First week on Pragabalin

[Patb]

Hi all, I had such high hopes for Pregabalin which neuro asked GP to prescribe. I get pain in my legs which I had been treating with Paracetamol but much worse is hug which I get regularly and very painfully.

 

Anyway, only one week in and I'm only up to 75mg a day and I feel AWFUL. I'm hungry the whole time, I have really BAD WIND so that my tummy really hurts and I'm belching and passing wind the whole time (thank God I live on my own)... and now I'm having bad mood swings. At best I've got a sort of 'high' nervous energy so that I feel over-the-top happy but also a bit scary, and then swing down to black-dog depression.

 

I really think I should throw in the towel.

 

Will it get any better??? The 24/7 hunger is really getting me down. I feel obsessed with food and daren't get on the scales as in one week I know I've put on pounds (even though I'm trying to stick to salad and fruit).

 

HELP!

 

Even though it's helping the pain and I haven't had hug once all week I don't think I can stand this.

 

Pat x

[Stumbler]

Pat, discuss the situation with your MS Nurse. You're on a fairly low dose at the moment, you could go up to 300mg a day.

 

But, from what you say, if you did up the dose, you'd probably blow up, one way or another.

 

Hope your MS Nurse can suggest something, e.g. Amitriptyline (sp?), Nortriptyline (sp?)

 

[Christina]

Weight gain can be a big problem with pregabalin Pat. It doesn't sound like the dose needs increasing if it's managing the pain. How would you feel about reducing the dose down to 50mg and seeing if the pain worsens and if the wind and increased appetite abate? It will be a very low dose but it might be enough to get some benefits of pain control without the nuisance side effects.

 

Otherwise, as Stumbler suggests, there are other things you could try.

 

Chris x

[lavender]

hi pat oh you poor thing eh the joys of ms ! i started amitriptyline 1 week ago too. the pain as calmed down , but i have mouth ulsers , sore throat , swollen tounge !! can not hardly talk , think my hubby glad about that one .just the side effects will calm down hopefully. may be yours will too , fingers crossed !!!!or give these ago , pat just trial and error , you will get something that helps honest ( gas mask for time being lol ) let us know ,thinking of you xxxx

[lavender]

Pat, discuss the situation with your MS Nurse. You're on a fairly low dose at the moment, you could go up to 300mg a day.

 

But, from what you say, if you did up the dose, you'd probably blow up, one way or another.

 

Hope your MS Nurse can suggest something, e.g. Amitriptyline (sp?), Nortriptyline (sp?)

 

this really made me chuckle , best medicine i think

[Patb]

Thanks for you lovely (and some funny!) responses.

 

Well things got very bad last night. For a few nights I've had this once or twice in the evening and wondered what was going on, but last night I had it for over 3 hours.

 

I was lying in bed and my heart started thumping. Not on every beat but on about every 3rd or 4th beat... so hard that it felt like a mini explosion in my chest and I could feel the thump with my hand on my heart. It was horrible sensation and didn't dare go to sleep. It was so hard it took my breath away and I was very scared.

 

Read the Pregabalin user info this morning and listed under 'Uncommon side effects... 1 person in 1000' is 'heart rhythm disturbances'. Upshot is that I'm not taking any more!!!!!!!!!!!

 

1 person in 1000 is not many so don't want to worry other people... and actually in 3 plus years that I've been reading MS stuff I've never ever heard of anyone else having this.

 

So that's it. As I haven't had any this morning I am not blowing-off every other second and gas mask can be safely removed!

 

Thanks again,

 

Pat x

[Stumbler]

Well, if your gas mask is off, you'll be able to have a chat about this with your MS Nurse. :smile:

 

[lavender]

hi pat , funny thing is i get the palpatation thing you describe , even when taking no meds ! had tests said all ok , i just put it down to ms . are you going to try some other meds ? that obviously not doing for you . let us know your progress , and pat you are never really on your own , you have all us ! xxx

[Dianni]

Hi Pat

 

Sorry you've had such an awful time on pregabalin. Hopefully your medical team will be able to find a med that stops the neuro pains but doesn't have so many side effects.

 

 

 

Hugs

 

Di

 

xxx