Lyrica Withdrawals Winging Off
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I'm wanting to hear from anyone who has winged off of lyrica after so many mths taking it. I have had it with the med. I've gained 35 lbs in 4 mths. I never gain wt. I have sever numbness in hands and feet and swolleness. It's scary! I ran out one time with out getting refill, though I'd just stop it and start another tx. Well very wrong. I got so sick. I was having withdrawels and I had to get back on it. At the time it was worth getting back on it quickly to feel better. Plus the other side effects hadn't kicked in yet and not so severely. I'm worried it will be difficult to get off of it.

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I started this medication for anxiety for 8 months and went from25mg upwards to 100mg twice a day I abruptly stopped it which caused severe headaches and severe vertigo and fainting sickness and have been like this for 3 months I also had a trip to a and e due to fainting and its scared the hell out of me since I have even worse panics and anxiety and have now been referd to the hospital as I'm twitching and still dizzy and I am hoping this will stop as its living hell

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Hi. I'm taking 225mg Pregabalin (Lyrica) 3x daily. What would your recommendations be for tapering? How much should I drop and how quickly? Many thanks.

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Talk with your doctor how they think you should wean off of it. My doctor had me wean off in 7 weeks. I have heard of some people taking a year to wean off. My suggestion for it as fast as you can but only if it's safe. It was not fun but so worth it

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Go slow. Reduce the amount you take by 25mg for 2 - 3 weeks and then reduce again. Continue like this until you get off of it. If I went to fast, I had more pain. Good luck.

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Re: Jennifer (# 49)

It’s a tough battle for us, I keep moving along very slowly, 7 months now for me. Therapist said it may take up to two years before I feel better, she even said she’s seen worse cases then mine. But to me mine is worse, not that others don’t suffer. I’d rather dig a hole and climb in it then go through this crap everyday

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Re: Kathy C (# 48)

Omg Kathy. I feel just like you. I want out of this misery. {edited for privacy}. I’m in Louisiana. I have so much anxiety too and I am still withdrawing from klonopin. My doc just stopped it back in January. Absolute hell im in and I want out.

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Re: Jennifer (# 38)

Hoping you are feeling better, I had a bad day today with depression and anxiety, had to take an antidepressant. Feeling a bit better now it’s late afternoon. Pfizer needs to take this drug off the market which they won’t do since it’s going generic! I hate living like this

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Re: Kathy C (# 45)

Oh wow. Same exact story for me. I want to die!!!! I can’t live like this. I tapered and stopped 5 days ago, pure hell. I caved and took an old script of Gabapentin. I am not a person anymore. I am a walking zombie, if I can find the strength to walk or just breath. I want to sue everyone involved with this horrible med.

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You are not alone!!! I went through hell for 2 years on this medication because of all of the side effects. I weaned off within 7 weeks because my side effects were so bad. I didn't realize all the different tapering techniques.

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For me it’s now 7 months of coming off Lyrica. I felt like an addict needing a fix. Very slowly I got so sick. Nausea severe, I lost 33 lbs and I only weighed 125 lbs. Anxiety, panic and agoraphobia: I ended up in the ER for dehydration and withdrawal. IV p’s given and nausea meds. Family doctor was in awe with me and told me there’s no drug for withdrawal, you have to suffer it out or go back on it. After all the struggles I went through I was not going back on it. I lost 7 teeth while on it. I’m still having anxiety and depression. Taking Ativan and Olanzapine to help. Seeing a therapist also and medication nurse. I just want to be me again with no fears and worries. All my symptoms of coming off of it are the same as to when people start taking it. I’ve never thought of suicide but I have now, I don’t want to live like this. I will hold you in my prayers that all goes well for you. I’ve even contacted Pfizer and told them everything that has happened, their reply, “sorry”. Sorry my ass, pull the drug off the market. If I could sue them believe me I’d be the first in line to do so. They say it can take up to two years before you feel better!

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Re: Betty (# 20)

I am also on Lyrica 50 mg. morning and 50 mg at night. Dr. increased it by 50mg at night. I had a bad reaction, swelling, confused, balance worse. Even my family thought I wasn't right. Reduced it back to 50mg at night. It has taken a while to get rid of headaches and balance is back to what it was. But it does help the pain, so I guess I'm a lifer at this level.

