Pregabalin side effects

[Bejwo50]

My mum was taking pregabalin 75mg (twice a day)with no side effects, however it wasn't helping her rls, so the gp told her to gradually up the dose to 150 twice a day. Mum came home and started straight away on the 150mg after a few days, shot the flu and she started dropping everything from her hands, she dropped the phone, her tea everything kept falling from her hand. So I wasnt sure if it was because of the flu or the pregabalin. So I reduced the pregabalin and gradually upped the dose, by this time her flu symptoms were better but now again on 150mg she has started dropping things. So I've got her back on 150mg.

Anyone else had similar?

[LotteM]

You’ve done a great and diagnostic job by reducing the dose and slowly upping it again. I don’t take pregabalin so can’t say about side effects experienced. I understand you would like recognition and confirmation but it seems pretty clear that the effects are from the pregabalin. From what I’ve read on here, and my own experience with the related gabapentin, the effects don’t surprise me.

The key question is whether the 150mg pregabalin sufficiently suppressed the RLS to make her life close to normal again?

And what I do wonder about is why you mum takes the pregabalin also in te morning. Does she (still) have daytime RLS? If not, or if these daytime symptoms are not too bad and can be quelled sufficiently with movement and distraction, why don’t you slowly reduce her morning dose and -if needed- only up her evening dose? Go slowly with the upping, as pregabalin takes time to become effective. And a bit slowly with the reduction as well to try to avoid any withdrawals.

Good luck, you seem to be acting sensibly.

[Hidden in reply to LotteM]

+1 for the idea of taking the 150mg at night and dropping the morning dose, I worked it like that.

I had the same issues with Lyrica, when the dose got too high for me I started to drop things - it felt like all of a sudden there was a weakness that zapped along the nerves in my arms and whatever I had in my hands dropped. You've quite rightly identified this so careful on any increases but I would try the 150 at night and nothing in mornings, you'll know very soon if it will work or if a drug change is required.

Good luck.

[Bejwo50 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for that, yes I will try her with 150mg at night and see how she gets on

[Bejwo50 in reply to LotteM]

That make so much sense, I didn't think as to why she takes it in the morning, she only has rls at night.

Answering your question if 150mg helped, well the answer is not close to normal, No!

It's a struggle... but we hope and pray there will be a solution for all sufferers.

[LotteM in reply to Bejwo50]

Good to hear. As I said, I have no personal experience with pregabalin, but grom this forum I think I learned that the dose may go up to a max of 300mg. Can someone with experience confirm or correct this???

[macewan13 in reply to LotteM]

Yes. My neurologist put me on 300mg of Pregablin, which, she said, was the maximum.

[LotteM in reply to macewan13]

Thx!

[Hidden]

I take Gabapentin, which has more or less the same side effects.

It does make you a bit clumsy, dropping things isn't too bad, but it also affects balance. Falling can be a problem!

As others say, if you're going to fall, it's better if you're in bed when you do!

Side effects may wear off or lessen after a few weeks.

Pregabalin isn't licensed for RLS in the UK. For seizures, nerve pain and general anxiety disorder, up to 600mg a day can be taken. However for unlicensed use it may be less.

In the USA Pregabalin is approved for RLS up to 300 mg daily.