It has probably been over a year since I have commented on this site and I tried to search "Lyrica withdrawal" on here to find out if anyone else has experienced the horrible withdrawl symptoms associated with stopping Lyrica. There was nothing. I feel I have to warn people about these symptoms. If you just google Lyrica withdrawal, you will find pages and pages of stories and what so many people have experienced going thru this process. I first found out the hard way - gradually stopping my Lyrica over many months. I did not quit cold turkey. But the really bad symptoms started as soon as I began cutting back my dosage. I was only on 2 (75) mg per day. At first, I thought I could get thru it. I knew it was from cutting back on the Lyrica. However, I was only getting a glimpse of what I would be feeling upon totally stopping the Lyrica. I have been on Lyrica for 2 years now. I knew that most of my TN2 pain had stopped and I wanted to just stop taking any brain altering chemical completely. By the third day of being off the Lyrica, I experienced severe depression, extreme anxiety, stomach upset and pain, IBS, an inability to converse with other people, severe RLS no ability to sleep at all and more, that I cannot remember because I am back on the Lyrica again. I couldn't take the withdrawal, so I started back on (1) pill per day. When the depression persisted, I finally went back on 2 again. No where does Phizer reveal this to you. I am so mad at Phizer and seriously considering filing a lawsuit. I am not the only one considering this. If your doctor has already prescribed Lyrica or you are considering it, please go to Neurotalk web site and search Lyrica withdrawal. I think I would rather have the TN pain than go thru the withdrawal. Wish my doctor would have told me about this, but then again, Phizer doesn't reveal this either in their drug info. If anyone else has experienced this, please let me know.
I've only seen here in 2 years, the hell of withdrawl from Cymbalta --- I wonder why I haven't seen more of it here - certainly a lot of people on and off Lyrica - including me --- I had no withdrawl problems.
I would ask pharmacist directly what to do about this --- they know more than the doctors about the exact compound that is Lyrica!
Im sorry for your pain, but glad you came to warn others.
Have you ever tried topical lidocaine patches/cream on your face? Helps some people keep meds at lower dose.
KC - thank you for responding. I think that most people on this site who stop Lyrica are immediately put on an antiseizure med. Therefore, they may not experience the withdrawal that I did. Also, the withdrawal seems to depend on the person, amount of Lyrica and length of time that you have taken it. Brain chemicals are different in everyone and that is why some people respond to one antiseizure and not to another. There were a few people who had no reaction to stopping Lyrica, but most of the people on the Neuro site had the same reaction that I did. I am definitely going to talk to a pharmacist before I see my doctor again. (Good advice) I appreciate your empathy and at least I know that I was not "losing" it when I quit taking the Lyrica - thanks to the Neurtalk site. I wish I would have not had to go back on it. I am at retirement age and sure don't want to have to go thru the withdrawal in my 70's!! I am going to find a way to get off Lyrica.
Sorry you had to go through such a horrible experience.
I stopped lyrica at the same time I swapped to something else so as KC suggested I didn’t have any withdrawal symptoms.
Stopping cymbalta was one of the most hideous experiences I have ever gone through, I ended up a crying mess at my GP’s office who was shocked that the neurologist had not tapered the medication. I thought I had gone insane, it was so distressing.
I now have a new neuro and am back on lyrica, so thanks for the heads-up. Ultimately our plan is for me to withdraw from medication once we get everything stable. When the time is right I will be sure to discuss withdrawal with the neurologist.
Take care
Hugs
Trish
I went through all the same symptoms coming off tegratol and gabapatin. It was horrible, been since April I started weaning and finished completely the beginning of June. I am still taking a sleeping pill most nights to sleep. My neuro says it will take a while but my system will adjust again. I had been on the drugs mostly on more then off for 10yrs so I understand it taking a while.
Take care of you,
Linda
I had to get off lyrica because it made me like drunk at work...Had to quit my job! New job! I was giggling all the time, could not be driving foster kids around on that med!
Funny, now I don't remember the order of Gabapentin, Lyrica, Trileptal.... it was only late 2010.... Gab. made me dizzy.... trileptal wiped my memory.... all these made me run to MVD!
Hang in there!
