getting a solid eight hours or so once I do drop off.
I came across this horrifying BBC doc about Pregabalin abuse in Ireland on YouTube that may be of interest to all of you.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8fc8sXWopBs .
Also came across a website called Bluelight.org that scared the HELL out of me. There is a forum on how to get high on this poisonous drug. All kinds of people writing to share their trip experiences and recommending dosage amounts of up to 6000!!mg at once! That is not a typo. 6000mg. If only they knew…. 🙁
I hope the original poster (Thank you for sharing and beginning this thread!!) and all of you earliest people responding are finally through the withdrawals completely. It doesn’t seem like there’s much hope that all of the effects do go away completely even after four or five years. Crazy.
Much love and healing vibes sent to everyone suffering.
From Canada.
Ibrahim says
Hi! Please am completely withdrawn from taking tegretol 200mg two weeks ago… but yet am still going through some hell right now for this two weeks. My neuropathy flared up and almost always feeling, joint, itching, pins and needles on my both legs. Attimes feeling anxious as if am still taking tegretol 200mg. Pls could anyone help me on how to ease this brutal pains!!
Lisa says
I want to be off Lyrica. Ive been on it about 2 months. Would it be safe for me to stop taking it where Ive only been on it for 2 months. I dont think its doing anything.
Larry says
My wife has been taking Lyrica for about 3 years. One night about 2 years ago she had completely lost her hearing in one ear and partial hearing in the other. Seriously, hearing fine one day, totally gone in 1 ear the next. Has anybody else heard of this. She is Type I Diabetic and out on lyrica for nerve pain.
Also, not sure if it’s a side effect, but our sex life went from pretty active to not so much.
Any one else dealing with this?
Gino says
Hi, was prescribed Lyrica for nerve pain as a result of cervical disc herniations.
Almost immediately I experienced the brain fog, dizziness and feeling drunk. Woke one night after beginning taking L feeling high, drunk and like I had a fever. Weight gain began very quickly also.
My nerve pain was still evident, so my GP doubled my dose to 150mg twice a day, then to 225 twice a day.
No matter whenever I would present new side effects, the GP would just want to increase my dose.
I made the decision to get off. I tapered , basically removing 75mg every 2 days.
I’m about a week off now. Insomnia hit hard. Anxiety also.
This drug is the worst. Absolutely the worst.
Cal says
Hi all….what a helpful thread. I’m about to kick Lyrica (for fibromyalgia) by tapering and am wondering about my degree of dependence (which is real. It does help me, even though much of my pain is untouched. I’d even say it suits me on some level but it’s a filthy drug)
So my history: female, 62. Prescribed three years ago and until March 2019 I took it only ever for a fortnight at a time (@150mg a day) because I hated it and kept quitting. Then in March I was in terrible pain and decided to give it a proper chance; within ten days I felt really quite ok, I was delighted. I increased to 300mg a day around the first week in April (i.e. about 8 weeks ago) and that has seemed the ideal dose. It’s even let me quit sleeping pills after 50 years of needing them. (Damn…..insombia will be a big problem, along with RLS)
So my query is: at this dosage and after only three months of consistent use, can anyone recommend a swift taper that won’t destroy me? Or should I go extremely slowly after all? See, I don’t know how much my previous three years of intermittent, lower dosage use counts.
Going to be getting off 240mg of codeine too…..praying my new GP will sanction tiny bits of Valium or even sleeping pills for a short time.
I’m dreading the next few months but I want to be ‘clean, though this all coincides with an extremely stressful and demanding period concerning domestic matters, and I need to be active and sharp..Fingers crossed anyway…..
