Help with lyrica withdrawal symptoms ??

[Paladin97]

I have a question regarding lyrica withdrawal symptoms ................ I am currently suffering with this and am on day 38 with no end in sight from these godawful symptoms ............... in fact,  it has gotten worse in the last 48 hrs,  which is so depressing,  as I thought I would improve as I distanced myself from the drug ...    I was only on a very low dose and for a short period of time,  but my body has become dependant on other meds in the past in the same way,  so I am not surprised that it happened,  but I am surprised by the severity and length of suffering  .............  If it doesn't improve,  I won't be able to go to work any longer,  which terrifies me  ........  is there anyone out there with suggestions regarding things I can do to lessen the severity of these wds?  I have an appt to see my doctor on Wednesday,  but I am really afraid of not making it through this..................  is there anything she can do ?    Will I be like this forever  ???

Thanks so much ...

[Michellemialeena]

I am currently on 2 and a half months of withdrawal from Cymbalta, which is like lyrica, I still feel horrible. I am extremely depressed, anxious, and now I have tardive dyskensia from it. I never feel good. I have been bedridden for 2 months. I have not found anything yet that helps. Hang in there.

[Ros_UK]

I was on Lyrica 400mg per day for nearly 10 yrs. I remember feeling very tired & sluggish at first but that eventually went away. What I was left with was a total lack of emotion - a bland easy going personality, which wasn't me! Slept well though. Then they told me I had had a misdiagnosis & there was nothing wrong with me!! ( I'd always thought that) Getting off it is absolute hell. I've been very slowly - no more than a 10% drop at a time then waited to stabilise before I dropped again. Withdrawal is worse the longer you are on it but here goes. Day of drop - headache , tinnitus, nausea, acid stomach & BAD, BAD insomnia.
Day two  - all of the above but worse plus anxiety, snappiness, fatigue, body aches - felt like flu.
Days three & four - all getting worse.
Days five - seven  easing off a bit but the fatigue lingers & insomnia takes much , much longer. I've got to the point now I've reduced to 100mg per day but can only drop 1mg a time using liquid Lyrica.

If you drop more quickly the withdrawal symptoms are much, much worse & last longer than a few days. Tried it once  - never again.

Please avoid this drug if you can because it really 'messes' with your brain & getting off it is hell.

[Karenmom]

I've been on Lyrica for almost 2 years. Just 6 weeks ago I was taking approx. 700mg daily. Today I am down to 100mg daily. I was prescribed it for anxiety so I felt comfortable doing a faster taper. If I was on it for epilepsy I would not have done this fast taper because it seems to make whatever you took it for a lot worse when withdrawing.
My withdrawal effects are flu-like symptoms, aching & fatigued muscles, headaches, aggression, depression, suicidal thoughts, hopelessness, feelings of losing sanity at times, insomnia, paranoia. These effects mostly go away when I dose again.
I will not let this nasty evil drug destroy me. When I get off it I will NEVER take it again EVER.  I will be very careful in future about what I allow into my body.
My whole personality has temporarily gone but I know I am still in there & I can see myself coming back as I take less of this drug.
I've had to quit my job over it & I am too ill to work at the moment. I just concentrate on looking after my family & getting better.  I am so determined to get back to me again and I will and you can too.  You will all be stronger people, more switched onto the big pharma game and able to help others avoid this mess we've found ourselves in.
Here's my taper plan:
6 weeks ago I was on 700mg
5 weeks ago I was on 450mg
4 weeks ago I was on 325mg
3 weeks ago I was on 250mg
2 weeks ago I was on 250mg
1 week ago I was on 100mg
This week 100mg
Next week 75mg
In 2 weeks 60mg
In 3 weeks 50mg
In 4 weeks 40mg
In 5 weeks 30mg
In 6 weeks 20mg
In 7 weeks 10mg
In 8 weeks 0

Good luck everyone, you can do it.

