# Lyrica makes me feel amazing!



## Kittykatattack (Jul 31, 2015)

I have been on Lexapro for the last two weeks, and it was going relatively well, but I still became anxious at times. I was staying with my aunt and cousins for a week, and I accidentally forgot to bring my pills (they live about 10 hours away, so going back was not an option). I immediately started becoming anxious when my last dose wore off, and it was actually worse than it ever was before.

My aunt has general anxiety that is somewhat similar to my own, so she offered me her some of her Lyrica until I could get home. When I took it, my anxiety was completely eliminated. I felt a bit hazy and spatially disorientated, but I felt like I was emotionally normal. I could face people, my fears and I felt like the shadow that is always in the back of my mind disappeared. I don't think I have ever felt this anxiety free since I was a small child. It was just amazing how much a simple pill changed what has been such a large issue in my life to dust. Just 3 weeks ago I was having serious suicidal thoughts for about a year because of my depression and anxiety, and within 20 minutes of popping a pill, that issue just vanished. I am going to ask my doctor about switching to Lyrica the next appointment I have. Has anyone had a similar experience? Do you think this reaction is just because my body hasn't adjusted because I have been only taking it for 3 days?


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## DaveCan (Apr 21, 2012)

Reading up on it and what it's used for you would be best to stay away from it. Make sure you tell your doc how long you have been taking it and the dosage etc. A quick look at the drug would seem that it isn't for anxiety, depression etc.. Be careful!

http://www.drugs.com/lyrica.html

http://www.medbroadcast.com/drug/getdrug/Lyrica

http://www.medicinenet.com/pregabalin_lyrica/article.htm

http://www.lyrica.com/frequently-asked-questions


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## Terranaut (Jul 11, 2013)

It's probably because your anxiety is related to your body's under-production of enough gama-amino butyric acid. And Lyrica, like Gabapentin (a/k/a/ Neurontin) helps with the bio-chemistry that gama amino butyric acid is needed for. I have caused my own shortage of this neurotransmitter and I suffered with general anxiety disorder that would not let me sleep. What happens is that in your brain there is a process which produces a by-product--chlorine--which must be eliminate. GABA does this. If you don't have enough, the chlorine gets trapped and you nerves start to panic and you sense all the never chatter in your body that adds up to a bad time--even panic attacks. So, these meds are good at aiding that shortfall.

Warning: Never take GABA supplements from vitamin or health shops. These fake your brain into shutting down your own production of GABA. If you stop taking the supplement, you will suddenly start feeling all the symptoms of low GABA and it takes a long time for your body to return to normal. Only the approved medicines like Neurontin and Lyrica can work without risking a shut down of necessary GABA production.


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## Foh_Teej (May 5, 2004)

DaveCan said:


> Reading up on it and what it's used for you would be best to stay away from it. Make sure you tell your doc how long you have been taking it and the dosage etc. A quick look at the drug would seem that it isn't for anxiety, depression etc.. Be careful!
> 
> http://www.drugs.com/lyrica.html
> 
> ...


What are you talking about? Lyrica's sister drug is commonly prescribed as an anxiolytic. Many would argue lyrica is vastly superior to gabapentin (neither did jack for me) in that regard. The only reason lyrica isn't prescribed nearly as much for anxiety is the high price ($100ish no insurance) compared to the $10 script of gababpentin.


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## DaveCan (Apr 21, 2012)

Foh_Teej said:


> What are you talking about? Lyrica's sister drug is commonly prescribed as an anxiolytic. Many would argue lyrica is vastly superior to gabapentin (neither did jack for me) in that regard. The only reason lyrica isn't prescribed nearly as much for anxiety is the high price ($100ish no insurance) compared to the $10 script of gababpentin.


Really? She's using a drug that wasn't prescribed for her, other than by her aunt.. She was two weeks into taking Lexapro by script, and you ask what am I talking about? Everyone reacts differently to the variety of meds that are prescribed, as is evident by some people proclaiming the awesomeness of one drug while another claims negative reactions to same drug.. Do you know her medical history? Do you know all the interactions of these drugs and if she may be taking other meds along with, or has just stopped one drug to try Lexapro? Personally I think most of these meds are bunk and I do not take them anymore.. That's what I'm talking about!


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## SplendidBob (May 28, 2014)

@Kittykatattack this is excellent news 

Whether it will persist in effectiveness I don't know, but it seems unlikely it is placebo (since you didn't get this kind of response from the SSRI).