Katie says
Took Lyrica for 3 months and it is the drug from hell… I am a 35 year old female that has ADHD, GAD, Depression, and now Fibromyalgia from PTSD. After going to the emergency department 3 times for intense pain, especially in my chest and asking my doctor about it.. it was the last ER doctor that listened to what I actually had to say and suggested Lyrica. I didn’t fill the script, but took it to my doctor to see see what her thoughts were regarding this mysterious pain that crippled me throughout my body. She started me low on 25mg 2xs a day. The drug took me in under its dark wing, because for the first time in over 10 years my neck, shoulder and back pain disappeared. it was a feeling I never wanted to go away, not to mention my anxiety was completely gone. At any inch of pain I could feel I was like wow I need more. I craved it, so I would request from my doctor to up my script and she just kept doing it. Before I know it I was taking 300mg twice a day.
At the higher doses I was very apathetic towards others and life. Just could not care less. I was arguing with my family, my partner, and ditching my friends for times we made to hang out. This behaviour is the OPPOSITE of who I am. I even just didn’t show up for appointments or job interviews because my brain fog was so bad I either forgot, I just felt like it was too much of an inconvenience, or getting showered and dressed was too much effort. I became zombified. I loved to me social and I hid in my apartment and never wanted to go anywhere. When people told me they were upset with me.. I could hear the words but I felt nothing. I was the definition of an a-hole with a lack of ambition to live. What finally scared me and prompted me to get off the pills fast (which I never recommend to anyone) because I felt like my body was exhibiting symptoms that were threatening.
My legs had swollen to the side of my calf. My feet were so swollen my shoes stretched out and walking in my shoes hurt. I gained 60 pounds in 3 months.. I am not even joking the slightest bit. I still forget and have forgot periods of time during those three months. At times my legs or arms would go numb. I started getting insomnia and wouldn’t sleep. My mouth always tasted like it had spoon of salt in it and I was extremely dehydrated. I drank litres upon litres a day and never could satisfy my thirst. The scariest was I was lying in bed and my right arm and hand swollen so bad it started turning purple and shooting electric shots were going to my index finger which made me yelp every time it happened. My partner held my hand and was like whoa.. its ice cold. This happened for 2 hours. I then woke in the morning hours later with a tender head and my head was swollen. I was like wow.. no more.
In 1.5 weeks I dropped from 600mg a day to 300mg per day and I am now at 150mg per day. From here on out it will be a gradual drop.
Wihdrawal effects: insomnia, nausea, sensitivities to light and sound, anger and agitation, crying spells for hours, night sweats, sleeping up to 18 hours a day, muscle pain and fatigue, intensified pain from what you were feeling before, blurred vision, chills, stuttering, vivid nightmares and suicidal ideation.. and to be truthful I thought I had suicidal ideation before.. but nothing like this. I was strategically planning ways to do it and during my crying spells would say over and over again I wanted to die now.
I have overcome a hump and feel more energetic today, but still body fatigued and in pain. Brain fog has improved, but not near to what it was before. Still get nauseated time to time. My mood improved a lot today.
Be weary of this dangerous.. dangerous drug.
Amy Ireland says
The Lyrica Survivors (Pregabalin Support) group now has over 8600 members, and Facebook has blocked any searches for brand name Pfizer drugs. If you use Google or another search engine the group will show up, or search for Pregabalin Support on Facebook you can find the group.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/LyricaSurvivors/
JB says
Anyone experienced symptoms of enduring sexual disfunctions after stopping Gabapentin / Lyrica?
Jan says
In 2004 I had a critical horse injury that left me with severe nerve damage. It was then referred to as far as RSD – reflex sympathetic dystrophy. I was eventually prescribed Lyrica and for 10 years I took 450 mg per day. I still suffered but it was controllable. At the time I was traveling as an instructor and I found myself in a daze a lot of times and my vision would get blurry but I continued on, thinking it was what kept the pain manageable.
I also took large amounts of vitamin B, use magnets and did everything that the original pain management doctor prescribed including a tinge unit. It has allowed me to live a perfectly normal life with only me realizing the pain that I suffer.
Over the last couple of years I have noticed myself getting lightheaded more often and my vision blurry frequently which creates a problem because I am still in law-enforcement and ride and train horses.
Recently a change happened which in all reality is a blessing but my insurance would no longer cover Lyrica for nerve damage.