[jaspa745]

I've been on lyrica for nearly two years. I developed chronic neuropathic pain after a rare form of meningitis. I left hospital with a cocktail of pain meds including corticosteroids, targin, lyrica, endone and more. I am in the final stages of my goal to get off all of this. I have been tapering my dose of lyrica and it's been hard work. Every time I drop a level I feel an improvement for one to three days then have between one and two weeks of backlash...  Increased pain, headaches, anxiety, depression, fatigue, difficulty sleeping. To help me keep going I've found homoeopathic remedies taken with the guidance of a qualified practitioner has helped. I've also been seeing an acupuncturist. A 2016 study on opiod by CU Boulder found that in cases of neuropathic pain opiod actually increased the length of time pain was felt. Opiods act on calcium channels as does pregabalin so I think this study is worth keeping in mind. If you're not wanting to consider alternative therapies all I can say is taper extremely slowly and be patient. I let myself stabilise for about two weeks before trying the next drop. So far I'm down to 6mg a day. I was one 300mg day and night to start off with. I'm planning to go to 3mg and then 0. The pain in the last drop from 10 to 6 has been as not far off some of the worst I've had in 6 months. I've also been strict with my diet - little to no sugar as it's inflammatory, little to no alcohol. I notice a definite pain increase when I have sugar (I now look at sugar values in everything I buy). Good luck!

[juliana508]

Has anyone found anything to take that helps with the withdrawal symptoms? Any herbal or nutritional remedies for example?  Any association with nutritional deficiencies such as low vitamin D or minerals.  There MUST be some help for this & I suspect it doesn't lie in the medical profession.

[missymac1981]

If you find anything please let me know. This is my second attempt to get off it in as many weeks.The symptoms are worse than the pain I had previously and I am so angry that Doctors do not warn patients about the horrible withdrawl symptoms.

[Malia4029]

Wow! As I read your message this is me. Car accident, nerve pain along the spine and neck. I went through a lot of different treatments to help with the constant pain I had, until I was sent to a pain management doctor years ago. I too take Lyrica and Cymbalta. And it seemed like a miracle. As long as I take the dosage as prescribed I do pretty well except when I overdo working in the house. I too have been worried that I am losing my cognative skills and my husband says often that he doesn't understand what I am trying to say, and I feel always in a fog. My memory is shot, and my depression only seems to become worse. I had no idea all of what I have been feeling is from the 2 meds that I thought was a God's send. Now I am wondering if a combination of these 2 meds has altered our brain functions permantly. Of all of these comments I have been reading, is there anyone who can function without these two meds? I feel frightened now because now I can't tell damned if you do or damned if you don't. The one thing I do remember is the pain before and prayed so desperately find anything that would help me get rid of the pain, now look where I am. I only hope I can find this post again. Thank you for your help Malia4029

[opiatednurse]

I have been on lyrica for a year now for nerve pain associated with 2herniated discs and 3 bulged disc's . started at 75mgs b.i.d and up to 150mgs b.i.d for the last 6 months. I ran out of this med too early twice. First time experienced flu like symptoms like runny nose teary eyes general unwell feeling, feverish, restlessness,  and the worst...insomnia made it 3 days got my script good as new two hours after dosing. The second time.... felt nothing at all. Went over two weeks without and I didnt notice other than the nerve pain  returning. Best of luck to you who are struggling. Since the drug takes a lot good 2 to 4 weeks to get optimal results, I don't  understand how in just 2 weeks you would experience such moderate withdrawal for such low doses. Best of luck.

[metalplate21]

Hi everyone. First and fore most, I'm sorry for everybody who is going through all this messy medication craziness! I feel your pain...literally! I have been on lyrica for about 8 months due to anterior fusion surgery in my neck to help alleviate nerve pain. While on it and going through the surgery I didn't seem to have any issues, as I am also on pain medication, anti-depressants, anxiety meds and Ritalin. Im 34 and My doctor just started to taper me off the lyrica 150mg-50mg a day and adding  more gabapentin 300mg in the am only and now also 600mg at night. He for some reason thought that he should taper me off my abilify and clonidine during this time as well because of weight gain and water retention which caused extreme pain in my joints. Its been about a wk and wholy crap...the feeling of restlessness inside and looks of complete confusion on the outside are becoming way to intense more often than not. I'm a very positive person who can happily make my own decisions but within the last wk or so its all gone downhill. I'm easily agitated, more depressed, and mentally feel like I'm about to loose it...we will go with nervous breakdown feelings. I'm the kind of person who will fight these feelings and hope for the best when its out of my system. I'm now to the point where I'm not sure if I am supposed to suck it up and go thru the tapering down process...withdrawals and all or go back up on them knowing at some other point down the rd, I will have to go thru what we are all experiencing all over again. The anxiety itself could make you want to crawl under a rock but unfortunately for us...if we hide and stay depressed the symptoms will get worse. The one thing is slowly but surely we will all get through this mess our trusted doctors put us in or on. And btw...i have nothing against doctors, I'm just against the way I feel and how the withdrawals creep up on you and how you can almost mentally feel distorted from the world .I'm not sure how long I can continue feeling like this at different times during the day but as far as right now goes...i found the time and patience to read what everyone said and write a comment on it. Good luck to all! I'm sure I may have left stuff out because my short term memory went down hill while this is all happening as well. Stay positive and have faith. Find that inner strength!

