New medication side effects help!

[maliafawn]

Posting here for traffic, sorry!

I was prescribed pregabalin twice a day, yesterday, i took a dose before bed and another dose this morning, 75mg.

Im off my face, literally high as a kite, i feel like im floating, i cant see properly, i cant focus, im starting something then totally forgetting what im doing distracted by nothing.

I understand the spacey feeling was a possible side effect, i didnt expect it to be this intense though. my eyes are pin prick i look off my face!

Ive got to take my daughter to the hairdressers in 3 hours, i cant drive so can get a taxi, but theyre going think im on drugs, which i kind of am, but illegal ones! We cant not go! Its for her prom hair, then, i have to do her make up! Shes going to look ridiculous.

So my question, has anyone taken this and can tell me it will have worn off by 2pm and i have to take her to get her hair done, and all the other prom prep! Cos i cant do it when im high as a kite floating with the fairies!

Just to mention, my kids at 22 18 and 16, 2 are at work, just the youngest here, so im not responisible for any small children in my current drugged up state.

Its taken me 20 minutes to type this out, i apologise for any remaining typos.

Anyone 😭

What are you taking it for?

Don't have any more for at least 24 hours.

And drink plenty of water (not sure why I said that, but it seems sensible

All you can do is assess how you feel in 3 hours

It sounds like one dose at night would be best - but you really need to speak to GP about that plus randoms on internet can't really advise properly.

Its for nerve damage to my spine and leg,

The box says it can cause dizzyness drowsiness and vision disturbances then in capitals warning do not stop taking this medication

You need a doctor not the internet.

Ive called the GPs an im still waiting for them to call me back 2 hours later which is why i posted tosee if anyone had had similar side effects and how long they lasted.

Prcegablin is a nasty medication which can be highly addictive due to that off your face feeling.

speak to your gp and seek an alternative where possible.

This is what i asked the recptionist and im waiting for them to call back, to see if i can reduce it to just at night to start with as i cant be like this every day!

It feels bloody awful! Im a bit of a control freak and i feel like im not in control of anything

I take pregabalin at that dose, but I started with a tiny dose at night and worked up really gradually before adding a morning dose. I felt a bit drunk and giggly for a few days when I started it, but nothing like you're experiencing. I think I started with 25mg at night for two weeks in liquid form and took about six weeks to get to 75mg, and then did the same with the morning dose. My brain is a canary though, so my neurologist knows it has to be treated with kid gloves. That's probably not much help, but I hope you feel better in time for your daughter's appointment.

A lot of people suffer the same with pregabalin. I don't - I'd love to feel a bit off my face for a while but it doesn't have that effect on me!

There are other options such as gabapentin or amitryptiline, but quite often if you react that way to pregabalin you will to the others too. It's worth speaking to your doctor though because you can't go on like this.

@maliafawn I took pregalbin for about a month for nerve pain as well. In my case related to late stage Lyme Disease. It didn't really work out very well for my symptoms for a number of reasons that maybe we can talk about later but as I see it, the thing that you're most worried about in the short term is getting your daughter ready for her prom?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pregabalin

Wikipedia suggests that the half life of Pregalbin is between 4.5 to 7 hours.

So: Let's say you took your last dose at 9am. (It was probably earlier but I'm being a bit worst case scenario.) You'd only had one other dose the night before, so it hasn't really had time to have a cumulative effect.

You posted at 11.22am and your daughter's hair appointment must be at around 2.30pm?

It's bang on 1pm now, so how are you feeling? A bit more with it?

The main elimination route is via the kidneys so all you can do is drink plenty of water.

Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor. Hope things work out for you. Has anybody phoned back yet?

I took it about 8am i think, i still spacey but not as bad as long as i sit down, standing is awful. I have to leave in a minute now to get there as we need to get some little elastic ties first. Ill keep drinking loads though. And hopefully i dont collapse in the middle of the town centre

GP hasnt called and the surgery is now closed

Im just going to take it at night for now,until i can speak to him again

@maliafawn Oh, half life of a drug generally means the time it has a clinical effect. But things vary from person to person, of course but you should be, 'Sobering up' as it were, at the eight hour mark? Hopefully?

Again: Disclaimer: My only qualification here is having taken it myself.

@maliafawn Let us know how you get on, eh? Don't do anything daft, mind you x

I survived, i was a bit wobbly but my daughter held me up and supported me bless her. Her hair looks absolutely amazing though so it was fully worth the effort.

Thank you for the advice, i felt like i was going crazy, it was a horrible feeling - i dont understand how anyone could enjoy that!

Bit late now but I’m on loads of medication and never start a new one on the day of/day before an important event as there’s always the risk of severe side effects. Obviously not all medication can be delayed like this in which case it’s tough luck but maybe something to have in mind for the future. Hope your daughter’s prom goes well 🤞

Im wondering if this is why i reacted so much to it. Ive only ever taken paracetamol, ibuprofen and antibiotics a handful of time in 40 years! I only had gas and air with all 3 births, never anything stronger. So maybe thats why i had such an reaction to it.

People just react differently to different medications. Hopefully you’ll feel better soon.

@maliafawn What a relief! In the words of Dora The Explorer, "We did it!"

Still got the make up and the dress to sort out though, eh?

Have you eaten? Got to push a bit of the old nutriments down the gullet to keep you funtioning as well.

I had a pastry and a latte whilst she was having her hair done.

Hopefully i can do her make up ok she doesnt end up looking like elphaba as she has green glitter to match her dark green dress!

@maliafawn I really want to see the dress now but it might be outing and it's none of my business really. So feel free to ignore me...

Try a much smaller dose at night from now on. Glad you survived!

Best person to talk to about medication and side effects is a pharmacist. Preferably your nominated pharmacy so they can look at your records but any will do. They’re absolutely brilliant when it comes to how to handle side effects and whether it would be worth lowering your dose. Give them a call.

Hope your daughter has a wonderful time at prom.