Tapering off Lyrica gave me panic, nausea, extreme anxiety

Thanks so much for doing that, Amanda.

The FDA hasn't responded yet but i think they collect patient side effect reports and
analyse them in a different department of the FDA.

She's beautiful!!

Ive been in Lyrica for 7 years. Ive literally never heard of anyone ever losing their teeth. Maybe from meth or something, but not from taking lyrica as prescribed.

Hello @mimi11 and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I am glad to read you haven't had any adverse reactions from your experience on Lyrica. Unfortunately, there are reported dental side effects, primarily in women 50-59.

Have you experienced any side effects?

I was prescribed Lyrica + Baclofen due to a sever spinal injury. I was using between 450-600mg/daily for nearly 3 years.

About 6 months ago I started to feel extremely depressed and overall cognitive decline (brain fog, memory issues etc.).

I did a two month taper and my last dose was the end of August. It was brutal; the symptoms included anxiety, insomnia, extreme fatigue, anhedonia, deep depression and suicidal ideation.

I’m going on week 3 since my last dose and the fatigue, anhedonia, deep depression and suicidal ideation have lingered.

From time to time I’ll feel a glimpse of my former self before Lyrica.

I’m interested in knowing from others, how long after a taper did it take to feel like yourself?

Welcome, @amarnadeem. Lingering fatigue, anhedonia, deep depression and suicidal ideation are scary to deal with as you taper and stop Lyrica and Baclofen.

I think members like @kdetzally @wizzywinkles3 @vfrifr @anne4u @bogibus can share their experiences and give you a sense of how long after a taper they started to feel like themselves.

Amarnadeem, have you thought of talking to your pharmacist about what might help as you bridge to recovery? May I ask about your spinal injury? How is your pain management and mobility now?

Hi Colleen,

Thank you for your response 🙂

It would be comforting knowing how others have fared. Initially I thought I’d need a month after my taper, but I read there can be Post Acute Withdrawal Symptoms, so in my head I’m preparing myself that this may linger a bit longer.

My doctor suggested an antidepressant. I was generally a happy person before all this. I started Wellbutrin but apparently it has the potential to make things worse before they get better, and that was the case with me. The crying spells and mood swings were too much. It was like battling two fronts, the withdrawal symptoms and the antidepressant acclimation period. I ended up discontinuing the antidepressant because, although I do have down days, they’re not as bad as they were and I’m getting better overall.

Regarding my back injury, my L3, L4 and L5 are completely degenerative. I’ve seen three surgeons and they all said fusion was the only surgical option. I however was a candidate for ablation and cortisone injections which have been helping quite a bit. I find I can manage the pain with this, naproxen and CBD.

Overall Im getting better, and slowly starting to enjoy the things I did once did.

Hi, I’m so sorry you’re having such a difficult time with the effects of stopping your medications! It sounds like you made a really quick taper! I recently went through taper off medication I’d been taking 19 years for pain. My doctor started to taper me a couple years ago and then I was abruptly cut off and went into horrible withdrawal.
I found an all natural ‘taper tonic’ online. It was mild, but did help with my symptoms. You did a pretty quick taper so I can see why your symptoms would be so extreme. Usually, especially when on high doses, it would have been easier on you if you had slowly cut down over several months, often 6 months to a year. But I can understand, especially with side effects wanting to get off medication! As I get older, I find I’ve become really sensitive to medication. I’m glad to hear you are starting to have glimpses of ‘yourself’, although slow you will continue to feel better. I used distraction techniques to try to focus on something other than what I was feeling. I use meditation, I found an app online that gives guided meditation, I have an inversion table, I worked on and improved my diet, which helped my fibromyalgia symptoms tremendously. I found stretching exercises for my back online. I upped my water intake. I did what ever I could think of to focus on something positive.
It sounds like you’re symptoms are primarily emotional, except for fatigue. I went through the same thing! I had really bad muscle spasms and cramps as well as heightened pain. It will continue to get better! It’s so hard to say how long it will take, everyone is different and different medications cause different effects of withdrawal. I would think as the next few weeks pass you will feel a significant reduction in withdrawal symptoms. You mentioned trying Wellbutrin, but another medication as you experienced may not be helpful!
I have spine issues also. I’m going through some injection treatment now. I just started them because after getting off pain medication I had a difficult time functioning. My injections have been very helpful! I’m so happy to have function back and pain under control! And it’s a relief to be off pain medication! I know you will begin feeling better soon. It’s a difficult process! Once you’re through withdrawal, talk to your doctor about any lingering symptoms. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions I can answer!

Hi @gailb -
I was on gabapentin for intracostal nerve pain after a thoracotomy, had bad side effects and was switched to pregabalin (for about 3 months now) and I really want to get off altogether. I'm back at work and am having substantial difficulty with memory and concentration. My Dr is tapering me off so I'm currently taking only 75 mg 1x daily and have been experiencing head aches and severe mood swings. My question to you is how long did it take after you complety stopped gabapentin before you started feeling better/no side effects? And do you feel as if you're back to your old self? I realize gabapentin and pregabalin are different meds but just trying to get an idea. Thanks!!

I also went on Lyrica for postherpetic neuralgia from Shingles. I’ve been on it for a year, roughly, but at only 75 mg once a day. I’ve gained weight on it, not knowing it was a major side effect, and haven’t been able to lose it. I’d had no idea it was addictive! Do you think I’ll have problems going off it? I never had nerve pain, but itching was unbearable!