Pregabalin Withdrawal Symptoms - How Long Do They Last

I've been taking lyrica everyday for around 7 months. I've tried to stop taking them and the withdrawal symptoms are so severe I couldn't bare it after 5 days. apart from severs sweating feeling sick and aching all over, its the hallucinations and feeling like you are going to die. I mean really thinking you are going to have a heart attack. I could see my aura and time goes by so slowly it's worse then any opiate withdrawals. I was terrified and went back on them. I take 500 to 100 mg a day. I must get off them. I can't stand it. I worry that if I had to go into a hospital I would start withdrawing and I wouldn't be able to get them. Can you help me? What can I do?

REPLY

REPORT

Hello, Debz! How are you doing? I'm sorry about what you're going through.

The FDA classifies this medication as an anticonvulsant that is also used to help certain types of nerve pain and some mood disorders, thus it can be dangerous to try to go off of them cold turkey, because it creates the risk of seizures, as well as the other withdrawal effects that you've described.

A slow taper, under your doctors supervision is usually the best way to stop them.

What have you been taking it to treat? Are you on any other medications?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Ask for gabbapenton aka neurontin. It is non narcotic but is a kissing cousin of lyrica. I've been on lyrica since 2013 and recently started the nuerotin. I have not needed to take lyrica since. Most docs are more than willing to prescribe gabbapentin.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Thanks Verwon and Shannon, this is the first time I've been back on. I have gone into withdrawal a few times and every time it gets worse. The nightmare of withdrawal couldn't be worse. Hot and cold sweating, wind diarrhea, double vision shaking aching all over. The worst thing is the mental symptoms. I feel as though I'm tripping and on the verge of insanity and I keep thinking I'm going to have a heart attack or a stroke..The time crawls by and you count the hours. I've tried to come of them but after five days I thought I would end up in a lunatic asylum and started taking them again. I wish I knew how long withdrawals last. I have always been slim but I have put two and a half tons in 8 months. I feel like I'm in hell.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

How do I get off of pregabalin? I've been taking at least 600mg daily for 3 years and cant handle the withdrawals... I managed to come off opiates, etc, but pregabalin withdrawal is by far the hardest. Any help?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Re: Phil (# 4)

Going through the same thing mate. Sometimes I have to take quite a few 300mg each day. I did get down to half in the morning and half before bed. But I’ve got the kit to worry about (managed to get a big habit down to 4mg subutex and have plenty of them, and they’re best for opiate withdrawal, I think) but have also been taking Xanax, Clonazepam, Valium, etc every day and hit the pipe again (which is easy enough to stop if you put your mind to it). Running out of Pregabalin and Xanax now and I’ve had seizures, memory loss, weight loss, bad cramps in every muscle. Only advice I have is to cut down slowly. Half a Pregabalin, half a Xanax each day hits the receptors but hurts badly, but it’s just a matter of waiting for your body to get used to it. Worst I’ve found is Methadone bareback. No sleep for weeks. Put all thoughts of how bad it’ll be out your head and split it up, taking slightly less each day.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Hi there, I have been taking 25mg of seroquel nightly since 2002 or 2003 and am finding it really hard to fall asleep. I...

1 REPLY

I was taking Cymgen 60mg for about 7 months, and I recently changed to Brintellix. To ween myself off of Cymgen, I took ...

1 REPLY

I took Eliquis for 6 days, during those six days the side effects were unbearable to the point I thought I surely would ...

6 REPLIES

So if you are in severe pain and in the middle of nowhere and the only thing anyone has is methadone if you only took it...

20 REPLIES

My 63y/o mother survived chemo and radiation for throat cancer but was unable to stop the morphine 15mg twice a day with...

1132 REPLIES

I was on lexapro for nine months. I put on ten kilos and so I changed to pristiq six weeks ago. I felt awful the whole t...

2 REPLIES

I have stopped taking perc 5mg on Sunday still feeling a little funny how much longer will this last??? ## It really dep...

3 REPLIES

I stopped taking a 300 mg twice a day dose of gabapentin last tues. I feel awful depressed sweaty moody irritated emotio...

22 REPLIES

I've been on various pain meds since I was 21 due to a VERY serious car accident where I broke my back and did a lot...

2 REPLIES

I started taking methadone about 10yrs ago for pain. Started with 80mg a day and by the 2nd yr I was down to 40-50 mg a ...

3 REPLIES