Tapering off Lyrica gave me panic, nausea, extreme anxiety

@cdcc

If it were me, I would get a second opinion on that advice. In your first post you mentioned an appointment with a psychiatrist.

Is that coming up soon?

Teresa

Oh no I’m on Lyrica 150 mg. I’m so afraid to get off of this drug. I did get off of gab. I had no side effects at all ! I’m also on vanflaxin . I’m really scared to get off of it, the side effects are really bad I’m told.

@cdcc - Welcome to Connect.

I only took Lyrica for a few weeks, and stopped it abruptly when I was in the hospital because of my severe reaction to it. I was incoherent, among other things. I hope you find a solution to the best treatment for without having to live with the symptoms you describe.

I wish I had been able to take it because it was the only med that relieved my peripheral neuropathy pain in my feet.

Jim

Hello @texas1950, welcome to Connect! This is a good place to see what others with similar health concerns are doing for treatments by sharing their stories. While some of the stories you read or hear about are pretty awful, everyone's body reacts differently to the drug. I would work closely with your doctor to taper off of the drug if that is what you are trying to do. I have no medical training or background but think that the problem relates to trying to taper off too quickly and that's where everyone is different.

If you don't mind my asking, can you share a little more about your diagnosis being treated by Lyrica?

John

My appointment with the psychiatrist isn’t until Jan, along way off. They did put me on their cancellation list. Hopefully I’ll get a call before Jan. I just feel like crap all the time

Trigeminal nerve shingles four years ago. They broke out on right eye, nose forehead and head t the crown on the right side. I was seen at Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimore. First to a neuro ophthalmic doctor to make sure I wasn’t blind since most people that get shingles on there eye go blind. I was very fortunate my eyesite was intact. Upon healing I started with severe itch, all where the shingles were. Because the itch is so intense I was seen by a neurologist at JHH who did nerve block, and other injections. Nothing worked so he started me on Lyrica to help with the itch. It did help some but I still itched during the day and worse during the night. So I was sent to a neuro surgeon at JHH, who when walked into to the office looked at me after reading my chart and said there is nothing we can do fo4 you, if surgery was done on the nerve a lot worse things can happen. So I walked out of the hospital crying and have lived wit( the itch to date. When I started loosing my teeth I questioned the Lyrica and called Pfizer who told me that in their trail studies they did have people with dental problems. So this is why I decided i5 was time to stop it. So now I suffer with all the wit(drawl wondering when it’s going to stop. Pfizer told me a 50mg tablet will be out of your system within 48 hours. So I stoped it and within 48 hours I was a mess, in the ER for Ifluids, nausea meds. So here I di5 day by day praying I’ll feel better tomorrow

I wish you the best with no side effects if and when you go off of it.

What else have U tried? At my senior rfesidence two people use Lyrica and two others Gabapentin.

Hi, @cdcc -- that sounds like you did all your due diligence to get the shingles attended to and the itch that trailed after it.

Were other meds, like gabapentin, tried for your itching after the shingles? That did work for me with the itching post-shingles, but I would guess that it may not work for all. I have no medical training.

Suffering through a withdrawal like this sounds really, really unpleasant. I sure hope tomorrow brings feeling better for you.

John I have neuropathy! My feet, hands and legs burn . I would say my pain is a 10 today.