Hi, can anyone tell me the side effects prega... - Pain Concern

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Hi, can anyone tell me the side effects pregablin has as I have only started taking it for pain in my leg I used to be on gababentin thanks

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mick3
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NHS choices

If just started taking them, you will need to take them for at least 3/4 weeks

All the best

BOB

mick3 profile image
mick3

Thanks for that Bob ,I will go and look it up at NHS choices Kind regards Eve

Rhapsody profile image
Rhapsody

Hi, I have been taken off Pregabalin for leg pain caused by spine damage.

I am now on gabapentin and prefer them.

The side effects I had on Pregabalin were pretty bad.

Bad memory...Confusion... Worst of all the pain in my legs became a lot worse.

I suppose what works for one person doesn't always work for another.

Good luck I hope the pregabalin will work for you.

Regards Rhapsody .

PIRATE185 profile image
PIRATE185

Hi Mick I was on pregabalin for about a year and in that time I had bad side effects . Because of this I stopped taking them . now I take my Cocodamal 300x50mg pills and my Tens machine. I hope the Pregabalin works for you better than it did for me.

Poppy_Ann profile image
Poppy_Ann in reply to PIRATE185

how do you manage to take 300 X 50mg tablets i have a problem trying to take 10 tablets 3 times a day i have never heard of anyone having to take 300 of them?

in reply to Poppy_Ann

I think he means 30mgx500mg tablets. Cocodamol is a mix of codeine (30mg) and Paracetamol (500mg) . there are different strengths like 8mg codeine to 500mg paracetamol (normal or lowest dosage) then 15mg codeine to 500mg paracetamol (mid range strength) then what PIRATE185 is taking which is the strongest prescription cocodamol.

mr-flibble profile image
mr-flibble

I was put on Pregabalin and then Gabapentin for chronic neuropathic pain and the pregab made me sick as a dog and the Gabapentin made me hallucinate Matrix style when I upped the dose to 6X200mg tabs a day, it was so powerful and worrying I stopped taking the bloody things there and then and never tried them again, these days I use a home made CBD rich Cannabis spray and it works well as I can apply it to the areas effected so I don't get stoned I just get some relief from the horrible sickly neurological pain thats blighted my life since 2008.

Pheonixalight profile image
Pheonixalight in reply to mr-flibble

I like the idea of a Cannabis spray & does it really work to ease/stop the nerve pain? I would class this treatment as 'A natural remedy' I have just recently been prescribed Pregabalin starting with 1 x 75mg per day raising to 2 x 75mg a day. If you were on such a high dose, and you stopped & found that your CBD? rich Cannabis spray works then you will be getting far less bad side effects, which is good news. It's stupid that such a natural pain relieving plant is not more widely used. Any information would be appreciated, thanks.

2720hoc profile image
2720hoc in reply to Pheonixalight

Hello

Could you tell me where you get this spray? I would dearly love to reduce or even come off of pregabalin altogether....with the doctors guidance of course!

Joan

in reply to mr-flibble

Hi, are you in the UK? I have never heard of this treatment before? I was just wondering if it might help me as Gabapentin doesn't really cut it for my pain even at 600mg 3 times a day...

triciaj profile image
triciaj

Hi Mick, I have been on Pregabalin for three years, when I was first prescribed them i was in quite a bad and i was on a very high dose i can understand where youre coming from about the side effects but when you are in that amount of pain to have to take such a high dose you are going to struggle to get medication without side effects. I would advise you to lower the dose of your Pregabalin and use a tens machine at the same time it took me awhile to find the right level of dose but at least I am not flying around with the fairies all day now and I feel I am back in control of my life even though I am never pain free. Good luck to you Mick Regards Tricia.

Pregabalin is stronger than Gabapentin so the dosage is harder to adjust. At first I found the side effects of Gabapentin horrendous, but tried them again and built up slowly. They are good..and as the pain consultant said it is your choice..pain or side effects. Every med has some effect but if you go slowly and build dosage up it takes the awful edge of pain. I have HMS, OA and fibromyalgia. The Gabapentin was originally prescribed for nerve pain, but it helps with all. Do you take Amitriptyline at night, I found it helps. Different people have different reactions.

mick3 profile image
mick3

Thanks to all who have replied to me and I am only on 2x75 of Pregablin and I up my dose next week so we will wait and see as I don't want any sickness or feeling weird I am weaning myself off Gabepentin 600mgx4 as it didn't touch the terrible pain Will keep you all informed regards Mick

juliansmom profile image
juliansmom in reply to mick3

Gabapentin did not help my pain either. I'm now on 30 mgs. A day of nortriptyline and have about a 40 % reduction in pain. This is a tricyclic antidepressant used at a low dose to treat pain.

