Pregabalin and Depression: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Her...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 28, 2018

Pregabalin "Had horrid back pain due to collapsed disks and 14 areas of severe stenosis. Pre-surgeries on Neurontin, works for some, but negatives outweigh positives. After 3 back surgeries in a year, tried Lyrica, I thought Neurontin was bad, Lyrica was 100x worse for me. I had never had a depressed day in my life until Lyrica. Extremely dark thoughts, twitching, no sleep, sweating, gas, heart racing, all for little to no benefit. I hope it works for some people, but my suggestion is tread carefully. The makers understate the serious side effects. I generally have few Rxs I can’t take, but these GABA meds are not for me."

• Jaz...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 30, 2021

For Fibromyalgia "I was prescribed this drug for fibromyalgia, ended up being prescribed the highest dose as my body kept getting used to it. I went to a pain clinic, they told me Lyrica is no longer working and to come off it. I dropped 25 mg every now and then. I decided to go into rehab as I had spoken to them for a month, claiming they could help me get off the drug. The doctor took me off 25 mg every other day, I stopped when I was on 75 mg. This was Oct - Nov 2019. In December 2019, I had my first seizure, I have since had 18 more seizures and 2 absence seizures. I also ended up suffering anxiety, suicidal thoughts, depression, chills, sweats, and loud tinnitus, none I had before this drug. Been completely off for 19 months and still suffering withdrawals. This is a seizure drug, not a pain drug."

• Squ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 4, 2019

For Neuropathic Pain "Started taking Lyrica a month ago for nerve pain. I can’t say that it has helped me 100% with nerve pain, but I can say it has helped me with my anxiety disorder and my panic attack disorder. Before Lyrica, I was always depressed and constantly thinking of suicide. Felt this way since puberty. I was taken off of my anxiety medicine called Ativan because my doctor felt I was on it for too long, which was six years. It’s crazy how I learned about Lyrica and through my next surgery. Thank God for Lyrica, prescribed by my neurologist, if it was not for that, I don’t know what I would have done because my family doctor took the Ativan away from me. Lyrica has changed my life for the better."

• Gua...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 8, 2022

For Neuropathic Pain "This drug almost took my mother's life. Gave her suicidal thoughts and completely changed her personality. My family suffered deeply for months watching the life of my mom be sucked out of her. If I didn’t do my own research and get her off of this drug, she would’ve been GONE. She has anxiety, shaking, and depression now because of the lasting effects of this poison, but she is so thankful she lives still! Please do not take this medicine. Please :("

• hal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 2, 2021

For Neuropathic Pain "I was on pregabalin for sciatica issues. The tablets made me extremely sluggish, slow, and fatigued. On top of that, it made me extremely suicidal (which is crazy because I genuinely live a great life!). I had no reason to be so depressed and sad all the time. When I had realized it was the tablets, I immediately stopped, and all side effects went away after a week. My sciatica pain was bad again, obviously, but I decided to take the gym seriously to help the nerve pain and mental health."

• hal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 2, 2021

For Neuropathic Pain "I was on pregabalin for sciatica issues. The tablets made me extremely sluggish, slow, and fatigued. On top of that, it made me extremely suicidal (which is crazy because I genuinely live a great life!). I had no reason to be so depressed and sad all the time. When I had realized it was the tablets, I immediately stopped, and all side effects went away after a week. My sciatica pain was bad again, obviously, but I decided to take the gym seriously to help the nerve pain and mental health."

• Suz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 23, 2019

For Neuropathic Pain "I have psoriatic arthritis, which is painful. I've been prescribed 75 mg pregabalin twice a day. I'm on my 10th day of taking just 75 mg in the morning. I think you expect a miracle straight away. I feel more relaxed in bed at night, but my eyes look shattered. No motivation as yet. Dare I take the other 75 mg prescribed so it is twice daily."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 19, 2022

For Neuropathic Pain "Very good for neuropathic pain for me. I liked it because it's less bulky in my pill case than gabapentin. It also seemed to make my moods more stable. I felt less depressed while taking it. (I have bipolar disorder.) However, I had to discontinue due to edema in my feet and over 10% weight gain. (My feet got so bad that I couldn't buckle the straps around my ankles on my shoes.) So, if you're fortunate enough to not gain weight or get edema, it's great. But one downside is that due to people abusing it, it's now a schedule 5 drug (controlled substance) in the USA, and that makes getting refills a real pain. At times, I have felt like I was being treated by the pharmacy and the insurance company as if I were drug-seeking. That is rather upsetting when I'm just trying to get my nerve pain dealt with. Also, when the pharmacy was out of stock, I did not have it for two days. I was subsequently depressed for a week, even though I was able to start taking it again on the third day."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 10, 2021

For Neuropathic Pain "Serious side effects without any benefit. I felt decent for the first few days with 50 mg at night, but extreme fatigue set in after increasing to 50 mg twice a day. After two weeks, my feet became painful when walking, and the fatigue never subsided. I then began to taper off, which led to several days of depression and agitation. Despite this, my general nerve pain never got better. Would have been better off without ever trying it, considering the time I had to take off work."

• Joh...
• November 4, 2016

For Fibromyalgia "I've suffered with widespread pain my whole life, along with extreme difficulty sleeping. Took Lyrica (300 mg/day) for 3 years, and it worked initially to calm the aching but became less effective after a few months. It helped me get restful sleep and calmed my anxiety, but I couldn't think, had very poor memory, and felt very depressed (got worse over time). When I stopped taking it, I had the worst withdrawal symptoms imaginable (way worse than benzos). I literally felt worse than dying, and all I could think of was when the hellish experience would stop. It took about a month to start feeling better and several months to really feel better. Doctors say that Lyrica doesn't have withdrawal (or it should be minor), but that's rubbish. Withdrawal eventually passes."

