Pregabalin

[Rainsbow]

I've been prescribed this for anxiety/migraine but I'm shit scared to try it. I'm so so sensitive to meds (citalopram nearly killed me). The side effects sound traumatic. How has it been for those on it?

[CMOTDibbler]

I take this for nerve pain, and its ok - but you do have to work your way up the dosage levels, and some side effects just need time to go. The first time I was on it, it made me sound slurry but I'd upped the dosage quickly. This time it'll have taken me 4 months to get to 200mg a day

[Rainsbow]

Oh god that's what I'm afraid of. Drownisness, not being me, out of it etc. I'm a teacher I can't be spaced out and responsible for 30 kids

[Rainsbow]

Citalopram at 10mg nearly killed me. So the lowest dose of anything reacts like a big dose with me.

[CMOTDibbler]

It doesn't make me drowsy at all - in fact quite the opposite as I am sleeping better

[Rainsbow]

Weight gain? I'm getting married in four months that would be awful!
Suicidal intentions? Wtf?

[rosie39forever]

I took a low dose for nerve damage and couldn't cope with it, unbelievably drowsy, slurred speech and crippling abdominal pain and constipation, having said that I have a friend who is on a fairly high dose and it's been a life saver with almost no side effects so give it a go if it doesn't suit stop.

[needastrongone]

Been on it a long time for nerve pain. You build up slowly to minimise drowsiness anyway. Perhaps because of this, I didn't experience said drowsiness.

I'm a size 6 so no weight gain either.

Amitriptiline knocked me for six.

[UnicornMadeOfPinkGlitter]

I'm on it for pain relief. Im only on 50mg twice a day and hoping to increase at next review.

Haven't had any issues with it.

[Slimthistime]

What happened with the citalopram?

I know one person who took it for severe anxiety,it helped, she was like a different person. I don't know the dose.

She was able to go to work with no drowsiness or anything but i would still take it after work if possible. No slurred words or anything.

[Slimthistime]

Took pregablin I should say! Changed her life, she tried a few SSRIs first.

[poisonedbypen]

Just because you reacted to one medication doesn't mean that you will react to another, totally different medication. Unless, of course, that you believe it will happen, in which case it probably will.

[KeepCalm74]

I take pregabalin for crippling anxiety and it has been v good. No weight gain only side effect was a little drowsiness/grogginess at first. Just because you had a bad time with one drug doesn't mean you are sensitive to all meds. It really does depend on each one. As a teacher could you start over the school holidays to see how it affects you?

[Rainsbow]

Been prescribed 25mg at night then twice a day, then one 50, twice a day etc etc up to 75mg.

Slurred speech petrifies me too.

I'm medication phobic in general.

[lyrebird1]

I am on a pretty high dose for nerve pain and am fine - no side effects, and I am also pretty sensitive to medications. I was dizzy and drowsy for about a day after each dose increase so maybe increase on a weekend.

Weight gain only affects 16% of people who take it, so you will probably be OK. I think you just have to give things a go and hope for the best - one thing to note though, if it doesn't suit you, ask your GP about how best to reduce the dose as you can get withdrawal symptoms if you just stop taking it.

[DrMadelineMaxwell]

I was on carbamazepine for neuralgia and had dreadful side effects. Was drowsy to the point of being unsafe to drive and couldn't stay awake sitting in a crowded room. I am also a teacher so was off work because of the side effects more than the actual problem itself.

Luckily, if you find you can't tolerate them, you can usually stop straight away if you haven't built up too high a dose, and the side effects disappear.

I'm now on gabapentin, which is a sister drug to pregablin and tolerate it really well. There are a few niggly side effects that get right on my nerves and stand out to me as they do affect me in terms of my job, but others wouldn't really notice them.

And lack of pain (mostly) is a wonderful thing!