Pregabalin

[Gemmaja]

Hi - Anyone had any luck with using pregabalin for pain.

Just been prescribed it - on my second week and feel no different.

[cyberbarn]

Drugs work differently on each person, and there is a way of measuring how likely a drug is to work called the the Number Needed to Treat (NNT). For pregabalin it is 4, which means 4 people have to take it for one person to find benefit. But it can take up to four weeks to find out who benefits and who doesn't.

So you might be one of the 3 for whom it doesn't work. Were you given any indication of a follow up with your doctor? It might be worth talking to them again to find out how long to try it before assuming it isn't going to work, and what to do if it doesn't.

[Raschey]

I take it to prevent or calm down muscle spasms, it works well for me, but not as an actual pain killer. I think it would depend what you are taking it for really.

[joebeddall]

Hi,Gemmaja,I have been taking pregabalin for my perifial neaurophy for over 18mth.with good results.Well worth a try.Good luck

[Hidden]

Hi Gemmaja, it just depends what you are using pregablin for and what dosage you are on I use it for nerve pain 300 mg and it helps to reduce the amount of pain . Clive 😁

[Emma2017]

Hi Gemma, it does depend what pain you use it for. I use it (450mg a day) and it helps to reduce referred nerve pain. But I have read it is specifically for that kind of pain. However for some pregabalin works for others it’s another painkiller.

[micox]

Hi Gemma. I first used Pregabalin at the maximum daily dose to deal with pain from lumbar scoliosis and stenosis. I had to use another drug with it for it to be fully effective. That was six years back and the condition gradually improved allowing me to, with gradual reduction, come off it altogether. (the other drug was another story - absolute hell!). I've recently been revisited by the stenosis pain and worsening peripheral neuropathy so I'm now back on pregabalin and happy to take it, as it's working.

[Joshuasmum]

Hi,

My son has recently come off it after six months it did help but he experienced terrible side effects and it just wasn't worth it. He is now on amitriptyline and doing much better. Mind you he is 10 and a very strong drug for one so young.

Hope it suits you.

Lisa 🤞

[Kingsley09 in reply to Joshuasmum]

Please keep a watch on him as amitriptyline has given me a heart problem I did take it 10 mg at night and it really helped with my nerve pain but was took of once it started to effect my heart made me want to cry to read that one so young has to take these sort of drugs I’m se ding lots of love to you both god bless

[SkinnyKay]

Hi Gemmaja when l got it at first l too thought it wasn't doing anything and about four to six weeks all off a sudden it began to take the pain away and soon it was under control,so it must have to build up to a certain level in your body,or maybe until your addicted as in my case ,it also causes me memory lapses,to the point when my card had ran out and was to but a new card into my meds pouch l forgot so for a whole day l hadn't taken it ,l began it get extremely sick severe tummy cramps and extreme headaches ,l couldn't stand l was so dizzy and this carried on for two days even after l resumed them so they are very addictive indeed,when lockdown is over l will get my doctor's help to get off them and seek another drug.but l take 300mgs three times daily,but l knew someone else was on 75mgs and she went thru same illness when she forgotten to take her meds ,so beware off missing them ,and when you do don't rush to make them up for you risk overdose,just resume your own daily intake,hope this helps in anyway.good luck for pain can destroy a person and drugs are capable off the same.Stay safe ,Mary.

[NJeffers in reply to SkinnyKay]

Blimey! My GP says according to the BNF (medical drugs register) the max dose should be no more than 300mg b.d (twice daily) - I’m a retired nurse so I know a lot about medications and their interactions.

I too was prescribed for pain, by pain management as I was taking diazepam 30mg a day and MST 250mg twice daily, they said it is non addictive compared to what I was taking - so I thought I’d give it a try. My GP was amazed that I was able to just stop the diazepam and MST without any withdrawal symptoms, but I didn’t and started the pregabalin. Over the space of 2 years I was on the max dose and like you, if I missed a dose, I had serious withdrawal symptoms and I could sleep 18 hours straight.

On the pregabalin I have gained weight, (which exacerbated my pain because of the osteoarthritis and ankylosing spondylitis in spine and osteoarthritis in foot and now right hip), causing me chronic pain as well as CFS and fibromyalgia.

It is absolutely useless in my opinion, just another government ploy to get GP and pain management consultants to reduce prescribing for pain medications because of cost. In the majority of medical journals, pregabalin is very hit and miss in patients with CFS/ME, Fibromyalgia, and arthritic pain - it is definitely more miss than hit!

[Konagirl60]

It didn’t help my pain and it caused terrible side effects because I was not properly monitored with follow up visits to my pain specialist.

I gained a lot of weight, I couldn’t think through things properly, I became severely irritable and irrational and I quit taking it.

I don’t like it and I don’t think it’s safe.

[Jaff1]

It's a godsend to me. I have trigeminal neuralgia and I get no pain at the moment. Been on it a couple of years now.

