Pregabalin and Memory Loss: What Users Say (Page 2)

• W0N...
• April 18, 2017

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "This drug worked for my bipolar disorder, but the side effects, like the belly bloating and weight gain, were bothersome to the point I had to quit. Also, there were issues with short-term memory impairment and forgetfulness."

• W0N...
• April 18, 2017

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "This drug worked for my bipolar disorder, but the side effects, like the belly bloating and weight gain, were bothersome to the point I had to quit. Also, there were issues with short-term memory impairment and forgetfulness."

• Kat...
• March 25, 2015

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I have started this medication again under a pain specialist. I am very sensitive to meds, so he has started me off on a very low dose of 25 mg, which I will gradually increase over weeks. The first time I took this was a 75 mg dose, and I had memory loss in what felt like blocks of time. It scared me so much I only took it twice. E.g., I would make a cup of tea to sit down and find I had already made one. Lol. I drove to the shopping center and could not remember that I'd just driven there. Last night was the first time in a year that nerve pain in my arm from frozen shoulder eased significantly, also, my anxiousness, which has been gradually getting worse, seems to have eased, and I don't feel stressed about my day ahead going out in public."

• Rus...
• November 16, 2013

Pregabalin for Neuralgia "Had neuropathic pain in the right upper jaw after dental work. Tried many different medicines, including tricyclics, eventually put onto Lyrica, went up to 900 mg, as well as Endep 40 mg. Couldn't tolerate Endep, worked my way back down to 600 mg Lyrica, and after 6 months, the nerve pain is tolerable. What I didn't realize was all the side effects that I now believe stem from Lyrica: severe bloating, sore eyes, memory loss, word problems, hand and feet pains, plus more. I have now found that it makes little difference between 75 or 300 mg for pain relief. I have difficulty sleeping without any, 75 will eventually help, but 300 gets me to sleep faster. After reading so many people complaining about the same side effects, I will be seeing my doctor."

• Mir...
• July 2, 2017

Pregabalin for Neuralgia "I've been prescribed Lyrica 300 mg morning and night, also Amitriptyline 10 mg for TN pain. Before taking these meds, life was near unbearable to live. The meds do come with some side effects, short-term memory loss and sometimes blurred vision being the worst. I've thankfully not had issues with weight gain. You have to take the good with the bad sometimes. Without the prescribed meds, life would be hell."

• Anonymous
• November 2, 2008

Pregabalin for Pain "I was prescribed Lyrica for nerve pain as well as tingling, numbness, and an electricity feeling in my legs. Since I have been taking it (about 6 months now), these symptoms are all but gone. The only side effects I have are short-term memory loss and concentration issues, but I am able to work around these in most cases. Lyrica has been amazing for me."

• fog...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 23, 2018

Pregabalin for Fibromyalgia "Currently, I have been taking 75 mg twice a day of Lyrica. Not only do I have fibromyalgia, but I also have severe osteoarthritis in my spine and multiple bulged discs, cervical and lumbar. I had been treated in the past with gabapentin and experienced too many side effects, and it wasn't working, so my doctor started me on the Lyrica. I have no insurance, so I was able to get it through the Pfizer assistance program. Since I have been on it, there has not been any significant pain relief, I have gained 32 pounds in 4 months, and my memory has been terrible. I have struggled with concentration, and I will be talking with my doctor about getting off of this medication. There has to be a better option out there for me. It may work for some people, but in my case, I have not seen much benefit from it."

• Con...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 28, 2021

Pregabalin for Fibromyalgia "Took 100 mg Lyrica over 10 years for fibromyalgia. Definitely helped with pain in the beginning, but side effects were not worth it in the end. Gained 50+ lbs from when I began meds and when I stopped. Severe swelling of feet, hands, brain fog, memory loss, and speech/language flow change. After being off Lyrica for 1+ year, I have a hard time remembering something I was about to say 2 seconds ago. I forget simple words like coffee, bicycle, elevator, and can't think of them till I describe what I am thinking of to my kids, and they look at me like I have 10 heads when they figure out what I am trying to say. After taking meds for 10+ years, once I stopped, the immediate difference in my brain fog was night and day. Although I can't prove it, I know my memory and language capabilities will never be the same, but I never realized how much brain fog the drug was causing until I stopped taking it. Please listen and just manage the pain, because memory and language issues are not something you can recover."

• for...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 27, 2024

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I started on 150 mg/day (2 x 75 mg/day). It definitely worked for anxiety, but after 3 months, my short-term memory was horrible, and 7 lbs of water retention was unattractive, but the worst was anhedonia - no interest in anything and no motivation. After I reduced it to 100 mg a day, the anhedonia and 75% of memory loss went, but still great for anxiety. I'm reducing it to 75 mg as I'm still retaining lots of water (which I think raises my blood pressure). Hope it still works for anxiety."