• Bob...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 27, 2025

For Pain "I had insomnia and also myofascial/musculoskeletal pain, so was prescribed pregabalin (I was also on 20mg paroxetine). The doctor thought that the best approach would be to knock me out with a high dose during the night, low during the day, so in the space of a few days I went from 75mg, >150mg, >175mg at night then 25mg the next morning. The ramp-up/crash was intense the next day as it has a 6-hour half-life. I'd highly recommend you split the dose into 2 or 3 lots over 24 hours. The first week or so was anxiety and mild depression the next day, then I stabilized. Week 4 I was feeling good, so made the stupid decision to drink every night for a week. It was fine until the day after I stopped drinking and then got hit by depression. That resolved after 5 days, but joint pain got worse so I tapered off 25mg every few days. That was fine until a day after the last 25mg when I got severe depression, insomnia, etc. It resolved after 5 days. Dull some pain but not joint. Have heard it helps for nerve."

• Bob...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 27, 2025

For Pain "I had insomnia and also myofascial/musculoskeletal pain, so was prescribed pregabalin (I was also on 20mg paroxetine). The doctor thought that the best approach would be to knock me out with a high dose during the night, low during the day, so in the space of a few days I went from 75mg, >150mg, >175mg at night then 25mg the next morning. The ramp-up/crash was intense the next day as it has a 6-hour half-life. I'd highly recommend you split the dose into 2 or 3 lots over 24 hours. The first week or so was anxiety and mild depression the next day, then I stabilized. Week 4 I was feeling good, so made the stupid decision to drink every night for a week. It was fine until the day after I stopped drinking and then got hit by depression. That resolved after 5 days, but joint pain got worse so I tapered off 25mg every few days. That was fine until a day after the last 25mg when I got severe depression, insomnia, etc. It resolved after 5 days. Dull some pain but not joint. Have heard it helps for nerve."

• Rya...
• January 16, 2017

For Neuropathic Pain "I was prescribed this drug following back surgery. It worked very well initially for pain, also providing a calming effect. Over the next 5 months, it pretty much stopped working for the pain, and the side effects became very worrying. I could not think straight and was dangerously clumsy. I was in a malaise and did not wish to do anything, so I decided to quit. I followed the instructions to taper over at least a week, then the real problems began. This is a horrendous drug to come off, I had to reinstate as I went out of my mind. I am now tapering at 10% as and when I can. I feel so unwell, anxiety has spiraled, depression, suicidal thoughts, insomnia, lack of appetite, sweats, the list could go on. It has been a hellish period."

• T W...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 1, 2023

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "Avoid this drug at all costs!! I was prescribed it for GAD and depression. The headaches, blurred vision, worse insomnia, and dizziness are hell, so after just 8 weeks, I’m trying to come off it by reducing the dose by 25 mg every 3rd day, from 150 mg a day. Now down to 75 mg a day. I’m having panic attacks several times a day, worse anxiety, and worse depression. I’m functioning even less than I was before. Just had a panic attack because the washing needed bringing in!!! Life has reached a new hell, and I fully understand why people commit suicide or go back on this stuff. Why is it even legal?"

• SKA...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 29, 2019

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "First two to three doses of 50 mg per dose were OK - a bit sedating (not sleepy, more dissociated), calming, and a somewhat euphoric effect. Subsequent doses, after the first day: depressed mood, lethargic, nausea, and a lot of gas/bloating. I could also notice some typical withdrawal symptoms between doses (I took one dose in the morning and one at night). This med is useless for GAD. Go for Lexapro and take diazepam for short periods when things get out of hand. Don't take this GABA analog rubbish."

• L0c...
• January 27, 2017

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "People please stop using this drug now. Throw it in your doctor's face because they don't know what they gave you. This is the most damaging drug for your brain that is legal. Search with Google if you don't believe me. I took it for about a year, yes it worked for my problems the first couple but you aren't aware yet what it is doing to you. It does permanent brain aging, you will be confused and have terrible memory the rest of your life and this problem becomes very clear to you when you quit. I did for 5 years now and still can't function. That is when you can quit because this drug is highly addictive and the withdrawal when you decide to quit is stuff out of nightmares. Fainting, restlessness, insomnia, drained of energy, depression."

• Cri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 26, 2016

Pregabalin for Fibromyalgia "This didn't really change the pain levels, but what it did do was make me gain weight substantially. This led to me getting depressed, which made the fibro flare up again. I stopped taking it."

• Bru...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 19, 2015

Pregabalin for Neuropathic Pain "I had spinal fusion several years ago and since have suffered pain. Recently, my feet started tingling painfully with loss of feeling. Lyrica has been a lifesaver for these problems."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 31, 2012

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I had symptoms, so my doctor switched me from Gabapentin, saying that this medicine is better. I feel better so far. Less sleepy, less anxious, less depressed."

• Ekw...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 1, 2020

For Fibromyalgia "Within a few days on pregabalin, I am extremely tired, depressed, angry, and crying at the drop of a dime. My pain feels worse."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 11, 2021

For Pain "After about a month of using pregabalin for pain, it helped with pain, but I became increasingly depressed and on edge. I also had difficulties with sleep."

• Anonymous
• December 14, 2009

Pregabalin for Pain "Blackouts, mood changes, depression."