Cutting back on Lyrica

[dshobbies]

For those who remember, I had extreme nerve damage from my 3 level Prodisc almost 2 years ago. I was taking 3000 mg of Neurontin daily for the pain but found the side effects too difficult and switched to Lyrica several months ago with a daily dosage of 300 mg. The side effects, though slightly less, still interfered with my life, specifically, my eyesight and concentration levels.

The end of June I began acupuncture which is working more than I would have thought and I'm cutting back on the Lyrica. Even though going slow, 50mg every other week, I found the withdrawal from 200 mg to 150 mg difficult and now from 150 mg to 100 mg even more so. I'm nervous, jittery, can't concentrate at all and my dreams are more strange than when beginning Neurontin in the first place.

I don't want to take any more drugs. Does anyone have any suggestions on dealing with this withdrawal? How long can I expect this to last? Now, though only 4 days into 100 mg, I'm afraid to go down to 50mg. Any ideas?

BTW, the results of the acupuncture so far is reduced pain (about 50%), I can feel my entire leg (about 30%) but it is still heavy and weak. The reduction of the Lyrica... my eyesight is more dependable (about 50%) and my concentration levels are returning (not this week). I'm finding I still do stupid things which I guess I can no longer blame on drugs and it's pretty disturbing.

thanks, Dale

[Maria]

Dale,
I have had the hyperirritable effects as well when cutting down on Methadone. Because I had so much increased pain after about 2 weeks on decreased dosage I chose to bump my dose back up however, should I have continued this withdrawl I would have opted to seek some medical assistance with meds to help assist with symptoms associated with withdrawl as the hyperirritability was severe.

I became really hyper with extreme lack of appetite and insomnia, weird dreams/nightmares. I tried sleepers which actually made me sick. Lunesta. It gave me Montezuma's revenge with an unpredictable schedule. Guess I could have taken something for that as well but I really get sick of taking drugs for symptoms caused by other drugs and then drugs for the symptoms caused by the drugs taken for symptoms by the drugs taken for ... ad nauseum...

So options.. let your body adjust to new cut back schedule and maybe see your doc about getting something to cover worse symptoms you're experiencing while cutting back.

Sorry I have nothing holistic to offer, I'm pretty Western med oriented tho maybe someone here will have something along this line of advice to offer.

Re the eyesight probs, I'm experiencing some decrease that I'm thinking is reading vision related but after reading your post will ask about possible changes due to my medication as well..

[Jim M2]

Gosh, I didn't know these nerve meds had such difficult withdrawal symptoms. Base on how difficult it was to stop smoking, I would think kicking a med would be much worse.

I sure do like the neurontin (gabapentin) so far.

Jim