Rash After Quitting Lyrica (Page 2)

I took Lyrica (150mg daily) for 2 years. The medicine helped reduce my leg and hip gain greatly. In January I started working out daily and dieting and lost 30 pounds. I gradually have quit taking Lyrica and am having only a small amount of discomfort at times. The problem is that upon quitting the Lyrica the back of my knees started itching and welps appeared after I scratched them. It has been 3 weeks since I stopped taking Lyrica and I am still itchy. Has this happened to anyone else? Could this be a result of nerve damage?

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marconua, has your itching finally subsided? I just started to wean off Lyrica and my itching is much worse now that I'm on lower dose. How long after quitting Lyrica will this itching last? I'm feeling so miserable! Itching is unbearable.

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Chelsea, delighted to report that I am now itch free after maybe 8 weeks . At some stages I thought I would go crazy the itching was so bad and it got worse after I stopped taking the Lyrica - it seemed to take forever to clear out of my system. I will put up with the pain rather than ever again endure the itching and ripping up my skin ! Amazingly, since losing the itch I am having a pretty good period - pain not too bad - and being able to sleep at night helps immeasurably - very important to try to get 6-8 hours if possible. I never believed before how important sleep was - but I am now totally convinced. I hope you get things sorted out - you have my sympathy - that rash is unbearable - but the relief when it stops makes life appear so much better - and I had a great Christmas - something I was dreading just a month previously - so hopefully there is light at the end of the tunnel for you. Good luck.

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Thank you so much for the good news. I have begun weaning off the Lyrica and shall report back once I'm off. How wonderful for you that you are feeling better, finally! Keep your fingers crossed for me too.

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I took 2 Benadryl soft gels and it stopped..also sprayed my skin with aloe vera spray worked perfectly but now am concerned because I am on it only 50mg.afraid to stop and afraid to take another one! yuk to the horrible itchiness and little white spots, started on my feet and worked up to my hair and eyes.

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Hi,

I did not take Lyrica for very long, it was just starting to take my pain away. But, I then broke out in a rash from my knucles down to my ankles elbows and on my spine to the end of my tailbone. I stopped taking it right away. That was in Oct. I was sent to a dermatologist and he gave me kenalog shots which started to simmer it down. It never went away, it was still on my elbows and spine. It is still there today. I was then sent to an allergist and he confirmed it was from Lyrica. He said that is why antihistimes will not work as it is coming from the inside out. So it will have to take time for my body to get through this, in the mean time I am to take the kenalog shots. I hope this helps you and others. My heart goes out to all with this problem.

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I have been on lyrica for 10 months for Arthritis in my SI joints, I was told this is all I can have for the pain & during this time I have spent most of my days feeling down & very lethargic loss of memory no concentration. I have now been to a pain clinic at another hospital who has offered to help me with more injections & other stuff, the doc said ditch the lyrica cos that's an awful drug, I'm on my 5th day off the pills & I feel CRAP! Headaches, itchy, vomiting, serious withdrawals, I'm still in bed as I feel like I have flu. If you have other choices stay well away from this drug I've never felt so unwell from taking a drug to stopping it.

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I have been taking Lyrica for about four months. I feel it's the worst drug I have ever taken. I started taking 300 mg TDS & then increased to 400 mg TDS - by that time I was a zombie. I had a horrible reaction to the drug almost straight away. The itching was initially not bad but when I started the reducing scale to stop taking the drug the itching got worse & I have an odd tingling sensation all over that goes with it. I was put on the drug for anxiety but it did nothing much for that. It just gave me a lot of undesirable side effects. I have now stopped taking the drug, am sorry I ever started taking it it the first place. Avoid quitting the drug cold turkey, the side effects can be horrendous.

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Make sure you gradually get off this drug, it is dangerous if you just quit it. I am still have the rash on my back and elbows. I stopped taking the kenalog because it is also very bad for me. I saw the allergist, and he told me nothing will help except Kenalog. But, I am just dealing with it. He said, it is reacting from the inside out from the Lyrica. I am now clear heading and feeling better! Do not take this drug, it is not worth this!

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Ben on lyrica for3mths with grt results for neck pain. Take 150mg at nite. However have developed very itchy skin particularly itchy back in last 2 wks. Getting worse. Has anyone had this please and if so how long after ceasing drug did itchiness disappear. Have ceased med 2 days ago due to severe itch.