[Mike19661966]

My experience with lyrica withdraw has been the same as everyone else's. I'm very tired all of the time. I think suicidal thoughts. I cannot enjoy anything.
It has been 2 months and it seems to be getting better. I have withdrew from suboxone, heroin, and pain pills in the past. Lyrica is a tough one. It is getting better. But is a slow process. I took lyrica for 5 years 200 mg a day. I try to rest as often as I can. All I can say is go through it and you will be able to tell someone how long it took for you. I don't think using one drug to overcome another I a wise thing to do. I say this because I used lyrica to offset suboxone withdrawal and as a substitute for pain management. I'm in a 12 step recovery program and it helps to keep my mind focused and gives me hope and I'm sure I will be a stronger person having gone through for a lack of better words... HELL!!!!

[innad40]

For anyone thinking about taking Lyrica or know someone who might be thinking about taking Lyrica here is my thoughts and MY OPINION: I was only on this drug for a short time - 6 mos. I was only on a smaller dosage of about 100 mg, 3 x a day. Most dosages are bigger. When I stepped up to the higher dosage of 100 mgs, 3 x a day is when the more serious side effects occurred. Those side effects were blurred vision (mostly in the a.m.) and some minor weight gain/water retention, and tactile sensitivities. The Lyrica was taken to help some neuropathy pain and maybe help the fms pain. It did nothing. It was agreed upon that if the 100 mg 3x did not help, I would then step down and discontinue using it. Let me tell you, the withdrawal symptoms that I have weathered this last week were awful. Actually, I have had these symptoms since I have stepped down from taking it 3 x a day. What I thought were "stomach virus" symptoms were really withdrawal symptoms. Please weigh your options before starting this drug and consider the side effects before going to the higher dosages. As soon as I stopped taking this my eyesight started clearing up! The water retention and swollen feet and ankles disappeared and the tactile sensitivity has greatly diminished. I'm hoping that all withdrawals symptoms are gone by the end of the week. I had serious reservations about starting this drug in the first place and had expressed them to the doctor, and that is why we had agreed on a specific timeframe. I was going to speak to the doctor about maybe taking Savella for the chronic fatigue but have done some serious research on it and have come to the conclusion that I am just going to go with the less medicine the better approach for now. With changing my eating habits and continuing to try and losing the excess weight; I'm hoping that it will make a difference in energy and in pain management.

** This was earlier this week, it is now Friday and I am just now starting to feel better.  I still have bouts of nausea, diarrhea, and stomach cramping. **

[Jambro]

I have been on 60 mg of Lyrica for 5 years- treating Fibromyalgia and I've gained almost 30 lbs.  I can't lose the weight and want to go off the Lyrica.  I also take 60 mg of Cymbalta every day.  I HATE the way I feel if I miss a dose, or even take it later in the day.  I've never had an addiction problem in my life, but this is so scary.  I really thought I was going crazy until I googled forums discussing the w/d symptoms.  

Can you please tell me if it tastes bad by diluting the capsules in water?  I really want to get off all of this, but I'm also afraid of the Fibro symptoms returning.  Thanks- any advice is appreciated.

