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Tapering off Lyrica gave me panic, nausea, extreme anxiety
Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: 9 hours ago | Replies (229)Comment receiving replies
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.
Replies to "Hi Colleen, Thank you for your response :-) It would be comforting knowing how others have..."
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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!