Lyrica

[[kl...]]

I am having a lot of nerve pain has anyone had success with Lyrica or Gapapentin? Any info woke he would be appreciated!

[[jo...]]

Hi there 

I’m so sorry you have the nerve pain; it is truly one of the worst symptoms in my opinion.

I was CT in a detox center. I had tried to taper .025mg of Xanax for 4 months after taking it once a day for 3 months. All during the taper my body was on fire. Every nerve burning like acid in my veins and hot lava on my head. I could barely come down in dosage, and ended up going to detox. 

I had burning nerves in my brain blood vessels, burning legs, arms, shoulders, back and more. I had come off a fast taper of AD 7 months earlier before taking the Xanax so it made my condition much worse; I was paradoxical from the start from the Xanax.

My doc gave me the Xanax because I was having such bad anxiety from the AD withdrawal. What a mistake!! I didn’t even know what Xanax was. I started getting interdose withdrawals and finally researched it. It hurt me badly.  The burning has been excruciating and absolutely inconceivable pain.  The CT basically boxed my CNS. 

At any rate, due to the severe burning nerve pain after the Xanax detox, I was prescribed gabapentin. I didn’t want to take it but I had to have some sort of relief to survive. My body was on fire like being doused in gasoline and a match lit. My tissues felt like a wild bear tearing apart. The gabapentin helps me some but does not completely get rid of the burning and pain. Everyone is different. 

Lyrica (pregabalin) is much stronger and harder to get off of. Many people will have varying opinions about these gabapentinoids and think they are bad, however they have helped many and they do NOT hit the gaba receptors. Some people think because gabapentin has the word “gaba” in it that it hits the gaba receptors; this is simply not true. 

It is my understanding that Gabapentin is a calcium channel blocker, and helps to calm the glutamate storm that the benzos leave behind and allows more of our “existing” gaba to thrive.  As an aside, we have plenty of gaba, but because of the Benzo, our gaba receptors have been down regulated and must now up regulate to heal. 

Tapering off the gabapentin can be a challenge for some, but should be a cakewalk compared to Benzo withdrawal, if tapered slowly.  There are horror stories about withdrawal of these gabapentinoids, but there are successful ones too.

Some people use gabapentin or lyrica to help with withdrawal and then taper off once they are healed. I am still using the gabapentin as I still have the horrible nerve pain. I have come down in dosage. The all over burning has gotten better, and I am still living this nightmare at 21 months off the Xanax. I will fully taper the gabapentin slowly once I am healed.  I sure wish I didn’t have to take it but i would not have survived without it. What a nightmare this all is. I have other very challenging symptoms as well. 😢 I’ve spent thousands on doctors, labs, neurologists, MRI, nerve conduction and more. All tests normal.

Here are a few videos about the use of gabapentin in withdrawal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5Mfxro55Ic&t=10s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKFjhGjcZFk

i hope this information helps. If you are able to handle the nerve pain, I wouid try to do so without adding another med. but if you are like me, it may help you. Again, everyone is different. I’m no expert, but just giving my experience. I  hope you feel better.

Take care! 

Edited September 26, 2023 by [jo...]

[[Su...]]

Very good information.  I have the burning too along with other horrible symptoms. In your experience is gabapentin quick acting,  can you take it as needed or must it be daily? ....in your experience 

[[Su...]]

For anyone interested,  I spoke to my cousin who works at a methadone clinic and is boots on the ground with different drug effects.  

She sent me this article link. Gabapentin article

 

I think I'm going to hold off on gabapentin for now.  With all my other symptoms I feel I could do easily fall into another trap.

[[Su...]]

On a related note, I found a barely used dry sauna for sale nearby. I have read many people saying sweating gets out the toxins. Might give it a try.

[[jo...]]

On 23/08/2023 at 15:44, [[S...] said:

Very good information.  I have the burning too along with other horrible symptoms. In your experience is gabapentin quick acting,  can you take it as needed or must it be daily? ....in your experience 

Hi there, I edited my post above and added a few links about the gabapentin. I spoke to Dan last week. He is now doing Benzo coaching. You might find his videos about the gabapentin helpful. 
Gabapentin can be felt pretty quickly startup on a low dose and increasing to the dose that provides relief. It is taken daily. The absorbency lasts 4-5 hours so it is typically taken 3x per day. When coming off the gabapentin you wouid taper slowly. Hope this helps. Take care. 

