Lyrica/Pregabalin side effects

[charlie1234567890]

I am currently taking Lyrica/pregabalin with side effects of fatigue, clumsiness and eye twitching. Has anyone had these side effects subside with time? I've been taking it for about a month now. It seems to work fairly well but not sure I can handle the side effects. I'm only on 25mg.

[BAK524]

I was up to 150mg and had every side effect on the books. Constant fatigue, muscle twitches, loss of fine motor abilities, brain fog, difficulty walking, difficulty finishing sentences, tinnitus, constipation. Eventually I started having bad bouts of anxiety. The real problems started when I tried to taper off. I did so very slowly, but it was still hell. Bad insomnia, panic anxiety, increases in RLS. It took me 8 months to get off. I'm now 5 days pregabalin free. It's the worst medication I've ever been on in my life. People really react differently to this stuff, and most seem to get through the side effects with time. I recommend you proceed slowly and with caution. 25 mgs is considered a low dose, but you may find some benefit.

[charlie1234567890 in reply to BAK524]

Thank you for your response. I figured it wasn't a good drug when they list 90 different side effects. I'm running out of options.

[Munroist]

Lots of people benefit from it without the side effects, me being one. I'm not sure whether it made my tinnitus worse but it was definitely there before. I got to 300mg without anything too worrying. The doctors advised me not to look at the side effect list ...

[SueJohnson]

You might want to try switching to gabapentin. Although they are basically the same drug except on pregabalin you don't need to divide the doses, and the side effects are basically the same, some people find that the side effects that bother them on one don't bother them on the other. Multiple the lyrica amount by 6 to get the correct dose so 25 time 6 would be 150 mg of gabapentin.

[charlie1234567890 in reply to SueJohnson]

I've tried gabapentin. It made me so dizzy I couldn't walk.

[march1044]

Lyrica and gabapentin also can cause a weight gain, since they increase your appetite.

[Pam34]

I’ve been on 150mg of Pregabalin for several years. Side effects tended to settle and lessen after a few weeks and those I’m left with are more than worth it for a good nights sleep. All drugs have side effects and most disappear after time. It’s up to you whether you think they outweigh the benefits of a good night sleep. For me there was no contest.

[Amrob]

It sounds like you're experiencing substantial side effects for such a low dose. Are you taking it at night or in the daytime?

I'm on 300mg and do have side effects - daytime fatigue, reduced cognitive functioning, slight dulling of feelings. And a few hours after taking it, i do feel a bit drunk. Despite all this, it works in the main.

The side effects do subside with time, but don't necessarily go away.

If it's really impacting you, eg your ability to to drive etc I'd be discussing this with your doctor.