Pregablin does anyone take it?

[Cavvies]

How you don’t mind me asking!

my dog has chiari malformation and he on pregablin for it.

I was just wondering if anyone takes it themselves and can share their experiences of it?

i understand that canine physiology is different to humans! But as I understand it should generally speaking have the same impact.

I forgot to give him a dose today and I just don’t know how that impacts on him. Or just generally how that feels.

thank you! (And yes. I am THAT dog owner)

I started on it today, as it happens. Took one tablet (50mg) at 9am, slept all afternoon. Woozy as hell. I've probably typed a right load of gibberish today. I am told I need to give it time to settle down. My leaflet says don't give a late dose if it's within 2 hours of the next one iyswim.

Funnily enough, one of beloved elderly cats (RIP) was on the similar medication Gabapentin.

I guess we are all creatures of god who deserved to be cared about

Oh thank you!

he was on gabapenin before but it was so obvious that it knocked him around that we switched over to prefablin.

so he’s not at all as clearly knocked out - he’s been on the pregablin for a couple of years - I recently tried to reduce the dose but I think some of his pain came back so I upped it again but honestly it’s so hard to tell! (This is all vet supervised)

i do sometimes compare the health care my dog gets to me - so yes I pay insurance for him - but if he needs it he can always get a same day appointment. Whenever he needs to see a specialist I can get him booked in. The other day he had a lump on his eye that needed to be taken off and he was booked in for an operation within two days!

thanks for responding- hope it works for you. It seems to have worked well for my boy I hope!

How is he doing today?

I can confirm it's a very, erm, effective medication. I'm putting off taking my tablet today because I need to get some work done!

I'm only on a small dose as well.

I took it for a while, a few years ago. It made me feel ever so slightly more relaxed, and very clumsy. It also dropped my RHR to around 40bpm (previously ≈55bpm) and prevented my heart rate going above about 120 during exercise (which meant my body wasn't getting enough oxygen to power the exercise, so if I kept pushing hard I blacked out). I took myself off it after a nasty ankle-twist while running that probably wouldn't have happened if it hadn't made me so clumsy.

I doubt most of these things will happen to your dog, though. They don't seem to happen to most humans 😅🙄

I'm a total side-effect magnet when I start a new medication. I've tried so many things. Not bust my ankle (yet!) but fell down the stairs on Doxazasin during lockdown, which was somewhat demoralising on top of everything else.

I agree about the 'relaxing' feel of pregabalin. My GP warned me to watch out for my heart rate. (I've got a monitor.)

Well, he IS a relaxed dog. But now I’m wondering if that’s because I’ve been drugging him for a couple of years 😂

missed dose doesn’t seem to have been a major issue

Aah, happy little laddo. Keep up the good drugging work!

😍

I do. I take it once a day for back pain

That's what I've got it for. Disc trouble causing peripheral neuropathy. (This is on top of inflammatory arthritis ... my 'health' is carnage.)

Does it work for you, @Soubriquet, do you mind me asking?

It does. If I run out and need to wait for my prescription there’s a noticeable decline in my mobility and pain and it can take me a few days to get back to “normal”

Oh that’s interesting - he has been reluctant to walk today but I thought it was because we had to do a big walk yesterday because we were traveling. Maybe it’s because he’s a bit spacey because of the missed dose.

thank you!

Happy him

Oh that little face. So lovely.

Thank you - I appreciate the info. I guess I'll give it a good trial, see what happens.

This may be my favourite question. I’ve taken it for about 4 years for nerve pain. I’m chilled out too, lower heart rate. I can miss one dose or up to a day without noticing but any longer I feel jittery and the pain is worse. It’s meant to be a nightmare to stop taking it completely. I put on weight too not through an increased appetite but I think it’s the lower heart rate burns less calories. Happy to answer any more questions.

Oh that’s interesting - it’s a constant struggle with his weight! As soon as I take my eye off the ball he pudges out in an instant.

@1idea do you find that after long walks you are more tired??

thank you!

I've taken it for nerve pain. It didn't help me at all :(

@Sistanotcista oh that’s a shame.

it took ages to work out the dose for my puppy - and he also has onsior once a day.

I know that nerve pain can be so difficult to treat though

What are you trying now, @Sistanotcista? I've worked my way through so many medications ('all the colours in all the sizes' as Maureen Lipman might say).

(I'm doing physio too.)

@Cavvies - thought it, but forgot to say it - your dog is utterly gorgeous!

@SpinCityBlues - argh, I hear you. I feel like I've tried everything too, and nothing really helps. What does mitigate the pain slightly is walking (recommended by my physio), and 400 mcg of Ibuprofen every night (not recommended by my physio!)

@Cavvies yes I think so, I’m not sure if that’s linked to the lower heart rate and I mainly fall asleep in about 2 minutes at night unless I’m very stressed

I can confirm ZERO problems falling asleep…he has exactly zero stress in his life…

thsts really helpful to know thank you - he does struggle with long walks, or a whole day of walking.

im thinking of getting a doggy backpack to carry him when he gets tired.

@Sistanotcista thank you! He is very cute. I have about 20,000 photos of him so plenty more if needed 😁🐶