in reply to juliansmom

Hi Juliansmom, I was wondering the doctors have said that they can add nortriptyline to my gabapentin as gabapentin alone is not really helping that much. I tried the sister drug amytriptaline and that knocked me out I was sleeping soo much... Would you say nortriptyline is similar in that way?

juliansmom profile image
juliansmom in reply to

Hi,I've heard of combining these two meds though I had not tried it myself. Amytriptaline and nortryptiline are both tricyclic antidepressants used at a low dose to great pain. Nortryptiline has less side effects than the former. I actually had no side effects at all from this pill and I am extremely sensitive to meds. I am still taking this. 45 mgs before bed. I also take magnesium supplement, flaxseed oil and 1 mg of xanax in the morning. Healthy diet of course. My pain is considerably reduced. Some days I'm pain free! I recommend discussing these meds and supplements with your doctor. The magnesium acts as a muscle and nerve relaxer. It made a huge difference, its cheap OTC vitamin. Keep me updated on your progress and best wishes.

in reply to juliansmom

Thanks I am currently ordering some supplements on simplysupplements.co.uk and magnesium was one of them! I am also going to buy evening primrose as its good for skin and hair and other things so Im going for an all round "bodyfix" solution.

Priegi profile image
Priegi

Hi mick. I have been on pregabalin 200mg twice a day for a couple of years. I missed one or two and had terrible side effects. I don't believe it helped my pain, I asked my GP to come off it I .have reduced it by 50 mg every 5 days and finish with them on Monday I will be so pleased to be off them. I am only taking Tramadol /paracetamol .my doc does not want to give me anything else until I see the cardiologist ( ? Angina) then I hope I can try some other medication ,I am fed up not being able to walk without pain

I hope it suits you and you get good pain relief. June

welshnut profile image
welshnut

I was on gabapentin to begin with and had terrible side effects, I swapped to pregablin and the side effects were far less, I did suffer though from not being able to remember words and found myself getting confused on times. I have now weaned myself off pregablin because I found it hard to work with the side effects. It is always a hard balance to find and I can only recommend you trial it and see just do not suddenly stop taking them you have to come off them at a slowly reducing dose. I would return to pregablin if I did not have to work as they do improve nerve pain.

Hello

Bob here

You really need to be subjective with medication, what suits you may not suit others

When we have to take medications, sometimes it can take a long time before you end up on the right mix of medications. It took, if I remember about one or two years before the right mix was found for me to suppress my pain.

Remember it is not the strength of your medications, it is what suits you most, when used with other means of pain control. Such as relaxation and TENS. Some patients need to try alternative treatments

A further thought, if you use strong drugs now your body will get used to them so we need to pace the dose to hold your pain in check, remember you will not get rid of the chronic pain, you will only suppress it.

All the best

BOB

missrat profile image
missrat

I'm just starting pregabalin - for both anxiety and pain. My side-effects from gabapentin were horrendous - visual disturbances and hallucinations/perceptual disorders. I was told to start very slowly - 2 x 25mg daily, double after two weeks, then again after another two weeks - then I see her again. I'm also on nortriptyline 75mg daily for pain and depression. It's too early yet for the pregabalin to affect my pain.

My back is being a nuisance after a lot of cage-cleaning, but the sciatica remains in remission since my radio-frequency ablation, and the steroids and azathioprine are helping my PMR..

valerian1 profile image
valerian1

I had the same problems with these tablets which led me into a deep depression,although I had to take the decision myself to come off them, which enabled me to see a way forward. learning to keep a strict routine.not easy as I am old and live alone without a family but with helpful friends I am coping now. My problem is a Postherpetic neuralgia after contracting Shingles in the eye-which at times is unbearable especially at night .In addition I found little support from my GP's who put it down to neurological reasons as I have had treatment in the past for Chronic Depression. At the moment I am not taking any medication as I do believe they are not the solution to for these kind of problems. l

fitzzy profile image
fitzzy

Hi guys

I am new to all of this I have suffered for a very very long time since I came out of the army 1991 I have hypermobility syndrome ( well I think it is that ) I suffered with dislocations since I was a child but I never had any problem after it was put back in .

But in 96 I was also diagnosed with fshd (facial or factual scapula hemotomral dystrophy ) it means that my mussles dissappear and eventually I have a massive heart attack and well you can guess the rest . So I went on gabbapentin first 3 years ago and I was only on them for less than a month and I got tunnel vision forgot my childrens names and I also for got how to do most everything . Even how to wash .

