Lyrica PWS?

[[ar...]]

I am now off Lyrica but still feeling some effects eight months later.  I would appreciate advice/comments.  Here is my story:

 

August 08 I was misdiagnosed with fibromyalgia and prescribed Lyrica, 75mgs once per day.  The first two doses were ok, but the third put me into a real fog.  I couldn’t read simple sentences.  My short-term memory was shot.  I hated it and wanted off.

 

I had read this was a drug you need to taper so I cut to 75 mgs every other day for about week.  Then I got some 25mg capsules and took one daily for 5 days.  Finally I got down to 25mgs every other day for 5 days.  Total, I took about 637.5mgs over three weeks.  A tiny amount, but I have still not completely recovered.

 

The first 6 weeks anything stressful at work left me exhausted.  Even a long drive was pushing it.  By November/December I was feeling better.  I was able to drink red and white wine with no real problems.  Chocolate ok.  By January/February I thought I my Lyrica nightmare was over.

 

Then, this month, a big relapse.  For the first time in ages, I had a glass of Scotch whiskey.  Huge mistake.  I felt awful for days.  I felt like I wasn’t getting restful sleep.  My dreams were weird and extremely vivid again.  I knew it couldn’t be the alcohol because wine wasn’t a problem.  I found an article that says the fragrance in whiskey affects GABA.  I now am getting better, slowly, after 3 weeks.

 

http://www.websciences.org/cftemplate/NAPS/archives/indiv.cfm?ID=20033400

 

I am wondering two things:

 

1. Did I taper too fast?

2. Has any one had a similar experience with whiskey?  Any ideas?

 

Thanks for any advice and info you can offer me.

 

[[Th...]]

Hi argybargy,

 

Welcome to BenzoBuddies!!

 

Since Lyrica is not a benzo, I am not familiar with how one would taper off of it. We have had a few people here in the past use Lyrica and one said in no uncertain terms never to take it. You might want to do a forum search by clicking forum at the top of the page and then typing Lyrica in the search box to the right.

 

I do know that some here that have tapered off their benzo have had problems drinking any kind of alcohol without ill effects months after finishing their taper.

 

Glad you feeling a little better! 

 

T2

[[Bl...]]

I didn't take Lyrica for too long because it exhausted me throughout the next day.  It seemed to effect me similar to Neurontin.  I will never take it again.

[[ad...]]

Hi all,

 

Lyrica (pregabalin) and Neurontin (gabapentin) both work on GABA.  As their names kind of give away.    Just like benzos.   

 

Lots of docs seem to give them as alternatives to benzos...they obviously work to make one feel better.  Probably like taking more benzos, imo.  I actually tried some Lyrica in desperation in the last and worst tapering days.  It didn't get me any further ahead, that's for sure. 

 

So I would think that anything that applies to benzo tapering and withdrawals would also apply to Lyrica and Neurontin.  Lyrica is somewhat "new" I think...past few years really.  So it doesn't surprise me that doctors have not yet figured out how to get people off it. 

 

It seems many of us getting off benzos have found that our CNS (central nervous system) are much more sensitive than BEFORE taking the benzos.  Call it a curse, or a gift.  However it works, things just aren't the same anymore.  So that would apply to anything that works on the CNS/brain (like alcohol), right? 

 

Maybe you're one of those, Argy, that has been "gifted"  now with the inability to take anything else?  If so, congratulations!!! 

--adelia

[[Bl...]]

Maybe you're one of those, Argy, that has been "gifted"  now with the inability to take anything else?  If so, congratulations!!! 

--adelia

Yeup - I'm one of those truely 'gifted' people alright.  The w/d is making me totally crave chocolate.  I am eating a ton of peanut m&m's every day. The things are making me sick, but I keep eating them --- now, that is an addiction!!

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hey Bubbles, I've been gifted with the peanut butter addiction thing, for sure!!!! OMG, talk about craving.  There's this cool peanut butter called "Naturally More".  It has egg whites and flax seed oil in it.  I know, it sounds stupid, but it also has some kind of sugar crystals in it, and I'm not supposed to be eating sugar, else the eating really gets out of control!  I lost 25 lbs last year from Klon sickness.  And about 4 weeks being off Klon, I was gaining back about 2 pounds a week...seriously!  I was at risk of having to buy yet more new jeans just to have something to wear. 

 

--adelia

[[Bl...]]

hey Bubbles, I've been gifted with the peanut butter addiction thing, for sure!!!! OMG, talk about craving.  There's this cool peanut butter called "Naturally More".  It has egg whites and flax seed oil in it.  I know, it sounds stupid, but it also has some kind of sugar crystals in it, and I'm not supposed to be eating sugar, else the eating really gets out of control!  I lost 25 lbs last year from Klon sickness.  And about 4 weeks being off Klon, I was gaining back about 2 pounds a week...seriously!  I was at risk of having to buy yet more new jeans just to have something to wear. 

 

--adelia

Thanks Adelia.  I am going to try and get off the sugar. I'm being told people to through sugar withdrawal --- ha! Just what I need right now.  I can barely use my arms because of the pressure on the nerves caused by the muscle cramping.  No M&M's today - but did eat some Junior Mints, they are probably worse though.   

I was reading how seroquel and risperdol cause weight gain.  I had lose A LOT of weight before I started taking seroquel years ago, for improperly treated PMS symptoms.  I immediately started gaining all the weight back. I can't tell you how much lost and re-gained.  It is embarrassing.  But I really believe any more that it is not 'me' that is the problem --- I had a lot of help.  Nice drugs...

[[...]]

adelia,

 

you say: "Lyrica (pregabalin) and Neurontin (gabapentin) both work on GABA.  As their names kind of give away.  cheesy  Just like benzos. "

 

But according to this study I just read, it was found that........

 

"Despite their structural similarity to the inhibitory transmitter gamma amino butyric acid (GABA), neither pregabalin nor gabapentin bind to GABAA or GABAB receptors, nor do they interact with GABA uptake transporters (, and studies suggesting that they may act via a specific presynaptic GABAB heterodimeric complex (9) have been disproved (8, 10)."

 

Source>http://www.pnas.org/content/103/46/17537.full 

 

John

[[ad...]]

I meant to say....they work "around" GABA. 

 

Thanks John.

 

--adelia