Pregabalin - anyone been on this?

[Helzbells]

When I saw the consultant in April she said that some of the things she'd previously diagnosed as RA she was now changing her mind and thinking it was fibromyalgia. (I do test positive for anti-ccp so RA was diagnosed) she told my GP to put me on gabapentin but I reacted to that. So last week he put me on pregabalin. At first I just felt a bit woosy but today I've had terrible palpitations. Wondered what other people had had and whether it was worth persisting

[Philip]

I know that one of the side effects can produce similar symptoms as fibromyalgia, best of luck and I hope get things sorted very soon.

Philip

[nomoreheels]

My GP prescribes branded Lyrica rather than pregabalin as she's prescribing it for neuropathic pain for which it's licensed, unlike pregabalin. I've been on it for neuropathic cervical pain since November last year. I've had monthly reviews (actually see her again tomorrow morning) & I'm currently on 150mg twice daily. I did have some cognitive issues early on so my GP has let me take the lead in titrating the dose. I must say it's helped though my h isn't overly keen on me being prescribed it as he had a bad time on it. It is known to potentially cause serious side effects in some people, he was one of them unfortunately.

[Fra22-57]

I have been on this for about 6 years. Yes it helps with pain but side effects are bad and don't always show up first.It is terrible to reduce so I wouldn't recommend. Google it...good luck

[PFKAAde]

As nomoreheels says pregabalin causes a long list of horrible side-effects in some people. I was one of them.

I was prescribed it (inappropriately IMO) as I was waiting for a knee replacement and was basically prescribed everything and anything that might enable me to carry on looking after my young children.

In hindsight I wish I'd researched it sooner. Whenever I forgot a dose (easily done when you are on a cocktail of meds) I would wake up in the early hours and feel like I'd got some kind of surreal flu, and it just got worse until I took my next dose. Took me months to figure out it was the pregabalin causing it, and not one doctor even considered that it might be a factor.

Due to the side-effects I decided to taper off at a super slow pace. It took me 2 years and it was only towards the end of this period that I discovered a support group on Facebook that has 5k members, some of whom have had their lives changed as a direct result of being on it.

I have since read a lot about it and it is only looking back that I realise the extent of the effects, the list is massive and includes suicidal ideation and activation, cognitive decline, neurological sysmtoms, vision problems, seizures etc etc.

I will never touch it again, and I am so pleased that I'm off it. 9 weeks off and I'm starting to feel a bit like my old self. I really hadn't realised how much it affected me.

I'm sure it doesn't do that for everyone, but for those it does it is a bad drug.

sott.net/article/349741-Neu...

Ade

[Nettac]

Awful drug! Personally wouldn't touch it with a yard stick. Sorry!

[Jacey15]

Fabulous for me - 95% reduction in neuropathic pain. I take 50mg in the morning and 150mg in the evening as it does make me dizzy. How about giving it a few weeks to see if side effects wear off?

Best wishes,

Jacey xXx

[Trulysad-76]

Hugs first off, I am 300mg twice a day of pregabalin. At first it made me funny but slowly I have got used to it and now feel much more in control of my pain. It helps so much and I can't stress enough to try and stick with it. Hope this helps with you 😊

[Helzbells]

Hi thanks for that. It is making me feel a bit funny. Tired and woosy with a few palpitations. But I can't take anti-inflammatories so want to stick with it. I'm on 150mg at the moment

[Helzbells]

I've had severe side effects from so many drugs I'm fed up. At the moment I feel a little tired with this one but not too bad but only been on it a week. I cannot take anti-inflammatories and because I can't take dmards but don't qualify in my area for biologics I've been left without any treatment for my RA. The consultant told my GP to put me on pregabalin but having read what everyone is saying I'm now terrified. Though the side effects of the dmards were so severe I could happily have thrown myself off a bridge

[Helzbells]

The NHS site says it's a super safe drug. Everyone else seems to say it isn't. I just called the chemist and I've decided to stop given everyone's comments. This is partly because my occy health consultant expressed the view this was being given me as a cop out anyway and I don't have fibromyalgia as my symptoms are wholly consistent with RA. Also I'm being seen by a new consultant next week. I'm not convinced I am being prescribed it for the right reasons. I've been on it exactly a week. I felt okay until yesterday when I started to develop extreme tiredness and palpitations. This morning it was like I'd been hit by a truck and I can barely stand up. I'm utterly exhausted, I've got blurred vision and I feel well I can only describe it as weird. I had to turn the car round and come home and now I'm just sat on the sofa thinking I need to sleep and I don't care

[Al1954]

I have been on pregabalin for 3 years helps but you have to watch you falls.i fell 3 times serious accidents.i was given for neuriphatic pain after gingles