Lyrica

[Memmy]

Can you have augmentation on lyrica and what is the best dose to come off mirapex using lyrica

[Joolsg]

You should use an opioid to help with withdrawal from mirapex. And do it very slowly .

Lyrica ( pregabalin) can cause Augmentation in rare cases. It is a useful drug for RLS once off mirapex. You won’t feel the benefit until 2/3 weeks after last dose of mirapex.

[Memmy in reply to Joolsg]

Thanks, what.dose of lyrica should I take. Im on 150mg lyrica and down to 1/2 a 0.18 mirapex. But Im still having problems at night. Should I tke more lyrica. Im not on opoids

[Memmy in reply to Joolsg]

Ive tried to cut down to 1/4mirapex but fail each time. How did you do it.? Sorry to keep asking things but my doctor is not very understanding of the rls

[Joolsg in reply to Memmy]

You will have to go back to your doctors and ask for tramadol. The Lyrica dose is fine- don’t increase it.

Withdrawal from mirapex is hell. You will get 24/7 RLS and hardly any sleep for 10/14 days. It is severe and your RLS will not settle until weeks/months after the last dose of mirapex.

Take 50mg of tramadol every 4 hours at night during the worst of the withdrawal. You’ll need to take time off work.

Look up Augmentation and withdrawal in the search box above and read all the posts.

Once you’re through the withdrawal the RLS should settle to how it was before you started mirapex

That’s when Lyrica will start to be effective.

Two meds at low dose are usually more effective so 150mg Lyrica at night and 50mg tramadol at night will probably help settle the RLS going forward.

Lots of us have been through withdrawal. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do but I’m so glad I did it.

Take care

Jools

[Memmy in reply to Joolsg]

Thanks, it sounds awful. I know I have to do it

[LotteM in reply to Memmy]

Memmy, it doesn’t HAVE to be like Joolsg described. When I looked back I saw that you were on 0,18mg marapexin, the highest recommended dose, and I didn’t get the impression you had taken more than that. Others have been on awfully high doses when they decided they had to come off. What may also make a difference to the severity of the withdrawal is how long you’ve been on that dose. If not too long, it may not be all that bad, especially if your gp is willing to prescribe you tramadol (or oxycontin). I withdrew from a not too large dose of ropinirole and only 50mg of tramadol in the evening sufficed to quell most of the symptoms. Maybe my experience helps to encourage you to take the last step - but first try hard to get a tramadol prescription. Keep us posted. We’re here to help.

[Memmy in reply to LotteM]

Thanks so much, Im really worried about stopping

[Hidden in reply to Joolsg]

Thankfully I've never had to endure the aumentation from eg Mirapex. It sounds truly dreadful.

I do think you can get augmentation from Pregabalin/ Lyrica though as I've experienced it. I think I may have been one of the first to take Pregabalin for RLS though as I discovered the way it helped the symptoms by chance around 10+ years ago when prescribed it for another reason. I ended up begging for more and more, even though it wasn;t recognised as a treatment at that point as it had been so very effective and each dose eventually stopped working. I had a very understanding GP.The symptoms came on earlier and earlier in the day and spread to my arms and back. I had side effects of weight gain and poor balance and eventually decided to come off it. I don't think my RLS has ever gone back to it's pre pregabalin baseline.

It was great for a while though. I would just start on a low dose - 50mg was my starting does and worked well - and not increase when it stops working.

It is also hard to come off and the RLS is pretty dreadful while trying to withdraw. I doesn't sound to be nearly as bad as the eg Mirapex withdrawal though.

I think what must happen is that the body tries to compensate for whatever the drugs try to block by raising the background level of whatever it is.

I expect that in due course the pregabalin augmentation will become more well recognised the more folk who are given it and for a longer time

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Of course my dose of Pregabalin was without previous eg Mirapex. It may be the dose has to be higher to work for those who have previously taken DA's.

[sandykk]

Hi Memmy - Have been asked if i can give any help on Mirapex/Lyrica. Am really sorry that I dont have any experience with these drugs. I'm taking Ropinirole and Gabapentin for my RLS. Best of luck. Sandy