• Lou...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 15, 2016

Pregabalin for Fibromyalgia "Lyrica started to ease my pain the very first night I started it. I saw about a 20% easing of fibro pain for the duration of the first night and day 2. I woke up on day 3 - no relief. Lyrica just completely stopped working by day 3, and I was back to agony. I continued on my dose of 75 mg each night for over 3 weeks, I then upped the dose to one 75 mg in the morning and two 75 mg at night. I've been on this higher dose now for a few weeks and still absolutely no relief. I must say that I've experienced little side effects - some memory loss and tiredness. No weight gain at all. If Lyrica had kept working, I would have been really happy, but unfortunately, it just stopped working for me! I'd recommend at least trying it for anyone that's considering."

• Wee...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 2, 2017

Pregabalin for Neuropathic Pain "I started taking Lyrica for trigger spots (burning, painful hot spots throughout my back) plus lower back pain. I began taking 150 mg 2x a day. It was wonderful, no more daily nagging pain. However, the side effects started to outweigh the pain relief. I had to start taking water pills because of the water retention, my memory and cognitive thinking were really affected. On three separate occasions, I was sent home from work because I was so drowsy I kept falling asleep. I was staggering, slurring my speech. My supervisor thought I had been drinking. It was very embarrassing. If I did not have all these side effects, I would have stayed on these meds, but it was getting out of control-my weight has skyrocketed also. I'm weaning off. Pain is back."

• Wee...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 2, 2017

Pregabalin for Neuropathic Pain "I started taking Lyrica for trigger spots (burning, painful hot spots throughout my back) plus lower back pain. I began taking 150 mg 2x a day. It was wonderful, no more daily nagging pain. However, the side effects started to outweigh the pain relief. I had to start taking water pills because of the water retention, my memory and cognitive thinking were really affected. On three separate occasions, I was sent home from work because I was so drowsy I kept falling asleep. I was staggering, slurring my speech. My supervisor thought I had been drinking. It was very embarrassing. If I did not have all these side effects, I would have stayed on these meds, but it was getting out of control-my weight has skyrocketed also. I'm weaning off. Pain is back."

• tex...
• July 15, 2008

Pregabalin for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy "Lyrica stops the pain in the ball of my feet. It's wonderful to be able to walk without the pain. I am diabetic and take insulin. I too have had a weight gain of 35 lbs over the past 6 months. I seem to suffer from a bit more memory loss than before, and I fatigue easily. I have caught myself dozing off in front of the computer at work, so I force myself to get up and walk around a bit. All in all, a small price to pay for the relief of the pain in my feet."

• Dan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 21, 2019

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I was prescribed 150 mg of pregabalin by my shrink, as an alternative to my normal 10 mg of Valium at night. I suffer from GAD and MDD. I didn't like this medication at all, as the side effects were pretty awful. I felt docile, couldn't remember things, was in this constant zombie-like haze, couldn't stop eating, and was having extremely vivid nightmares (leading to a major morning panic attack). I did notice that my anxiety (daytime) seemed to be lower, but overall I was feeling worse due to the side effects of this medication. NOT FOR ME!"

• Pos...
• June 9, 2017

Pregabalin for Neuropathic Pain "My mum has been taking Lyrica for around three years. It has been a huge problem! Drugs.com has a page on Lyrica's side effects, yet it doesn't mention that it can cause a stroke. My mum has had three mini strokes. It has given her dementia, incontinence, she can't walk properly, etc. She has many of the side effects mentioned. The doctor is slowly taking her off Lyrica, and she is almost back to herself."

• Den...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 9, 2012

Pregabalin for Fibromyalgia "I started taking Lyrica 4 months ago. I am always anxious when taking a new medicine as I am also on Paxil, which is horrible if I do not have a dose within 24 hours. Within an hour, I felt 'weird,' like I do if I miss a dose of Paxil. That feeling subsided throughout the day. Over the next few days, I did feel quite vague and forgetful (like I couldn't remember my bank account number, which I use daily). Again, I persisted, taking 75 mg twice a day, on waking and then at 2 pm. I noticed an increase in energy and a decrease in pain."

• Anonymous
• January 3, 2012

Pregabalin for Fibromyalgia "I have been on Lyrica for the past 8 months. I have fibromyalgia, and pain was unbearable. It was amazing at first, as I could finally sleep. Over the few months, however, I have had increased swelling in my joints and gained 15 lbs with no change in eating habits. I started feeling confused with memory loss, then, two weeks ago, I started feeling suicidal. I did not ever suffer from depression but could not get the thought of just taking a bottle of pills. Due to my experience of working with mental health, I knew something was not right, so I am now working at reducing Lyrica and going off of it. I think it was amazing for the pain but not worth the risk with the change in my mental state."