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Louise, I experienced exactly the same itching from Lyrica, only I got it all over my body, but worst on my torso. It started after I was on it for about 4 weeks. None of my doctors thought Lyrica could be causing the itching and I ended up staying on it for over a year, putting up with the horrendous itching. I finally went off it in Janurary to see if the itching would go away. While weaning off it the itching got much worse. It took me 3 1/2 weeks to wean off from 300 mg. a day. Then it took 2 months after going off for the itching to begin to subside. At 3 months off it the itching was significantly better. Now 7 months later I'm 99% recovered. Almost everyone I found online said the same thing. It took months for the itching to go away. My Dr. reported it to the FDA. I did get some relief with Atarax when the itching was its worse. Hang in there, you will get better, but it takes time.

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Hi Louise,

My reply is not good, but everyone is different. I am still having the rash on my back. It has decreased from the rest of my body, but still remains on the small of my back.

This has been going out since October 2011. Kenalog shots helped but never got rid of it. I would have to get a shot every ten days... I have since quit the shots and just deal with it. I tell anyone never take this drug as the rash is not worth the pain relief it gives you! God luck, hope your reaction is shot lived!

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My husband has been on Lyrica for about 3 mos. and two days ago broke out in what looks like small bug bites starting on his legs and ankles.. and is spreading to other areas. Does your rash look like bug bites or are the spots smaller? thanks

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I have been off it "Lyrica" for a 6 days now its horrid. I to cant even sleep because as soon as I relax to go to sleep the itchiness starts. I am going to try benedrill to see if it helps. I think what is happening ? Or at least feel like what is happening is that Lyrica shuts down to some degree the sensation to every nerve in the body and for the duration of Lyrica use all the small sensors in our body becomes numb to a small degree and after stopping the Lyrica those sensors "small nerves" are waking up and feels like fine little needle pokes that are itchy. Its horrifying from head to toe. Your skin feels like its overly sensitive to every tiny hair movement on your body and every tiny nerve inside our body. It is horrid. If the Benedrill don't help ?? I to am hoping someone else has found something that does. "My eyes are seeing better, my writing is getting better Now I was to stop itching so I can sleep.

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I only took 75mg of Lyrica for 4 days. I got Hives within 3 days so stopped taking it. I am still suffering from itching even after stopping almost 2 weeks later and it is driving me CRAZY!
I take an anti histamine tablet daily which helps a little. But i find it's worse at night and wakes me up in the early hours of the morning. The thing that annoys me is that there is no rash. It's like i have a phantom rash! If i'd have known about this side affect i would not have gone near the drug. As it was, i took the damn thing for 4 days and it's still having this effect on me after almost 2 weeks of stopping. I really hope it goes soon, i may go mad! The itching is more on my torso, (chest, stomach and back) and at the base of my skull. Sometimes my face itches too.

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I quit Lyrica 2 1/2 weeks ago and am still very itchy to. Usually at night when I am trying to go to sleep it gets worse. Benadryl helps. I myself believe the itchiness is caused by small nerves or sensors that were suppressed of feeling because lyrica blocks the signals from the brain to nerves. These smaller nerves are re-awakening now that they are getting signals back from the brain. The little needle points randomly all over is very annoying and itchy. Thats what it feels like in my body and I hope once the signals are restored and all the body sensor regain the proper function again this itchiness should stop. "I am hoping I am right and keep the hope that I am and that this will eventually stop. Try benadryl allergy, It should help a bit. Carolyn from MA.

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I have been on 25 mg Lyrica for abouth 4 months and I am still itchy and it seemed to start when I started it but it works so well on my pain and helps me sleep at night so I am going to keep taking it, small price to pay I guess the itching does wake me up at night and it kind of "biting" or nipping itch.

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What medicatin are you on now? I want to go off Lyrica but do not want the pain and sleeplessness to come back.

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I too have the rash. It started just above my elbow 5 months ago. The ER and the dermatologist were no help.
Now it is on top of both elbows,the back of my head, behind my Knee. and under my left breast. I am only taking 75mgs daily. The rashes returned about 3 week after the 3rd round of steroids. We should all inform Pfizer to put this in their ads.

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Yes. Oncd when i didn't refil zoon enougb ,j broke out in a gerrjbly itcbg rasb all over. I took Benadryl and oatmeal baths but it did not ztop ubtil i got the Lytica back in my sgsten.

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I stopped taking lyrica four day.s ago and was in terrible distress with itch so I kept taking my amitriptyline and it stopped my itch enough to get some sleep I do sweat a lot wit this medication but I am determined to stop lyrica as it does not work for my pain and I am sick of been tired I hope this helps you all best of luck Teresa

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