1. < Depression & Anxiety

Tapering off Lyrica gave me panic, nausea, extreme anxiety

Posted by cdcc @cdcc, Nov 28, 2017

I have been taking Lyrica 150 mg two times a day for four years for trigeminal nerve neuralgia from shingles. Since I am now beginning to loose my teeth from this medication I decided to go off it. Folding my doctors withdrawal program I became very sick. Panic, extreme anxiety, nausea, could not eat and lost 17 pounds in 7 weeks, not good I’m tiny as it is. Ended in the ER for I’ve fluids, nausea medications. Back to the family doctor. He put me back on 50mg a day because he felt I needed a long withdrawal from the medications then also said you may have to go back on your full dosing which after all this suffering I am doing I don’t want to do that. I have even made an appoint with a psychiatrist to help with the anxiety although my family doctor gave me Ativan 0:5mg to take twice daily. I don’t even wan5 to go outside the house, haven’t driven in 7 weeks afraid my anxiety or panic will take over. Has anyone experienced these conditions with coming off this medication. Thank you

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willows | @willows | Dec 1, 2022
In reply to @meiko "I also went on Lyrica for postherpetic neuralgia from Shingles. I’ve been on it for a..." + (show)
@meiko

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!

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I have had no problems tapering.down from max. allowable dose. Had weight gain bit have lost it.

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tucsondee | @tucsondee | Jan 5, 2023

OMG! I had three panic attacks and never associated it with coming off of Pregabalin. I was off of it just for a little time. I went back on 150mg of it after having my third surgery on my cervical spine. Was thinking of trying to get off of it again. Have not had any more panic attacks since I have been back on it. I had feelings of claustrophobia and that is what caused my panic attacks.Thank you for writing this post.

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tucsondee | @tucsondee | Jan 5, 2023

I see this was written in 2017. Please tell me what you have done from then to now.

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swansong777 | @swansong777 | Apr 25, 2023

I have read that Clonidine is given to patients that are in rehab and withdrawing. Perhaps that could help.

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1 reply
johntodd17 | @johntodd17 | Jun 29, 2023
In reply to @yangedd "@parus I didn't know anything about withdrawal either except from reading people's stories. That is, until..." + (show)
@yangedd

@parus I didn't know anything about withdrawal either except from reading people's stories. That is, until Lyrica. A friend of mine, who happens to work in a Rehab facility, actually compared Lyrica withdrawal with Heroin withdrawal. I know that I will never forget the toll it took on my body and my psychological state of mind, feeling that I was fit to be committed to a Psych hospital. I know that last statement may seem a little dramatic, but I seriously thought I was going out of my mind with the endless days of anxiety, agitation, insomnia, chills, sweating and so on. I dreaded Dawn each day because there was people around and my nerves we're so rattled I was terrified of anyone coming near me. I just don't know how a prescribed medication can be so bloody powerful and so harmful to the body. I did take 50mg yesterday on PRN but I didn't even go to the pharmacy to collect them today. Stay strong mate.

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How long did it take for the withdrawal symptoms to go away .

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mayohelp23 | @mayohelp23 | Sep 4, 2023

As a matter of fact, I am is a jealous, one day in June this year, 2023. For the two nights prior I did not sleep well, I didn’t get much. I have never had a panic attack in my life. I’ve never had mental health issues. I woke up with the most incredible uneasiness that led to fear and I wondered if that was a panic attack I was like. The Lyrica was only thing that helped. Still is. I don’t know if this is the new norm when it’s not in my system. I have not been able to get any help to figure it out.

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2 replies
mayohelp23 | @mayohelp23 | Sep 4, 2023
In reply to @mayohelp23 "As a matter of fact, I am is a jealous, one day in June this year,..." + (show)
@mayohelp23

As a matter of fact, I am is a jealous, one day in June this year, 2023. For the two nights prior I did not sleep well, I didn’t get much. I have never had a panic attack in my life. I’ve never had mental health issues. I woke up with the most incredible uneasiness that led to fear and I wondered if that was a panic attack I was like. The Lyrica was only thing that helped. Still is. I don’t know if this is the new norm when it’s not in my system. I have not been able to get any help to figure it out.

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Sorry for the typos.

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mayohelp23 | @mayohelp23 | Sep 4, 2023
In reply to @mayohelp23 "As a matter of fact, I am is a jealous, one day in June this year,..." + (show)
@mayohelp23

As a matter of fact, I am is a jealous, one day in June this year, 2023. For the two nights prior I did not sleep well, I didn’t get much. I have never had a panic attack in my life. I’ve never had mental health issues. I woke up with the most incredible uneasiness that led to fear and I wondered if that was a panic attack I was like. The Lyrica was only thing that helped. Still is. I don’t know if this is the new norm when it’s not in my system. I have not been able to get any help to figure it out.

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I was not supposed to say I am jealous either. My stupid phone.🤦‍♀️ it was supposed to say I had a very similar issue with it.

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pmacg88 | @pmacg88 | Dec 29, 2023

I was on Lyrica for at least 8 years...I started at 50 mg three times a day. I remember leaving the doctor's office and his nurse, Phyllis, walked out with me. She told me to not read the drug side effects because it might change how I reacted to the Lyrica. Little did I know how hard it would be to go off. Through the years I was able to eliminate the mid-day dose. I tried to taper myself in October2023 and wound up in the ER with hypertension, extreme shakiness and dehydrated. Now, I am working with my doctor to taper off. I started at 50 mg two times at day and on Dec 6 he reduced it to 50/25mg a day. On December 25 he reduced it to 25/25. He will see me in March of 2024. My life has not been the same since December 6th. I tremble inside, so much that it wakes me up at night, my head seems to be spinning and I feel nauseous at times. I'd afraid to go out anywhere, because I can't drive with these symptoms. I'm trying to do regulated breathing that I learned in Yoga and I take Busprione for the anxiety. I just stay home!

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1 reply
pmacg88 | @pmacg88 | Dec 29, 2023

Yes! I posted in the comments.

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