Considering the tremendous expense I chose to discontinue taking it and at first I just quit cold turkey! Made your mistake! After three days of being unable to function because of extreme nausea, massive headaches, absolutely no sleep, severe sweating and completely intolerant of anything touching my skin I gave up and called a doctor for advice. The doctor was quite shocked that I had attempted to stop cold turkey and advise me that I could end up in the hospital or dead from massive withdrawl symptoms because of the huge amount and the time frame in which I have been taking Lyrica. She told me to immediately take one and then told me how to taper down. That was approximately one month ago and I took the last one exactly one week ago. I have been miserable through the entire process of detoxing still experiencing a lot of nausea, sweating, lack of sleep and headaches but in a much milder form. I do not know how much longer the symptoms will last but I know I have been miserable and I can only strongly advise anyone considering Lyrica to run in the opposite direction!
I am taking excellent vitamins, are used small magnets up and down my right foot and leg, and again I use a tinge unit with the high electrical impulses and these things have kept the pain from becoming worse.
Jennifer jorgenson says
Lyrica has ruined my life had been in pain for almost 2 years due to it
Liz says
I have been on Lyrica for over 6 years for fibromyalgia and it has completely changed my life for the worst. Max dose was 600mg, 300mg x2 daily. I’m a 39 year old lass from Australia.
Since being on it I have barely been able to work, losing jobs due to increased migraines, chronic fatigue and losing my ability to walk. From reading this thread, I’m now wondering if this might have been because of lyrica! I started losing the ability to walk with severely altered gait and leg weakness about 6 months after starting this drug. It took 3/4 years of physical therapy to get my legs back. My personality also changed drastically… I didn’t know who I was anymore. I also started experiencing chronic migraines, a condition I didn’t even know I suffered from as they happened so infrequently (1 or 2 a year at most to 20-30 migraine days a month).Also constant tension headaches, vision problems, brain fog, chronic fatigue… my side effects were numerous. Oh, and lovely weight gain ~ over 20kgs (50lbs) on a short and small feminine frame.
I was diagnosed with Lyme disease within a year of starting Lyrica and am now wondering if many of the symptoms I experienced to get that diagnosis were actually from the Lyrica? I never had any of them before the drug, except for the pain and mild fatigue. So many of those same symptoms I have read in this blog. Its sad that a drug can do this to people, and unfortunately Doctors are unaware of these problems. My doctor is still convinced that side effects and withdrawal symptoms from Lyrica are rare if non-existent and I don’t think she believes me.
I have been slowly coming off Lyrica for over a year and withdrawal is so much easier if done gradually at smaller doses! I initially cut my dose in half 2 years ago as my doctor told me it wasnt addictive and people had no problems coming off it. Wrong. I was a mental mess and was close to a full breakdown. My doctors never picked up that it could be Lyrica withdrawal causing my severe depression and anxiety. I had also just been put on a migraine med called Topamax to combat my increasing migraines (100mg Topamax) and the two drugs together don’t like each other much and this didn’t help. Combined they caused chest pain and tachycardia and I ended up in hospital twice thinking I might be having a heart attack. Cognitive deficits have been tripled since being on these two drugs. I’m currently on 100mg Lyrica once a day and am tapering slowly because of the extreme withdrawal effects.
I’ve been tapering down by 25mg every 4/6 weeks and the withdrawal effects are not anywhere near as severe or numerous as at the higher withdrawal dose, though they still occur for a few days/week. Issues are itching, pins & needles, numbness, minor pain flares, restlessness, fatigue, headaches & migraines, hot/cold flashes and brain fog (a little more than normal). I sometimes come down a little quicker, such as 1 or 2 weeks if I feel my body can handle it.
Listen to your body while coming off Lyrica, do it slowly at small doses… demand your doctor give you 25mg pills, or whatever is the smallest dosage in your country. In my personal experience, its better to decrease by small doses than to decrease too much in one go and go through hell. A friend of mine was told it was ok to go off cold turkey and it nearly killed her. She’s now on anti-psychotics and anti depressants as a result, as well as being back on Lyrica! Its not worth the hell.