Whether your GP will be able to prescribe it is another potential problem. I would hope that given its clear efficacy for you they will do so. If they won't due to cost, you could try Gabapentin, which might also work.

I have tried Lyrica myself and it didn't work for me unfortunately, I just felt kinda spacey and slowed (which in my own case kinda made me more self conscious).


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## Cletis (Oct 10, 2011)

All Lyrica did for me was make me dizzy.


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## zeusko87 (Sep 30, 2014)

Lyrica is the only drug that works for my SA (at least partially). tianeptine was great at beginning but tolerance develops quickly. I have tried high doses of Gabapentin few times but i haven't felt anything. lyrica is much more potent medication and for me it works much better than klonopin or xanax. The biggest problem with lyrica is the price (if you don't have health insurance and have to pay full price).


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## Kittykatattack (Jul 31, 2015)

Thanks for the responses! I am still under my parents' insurance (which covers medication well, but therapy, not so much). I think I will look into Gabapentin and try that before I really get set thinking that Lyrica is my best bet. From the 4 days I have taken it, it makes me pretty dizzy for about 4 hours. It is not so bad that I can't do anything, but it is enough so that I can't drive, or even be in a car because I will throw up. I think my aunt's dose is too high for me (she takes 200mg btw) because I get so dizzy, and I get euphoric for the first 2 hours after taking it. I think it is actually doing a lot for my depression too. I lay in bed most days of the week and I usually feel upset or feel like crying for a good third of the day. But the last 4 days (today included), I have been actually interested in my hobbies and have been more lively than I have been in a month (it also probably has to do with being away from home and out of the house). I will give lexapro a chance when I get home, but if it isn't for me, I will try to get Gabapentin or Lyrica prescribed.


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## DaveCan (Apr 21, 2012)

Maybe you can make an appointment with your doc from where you are now and have it set up for not long after you are back home again?.. Then tell him/her about forgeting your Lexapro and then using your aunts meds, the dose, how long, the symptoms good and bad etc and go from there  Good luck!


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## zeusko87 (Sep 30, 2014)

Kittykatattack said:


> I think my aunt's dose is too high for me (she takes 200mg btw) because I get so dizzy, and I get euphoric for the first 2 hours after taking it. I think it is actually doing a lot for my depression too.* I lay in bed most days of the week and I usually feel upset or feel like crying for a good third of the day. But the last 4 days (today included), I have been actually interested in my hobbies and have been more lively than I have been in a month (it also probably has to do with being away from home and out of the house).* I will give lexapro a chance when I get home, but if it isn't for me, I will try to get Gabapentin or Lyrica prescribed.


I am really glad to hear good news. It seems that lyrica works for you.

Dizziness will disappear in a few weeks so you don't have to worry. Lyrica is a great medication for anxiety and i think you should speak with your doctor and ask him for prescription. Good luck!


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## IlIlIlIrlpoloIlIlIlI (Feb 5, 2012)

I'd keep in mind lyrica is a scheduled narcotic, don't get me wrong I thourghouly enjoyed lyrica, but I'd take ssri wds over lyrica wds.


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## Foh_Teej (May 5, 2004)

DaveCan said:


> Really?


Yes. Really.



DaveCan said:


> She's using a drug that wasn't prescribed for her, other than by her aunt..


...which is completely irrelevant.



DaveCan said:


> She was two weeks into taking Lexapro by script, and you ask what am I talking about?


Yes. Lexapro is irrelevant.



DaveCan said:


> Everyone reacts differently to the variety of meds that are prescribed, as is evident by some people proclaiming the awesomeness of one drug while another claims negative reactions to same drug..


No contention here but also irrelevant.



DaveCan said:


> Do you know her medical history?


No, as it is irrelevant.



DaveCan said:


> Do you know all the interactions of these drugs and if she may be taking other meds along with, or has just stopped one drug to try Lexapro?


My knowledge of the situation or pharmacology is absolutely...you might ahve already guessed it.



DaveCan said:


> Personally I think most of these meds are bunk and I do not take them anymore..


While might be inclined to agree, again, irrelevant.



DaveCan said:


> That's what I'm talking about!


A collection of irrelevant points that have nothing to do with your stated premise?

You said: "_Reading up on it and what it's used for you would be best to stay away from it."_

If you were to warn her about the potential dangers of taking a drug without consent and supervision of a qualified health professional, that would be one thing. You weren't. Your advice is to "stay away from it" based on "what it's used for" drawn from what appears to be a cursory review of the medical literature . It's used for several things; some of them are off label.