[ChannahBracha]

Thanx, but I am totally off the Lyrica for about 3 weeks now, even though I'm still having w/d symptoms, they are manageable; ie sweaty hands & feet! I just had to do it one at a time; first get off Lyrica, then TRY to taper the Percocet. I have Klonipin to help, but only sparingly ! Trazadone, also helps and my Doc gave me some Ambien for sleep.
LOL can't say much for my pain, though...oooowwwwwww!!!! Everything has it's price.  ;-)

[ChannahBracha]

I never knew "Lyrica" was addictive until I researched it online. My doctor gave me no clue, either! Therefore, I am extremely pissed off about it since I've been on it, 75-150mg/2x day, for at least 3 years! Along with it, for my chronic pain from a broken hip, a shoulder replacement, a bad wrist re-repair....etc., they've had me on MS Contin 30mg. 2x/day annnnnnd Percocet 10/325 or Norco 10/325 4x/day for break through pain. It has all killed my appetite and being 5'4" 96 lbs., that's not good! So, I have  taken it upon myself to "detox" as much as possible. I THOUGHT I'd weaned down and off the MS Contin and very little Percocet, but I was still taking the !@@#$$ Lyrica! No wonder it was an easy detox!! The Lyrica was keeping me addicted! Now, I've had to go back to the Percocet so I could wean off the Lyrica! Even though I'm taking 3-4 Percocet/day, I am still having the sweaty hands & feet, no appetite, and if I cut the Percs in half, the withdrawals come on in 2-3 hrs! I still have  a long way to go, and I am working w/ my doc. Now I'm afraid to take much Flexiril!! IT could be addictive, too! It doesn't help that I am ADHD/Dyslexic which makes me super sensitive to how my body & brain feel. GGGGggggrrrrrrrr !!!!
    NO LYRICA!!! IT IS H3LL !!!!

[Lyricafree]

When you have problems withdrawing from Lyrica it's very important to do a very slow taper. Reducing your dose by 10% every month works for most people. And when there comes a month withdrawal symptoms still break through, just increase the dose by 10% back again and you should be fine.
When you feel you are still going too fast you can stay at a certain dose for a month longer, it will only take some more time till you are there.

Do the water titration method, and it goes like this:
Get yourself some 100 ml jars and some syringes to do the job.
For instance: empty your capsule into a 100 ml jar filled with water and shake it well. The first month you suck 10 ml of the solution out of it, the 2nd. mont 20 ml, and so on.
At he end it still can be rough, and when you feel so, just slow your taper to 5% (5 ml) a month.

This taper will last about a year, but it will prevent you from going through hell.
Lyrica withdrawal can be just as bad (or even worse) as benzo withdrawal, so take it slow and take your time.

Good luck!

[ChannahBracha]

OMG!  Are you kidding me?? I had NO idea that LYRICA was addictive! No wonder my recent self-detox from MS contin and Percoset has been especially hard! NOW I have to detox this stuff, too? GGGrrrrrrr...I am SO pissed  off w/ this !@##$ pain clinic I've been going to for 3 yrs. now since I broke my hip! Crap!!! This means my days in h3ll are not over?
These clinics just get you strung out on everything! I do not want to go back!! I am too old for this crap! But NOW I will be seriously careful about anything else I take. I'd rather have my pain than all the side effects from drugs!

[lorrienewsom]

I messaged you back.. thank you

[Yesidid]

I want us to get the story out on this over-rated and over-marketed dangerous drug. It's insane what this pharmaceutical company is getting away with.  I sent you a message Lorrie. I am not a doctor but do have a lot (way too much) personal experience with this crap.

[lorrienewsom]

I am a 40 yr old who has been on lyrica for 4 years now. I was in a car accident and due to nerve damage along my spine was put on Lyrica after surgery. I have tried to come off of it before but after day 5 i felt like i was in hell I could not stand anything touching me not even clothes i felt like I was on fire so i caved in and starting taking it again I could not stand the pain any longer.
I have memory loss, live in a fog, gained alot of weight, sleep walk. I can't think clear there are times I have speech issues like I can't say what I'm trying to and have to stop slow down and try again. Due to new health issues I have chose to come off lyrica because I can't tell where I am hurting and by all rights should be able to because of physical symptoms. My Dr. has told me that I will never be able to come off this crap, but one way or the other I am going to do this. Today is day one with no lyrica and I can already feel the burning starting and i want to cry and scream. I do not have any support and no one will listen to me about whats going on with lyrica. I just want to feel normal again and function normal before lyrica. I feel like I am going insane at times. I am so tired of feeling this way.  Can anyone help? Please!!

