I’ve been flaring up first thing every day. I was supposed to have IV infusion treatment but in the current situation...
I got sick of it. I had a telephone appointment (suddenly so easy to get one) an finally have been prescribed somthing for my symptoms.
Any experience with this drug (I’m taking it on a trial basis because of bad reactions to amitriptyline)?
I've been on pregabalin for several years without any issues. When you first begin, it can make you feel a bit woozy, but that soon wore off for me. Main side effect for me was weight gain.
I took Pregabelin and thought the side effects would wear off but they became worse. I was completely disorientated, could not follow a conversation, dizzy, sleepy, could not read and understand a few pages from a book, and was very forgetful. I also gained a lot of weight, it is a drug used initially to encourage appetite so you do eat more. On the plus side my pain levels were reduced, probably because I was so "out" of it.
This is only my personal experience and there are members here who swear they feel it is the only pain relieving drug that works. Some sufferers are given Gabapentin before Pregabelin, they are very similar, but I think Gabapentin is tried first because it is cheaper.
We are all made differently and what works for one person may not work for another. You can only try it for a few weeks and if it doesn't work for you at least you know.
I was put on Gabapentin in 1996 and it helped a lot with pain running down my legs. As I got used to it, I needed a higher and higher dose to get the same pain relief. Once I was on 2,700mg a day, my Consultant switched me to Pregabalin in 2008, its sister and far more modern drug. It requires far less Pregabalin to obtain the same pain relief. So it is better for your liver and kidneys. I need just 300mg of Pregabalin and it does not seem to require more and more of it to maintain the pain relief.
It works well for me and I am glad I am on it. You do have to take care that you do not over-eat as it raises your appetite. A lot of people gain weight and blame the drug but it is the increased appetite that causes the weight gain, so be determined and try not to snack between meals.
I take pre-gablin, I was given gabapentin first but didn’t do well on that. Very low and anxious but I’ve done better on pre-gablin; at first I feeling drunk but as you get used to it that feeling wears off and you build tolerance! I take it with amytriptylene at night and I wouldn’t sleep at all if I didn’t.
Best wishes
Braveheart
Really helped my anxiety and my pain, made me want to eat my own hand though. I was anorexic at the time so all the doctors were pleased I was eating I hated it. Went from 5.5 stone to 8.5 which was on the heavy side (I'm very short).
Thanks I literally just lost weight determined not to put it back
It's funny initially I thought I might loose weight bc I couldn't sit down for long without having to get up and go to the kitchen and get more food. But this is in a context of everyone constantly being happy when I ate something so presumably being forewarned and strict with yourself you won't necessarily put on weight!
I put three stone on, and I don’t overeat!
Pregabalin caused visual and breathing problems. I stopped it for two weeks the symptoms disappeared. I then went back on it the symptoms came back agsin
Hi
I was put on Pregabalin after an undiagnosed atrial fibrillation came to light and I had to stop taking Amitriptyline.
It works a treat for me, eases pain AND helps with brain fog etc.
I have no noticable side effects with it.
Hope that helps
Oh.... I'm on 400 a day plus Naproxen.
X
My brain fog has been so much better and my anxiety is far improved
I do agree with the others who said it increases appetite. But you adjust your diet! It's a small price to pay
Hi Trexy
I have tried all 3 drugs. Amitriptyline made me sleep through the night, but I couldn’t get up in the morning.
Gabapentin also wiped me out, but Pregabalin seems to work for me.
Yes, I have gained weight like most other people and I don’t like it but at the end of the day if I can have my pain controlled a bit more, then I will put up with a few extra pounds. Good luck and I hope it works for you. X
Just severe visual disturbances for me and virtigo at times.my eyesight is definitely affected when im on this drug currently on a few weeks break from it...
It's fine and effective but just make sure they start you on a low dose or you will feel high and unstable.
They have because of my bad reaction to Amitriptyline so I’m only taking 150mg a day till next Wednesday . I have definitely experienced elation, but it’s really helping with brain fog and anxiety symptoms
Hi Trexy , I have had fibro , arthritis and complex regional pain syndrome for 15 years.
So I have been on Amitryptaline , I had to stop that because it seriously affected my moods. Then came gabapentin. Had a very bad reaction to that and ended up in hospital. Eventually I was put on zomorph and that's what helped for 9 years . I have just weened off it and the Dr has replaced with pregabalin. I'm quite petite and only started on 75mg . Then worked upto 150mg. I did that for a couple of weeks and then unfortunately have had a bad reaction to that dosage. It's made my muscles and nerves feel like they are crawling n limbs heavy. Worked great for sleep when I actually went off. I think with these drugs they can be great for many many ppl. I really hope that they work for you and you get some relief x
Thank you, very insightful. I too am petite, luckily this should only temporary until I can go to pain management (since I don’t believe in taking too much daily medication as it has proved bad for my mental health).
Very helpful to know potential effects you have experienced upon increasing your dosage.
I've previously been on pregabalin for my FM and had a severe anaphylactic reaction and amitriptyline effected my heart causing it to race and as a result I can't take a lot of medication , I do have lidocaine infussion but these arnt as often as I would like and at present not likely any time soon .
I was supposed to have lidocaine infusion but lockdown prevented me from starting. Would appreciate to hear your experience with it.
I had several infussion, i really felt at my lowest when i had my first few cronic debilitating pain . I still have cronic pain syndrome and many fm symptoms but i can do more and dont feel i want to die , im so stuck as i cant have most meds due to allergys but i would say hand on heart give it a go works for some but not for all. Its a painless procedure a canulla in hand conected to a slow release injection over an hr ,initially during and after u may feel sleepy or mellow or bit wolley headed but this fades . Your bp and obbs are taken throughout procedure U have an ecg trace before as it can effect heart . U cant drive and need somebody to collect u . Only thing is in current financial situation pain clinic dont give it as often as they once did and u will be ask if u get some relief and its got to longer than 6 / 8mths . cut backs !!
Thank you
I take 300mg pregabalin twice a day, the only bad side of it that I have is weight gain, no other side effects, I've been on it over 8 years
Thats incredible you only suffer the wekght gain on 600mg daily..That deserves real respect...
Hi Trexy, I had to try a few before being given Pregabalin. Of course everyone is different and I also have a heart condition so limited to what I can be given. I'm on 300mg twice a day, it's the only thing that touches the pain. However over time you do start to feel that they aren't working (believe me they are), I also have to take my heart tabs dihydrocodeine cyclizine for nausea morphine fluoxetine oramorph. But I haven't heard of iv treatment what is in the iv and is it just a case of sitting there? Hoping this finds you feeling a little better x
Amytriptiline helped me sleep but did nothing else beneficial. Few months ago, doctor wanted to give me pregabalin but I refused it as I found out last March that I have liver damage which I believe is due to many years of amitryptiline, Nortriptyline, Carbamezapine, Citalophram. (Not at same time) . I have now used a Magmesium Malate supplement and it has helped me sleep but also made me more able to walk/ swim (before lockdown) and do excercise!
Horrible weight gain I stopped taking it and those pounds came off thank goodness
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