[Kingsley09 in reply to Jaff1]

How much do you take and have you had to keep upping it please

[Jaff1 in reply to Kingsley09]

I had to up it originally until my pain was under control. Was taking 125mg twice daily, but have reduced to 75mg twice daily.

[Ruccsack]

Gemmaja, I have been on Pregabalin 150mg now four ten years, but sadly my joints are used to it in that I experience no real benefit. I also take Targinact 20/10 for pain and again my joints no longer benefit. I find that I take Co Codamol 30/500 which is prescribed by my doctor. I take two at bedtime to help me get sleep, but I am wakened roughly halfway through the night. I have four herniated discs, Osteoarthritis in both hips, both knees and both shoulders. I am 72 yrs old and retired in 1990 because of my problems. As somone has already pointed out, drugs work differently on each person.

[7774]

Hi Gemma's, I've been on pregabaline for many years. I tried different medications but found this works best for nerve pain. I take 300 mg twice daily with diazepam 2.5 mg twice daily and baclofen 20mg three times daily. I was diagnosed with transverse myelitis in 2004-5. You don't say what dose you're taking and what it's used for. Everyone is different and you maybe need to give it chance to work as it's not always instant relief.

[Gemmaja]

Thank you all for your comments - I very much appreciate your help. 😊

I will continue with the medication until my check up in September and discuss

with my dr.

Currently on 75mg twice a day - gradually increasing the dose and side effects are subsiding. I do feel a slight change 🤞🏻

[nurseblue]

Hello I was on 50mg twice per day for a few weeks with little effect, but was upped to 150mg twice a day when I was admitted to hospital with severe, uncontrolled pain. The Pregabalin certainly seems to be helping, though I still have pain. I’m on a concoction of drugs, so think they are working in combination. What other drugs are you on?

I am on the following drugs:

Pregabalin 150mg twice a day.

Ibuprofen 400mg three times per day

Dihydrocodeine 30mg four times per day

Paracetamol 1g four times per day

Omeprazole 2g once per day

Diazepam 2mg twice a day (trying to reduce this to once per day at night due to addictive nature)

Oramorph 5mg up to every 2 hours, but only using this as breakthrough up to a max of 4 time’s per day (trying to half the dose due to addictive nature)

Take care x

[abellemed]

For severe spinal stenosis (for which I am awaiting rhizotomies on NHS), I take paracetamol 1g 3 times a day, dihydrocodeine 30mg 3 times a day and ibuprofen 400mg 3 times a day.

These weren't altogether even controlling my pain so my GP put me on pregabalin I think it was 75mg twice a day - but after 3 days I felt dizzy, forgetful, spaced-out and was actually sick (haven't been sick for at least 10 years), so stopped them. I told my GP who said I should stick to them for at least 3 weeks but I said I was sorry I couldn't do that as I need a clear head to do my job (yes, I still work as a medical secretary in NHS for 3 days a week despite being 75), so I can't reccommend pregabalin due to its initial side-effects on me.

Next off my GP put me on nortriptyline which had the same effects on my brain, made me woozy, unable to concentrate, do my job efficiently which requires medical knowledge etc, and altogether made me feel in a daze.

So, I am still plodding on with my basic pain-relief until NHS waiting lists grow smaller and I get my injections which might offer me some longer-term pain relief and get me off my pills. I might also add that you cannot take any alcohol with pregabalin or nortriptyline and I do appreciate a glass of whisky to help me sleep at nights, so another reason not to take those powerful mind-controlling drugs and stick to a natural product for a good night's sleep!

Hope you found this ramble useful, and that you succeed with your efforts at pain control. E xxx

[SkinnyKay]

Hi l too am on pregabalin most known as Lyrica,depends on how many mgs a day your on your experience will be different you don't say how much your on daily so it's hard to reply but it's the kind off drug that takes time to build up in your system so wait your just on it ,give it a week to two and then speak to the doc you might need a higher dose,lm on300mgs X3 daily, it comes with a lot off side effects ,people says it makes you gain weight l never found that to be true .also depends what type off pain your taking it for its very good for nerve pain but like l said takes time to build up to a level where it begins to work,of you've any other questions l will try to answer them good luck and stay safe.Mary

[NiecyD212]

Hi there Gemma,

I have had back issues for many many years, and had to call out doctor a few years back now, as I was in so much pain and couldn't move. When doctor arrived she gave me a morphine injection in my rear. The pain when she did was unbelievable and she had the cheek to say I shouldn't move.😬

Since then I have not had numbness all done that side with severe pain. Through lots of different kind of drugs I was eventually given Pregabalin, 600mg a day which has eliminated that pain. Still numb 6yrs later but the Pregabalin is the only thing that has worked pain wise as I I think she damaged my sciatic nerve when given injection. I have missed taking the tablets before and the pain i experience back then just return.

So now been on Pregabalin for about 4yrs. Think i will be for rest of life now.

[hinzey1980]

Hi yes i take pregabalin for back pain.

I have had quite good pain relief from taking it but still have to take other painkillers when it gets really bad but my bad days are not as frequent as they used to be.

Only down side to this drug is the weight gain.