Came off Lyrica last week, i've lost 6lbs but

[hardhatdonned]

I feel like complete shit :( does anyone know of any effective alternatives for chronic pain/fibromyalgia? I'm at the pain clinic in a few weeks but much much prefer to go the natural route, if there is one, any ideas?

DId you wean off slowly as you can get bad wiwithdrawal symptoms. (You should only drop about 25mg daily each week).

Sorry, but I have no suggestions for you (lyrica was my saviour) but bumping for you.

Thank you Milliways, no, i did things in my usual all or nothing way and stopped taking it altogether was on 75mg twice a day.

No wonder you feel awful! You were at risk of fitting doing that

Speak to your GP, you may find a balance with a low dose?

am i?!! fuck!

Don't worry- not if you stopped a week ago!

My GP just gave me strong warnings to never stop cold turkey as they are epilepsy meds that your brain gets used to. Just saying, that may explain why you feel awful as you went cold turkey.

I take Gabapentin (predecessor to Lyrica) am also coming off it but very slowly for the reasons mentioned by Milli
Im scared how im going to cope with pain after im off it but i suppose i'll use techniques i was taught in pain management, not that they will get rid of the pain but help with coping.
Im scared to drop to the down to the next dose but will try tomorrow.
Its also my saviour!

Ah, i didn't realise that thank you. Think i'm going to see what else i can try that means i won't end up like a blimp or curled up in a sleepy pain riddled ball

I know its horrible, how long were you on it for? although my side effects faded and i find it to be better than the alternatives offfered to me

i put on a lot of weight but managed to diet and drop it after 1.5 years
will go back on it next year though (its temporary for me) as i really cant cope.so you dropped 6llbs when you came off???

About 6 - 9 months in which time i've put on over 30lbs. I've managed to lose the weight partly by stopping lyrica and partly by going onto a gluten free diet (i am wheat intolerent and find i drop weight extremely quickly if i go totally gluten free). It's the balancing act of weight gain, weight loss and pain management i'm finding hard. I can't maintain a gluten free diet full time, and i don't need to, but unless i live on dust i still put on weight, and lots of it :(

These 6-9 months are the best i've felt in years and i do wonder if i should stay on it for the sake of my family - i've been horrendous this week :(

have you tried gabapentin?
i know how you feel ie for the sake of the family, im thinking of coming off temporarily to have another baby hence the need to come off although not entirely sure if that?s necessary.

i worry about being in this chronic pain for life and taking the meds forever and the effect on the body but i know realistically its not possible to function without. the first few months of gaba were horrendous for me but i adjusted quite well and although i don?t take a high enough dose to eliminate pain it takes the edge off; maybe maintain a very low dose?
i suppose its hard to tell as youve gone cold turkey and how you would of reacted otherwise if you had weaned yourself off.

when i was experiencing the original side effects in the early days they suggested i switch to your pregabalin so i suppose that may apply to you? you may not put on so much weight then, responding differently perhaps? Its depressing i know
good luck give it time and also consult your pain management people