[lorrienewsom]

help please!!!!!

[Lyrica_Hell]

I too am about to go through another (3rd time) Lyrica withdrawal, I have dedicated a Youtube channel so people can understand how bad this drug is.

[praysformedfree]

My dr put me on Lyrica for nerve pain on top of using Fentynl patches. I had a stroke or stroke like symptoms from the Lyrica. My brain was fuzzy for months after quitting the Lyrica c/t. It has been a horrible road and I know what you are going through. I am now trying to tapper off the fentynl patches. Have withdrawl symptoms all the time. Irritable, awful depression, sweats, anorexia, fom insomnia to sleeping too much. These are horrible drugs and I do not know why the dr does not tell you what will happen when you try to stop the medications. I suffer from neurological pain almost consently but not sure what is worse, the pain or what the meds have done to me. I want my brain and life back. Hope you are doing better and hang in there. We are all in this horrible boat together.

[LyricaMom]

Don't be worried - everyone is different.  Some people only suffer for a week or two - that could be you, so stay positive!! I hope you are beginning to improve by now.

My son used Dramamine and finally got a prescription for Zofran for the nausea to take as needed.  Also, he drank a lot of ginger tea and drank ginger ale. The nausea kept him from wanting to eat, but he was able to keep food down when he did eat.  The nausea is not quite as bad at 6 weeks out, but it is still there. Also, try some electrolyte enhanced water to keep things in balance. This is unbelievable, isn't it?

[LyricaMom]

My son was on a max dose of 450mg lyrica/day for less than 2 months for anxiety.  In early March, we began what we thought was a slow taper off Lyrica, way slower than was even recommended by the manufacturer or his doctor.  By May 12, he was off completely - so that's like a 10-week taper.  Not only was the taper process full of withdrawal symptoms such as extreme dizziness, nausea, and depression, the past 6.5 weeks since his last dose have been horrible.  He has had itchiness, nightmares, dizziness, deep depression, anger, anxiety and panic attacks, nervousness, burning sensations on his skin, nausea, bowel issues.  He has had insomnia and a general inability to relax.  However, as someone said before, the cruelest thing is that you think you are getting better for a day or two and then it all comes crashing back.

We are hoping for this to end soon.  I know some people get no WD symptoms at all, while others suffer for weeks.  I wonder what it is in a person's chemistry that makes some suffer so while others can simply stop the drug.  Oh, and our doc told us there would be no WD from this drug and that it was safer than Xanenx.  This has been a nightmare.

After researching this these past couple months, my conclusions are these: In some people, Lyrica causes some extremely horrific withdrawal symptoms while others have no WD.  In these people, it does not seem to matter how long you were on the drug or what your dose was.  Also, it does not seem to matter how slowly you taper.  Some people seem to think a slow taper is the answer and if you have issues, you clearly didn't taper slowly enough. Also, the issue does not seem to be getting the drug out of your body necessarily.  What seems to be the issue is rebalancing your body after Lyrica has been dampening your nervous system.  For some people, this can take several months obviously.  

Best of luck to all who are suffering.  I would never recommend this drug as this withdrawal is way worse than the symptoms for which it was originally prescribed.

[xobeckaxo1]

That Lyrica is nasty nasty stuff. They put  my mom on it and within days she was groggy talked like her mouth was full of marbles you couldn't understand her we thought she had a stroke! The doctors even diagnosed her as a mini-stroke and because of that they removed her from all her medication during tests and she was fine they slowly started her again and BAM as soon as the lyrica hit she was horrible again this time she could never stay awake and she called me (living 40 minutes away) saying there was people in her house saying they killed my son and she was locked up in the bathroom with a loaded gun so they couldn't kill her. Needless to say the Lyrica got flushed and she went through a month - 6 weeks to get it mostly out of her system shes still tired, groggy, sometimes talks where you can't understand her. Keep the faith and take back your life!!

[mstalk]

I'm only on day 3.. knowing you all are already in the double digits is scary because I thought this could only last a week or so.. so much for being naïve.. I don't ever want back on lyrica but I don't know at what point I might need to get help from the hospital with my w/d as far as hydration and eating goes I haven't kept any food or water down and like I said I'm on day 3.. any advise will help!