_"A quick look at the drug would seem that it isn't for anxiety, depression etc.. Be careful!"_

A more comprehensive look would indicate otherwise.


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## DaveCan (Apr 21, 2012)

You see lots of things irrelevant that I see very relevant, so be it. The premise of me telling her to stay away from the drug was until she could see her doc, and then he/she could give it to her if he/she thought it warranted etc.. It was for her own protection in case there were any probs with possible other drugs she may be taking, and or the dosage amount of her aunts script that she is consuming rather than what a professional decides etc.. Maybe a deeper look into the drug would have shown it can be used for anxiety/ depression etc, but that is irrelevant to what I was promoting which was to error on the side of caution until she could see her doc etc..

Anyhow she will do what she will do and people will advise to just do whatever, probably not a good thing, you think? I say leave the drug alone until she can talk to a doc and just deal with the anxiety as best she can till then, that's my advice... Take it or leave it...


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## CameronH (Feb 12, 2012)

DaveCan said:


> just deal with the anxiety as best she can till then, that's my advice... Take it or leave it...


All your advice in this thread has been pretty terrible


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## DaveCan (Apr 21, 2012)

CameronH said:


> All your advice in this thread has been pretty terrible


You should run for politics as you left out the first part of my quote where I say to leave the drug alone and deal with the anxiety until she can see her doc, rather than take her aunts med and dosage etc.. I think all the people that encourage someone they don't know from a hole in the ground to take someone else's medication and dose are the ones giving terrible advice.. Self proclaimed wannabe docs and pharmacist's are all about on these threads, giving their terrible advice to make them feel like they're something I guess, dunno? Pretty stupid.........

Anyhow if the OP wants she can relate what her doc said if she's been to see him or her yet, it's been a few days since she's posted.. Hope all is well and goes well etc


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## CopingStrong (Jan 14, 2013)

It's used for diabetic nerve pain. Leave that **** alone . ..

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## watertouch (Nov 4, 2013)

DaveCan said:


> You should run for politics as you left out the first part of my quote where I say to leave the drug alone and deal with the anxiety until she can see her doc, rather than take her aunts med and dosage etc.. I think all the people that encourage someone they don't know from a hole in the ground to take someone else's medication and dose are the ones giving terrible advice.. Self proclaimed wannabe docs and pharmacist's are all about on these threads, giving their terrible advice to make them feel like they're something I guess, dunno? Pretty stupid.........
> 
> Anyhow if the OP wants she can relate what her doc said if she's been to see him or her yet, it's been a few days since she's posted.. Hope all is well and goes well etc


Yeah you pretty are much stupid... Not even knowing anything about OP you start to mess around... check drugs.com

Hell here from Dr. Shahl prescibersguide.. 
http://stahlonline.cambridge.org/pr...erapeutics&name=Pregabalin&title=Therapeutics

Generalized anxiety disorder
Panic disorder
Social anxiety disorder

• Well studied in epilepsy, peripheral
neuropathic pain, and generalized anxiety
disorder (GAD), and actually approved for
GAD in Europe
✽ Off-label use for generalized anxiety
disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety
disorder may be justified in the U.S.
• May have uniquely robust therapeutic
actions for both the somatic and the
psychic symptoms of generalized anxiety
disorder
✽ Off-label use as an adjunct for bipolar
disorder may not be justified
✽ One of the few agents that enhances
slow-wave delta sleep, which may be
helpful in chronic neuropathic pain
syndromes
• Pregabalin is generally well tolerated, with
only mild adverse effects
✽ Although no head-to-head studies,
appears to be better tolerated and more
consistently efficacious at high doses than
gabapentin
✽ Drug absorption and clinical efficacy
may be more consistent at high doses
for pregabalin compared to gabapentin
because of the higher potency of
pregabalin and the fact that, unlike
gabapentin, it is transported by more than
one transport system


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## zeusko87 (Sep 30, 2014)

enickols said:


> It's used for diabetic nerve pain. Leave that **** alone . ..
> 
> Sent from my SM-T230NU using Tapatalk


wtf are you talking about. Lyrica is approved for GAD in Europe, it it great anxiolytic.