So I was taken off them straight away .

And a mobrh later I was put on deluxatin. For 15 months and in the end they only worked for an hour or two . So asked my gp to take me off them and it look 3 months but I ended up with vertigo coming off them

missrat profile image
missrat

I'm now on the maximum dose of pregabalin - as from today. I don't think they are doing much. I'll give them a few weeks, then taper off if they don't help.

Ann

Hello Ann

BOB here

Need to give them three or four weeks

All the best

BOB

fitzzy profile image
fitzzy

Please could someone tell me what is better pregabalin or gabapentin .! I have been on pregabalin 3years ago (made a mistake in my last post ) and I need some advice I am also on morphine patches 52.5 and they are supposed to be changed every 3-4 days but if I leave them on for 4 days the patch ends up burning me . My dr will not give me dyhidrocodene (not sure if I have spelt it right) because of the patches and since taking the deluxatin and patches I habe put on 7.5 stone . So now I have hasd an ultra sound scan and found out that my liver is way to fatty for my own good . (I bearly eat any more) and they could not see my gallbladder . And I have been told that is not good at all .now I'm on tablets so I can go for a pee . And seeing a urologist because my kidney on the left keeps on swelling. I have been to I csn only go on gabapentin . So I need advice on what the symptoms of the tablet are . Or if there is any other medication I could take for pain.thank you

Fitzzy' Hi, from my experience Gabapentin plays havoc with my stomach and it helps above the neck pains but pregabalin does help in the right dose but the side effects can be a bit hard to get a handle on due to possible illnesses acting differently with other meds etc.' etc.

But other people including myself have written about their problems with pregabalin on this site, so if I were you (and I hope your hands can type a bit more) I would do a search around it and you will get a lot of feedback and then , "YOU" can decide whats best for you, But please think hard around these strong painkillers as they are a thing in to themselves, I don't know how long you have lived with pain but after trying this and that you eventually come to the conclusion that with pain your on your own, for no matter what help, in the wee small hours it's just you and I think distraction works a bit because focusing on it too much just makes it more difficult to handle, but we are all different and some days are so different, so all the very best and keep up the good fight, Jeez' 7.5 stone, a lot of biccies there then ha' ha, now there's a distraction .

fitzzy profile image
fitzzy in reply to

Thanks alex . Sorry I have notgot back to you . But I decided not to take the pregablin . I have had no side effects with the gabbapentin tho . So up to now I am on 4 300mg at night and 3 in the morning as well and it has eased the pain by half .so its ok at the moment . I have lived with the paim all my life. But it got real serious about 8 years ago that was when my own bodys pain killer cuold not cut it any more. I got taught to control my pain after I came out of the army . And it worked for about 7 years . But iwas told because I was fiscally fit when I was younger my doctor told me that going in the army was the worsed thing I could have ever done it advanced my hypermobility syndrome 10 fold .(I never knew I had it when I was younger and I passed all my fisical tests with flying colours) now I am paying the price .

Boozybird profile image
Boozybird

I found I couldn't 'find' the words I needed in order to make a sentence. Made my brain slow and foggy. It didn't touch my pain at all. If it helps with your pain then the side effects may be worth while. Best wishes.

Suem1960 profile image
Suem1960 in reply to Boozybird

I take pregabalin and oxcarbazepine for T/N and I have chronic back/neck/knee problems and nerve damage in left arm/hand.

My memory is bad and like a lot of others I find it difficult to have a complete conversation but the alternative is constant pain,

PIRATE185 profile image
PIRATE185

Hi Mick as for the effects of Pregabalin that depends on the amount that you take. As for myself and my leg pain I too was prescribed Pregabalin here I found that I was tired all the time after say a year on them I came off and stayed with my Cocodamol 30x500 mg. My pain is still with me with more painful aches in my heels now . I am sure that several people will reply to your question. I hope that you are ok with the Pregabalin pills.

juliet136 profile image
juliet136

hi there I just wanted to say that I am on pregablin and it is very important that you start on the lowest dose and gradually build it up with your g.p you must talk to your g.p. there is side effects but every one is different it took about 2 weeks for me . if the side effects are to bad you must talk to your g.p it is also important to not come off the drug with out seeing your doctor . I have been on pregablin for over 2months as we all know that nothing is a cure but I do thinck to keep at it and gradually build on your medication until you get used to it it all takes time.

Maynee profile image
Maynee in reply to juliet136

You all keep on its your right to be hurd no matter how many times we fight never give in good luck to everyone Romayne.

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