Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 840408

Shown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Lyrica - music to my ears!

Posted by Quintal on July 18, 2008, at 8:32:58

I just got back from my pdoc appointment. I'm still amazed at how well it went. What a difference it makes to be listened to! First of all I told him about the tianeptine, he'd never heard of it, but didn't seem too perturbed. He asked me a few questions about it and how I was responding to it. I said I'd rather have something on prescription than be ordering it over the internet. He started off by suggesting Cymbalta, but I steered away from that and suggested lofepramine instead. He was quite happy to prescribe that, wrote a script and checked with the pharmacy that they had it in stock, then we moved on to anxiety. I suggested a bit of p.r.n lorazepam to treat breakthrough mania and restlessness and he was okay with that, then he turned to me and said "You seem to have a lot of general anxiety, and at the next appointment we need to look at that. There's a new drug, pregabalin I think, and one of my collegues has been singing it's praises but I've never used it". I said I'd rather have Lyrica than lofepramine, so he tore up the script and wrote one for pregabalin 50mg t.d.s.

He says I have to let my social worker know if I feel the need for a dose increase next week and he'll raise it to 100mg t.d.s, and my social worker can collect it for me. This is such a huge difference from Dr. W. I've been asking for Lyrica for years, but just kept getting doors slammed in my face. I don't think they really knew what it was. It's amazing to have a pdoc just suggest it like that. Whether it actually does any good or not is another matter, but as Dr. B says "You've had pretty much everything, so we need to experiment". Wow!

Q

 

Re: Lyrica - music to my ears! » Quintal

Posted by Phillipa on July 18, 2008, at 12:10:34

In reply to Lyrica - music to my ears!, posted by Quintal on July 18, 2008, at 8:32:58

Q I've heard lyrica can be both calming and energizing. Phillipa know some people who have taken it.

 

Re: Lyrica - music to my ears!

Posted by bulldog2 on July 18, 2008, at 15:27:56

In reply to Re: Lyrica - music to my ears! » Quintal, posted by Phillipa on July 18, 2008, at 12:10:34

> Q I've heard lyrica can be both calming and energizing. Phillipa know some people who have taken it.

I thought you were on nardil and quite pleased with it.

 

Re: Lyrica - music to my ears! » Quintal

Posted by llurpsienoodle on July 18, 2008, at 15:41:41

In reply to Lyrica - music to my ears!, posted by Quintal on July 18, 2008, at 8:32:58

Q- very very cool. Doesn't it just make you glow to have someone who seems to CARE?

I hope your new regime works out for you

-Ll

 

Re: Lyrica - music to my ears!

Posted by bulldog2 on July 18, 2008, at 16:09:41

In reply to Lyrica - music to my ears!, posted by Quintal on July 18, 2008, at 8:32:58

> I just got back from my pdoc appointment. I'm still amazed at how well it went. What a difference it makes to be listened to! First of all I told him about the tianeptine, he'd never heard of it, but didn't seem too perturbed. He asked me a few questions about it and how I was responding to it. I said I'd rather have something on prescription than be ordering it over the internet. He started off by suggesting Cymbalta, but I steered away from that and suggested lofepramine instead. He was quite happy to prescribe that, wrote a script and checked with the pharmacy that they had it in stock, then we moved on to anxiety. I suggested a bit of p.r.n lorazepam to treat breakthrough mania and restlessness and he was okay with that, then he turned to me and said "You seem to have a lot of general anxiety, and at the next appointment we need to look at that. There's a new drug, pregabalin I think, and one of my collegues has been singing it's praises but I've never used it". I said I'd rather have Lyrica than lofepramine, so he tore up the script and wrote one for pregabalin 50mg t.d.s.
>
> He says I have to let my social worker know if I feel the need for a dose increase next week and he'll raise it to 100mg t.d.s, and my social worker can collect it for me. This is such a huge difference from Dr. W. I've been asking for Lyrica for years, but just kept getting doors slammed in my face. I don't think they really knew what it was. It's amazing to have a pdoc just suggest it like that. Whether it actually does any good or not is another matter, but as Dr. B says "You've had pretty much everything, so we need to experiment". Wow!
>
> Q

Lyrica will work from day 1. However I must warn you that many build up a quick tolerance to the drug and need escalating doses to maintain the effect. I use neurontin which is lyrica's weaker baby sister. I only use it two days a week sometimes three. More than that is loses it's effect. When I use it that way it has an anti-anxiety effect and an ad effect. When it works it works much better than a benzo which I find very dulling. good luck. Be aware that some become addicted. When you find tolerance escalating take some time off and allow your system to reset the receptors. Can be a bit of a pandora's box like stims. need discipline when using it. Once you begin pursuing the euphoria you could potentially have addiction problems.

