Pregabilin

[Clairelouise187]

Hi need help I’m on pregabilin was 50mg twice a day and was fine for quite hungry but tapered off the electric shock sensation has gone and they increased my dosage to 150mg I then found I was spaced out very tired and walking side wards I’m also on citropram 20mg once day My doctor told me to reduce it as I have a terrible numbness in feet rib cage and two fingers of hand , I was constantly banging into things where I’m left with lots of bruises

Even got checked out at the hospital and said bloods are fine

I’m now on 50mg just once at night did anybody else struggle with numbness sensation

I’m worried the doctor checked reflexes and I’m fine , o do suffer with anxiety quite bad so unsure if it’s that or my meds

Any help would be great just want to be me again

[Hidden]

Pregabalin is usually once a day for RLS, i.e. at night. It can make you drowsy, a bit off balance and a bit clumsy when walking. If you take it in the morning then you will have those side effects during the day so another reason for only taking it at night.

It also depends how long you've been taking it, these side effects can diminish as you get used to it, possibly in a few weeks. It also takes a few weeks before it starts working fully.

If you've been taking it over a month and the side effects continue then you may need to decide if the treatment is worse than the condition., i.e. if the side effects are affecting you more than your RLS symptoms. 50mg only won't really be enough to control RLS symptoms.

I haven't personally heard of numbness as a side effect of pregabalin, I suppose it's possible.

Citalopram, unfortunately is a SSRI antidepressant all of which are known to make RLS significantly worse. If it hadn't been for this, I would never have started on medication for my RLS!

You may find your RLS reduces if you reduce and/or stop the citalopram.

This is a dilemma if your anxiety increases.

You really need some psychological therapy and strategies for dealiing with your anxiety rather than depending on the antidepressant long term.

Hopefully you have discussed iron therapy with your doctor. Thus can help treat one of the causative factors of RLS, rather than just relieving symtoms which is what pregabalin does.

sciencedirect.com/science/a...

[Clairelouise187 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your advice I have been on pregab since 18/7 the numbness started around 3 weeks ago unsure if it’s the citropram that’s causing it , I do feel un balance not with it mind racing thoughts it’s horrible

[Hidden in reply to Clairelouise187]

If you were taking citalopram for some time before starting the pregabalin, then any effects you've only experienced since the 18/7 will be due to the pregabalin, not citalopram.

If you experienced these side effects before starting the pregabalin, then they will be due to the citalopram.

Balance problems and drowsiness, (not with it, fogginess) are associatred with pregabalin.

Racing thoughts are more of a symptom of anxiety. Since both citalopram and pregabalin are supposed to relieve anxiety, it seems unlikely that either will be causing the racing thoughts.

This is where possibly non-pharmacological anxiety managment strategies and psychological therapies may help.

[Madlegs1 in reply to Hidden]

@Clairelouise

There may be a synergistic or interactive effect going on here as well. Between the two chemicals.

Manervas' last paragraph would be well heeded.

Good luck.

[Sampsie]

Hello,

I recently moved to Pregabalin and I am waiting for my appointment with the sleep clinic to come off them as my hair is falling out.

While I was on Gabapentin, I started to get a tremor in my left hand. That has mostly gone now. I do get pins and needles in some fingers on my left hand but I think that is related to carpal tunnel.

Manerva is right - if the side effects are worse than the relief, it is worth looking at other options. It's a shame as Pregabalin has actually really helped my RLS and PLMD, with less side effects than Gabapentin.

Also, you don't need to take Pregabalin in the day, just at bedtime. Perhaps not taking it at the same time as your other medication might help. I can sometimes get away with 100mg, other times I need more. I increase the dose in increments of 25mg so that I only take what I need each night. I start with 100mg as I know lower than that won't help enough.

It's understandable that you are anxious about side effects and what is happening to your body. If you are breathing in a way that causes you to hyperventilate, such as shallow breathing and not using your stomach muscles, that can cause pins and needles as the oxygen isn't moving around your body properly. There are videos online about breathing using your hand on your stomach to check it's not shallow breathing.

Look out for The Honest Guys on YouTube. They have lots of great free guided meditations that help us to relax.

All the best.