Help yourselves while you’re detoxing. Stay hydrated, eat well (treats are great but sadly sugar can make pain worse for some people) and exercise often… exercise releases endorphins which are the body’s natural pain relievers 🙂 Also, fresh air and sunshine! So simple yet works wonders for me, and they’re both free! Even cities have green tree filled parks.
Look after yourselves everyone and be well xx
Maria says
i was on 600 mg Lyrica.
At my first time it works very good.
After 3 months i got many side effects. Tired all the time.
So i taper every week 25mg.
The side effects dont go away.
After zero i was also very tired.
Now after 7 months without Lyrica i have many problems.
Lightheaded, extreme pressure in my head and behind my Eyes. Head is burning.
I woke up in the night and have this pressure, dazed, head burning. Thats not normal. All night and all days i have extreme symptomes. I have little windows during the day. This is a nightmare.
Photosensibility in my eyes is very extreme. Symptomes comes and go.
Symptomes change every week. I am really afraid of this. #
I also taper Lepraxo. I am free about this for 4 months.
I think i have a protacted withdrawal from this drug. Thats horrific.
I wake up and stand up with pain in my head.
Have anybody same problem like me?
Best wishes Maria
Sorry for my English
Liz says
Hi Maria,
I am so sorry for what you are going through. You are not alone with the lingering side effects of lyrica. I’m still reducing my dose and the side effects/withdrawal have never truly abated, though I have heard that they do improve with time.
Your experience with your head, eyes and extreme photo-sensitivity sounds similar to me. Within a few months of starting lyrica I started to experience regular migraines. I’m not sure if its related to taking lyrica, but I had not suffered with them before taking this, except perhaps as a child (I’m now 39 years old). About 1 or 2 years after Lyrica my migraines became chronic and I was incapacitated.
Perhaps look up migraines and see if this is what you are suffering from. And also, if you have a doctor or health professional you trust, ask their advice.
Congratulations on being lyrica free. In time I’m sure you will get better, and I hope you don’t have to wait long for that wonderful day. And your English was perfect 🙂
Blessings, Liz
Abbie says
I spent the last 3 months weaning off of 20 years on Lyrica. I thought the withdrawal symptoms from the weaning were bad; chest pains, no appetite, shakiness, nauseous, vision problems, etc all the withdrawal symptoms that you’ve probably read. However, I had no clue what lay in store for me after that initial weaning process was over. The depression & anxiety that followed during the next 2-3 weeks after I was actually off the stuff were the worst that I have ever experienced! If you are planning on weaning off Lyrica, make sure you have support 24/7. I had no interest in ANYTHING, including eating. I am not a suicidal person but honestly, it ran through my mind during those weeks. Please don’t take this lightly. It was hell and I am so thankful that I have someone to talk me down and was with me for those weeks. It was totally unexpected because I thought that I had taken enough time for each step. I wasn’t even on that high of a dose but perhaps because I was on it for so long………I don’t know. Just please be careful. Anyone that needs to talk can message me. I would be happy to listen or answer questions. I am so grateful that I found this site. I cant get on the FB page.
Sue says
Hi Abbie. My husband has just weened himself off 600mg per day after 10 years of taking it. It’s been two and a half weeks since taking the last dose, he’s still really struggling with depression and anxiety. In your experience this lasted 2-3 weeks you say. And then you found it improved? I’m really worried about him and all the doctor suggests is going back on the pregabalin!!! Thanks
Carma says
I have been taking Lyrica for a little over a year, only 25 mg. at night. The side effects keep building up and I want to quit Lyrica. Can I just quit? Or do I need to go to every other night for a week, then every 3rd night for a week then quit?
Paul says
Been on Lyrica for 2 plus years now.. 300mg per day.
I ONLY get side effects after I eat..insane! Lost 35 pounds in these two years because the side effects are that of confusion; i feel like I cant get anything done; I keep forgetting what im doing and it becomes dangerous… I`ll be cooking then need to check the door or something, I will then totally forget that I was cooking and you guessed it – fire..