• mar...
• August 19, 2009

Pregabalin for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy "I suffered with nerve damage at the back of my neck. Lyrica caused me severe memory loss, confusion, and depression. It stopped my nerve problem, but my good memory has not returned. I also suffer from headaches, which I never had before."

• Bar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 14, 2018

Pregabalin for Neuropathic Pain "Lyrica has helped reduce my nerve pain so much. I have a pinched nerve in my lower back (L5) that caused me so much sciatic pain in my left leg. It was difficult to sit/drive, and I have a sit-down job. I first took gabapentin 600 mg 3 times a day with no relief at all. I have been taking 50 mg of Lyrica 2 times a day for about a month now, and the pain has been greatly reduced. I noticed an improvement after 1-2 weeks. It has to build up in your system. The only downside that I've noticed so far, other than the price, is drowsiness and forgetfulness. After insurance, I have to pay $108/month. To me, it's worth the reduction of pain. I hope they come up with a generic version soon. I highly recommend you try it if nothing else helps."

• She...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 28, 2018

Pregabalin for Neuropathic Pain "I've been on Lyrica for 12 years, and it still works great for me. I'm on 300 mg 2x a day. Side effects are craving sweets, sleepiness, can't find words sometimes, and short-term memory is off sometimes. My neuropathy in hands and feet/legs is so much better on this drug. I almost don't believe the people who say it doesn't work, because it does very well. It helps with opiate withdrawal as well. Lyrica has a severe withdrawal, though. I've just been so pleased with the pain decrease from Lyrica."

• CEO...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 21, 2018

Pregabalin for Fibromyalgia "I began taking Lyrica in small doses and told my doctor it wasn't working. Dr. lowered the dose and the nerve pain was excruciating. I went back to my regular dose twice a day, however, I still had the pain in my feet. Once they increased the dose to three times a day, the pain in my feet completely went away. I gained weight, but since it stops the pain, I will take it gladly. As for the memory loss, I just give people I'm talking to the disclaimer, 'I'm medicated.'"

• Lun...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 21, 2018

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "Pregabalin seems to work ok for anxiety, although I do feel a higher dose would kick the anxiety back a bit more (I'm on 300 mg), but it does take a good 60 minutes + to start to work. Also best on an empty stomach. Main side effects are memory impairment, loss of coordination, and constipation, which is welcome after suffering chronic diarrhea for 15 years. A good trade-off instead of crippling anxiety. Great for pain relief for heavy periods when taken regularly. I have read all the horror stories when trying to come off it, which isn't comforting, but as everyone's different, hopefully, I won't experience that too much. I take this along with other medication for agoraphobia, monophobia, and it has helped so much."

• gmb...
• July 23, 2009

Pregabalin for Pain "I have had a fusion of L4 and L5 in 2004, was doing fine until last year when I began to have pain in my low back and right leg, accompanied by numbness and tingling down the leg. I also managed to severely rupture a few discs in my neck while stretching, of all things. Was misdiagnosed by the surgeon, who only fixed one of the ruptures with a fusion of C7. Of course, this still left me with pain and numbness from my neck down both arms. About a month or so ago, I switched to a spine and pain management doctor, and he put me on Lyrica (75 mg 3x daily) and a Duragesic patch. These two drugs have worked wonders for my pain and quality of life. The only side effect is that my short-term memory is a little sketchy, and my mind doesn't want to shut down."

• B4n...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 30, 2018

Pregabalin for Neuropathic Pain "I was trialing this drug for several months now, when my specialist proposed it would assist in getting me off of my current pain medication. After using the drug for 3 months, I had found that it gave me a heightened sense of pain, tinnitus, no menstruation, and worse of all, I had developed dementia and could not easily recall things. Since finishing the drug, I now have a menstrual cycle again and less pain, and my cognitive function is returning."

• Pon...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 20, 2016

Pregabalin for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy "Going to have to decrease dosage (50 mg 2x daily) or quit Lyrica due to loss of memory & confusion & jerking. Once could top out any IQ tests, but my husband says I can't even find my 'behind' anymore. Taking it for neuropathy & came home from complete knee surgery with foot drop in the leg operated on. Now the other foot has dropped halfway, so I am all but an invalid. No more going outside for me to enjoy our horses on our farm. The dry mouth I got with Lyrica also frightens me as I'm afraid I will lose my teeth as others have. Lyrica also causes severe sleepiness. I guess it might have stopped the shooting pains in my feet at night?"