First time on pregabalin

Hi all

my doctor has put me on pregabalin just wondering what to expect! Can I ask you for your experience on this drug pros and cons

thanks a lot

Hi Kevin, I went on pregabalin a few weeks back but found it a bit strong for me. It was really good for knocking out the pain but I wasn't able to deal with the side effects . Having said that I know a lot of people find it really helpful and not all are affected in this way. I think I am particularly sensitive to meds. Good luck. Hope it works for you. X

Can I ask what side effects you had and what dosage you was on? Am on 75mg twice a day

I was on the lowest dose of 25mg twice a day but it kept me awake at night and I felt very dizzy and spaced out next day and wasn't able to take the morning doses the Dr switched me to a different medication. I know that I am q sensitive to meds though. I spoke to someone else and they didn't have any effects. 

Ok thanks for the reply

Hi Kevin,

I started off on 75mg 3 times a day,

after around 1 month I was on max dose of 600mg that is 150mg 4 times per day,

I take for Fibromyalgia pain  

Hi Kevin,

I started off on 75mg 3 times a day,

after around 1 month I was on max dose of 600mg that is 150mg 4 times per day,

I take for Fibromyalgia pain when you 1st start takeing this drug you feel a bit dizzy and spaced out sort of drunk feeling it works great for Anxiety problems.

Just make sure you space the doses out or can make you very tired one of the down falls of this drug is it can make you very hungrey so watch out for weight gain.    

Hi shaun did you fill dizzy when first taking pregabalin. Ive only been on it a day and just woke up and fill a bit wobbly on my feet. Can I ask how long it took to feel the benefits from this drug

Hi Kevin,

I think it all depends what you are taking this drug for ,

I am taking for pain management and it basically works straight away for me but if you are taking for some other condition it may take longer also 150mg a day is a

low dose

Am taking it for anxiety

Hi Kevin 

My doctor started me on 50mg 2 times a day to begin with they made me very dizzy and blurred vision.. Slowly this went away as did the effectiveness of the pain relief so my dosages were slowly increased by 50mg up to 100mg then to 150mg then 300mg all Twice a day 

Even with taking morphine, trammadol and now brepromorphine patches and amitriptline I'm still in chronic pain 

Pro's and cons for me for pregabalin :

Pros :

- Slight pain relief 

- A euphoria felling / high that makes you feel drunk.. Not really a pro I suppose! 

Cons

- Addiction 

- blurred vision

- Dizziness 

- Lack of concentration on simple tasks

Thanks steve I had the drunk feeling when I woke up this morning

be very careful with this med. I only took 28 x 25mg caps, am addicted to it, finding it very had to withdraw, have loads of side effects on list, plus more that are not, find it all very distressing,  feel so ill, wish I'd never taken it. some people have been on  it for years without any problems, but, just beware  of of addiction. bye, rosie.

Hi rosemary the doc said if it works I'll be on it for life

hi kevin, do you really want to be on it for life?  it might suit you now, but there will probably come a time when the dose stops working, and you have to up the dose to get the effect you want, that usually means you will be addicted to it, its like a hungry animal,  it gets  used to a dose and then you have to keep on feeding it,it really is a terrible medication, I was given it to help me sleep, now I am addicted ,and have pain where I never had it before, horrendous side effects,scary,I only took 28caps ov er 21 days  and I am hooked, I would not wish anyone to go through what I am at this moment in time,, you have a 50/50 chance  , and you won't know you are addicted until you try to stop it. think very carefully. .all the best rosie,

Hi Kevin,

Rosemary is right they are quite addictive I have been on these two years now now and I weaned myself down to 150mgs but then when you try to stop you get the shivers cold sweats and insomnia,depression so I had to get the drugs back in my system to felt ok as I could not miss work because of withdrawal.

The Docter said they are not addictive but I think they dident rely know,ask your local pharmacist they know more

hello shaun, so you have the same probs as me with this b...dy drug, I am currently trying to withdraw, am using liquid so it should be easier to reduce , but I am still experiencing bad withdrawal, have just gone down to '78 of a ml from '80 of a ml, minimal yes, but it just might as well be 1ml. which equals 20mg,  the  symptoms are the same strength, and duration,  they don't seem to even out, I am like a drunk andy pandy, loss of balance, blurred vision, sweats,hot/cold  can hardly breathe, prolonged bouts of sneezing.  hallucinations. if you think about trying to get off completely it might be worth using liquid with a syringe. all the best to you, rosie.

hi i was first put on gabapentin 2000mg then on to the lyerica went up to 600mg but decided i wont off so i halved the dose then 6 months halved it again im now down to 75mg twice a day . My anxiety is from medication withdrawel  and i suffer big time but that is just me . Im over the going to the doctors them prescibing me medication to help but all it does is cause me halm in the end anyone else sick and tired of the merrygoround .

This is how they make millions they are not addictive as such you dont crave the drug but the withdrawels are horrible . I have come down from 600mg to 150mg .

Hi Kevin,

I were on this drug for 2.5 years and doctor would not take me off it so I weaned myself off. Side effects were Dizzy, felt drunk after 2 hours of taking,numbness, dry mouth, slurred words, words jumbled when coming out, felt like a zombi.. thats just a few, never again.