Just picked up my prescription for Lyrica today. I'm about to switch over to it, as an alternative to gabapentin (which I've been taking for 2-3 years), partly because Dr. B feels it is better absorbed. I also am on the 2 mg Neupro patch.
A few questions about Lyrica:
- What time(s) of day do you take it? And please state whether you take it to control evening/night symptoms only, or are looking for 24-hour control. (Mine are mostly evening/night.)
- How long does it take to take effect - i.e., 30 minutes? 1 hour? 2?
- How long does it last? i.e., 4 hours? 6? 8?
- I.e., does Lyrica have similar time to take effect, and half-life in the body, as gabapentin?
I'm having the devil of a time trying to get this info online, since Lyrica is not approved for RLS, so it's off-label. It generally seems to be taken round-the-clock for other indications (control of pain, etc.). But I mostly need it for evenings/nights: I have been taking gabapentin 1-2 hours before bedtime. (Note: I tried Horizant, but it lasted too long into the next day, making me fuzzy-headed. I'm hoping Lyrica will not last as long. )
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rls_optimist
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Pregablin has to slowly build up in your system to be effective. In my case I was prescribed 300mg per day. and supplied with 25mg tabs. I had been taking 2mg modified (Requip) release and 0.5mg (Ardartrel) Ropinirole.
It was necessary for me to reduce the Ropinirole over a 6 week period and every week increase the dose of Pregablin until I was completely off all Ropinirole and able to take 150mg Pregablin in the morning and at night,
It was difficult, and I did regularly suffer bad RLS. I was scared that I was doing the wrong thing taking Pregablin, but the fear of Ropinirole Augmentation was greater, so I put my faith in the Pregablin.
Pregablin is not an instant RLS suppressor/ remedy.
I have been off Ropinirole since end January this year and taking Pregablin daily and my life is NORMAL !!!!. Occasional very mild RLS but easily dealt with by getting up and walking around for 10mins. NO AUGMENTATION - life is now great again.
Well, that’s a very encouraging story, doversoul. Thank you. Since you’re taking the pregabalin morning and evening, do you have any side effects during the day, such as sedation?
I don't have tiredness as a consequence of taking Pregablin. I do sleep better now, but I have put that down to Trazadone. I also took it when on Ropinirole to help sleep, but , as I'm not getting bad rls at night Trazadone works better now and helps with a better mood in the morning.
I had been on RLS NHS meds since 2009. Prgablin came my way in November 2017, but due to a Prostrate op that same month, I was unable to commence reducing Ropinirole and introduce Pregablin. I had a terrible Christmas, ended up in Hospital and augmentation struck at the same time. I seriously considered ending it all. I had little faith in the Pregablin and couldn't face a future with RLS and Ropinirole with augmentation. However, due to fatigue from Prostrate infection I had no alternative but to persist and during January I slowly got off Ropinirole and eventually was on Pregablin only.
During the changeover period I was reducing Ropinirole by 0.25mg each week, and increasing Pregablin by 25mg per week. I came off of 2mg modified Ropinirole and 0.5mg of straight, and now take 150mg Pregablin am , and at night. I suffered augmentation, ropinirole withdrawal and very bad RLS.
I second doversoul, it can take a while to build up (although it works for some immediately, in others it can take a few weeks). I take mine for night time symptoms. I take it about 8 or 9 pm. I don’t take a day time dose. It’s not like a d/a where timing is super important (for me anyway). My d/a didn’t work at all if I took it within an hour of bedtime. I haven’t found that problem with pregabalin. However I should qualify this to say that pregabalin is just one of a number of drugs I now take to control my rls.
I take 50 mg an hour before bed and 100 mg immediately before bed. It seems to have a sedating effect and works within half an hour of taking for me. The effects typically last around 6 hours. I also take 10 mg OxyContin morning and evening and 5 mg OxyContin at 2 am
I don’t take pregabalin in the day as the OxyContin controls daytime RLS & I think the pregabalin would make me sleepy if I took it in the day.
If you only get RLS at night, I would take the pregabalin in two doses- in the evening and then just before bed.
I think it is trial and error though- you may need to try different timings to see what works- 25 mg pills will help you to adjust times to suit you.
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