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Re: Kathy C (# 41)

Oh I also have lost about 30 pounds since tapering. Was at 190 now I’m 150. I was 130 when I started pain management. Weight gain and feeling drunk is what made me want to get off all these meds and the ability to not feel emotions anymore. My life had begun to spiral out of control.

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Re: Kathy C (# 41)

Hi Kathy. This is my third attempt to stop this horrid drug. It’s my last because I no longer belong to pain management. So no more. My only complaint is I can’t catch my breath and I’m real dizzy and NO energy. Sometimes I do feel “out of it” as well. Like is this really me, I hope that makes sense. I am so scared of what is to become. I took off work this week, it’s my last 40 hours of vacation. I just want my life back. I cold turkey off Percocet and klonopin but those were ok, but this Lyrica has me scared. I went to gp doctor and Er for help and they both turned me away, of course while billing me $700. I just don’t know where to turn anymore.

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Re: Jennifer (# 38)

I’ve been off Lyrica for about 3 months now, finally. I started back in October, ended up in the ER for dehydration and nausea. I lost 33 lbs and I only weighed 125. Gained a few pounds back now that I can eat a little better. But I am suffering still with severe panic attacks and depression. I’m on Ativan (one daily) and olanzapine (one daily) and I’ve been using CBD oil which seems to help with anxiety. All I can say is Pfizer should make withdrawal symptoms known. I want to sue them so bad but can’t find a lawyer that will handle a civil lawsuit. I wonder when I will be me again?

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Re: Cindy (# 3)

I never had issues getting off lyrica...as my doctor gave me gabapentin...works just as good!

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Re: Judy (# 4)

I take 600mg a night. After approx 1 week, my body got used to it and it doesn't work so I have to stop! I totally stopped and have no withdrawal at all!

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Re: Kathy (# 35)

Hi Kathy. My name is Jennifer. I have been on 300mg of Lyrica for I think two years, sorry my memory is gone, I tapered and took my last dose 2 days ago. I feel terrible. If you would like to talk I am here.

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Hi, my name is Al. I had been taking 100-150 mg of Lyrica daily for nerve pain for about a year. I have a history of opiate dependency and had been feeling pretty good prior to this. After the year of taking it I decided to d/c the Lyrica one day. I didn’t feel any withdrawals, or so I thought. About 2 weeks into not taking it my whole head and different areas of my body started to itch really bad. My head feels at times that something is crawling all over my scalp. Different parts of my extremities feel like I am being bitten. I thought I had fleas or lice but couldn’t find any evidence of such things. Some days I would have panic attacks. I was waking up at night unable to sleep. I was convinced I had some type of infestation in my apartment. I even read articles about having eggs from bugs in my hair. I took pictures of my scalp with a magnifying download on my phone. Not finding anything. I also read an article about ways to kill the eggs. Prompting me to pour rubbing alcohol all over my head. To no avail. I didn’t want to say anything to anyone because I was afraid they would think I had lice. I am not a dirty person. But I was feeling pretty gross. It wasn't until a couple of hours ago that I was watching tv. A commercial for Lyrica came on. I immediately remembered about stopping the Lyrica. I went online and found some stories of similar side effects from withdrawals with Lyrica and other drugs. I went directly to my bottle of Lyrica and took 2. Whether or not that was the best idea or not, it was my best option. Can anyone relate to my situation? Any input would be appreciated. Thank you.

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Re: ken372 (# 16)

I’ve searched all over Maryland for lawyers and found none after calling all over the state. Found out you don’t have to have a lawyer within the state you live in for a legal case. You can join one anywhere in the US, the problem is finding one.

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I was on 300mg Lyrica for four years and decided to come off it this past October. I felt I was like an addict. I got so sick with depression anxiety and panic attacks. Diarrhea for a month. I lost 27 lbs. I was in the ER for dehydration and severe nausea and gagging. I could not look at food nor eat. The family doctor put me on a very low dose of Ativan to help with the anxiety. I finally decided to go to a psychiatrist to help me overcome all this crap. I followed the withdrawal to a tee. I still have to get off 50mg by decreasing to 25mg once a day for a week. Now I know why people take their lives! Who would of thought this drug could do this to a person? I’m still struggling big time, driving is hard and going out isn’t easy either. I just want my life back and Pfizer sued!

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