Tapering off Lyrica gave me panic, nausea, extreme anxiety

This is for the numerous folks on here who have mentioned having neuropathy. I had some during chemo treatment for breast cancer (fingertips) and lately have been having it in my right big toe. I'm taking a lot of B6 right now for akathisia and as I taper off, hope the tingles go away; however, I am going to look into the following suggestions from a former Lyrica user (;https://rxisk.org/kicking-lyrica/) who says--

"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.

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 [she's using Neur*pathic Support Formula; I'm not recommending it as I haven't tried it myself].... About an hour after my first dose, ... 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."

I have been on Lyrica for about 9 years. I started at 200mg 2x/ day for upper back and neck neuralgia.. about 7 years ago, after regular PT, Acupuncture and Osteopathic treatments, I was feeling better so I began decreasing my dose under the care of my very open minded FP Dr. I decreased it by 25mg once a day , once a week for a month. Then 2x per week once a day for a month etc. So basically it took me 14 months to get to 175mg 2x/ day. I felt like I was “ tricking my body into accepting a lower dose. What I noticed was that when I reached the month where I decreased it by 25mg 3x/ week once a day. I would start getting increase in my nerve pain. Usually after 1-2 weeks it would subside. If it did not, I would stay on that dose until it resolved. At this rate it has taken me 7 years to get down to 50mg 2x/ day. I am now working on getting down to 25 mg in the morning, I am at 25mg 3x/ week 50 mg 4X/ week in the morning and 50mg at night. Anyway. I have been feeling off and nauseated, so wondered if it is from the withdrawal. This would be the first time I am aware of having withdrawal affects except increase nerve pain in the past. I wondered if it might be because going from 50 mg to 25mg is a 50% decrease which is more of a decrease in the past and my body noticed it more. I also noticed when I got to the 50mg 2x/ day that I felt more clear minded and actually less anxious and did not have episodes of euphoria that I had had in the past. None of which I attributed to the Lyrica. I thought it was my mood disorder, that I’ve been in treatment for. I think the Lyrica May have exaggerated the mood disorder. I got excited that I had less of these feelings so went down faster than than the usual 25mg once a week for a month. So I did it for two weeks before going down another 25mg a week. That maybe why so feel nauseated. I am grateful, however for the Lyrica. If I had not been able to take it, I may have ended up on disability. It really helped my pain. I am glad to be almost off of it though. I hope you feel much better soon.

I was in 300mg per day for six years and d3cided to come off it because I lost six teet( while takin* it and implants ar3 not cheap. It took me five months to come off it. I went into severe withdrawal panic, anxiety, agoraphobia, suicidal thoughts, severe nausea,loss of appetite an$ i list 38 lbs. I ended up in the ER with dehydration and severe nausea. They ch3cked with poison control to make sure the taper was correct which itwas but to fast sunc3 I took it for so long. What a nightmar3 I gav3 gone through. I’m ten months off now and I wan no pharmaceutical drugs in m6 system anymore. How this drug messed with my neurotransmitter which can take up to two years to repair itself. I hav3 a great friend whose husband is a doctor who to,d me to us3 as much CBD oil, CBD gummy’s as I need. Also to,d me to get GABA calm whic( you can buy in a health food store and let me tell you they are fantastic, I got the dissolvable ones. I feel so much better an$ i5 helps with h my severe anxiety. I also joined on FB Lyrica survivor group and tomy duror8s3 somany peopl3 ar3 going through what I am, the6 ar3 such a great support group. I do hope that what ever you choose to do, take your time don’t do cold turkey p. I even got a therapus5 because I was r3ady to commit suicide. This dru* I’d horrible to th3 human body sn$ how i5 takes it over. I’ve been told it’s worse to vpcine off of then heroin

