Fibromyalgia Support Group

You're not alone in your pain. Fibromyalgia is a condition that can be difficult to diagnose and manage. If you're trying to cope with pain throughout your body, sleep problems, general fatigue, or other common fibromyalgia symptoms, you're in the right place. The community is here for you to talk about therapies and share your challenges.

4,403 Members
50,123 Posts
1 Online
Muscles & Bones
/ Fibromyalgia Support Group

Weaning off Lyrica

Achybones23
Achybones23

I am weaning off Lyrica.  I took it for about a month.  It does help with the fibro pain, makes my muscles less tight/stiff.  But I went thru the spectrum of side effects of being extremely dizzy and sleepy for the first two days, then became calmer than usual, then became anxious, OCD, plunged into deep depression.  All these side effects over the course of a month. I can't stand the side effects, esp. the deep depression which I am going thru now.


For the past week, I have been taking 1/2 the dosage of what I was originally taking (originally 25 mg, now about 12 mg).  And I'm about to stop it altogether.


For the last 3 days, I am been feeling VERY sleepy (despite full night of sleep, 7 hrs), a bit dizzy, and hard to concentrate. Depression lightens somewhat.  (But luckily, no return of muscle pain yet.)


Is this to be expected?  Anyone has anything to share about the process of weaning off?


Fantod
Fantod
Weaning off of Lyrica should only be done with the supervision of a doctor.
Achybones23
Achybones23
The doc already knows.

The cognitive fuzziness really bugs me. Takes a lot of effort to concentrate on my work. I wonder if this is temporary. I hope.
fibrohyg
fibrohyg
It sounds like your dose is very low, and you haven't taken it very long. You will be able to step off easily. I tried over 6 times to get off. I lost ins. coverage 3 years ago for it. I take 150 mg per day-it makes my muscles tight, and can cause more pain. Water retention is also a problem. I did much better with gabapentin in 2009. Fibrohyg
Achybones23
Achybones23
Thanks, fibrohyg. I tried gabapentin 2 years ago. It worked well and fast; however, the side effects were even stronger and faster. Couldn't tolerate it either.
Khadi
Khadi
Oh Achy, hang in there. I am trying to kick all pharmaceuticals. And as for your "brain fog" I have been like that for years so I truly hope your clearheadedness returns!! Most of these relatively new meds are so intense. The side effects scare me more than the fybro/pain. I hope after you are off the Lyrica for a few weeks you feel like yourself again. Sorry for the scary bad drug trip you have been on, feel better! xo
fibrohyg
fibrohyg
Thanks for the reply acheybones-I'm sorry that you had trouble with gabapentin also. Sometimes these drugs work for some, and sometimes they don't. It does get frustrating to find what helps. I hope you will feel better soon. Fibrohyg
Achybones23
Achybones23
I stopped taking Lyrica altogether last Tues. By Fri, depression noticeably lessened. By Sat., body pains came back.

I don't know what else to try...

I will look into light/laser therapy (discussed in Norman Doidge's book). Alas, the doctor/clinicians are in Toronto, Canada. (A few researchers are at Harvard--Boston, Mass. But I don't know if they are taking patients.)
Posts You May Be Interested In
  • Community LeaderLeo

    Tuesday troubles Check-in

    Posted by: Leo
    Last Reply: Fantod
    3
    We're all troubled.WSo, to remind ourselves we're not at rock bottom (this is a reverse optimism thing I learned as a kid):We are not living on the island of Krakatoa when the volcano goes boom!Yeah, okay, that sucks.***Toay in 1942, Pierre Laval announced that the way to free France was for Germany to win WW2. Pierre did not win a lot of friends. When the war ended, quite quickly he was tried...
  • Community LeaderLeo

    M0nday Mind yourself Check-in

    Posted by: Leo
    Last Reply: Fantod
    2
    Another day, another ouchie?My bruised achilles tendon (don't ask) makes my foot numb. Wonky on meds, whacked it.Now, as to fibro:A lot of reports are going around some parts of social media that fibro (and dang near anything else) are caused by post-Covid, post-flu, post-vaccinations, post-pick-something.1. Your risk of death or serious complications beyond "ow, that shot hurt!" are typically...