Posted by Fader on April 25, 2013, at 10:27:02
In reply to Re: Suggestions please!! Crippling Lyrica situation » Fader, posted by SLS on April 25, 2013, at 8:26:15
> > Thank you, Scott, I missed your reply. I very much appreciate it.
> >
> > I might have worded my initial post incorrectly. I'm on 600mgs already. The problem is that I'm dealing with full blown tolerance, the dose can't be raised (not that I'd want that) and withdrawing, even in tiny 25mg steps, is not working.
> >
> > I was looking for suggestions to make the withdrawal easier. I want off the Lyrica for good, my doc has tried several strategies and none have worked so far. Apparently the rest of his patients do a rapid dosage reduction to come off the med and are fine.
> >
> > I'm also wondering if anybody, based on Lyrica's mode of action, can suggest a similar med, as pregabalin is the only med that helped with my MDD.
> >
> > Thank you so much.
>
> You do us a favor by asking questions that no one has an immediate answer to. It encourages research.
>
> What symptoms of withdrawal are you experiencing, and at what dosage do they appear? I think this might be important information that would help to arrive at offering a few suggestions.
>
> Hang in there.
>
> Without having more information, my knee-jerk reaction is to use Trileptal, a benzodiazepine, or possibly Depakote as a temporary measure for a few weeks. We'll see.
>
> I wonder if magnesium would help. This would be particularly interesting if you react to calcium by becoming more depressed.
>
> By the way, Neurontin and Lyrica both make my depression worse, despite experiencing a transient improvement during the first week.
>
>
> - ScottScott,
For whatever reason, Lyrica drags me out of suicidal depression within a day or two. Neurontin doesn't do much.
I should clearly state that I've been on Lyrica 3 times during the past 2 years. All 3 courses of treatment lasted about about 3 months each. Tolerance develops fast, hence dose escalation. I had this crippling withdrawal all 3 times, though the first time I attributed it to catching a bad bug.
The only reason I got on it again is because it works wonders for my depression, but at a huge cost. I was going through an extremely rough patch 3 months ago, so my doc cajoled me into taking it again. My mood improved dramatically within a few days from reinstating it, and I was able to address my depression.
I'm experiencing tolerance symptoms right now, at 600mg. They are: extreme apathy, sleepiness, sluggishness, despondency. I've been on this dose for about a month.
As soon as I lower the dose, I get full blown withdrawal within 24 hours: moderate anxiety, constant alternating hot and cold flushes and sweats, GI problems (constant loose stools, sorry to be graphic) and the very worst one: strangely enough, an uncontrollable need to sleep 24/7. The last time I withdrew from Lyrica, I literally stayed in bed for almost 10 days, sleeping. Not depressed, just unable to leave my bed.
I'm not taking this stuff ever again though.
My dr. wants me to discontinue the med quickly, and he's planning to treat the withdrawal symptoms as they arise: Provigil for the extreme tiredness, psyllium husk seed for GI problems seems to work best (or loperamide for emergencies) and Klonopin to be taken as needed (my usual dose is 1mg and now I'm taking maybe 2mg). I doubt this will work. The usual AEDs don't help either, though he hasn't suggested Dekapote though.
The withdrawal is particularly heinous because it's an all-or-nothing deal. The withdrawal symptoms don't abate in the slightest if I take, say, 300mg, only reinstating the full 600mg dose (or more I'm guessing) will make them stop.
I tried magnesium and it do much, as far as I could tell. Calcium supplements don't make me depressed, just sleepy. Lyrica is a calcium channel blocker, is that why you ask, Scott?
I do appreciate your concern, thank you.
poster:Fader
thread:1042607
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20130408/msgs/1042644.html