I have been on Lyrica for 4 months for neuropathic problems in my legs and feet. I was switched over from gabapentin. It had stopped being effective for me but I was not having any side effects from it at all and had been on it for 5 years. At first I was not feeling any side effects of the Lyrica but recently been feeling extremely depressed, anxious and at times, suicidal thoughts. It's not helping my neuropathy at all and the insomnia is getting worse. The worst part about this experience is that I have just moved to a new state without my husband I am enduring all this alone. I feel like I am going insane. I have attempted to slowly wean myself off this horrible drug without any help from a doctor because the health care system in the state I am living in is absolutely awful. It's almost impossible to get the doctor on the phone or even get through on the phone to get an appointment. The depression is crippling. The side effects getting worse. As it is I suffer from migraines and I have been waking up with horrible headaches, the fatigue is awful and I have no help around me. I had NO idea this drug was so horrible and would do so much damage. I am determined to grit this out to stop this God-awful drug but I'm not sure how much longer I can hang on without any help.

Hello @12pawz, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I'm glad you found us. I know it's not much help but you are not alone. Depression can be crippling. Will your doctor work with you to taper off of Lyrica? There is some information that may be helpful here but other members may be able to offer more or better suggestions:

Lyrica Withdrawal
-- https://www.recovery.org/lyrica/

Hoping you find some answers soon...

Thank you for your reply and for the link, it is definitely an eye-opener. I am finding CBD oil to be helpful with the insomnia and the neuropathy as well and I am trying to schedule an appointment with the doctor but it takes forever. I think by the time that happens, I will have weaned myself off the drug and won't be in need of any help from her. The headaches have been awful too.

I see I’m not the only one that goes through Lyrica withdrawals but I get them very bad, me and my fiancé almost broke up cause I got extreme aggravation moods, highly depressed, I withdrew from school for a few months I can’t sleep or eat I’m always hot or cold and I just finished my last script today so tomorrow I’m gonna be suffering so bad and I’m so scared of going through that again. Is there a suboxone version for Lyrica or something for the withdrawals cause I can’t go through this again. Last time was for 2 weeks I went through it and I need all the help I can get. I was on 1200 mgs a day the last time but this time I’m only on 600mgs a day is there a drug to take until the symptoms subside or how do I do this my doctor won’t give me anymore since I’m seeing a new doctor and he don’t believe in that stuff please help someone

Hello @jfanesi, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Sorry you have to go through the withdrawal symptoms. I know it's not easy. There are other members here who I'm sure can offer some suggestions. I did find some information with suggestions that may be helpful here:

Lyrica (Pregabalin) Withdrawal And Detox
-- https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/lyrica-addiction/withdrawal-detox/#gref

I think the key is to taper off slowly. Are you able to talk to your doctor about a schedule for tapering off of lyrica?

No cause I moved across country and my doctor now don’t believe in Lyrica and those type of meds so I can’t taper off cause today was my last dosage

This is probably not helpful, but it's my experience trying to taper of Lyrica (200mg once a day for fibromyalgia)...I wanted to get off Lyrica because I thought it was causing weight gain (like 5 pounds...silly of me). So my doctor said to just take it every other day, and then every three days, and then done. I was taking gabapentin as well, as needed. I had no physical symptoms, but I felt really anxious at the time because I had a lot of work stress, and I never connected it to the Lyrica. Then this happened: a sudden drop off the deep end of depression, two hospitalizations, weeks out of work on FMLA leave, four serious and nearly successful suicide attempts in two months. About 3 months in, I said to my best friend something about "at least I'm not getting fatter" and she gasped, dialed my psychiatrist (I was under strict supervision by friends at this point), who dialed my rheumatologist, who called in a prescription for Lyrica to the distant state where I was trying to convalesce. My best friend drove me to the pharmacy at a highly illegal speed and watched me (still protesting weight gain) take a capsule. The suicidal ideation was gone within 24 hours. The depression lifted to a manageable medium over the course of a week or so. The anxiety took quite a while to improve, but I think I was just born anxious. My psychiatrist and rheumie have agreed that I need to be on Lyrica for the foreseeable future, possibly for the rest of my life (I am only 33). This stuff changed me so dramatically that my brain was not willing to live without it. The advice I have for people weaning off is to pay attention to what your brain is telling you - is it telling you lies? - and remember that it's probably Lyrica withdrawal...and know if your body has had enough and you need to restart Lyrica and figure out another path.