I have tried more than 25 medications for my SA, GAD, depression. Lyrica (after MAOIs) is the most helpful drug i have tried.
It works much better than benzos and crappy SSRI"s


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## TenYears (Jan 15, 2010)

To the OP, I've taken several anti-anxiety meds that gave me that huge euphoric feeling for the first several days. For me, it always wore off. Hopefully if that happens in your case, it won't be too much of a "crash". I actually had a euphoric feeling initially with Lyrica that was so intense, so strong I wondered if I was having some strange reaction to the drug. It was almost like the high I got from taking X (Ecstacy) a few times when I was younger....it was that strong.

I'd just like to add, that there are a whole, whole lot of drugs out there that are used for anxiety as an off-label use. I'm taking one right now (Gabapentin, 900mg 3X day). It's not unusual at all anymore for psychiatrists to prescribe drugs for off-label use, to treat anxiety. And it's very safe, there aren't really any more risks in doing so, than in taking a drug specifically made to treat anxiety. Seems to be a lot of misconceptions out there wrt this. Ask literally any psychiatrist, they will back me up on this lol.


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## CopingStrong (Jan 14, 2013)

zeusko87 said:


> wtf are you talking about. Lyrica is approved for GAD in Europe, it it great anxiolytic.
> 
> I have tried more than 25 medications for my SA, GAD, depression. Lyrica (after MAOIs) is the most helpful drug i have tried.
> It works much better than benzos and crappy SSRI"s


That's your opinion phucktard! I posted mine ...

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## watertouch (Nov 4, 2013)

enickols said:


> It's used for diabetic nerve pain. Leave that **** alone . ..
> 
> Sent from my SM-T230NU using Tapatalk


Based on that informative post, I decided to Never go near Lyrica!


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Lyrica was a sugar pill to me, though I think it has potential for others. On drugs.com where real users review meds it gets a respectable score for treating generalized anxiety (and it's approved in Europe for that purpose).

I suggested it to my brother as a drug to ask his new psychiatrist about. My brother declared to her that he was never taking another SSRI, though she entirely failed to offer him other options for his GAD & OCD. For OCD, drugs that target glutamate could help.

I e-mailed him a list of 8 potentially effective meds he could try, with none of them being SSRIs. I wanted to show him that SSRIs are not the be all end all treatment and if you fail them there's nothing that can be done. There are lots of non-SSRIs that I think would be worthy of a try for him. Lyrica is one of them.


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## IlIlIlIrlpoloIlIlIlI (Feb 5, 2012)

I've done a whole lot of pills, lyrica being one of them, all of the ones that I enjoyed made me sicker in the long run.


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## twitchy666 (Apr 21, 2013)

*newly introduced to me in 2012*

still going

my honest opinion

of a bill of 8 items I'm told to swallow once or twice per day since that year

I'm sure this is all placebo with absolute zero effect. Swallowing empty bits of plastic. I haven't opened the jackets yet to see what's in there. I'm sure there is nothing. If there was some powder it would be nothing even if it tasted sweet or otherwise. The form of human oral treatment is equivalent of TV adverts

no reality

no red or blue pill

just lying cheats of capitalist commercialism to keep everyone full of false joy

you like the packaging, capsules or instructions the most?


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## CopingStrong (Jan 14, 2013)

zeusko87 said:


> wtf are you talking about. Lyrica is approved for GAD in Europe, it it great anxiolytic.
> 
> I have tried more than 25 medications for my SA, GAD, depression. Lyrica (after MAOIs) is the most helpful drug i have tried.
> It works much better than benzos and crappy SSRI"s


Read this you numb skull!

http://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-93965/lyrica-oral/details

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## zeusko87 (Sep 30, 2014)

enickols said:


> Read this you numb skull!
> 
> http://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-93965/lyrica-oral/details
> 
> Sent from my SM-T230NU using Tapatalk


http://www.drugs.com/comments/pregabalin/for-generalized-anxiety-disorder.html

I don't know why are you so nervous. You should educate yourself first. Lyrica has better score than any SSRI or SNRI for GAD.


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## CopingStrong (Jan 14, 2013)

Don't curse me because you have a different opinion. Asking wtf I'm talking about. Profanity is an ignorant mind attempting to express itself. I will read the link you provided. I hope you read mine ...

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## ladysmurf (Jan 3, 2012)

I met a patient in the hospital who told me he had very good luck with Lyrica. if my current medication does not work I will ask my pdoc for Lyrica


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## ladysmurf (Jan 3, 2012)

Anyone using Lyrica? Can give me feedback?


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