And neurotalk is a great site!
I’m so sorry you are going through this. I had a horrible time on Lyrica and at that time I couldn’t find much on this site about withdrawal from it. I had to search the web and a lot of different sites and talk to my pharmacist to get the info I needed. My PCP finally told me the ugly truth that it could take a long time to get over it totally-- it gets better but to get totally over it I think it was about 3 months, and my feet and legs still are a bit swollen from my January “trial” with Lyrica. Under my name and in the search you will find a couple of discussions about this. Take care, it is not YOU, it is the med!
I know what your talking about with Lyrica withdrawal. I ran out of my prescription and forgot to call in for my refill, so I was out for a few days. If you look up why Lyrica was given it's drug schedule by the FDA & DEA one the listing is addition.
Phizer does have the info publish public you just have to be a supper sleuth to find it. below is the link to you will need to go to page 25 and it 9.3. Yes, Phizer does a great job of keeping this info under wraps of sorts.
http://labeling.pfizer.com/ShowLabeling.aspx?id=561
or you can go here http://www.lyrica.com/frequently-asked-questions scroll down to the bottom of the page a click on View full Prescribing Information and this will bring up the same page as the above link so again page 25 and it's 9.3
I'm truly sorry you're having to go through this. Hopefully this will give you some info you are looking for.
Are all the anticonvulsants/antiseizure meds addictive? Is there any substitute for these? I am going to research every med that I can to see if there is any substitute. Thank you everyone for your help.
Hey D--Let me know what you find out!! I am new to all this and the tegretol has stopped the pain but i don't want to become a druggie!! ;-(
D McGinnis said:
Are all the anticonvulsants/antiseizure meds addictive? Is there any substitute for these? I am going to research every med that I can to see if there is any substitute. Thank you everyone for your help.
Cleo - Are you talking about liquid form of Lyrica. Never heard of Lyrica in liquid form. What other "not so potent" antiseize? Didn't know there were any antiseize that were not potent. Thank you for your comment and help. Desperately looking for any answers.
I was rather horrified when I realized that the drs were not really aware of Lyrica’s withdrawal issues and severity. After I got so sick from wd found an info paragraph about stopping the med but it did not talk about how severe it could get. My pharmacist researched it as did my PCP but most of my info came from the Internet and from friends and my husband who monitored me and researched it for me. Again, I am so sorry that you have had to go through this without online support here. I thought it was “me” and everyone else just loved Lyrica. I hope the effects are lessening.
I made two attempts at withdrawing from Lyrica. The first time I was shaky, agitated, pain came back and I had to get back on the drug after a week, the withdrawal (both physically and mentally wise) was worse than the side-effects I had while on the Lyrica. My second attempt was a success, but I must admit I used little marijuana for a month to overcome the withdrawal symptoms and I still experienced some symptoms, such as RLS for a while. Now my doctor wants me to get back to this medication because my pain has got worse but I'm very much hesitant if I want to walk this way again.
I am not a fan of Lyrica. The side effects are really bad. I became very aggitated and suicidal thoughts were always present. It was hard coming off of it but it was worth it to me. There has to be a better drug out there for you. I am still trying to find one.
Hi D, I am so glad to find your discussion on lyrica withdrawl, I am sorry that you went through all that horrible stuff, I have just stopped the lyrica, went down from 2 75mg a day to 50 then 25mg, but I did it over just a couple of weeks, I am going through hell at the moment, I cannot eat and have lost 7lbs in weight in a week, I feel very depressed and can't stop crying, I was going to a pain doc, he has prescribed lidocaine patches, I have just started them, but I was feeling so sick last evening my sister said I would be better to go back on the lyrica, I took a 25mg pill but it has'nt made any difference today, I have emailed the doc, but have not heard back from him yet, I feel I am in a black hole and cannot get out, dont know what to do, I am 71yrs and maybe its quality of life I need , I might be better going back on them. Thanks to all for all the info.
Yes in deed, this lyrica is most addictive and has similar acting properties to a benzodiazepine The FDA did make an announcement last summer about the potential for abuse. Your taper has to be monitored by your doctor and very slow. Please rethink your tapper and you may need another med while on the tapper to ease the withdrawal