So I tried to quit without weening… Most horrible headaches and the craziest pain inside of my throat – feels like its going to explode..really really painful and I cant say what it is; is it my tongue is it my esophogus is it my tonsils, I just dont know…
To top it, I am not getting suicidal thoughts – Im getting thoughts of me dying.. not from suicide, but just anxious that I am going to die.. Not sure how it works but, all of a sudden my mind says `youre going to die right now`and I just cant stop thinking it.. That turns into anxiety or panic and then I run take lyrica again…or other ways too like I might be taking a picture and my mind says to myself “you better smile because thats your last picture – youre going to die“
Its crazy friends… very crazy..
I have nerve damage in my foot as a result of extended nerve compression; the pain is an 11 without Lyrica (feels like someone is constantly pulling my nails out/up from my toes – never stops) and a 4 with it.. I thought it was miraculous when I started, but now the side effects are getting dangerous; not that they will kill me, but the confusion and forgetfulness is going to get me killed…
I feel your pain people… I want to get off of it but Im in a bad relationship and it feels like my partner wouldnt mind my demise.. everyone says that you need support 24/7 and I just dont have that… so I dont know what to do.. if I get suicidal this bitch is going to tell me to kill myself….
PS . Im in Toronto Canada. Is anyone from here and if so, did you get support from family or Health Services?
Cheers
Mike says
I was on Lyrica 200 mg 2x daily for almost a year for extreme back pain. Since I’ve had surgery on my back, the need for Lyrica has really diminished. Trying to wean off of the Lyrica has been pretty tough. No drive, some depression, and confusion have been hard to live with. I’m down to 200 mg once every 3 days. My wife has been guiding me. I hope and pray everyone trying to get off of this have the patience to endure this grind.
Winny says
Found this encouraging study.
https://www.naturalblaze.com/2020/08/compound-in-cashew-shells-appears-to-mend-damaged-nerves.html?utm_source=Natural+Blaze+Subscribers&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=39aa118ab3-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_term=0_b73c66b129-39aa118ab3-388181017
andrea says
How long does it take?
losing the will to live,
on lyrica now for so many years that I’ve lost count of.
weened off antidepressants and upped lyrica from 75mg too 200mg twice daily, for mood at same time.
then down to 200mg a day, 150mg, 100mg, now 75mg. I honestly don’t know over how long this took, months anyway.
anxiety levels are through the roof and depression is sooooooo bad.
no one has said by how many mg’s to come down over how long.
for example 25mg less per day or per week per month????????
Patty says
I’m so glad I found this blog I felt like I was the only person going through this with lyrica. I have neuropathy and just had back surgery. Prior to the surgery, my doc had me up to 175mg for nerve pain. I have since then brought it down to 125mg. The side effects are so severe I am taking my time getting down more. Thank you all for your advice on ways in which I can help get out of this eventually. This is the next OxyContin but people like us didn’t know that. I’m furious with my doc for getting me into this mess. Thanks again and good luck to all. Xo
Debra safe says
I was on Gabapentin for 6 years . I decided to go on Lyrica 150mg twice a day.
3 weeks ago. I hate this stuff. I feel horrible on it. I wonder how horrible the side effect are going to be for me. I’m so scared! I am going back on my gabapentin.
When I was put on lyrica I didn’t have have withdrawals from GABA. I’m hoping
That going straight into taking GABA will take those withdrawals away like when I was switched to Lyrica. Can someone answer that question for me please?
Thank you 🙂
LEIGH A ARRINGTON says
I was just wondering on how to get off of lyrica. I have only been on it for 2 months@ 50 mgs,twice a day. It has done nothing for the pain and has made me a zombie. Will I go through withdrawals or should I wean off slowly. Thanks Leigh
Kevin says
Slowly yes…thankfully you haven’t been on long enough fer your brain to become completely hard wired to pregabalin,it still may suck.
Zanu says
Apologies for this long post but I’m rather desperate and struggling and any help would be appreciated, especially if anyone has gone through anything similar.