[[jo...]]

Yes here is another article. https://careplusnj.org/understanding-gabapentin-and-benzodiazepines/

 

Here are the videos from Benzo coach that I mentioned above discussing gabapentin: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5Mfxro55Ic&t=10s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKFjhGjcZFk

 

Edited September 26, 2023 by [jo...]

[[Gr...]]

@[jo...] Is Gabapentin drying? I tried it once and I felt it dried my eyes. I have been taking 75mg Lyrica here and there when the burning is really bad. It seems to help and helps me sleep. It doesn't dry me out which is a problem now with this WD. It seems the moisture has been sucked out of me.  I would love to find something that works. Thanks

[[jo...]]

16 minutes ago, [[G...] said:

@[jo...] Is Gabapentin drying? I tried it once and I felt it dried my eyes. I have been taking 75mg Lyrica here and there when the burning is really bad. It seems to help and helps me sleep. It doesn't dry me out which is a problem now with this WD. It seems the moisture has been sucked out of me.  I would love to find something that works. Thanks

Hi @[Gr...] I haven’t experienced any drying from the gabapentin directly but it I do have it sometimes, especially during the night; It might just be the Benzo withdrawals. My optometrist gave me some good eye drops moisturizer which helps. I have dry skin and hair from withdrawal as well. Just awful! 
 

Oddly, I initially tried .50 Lyrica for the burning nerve pain and it made my eyesight really weird so I couldn’t take it and had to use the gabapentin instead. Lyrica has much better absorption levels, so I will wish it would have helped me. I’m glad it’s helping you. I hope the dry eyes resolves for you soon. 💕

Edited September 26, 2023 by [jo...]

[[Gr...]]

@[jo...] Hello. BTW, the best drops and nasal sprays are preservative (benzalkonium chloride (BAK) free. BAK is drying. It is also very bad. Banned in Europe. Systane makes one called Complete PF. There is also eye ointment without BAK which is very lubricating for before bedtime because it causes blurriness. Then there is Arm & Hammer Simply Saline p-free nasal spray (some pharmacies have their own brand). 

You said your hair and skin are dry. Any sinus drying?  Mine are wiped out. While I was still taking Xanax earlier this summer I noticed my hair had been getting very dry. I knew it wasn't my shampoo and conditioner. I had/have healthy hair. I had a thyroid check and it was good. It boiled down to the Xanax. I became increasingly disgusted taking it and I finally decided to stop the poison. My hair seems better so far. Knock on wood. 

My skin is horrible and I never had a problem with my skin in all my life. I am flushed and inflamed all across my cheeks and nose. The skin is very parched and it burns. I don't understand what is going on. I cannot put anything on my skin except a lukewarm cloth with some colloidal oatmeal and even that made my skin inflamed today. It swells up for no reason. I am going to a dermatologist on Wednesday to get something to calm it and find out what's going on. Should I tell her the truth about this withdrawal? She may not understand, but then she may if she has people come in with the same problem(?) I want to be honest, but she might put it in the the notes where anyone else in the network can see and I don't know if I want that.  Also, I am kind of embarrassed for her to know I had been taking this.

Once again, I cannot sleep. My burning facial skin and swelling/inflammation is the absolute worst of my symptoms. It's excruciating. I am having a hard time with this entire withdrawal mostly because of that. It becomes intense at night and I can't sleep. It's after 1am on the East Coast and I have to be up at 7.  I took a Lyrica a few hours ago. It may not have helped or maybe it would it be even worse than this if I hadn't.  I am hoping this is the peak for me and it gets better from here? Ugh.

 

[[ne...]]

Hi all. I`m taking pregabalin/lyrica.   It helps a bit but doesn`t take all the nerve pain away.   What dose are you all taking ( if you`re taking Lyrica?) 

I`m on 100 mg x twice a day, I think I may need a higher dose?   I`d love to know how everyone else is doing taking any of these drugs.   

 

I`m 3 months off today.  pregabalin has helped the burning in my feet and neck pain seems better, so IDK if that was due to go anyway.  The worst symptom left is  nerve pain in and around my tailbone which I wish would go