Lyrica taper

Posted by dmfulton @dmfulton, Jul 27, 2025

How do I taper off Lyrica 25 mg nightly? I was started on it for cervical nerve root pain, now gone completely after epidural injection. I have been on it for about 6 weeks.

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Profile picture for note8book @note8book

@bajjerfan If I wean off I will try to get liquid Lyrica. It is supposed to be easier to wean off with the liquid. My only problem is that I live in a town of about 10,000 and Walmart Pharmacy is our Pharmacy and they might not have the liquid. The side effects of this drug are far worse than the drug. I wish I had never taken the first dose of it.

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@note8book
Maybe a mail order pharmacy that does the compounding ? Is that a possibility?
They can use something like dry ice in warm weather to keep the medications at the right temp.

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I’m taking 50 mg of Lyrica 3 times a day for almost 6 years for nerve pain. I’ve had surgery recently & I feel it’s been mostly successful, as I’m feeling less pain. ( not gone) but better. I’d like to take “less” Lyrica now; (& hoping to stop it all together if the pain will be < 2) eventually,, but have tried to taper/wean off under docter’s care in the past with previous providers as they were going to try other meds with less side effects for me: but getting off the Lyrica has always been unsuccessful. I will consult my Dr about this so I will be under Dr’s care. But I’m always looking for advice & opinions from others that have been there. I’m grateful for the pain relief I’ve had from the Lyrica but hate the side effects. Trying to get off has caused a fast heartbeat; nausea; anxiety; and only able to sleep a few hours. And since I’m just newly post op; I need my sleep.

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I’m going to be starting the taper soon. Put in a call to my doctor that put me on it. I’ve gradually started having extreme myopathy in my arms, they are weak, so are my calves in my legs and thighs. I have severe swelling and it caused me in the year and a half since I’ve been on it to gain around 50 pounds. It’s not worth it anymore. Honestly I started taking it for endometriosis/adenomyosis/PCOS pain but now that I’ve had a radical hysterectomy I should’ve got off it shortly after my surgery. However, I got bit by a tick and got fibromyalgia so they wanted to keep me on it. There has to be something else because this stuff has slowly ruined my life. My body hurts more on it, than it did before I ever started taking it and had endo belly (trust me that is extremely painful). I am concerned about the seizures side effect from withdrawal as I have a history of them. I’m just hoping all this pain, etc. will stop once I discontinue it and it’s finally out of my system.

I would rather deal with fibromyalgia pain, or like I said take an alternative to this extreme muscle fatigue that I believe lyrica is causing. It’s hard to tell if it’s the chicken or the egg (Lyrica or Fibromyalgia) but I’m convinced that Lyrica isn’t for me!

I hope everyone is doing good with their taper. I didn’t know if anyone ever had any serious side effects from withdrawal symptoms like a seizure or persistent problems from the med? Also, has anyone, especially with a history of seizures, had to be inpatient while they tapered? I read a lot of peer-reviewed articles (I’m a biologist), and it seems like it can be taken care of outpatient.

Thank you,
Jessica

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@note8book

For me it's been a Godsend with just one side effect. Wish I'd been on it years earlier.

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@bajjerfan yes sir indeed.
Been on it since 2016. Started on 50 mg twice daily and progressed to the maximum daily dose of 300mg twice a day.

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Profile picture for jleebow @jleebow

@bajjerfan yes sir indeed.
Been on it since 2016. Started on 50 mg twice daily and progressed to the maximum daily dose of 300mg twice a day.

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@jleebow

Does it help with nerve pain which is supposed to be one reason for taking it?

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