So, I was prescribed Pregablin and Dihydrocodeine on the 19th of November due to suspected bulging/herniated disc in my neck where the pain was radiating from my neck to the whole of my left arm from the shoulders down. I had similar issue 2 years ago but not as bad. I have an mri scan January 4th.
Dosage:
Pregabalin 50mg x 3 daily
Dihydrocodeine 30mg x 3 daily
Both were taken together.
Pain had subsided quite a bit then on the 6th of December, after inhaling hard through my nose, no joke, I aggravated my nerve and the pain increased to an unimaginable level.
I then called my GP 3 days later on the 9th as pain was still unbearable. Dosage was then upped to pregablin 400mg – 100mg x 4 daily and dihydrocodeine to 240 mg – 60mg x 4.
There was still absolutely no pain relief. The pain was always like 10/10. Then on the 11th of December the pain was screaming out and reached a whole new level. I couldn’t even stand and was in tears. An ambulance was called and I was admitted to hospital. The paramedics administered morphine intravenously which had taken off the the edge from the pain.
I was then given morphine orally twice in the 8 hours I was in the hospital and felt some comfort.
The Dr in the hospital said that I should up my dosage of pregablin to 600mg daily. I then spoke to my doctor the next day on the 12th and agreed that I go on the this maximum dose. Within couple of days, my pain came down to around 6/10. I carried on taking 600mg for the next 5 days along with the dihydrocodeine of 240mg. I’ve not experienced any bad side effects of taking these pain killers apart from feeling tired and mild constipation.
I wasn’t really aware of how serious withdrawal symptoms can be. So, from the 17th of December I dropped pregablin to 400mg for 2 days then down to 200mg for the next 2 days after. I had also reduced the dihydrocodeine to 60mg at this point. Since the 22nd and 23rd I’ve taken only 100mg pregablin in one go at 10am 24 hours apart. I’ve stopped dihydrocodeine on the 22nd which was 60mg taken in one go.
My pain has subsided substantially and I can live without the pain killers and let my body heal on its own. However, my worry is that the pregablin still keeping my pain low and if I come off it, will the pain come screaming back and nervous about any withdrawal symptoms. And after reading a few posts online, I realise that my taper is probably too quick. Mind you, I did have hot flushes last couple of nights and was feeling slightly nauseous last night and bit of diarrhoea. Stool is still a bit soft (sorry for too much info)I don’t know if I’m anxious coming off pregablin, pain coming back or if tapering off to early.
I spoke to my Gp who said I’ve done the perfect thing by tapering off even though it was quick. I did raise my concerns about withdrawal symptoms and she said it’s nothing to worry about as it’s usually for patients who have been on pregabalin many months. However,I’m skeptical about what my GP said.
According to my calculation, I’ve been on pregabalin for around 35 days give or take 2-5days.
I started to have hot flushes, anxiety and depression. Just came on all of a sudden. Also have nausea and retching and as of tonight, severe headache and high blood pressure 170/110.
I took 50mg of pregablin yesterday at 2pm as I’m lost as what to do.
I’ve been advised that I should do the following and that in need to go back on 400mg for. 7 days then taper down:
400mg 7 days
350mg 7 days
300mg 7 days
250mg 7 days
200mg 7 days
100mg 7 days
50mg 7 day
Does this seem sensible?
Dr. David Healy says
makes more sense to continue what you are doing rather than switch to this other option.
DH
Brian says
This drug builds a tolerance so fast that you’ll experience withdrawal even if you stay at the same dose for a while. These are called interdose withdrawal. You start to experience withdrawal symptoms cause your body wants more. It’s a cool drug when you have no tolerance and want to get high. But it really is a terrible drug and I wish I knew what I know now a year ago.
Rebecca says
Can anyone recommend a doctor (Seattle area) or clinic (anywhere) that can help you get off this horrible drug. It is literally killing my son and we need to get him some help. These damn pharmaceutical companies and doctors. They just do not care about the harm they do.
Any recommendations for treatments would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.