 

Re: Lyrica - music to my ears! » bulldog2

Posted by Quintal on July 18, 2008, at 17:22:46

In reply to Re: Lyrica - music to my ears!, posted by bulldog2 on July 18, 2008, at 16:09:41

Thank you for sharing your experiences. I took two capsules so far and I've felt pretty drunk. I'm not sure I'm liking this effect. Maybe it feels cleaner than a benzo, I don't know. I need to give it more time.

I'm aware of the absue potential, and I do indeed have a history of benzodiazepine addiction, but from what I've read, with Lyrica it is quite small. I think this is one of the reasons why pdoc prefers Lyrica to lorazepam. I've taken Neurontin in the past and not felt much benefit, but I was either taking a huge dose of clonazepam or in withdrawal every time I took it, so it's hard to say. This trial will be interesting anyway. I've been curious about Lyrica since it came on the market. Incidentally, it is licensed for GAD where I live, and that is what my pdoc prescribed it for.

I remember a few threads last month where people were discussing the pro-social effects of Lyrica at certain dosage ranges. Do you remember what they were?

Q

 

Re: Lyrica - music to my ears! » llurpsienoodle

Posted by Quintal on July 18, 2008, at 18:09:28

In reply to Re: Lyrica - music to my ears! » Quintal, posted by llurpsienoodle on July 18, 2008, at 15:41:41

Yes, it makes such a difference! I've been looking at the packet for hours in amazement. It has a little blueish-purple hologram on the corner. I've never had a medicine like that before! It feels like a special gift. Christmas day! Somebody actually *wants* me to feel good. I don't care if it works or not, just knowing someone genuinely wants me to feel better is enough. For some reason it makes me feel like cutting myself. I don't feel worthy of it. I'm so used to being sh*t on I don't know what to do when someone treats me properly.

Q

 

Re: Lyrica - music to my ears!

Posted by bulldog2 on July 18, 2008, at 18:18:55

In reply to Re: Lyrica - music to my ears! » llurpsienoodle, posted by Quintal on July 18, 2008, at 18:09:28

> Yes, it makes such a difference! I've been looking at the packet for hours in amazement. It has a little blueish-purple hologram on the corner. I've never had a medicine like that before! It feels like a special gift. Christmas day! Somebody actually *wants* me to feel good. I don't care if it works or not, just knowing someone genuinely wants me to feel better is enough. For some reason it makes me feel like cutting myself. I don't feel worthy of it. I'm so used to being sh*t on I don't know what to do when someone treats me properly.
>
> Q

What dose are you on?

 

Re: Lyrica - music to my ears! » bulldog2

Posted by Phillipa on July 18, 2008, at 20:38:21

In reply to Re: Lyrica - music to my ears!, posted by bulldog2 on July 18, 2008, at 15:27:56

Bulldog very amusing or funny or whatever I do have some lyrica and also would like to know the dose. Phillipa

 

Re: Lyrica - music to my ears! » bulldog2

Posted by Quintal on July 18, 2008, at 21:10:04

In reply to Re: Lyrica - music to my ears!, posted by bulldog2 on July 18, 2008, at 18:18:55

As I said in my original post, 50mg t.d.s. - 150mg daily.

Q

 

Re: Lyrica - music to my ears! » Quintal

Posted by Marty on July 20, 2008, at 0:37:47

In reply to Lyrica - music to my ears!, posted by Quintal on July 18, 2008, at 8:32:58

Hi Quintal,

Good luck with your Pregabalin trial. Don't forget that higher dose (more than 300mg BID) doesn't feel AT ALL like lower dose. In fact the MORE you take the LESS you are sedated. At higher dose you can feel some different kind of antidepressant effect.

/\/\arty

 

Re: Lyrica - music to my ears! » Marty

Posted by Quintal on July 20, 2008, at 7:44:01

In reply to Re: Lyrica - music to my ears! » Quintal, posted by Marty on July 20, 2008, at 0:37:47

Thank you Marty. So far it's been pretty good. I'm sort of ambivalent about it. I feel drunk/stoned all the time, but my mind is clearer because I'm not being distracted with intrusive thoughts as much. My doctor is quite happy to increase the dose next week, probably double it, so I will wait till then to see what the higher doses are like. It does feel quite activating. I tned to get this effect with benzos too.

What do the higher doses feel like?

Q

 

Re: Lyrica - music to my ears!

Posted by okydoky on July 23, 2008, at 11:55:53

In reply to Re: Lyrica - music to my ears! » llurpsienoodle, posted by Quintal on July 18, 2008, at 18:09:28


Every time I take Lyrica I feel calmer and fairly good for several days but end up feeling much more depressed in the end. I do not think I am alone with this.
I'm just saying be careful.

I am so glad you found someone who gives a sh**. Jealous perhaps! I hope this medication combo works well for you but isn't it great to have a wonderful support even if it does not and do not cut.


This is the end of the thread.


Show another thread

URL of post in thread:


Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ


[dr. bob] Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD, bob@dr-bob.org

Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.