Lyrica letdown

[Mrs. Burschman]

Hi all,

I really thought that Lyrica was going to be my "miracle cure" for anxiety. But it seems like it petered out on me. So now I'm taking Paxil, Wellbutrin AND Lyrica, and I'm still anxious. Maybe I just have to get used to the fact that there IS no miracle cure for anxiety. I'm also seeing a counselor, so that hasn't been a miracle cure either.

I just wish I could feel good!

Sorry for whining.

Amy (Mrs. B) :rolleyes:

[Baba Yaga]

Have you tried Paxil and Lyrica WITHOUT the Wellbutrin?

[dminton]

I'm really sorry you are having trouble. There are many meds that are supposed to relax a person but I just get more anxious; it's a "typical" response of many med-sensitive people, who are still considered "atypical" in general by the medical profession! Xanax and clonazepam (Klonopin) work for me, but it's hard to get someone to prescribe them long-term. I wish you luck!

[mela414]

I couldn't tolerate Wellbutrin. It made me so jittery! I felt as though I wasnted to pull my hair out of my head. I actually remember taking it and freaking out while I was driving...it brought me to tears. As for the Paxil ...it was a little too sedating for me. Ativan seems to help a lot with my anxiety and also when I am having a lot of burning pain or bladder pain. I take one and it sort of calms things down a bit. You mihgtr want to ask your dr about it.
Good luck,

[Mrs. Burschman]

Thanks for your input! I'm feeling a bit calmer today. It might have been PMS ...

I tried just about every antianxiety med out there and none of them worked. I am a pharmacological weirdo. The Wellbutrin actually DID seem to calm my mind down. It makes my mind less anxious but my body a little bit more, if that makes sense. Paxil seems not to work at all but I'm scared to dump it because the last time I tried, I freaked out and ended up in the psych ward for a week. :loco: I wish I was kidding, but I'm not.

Amy (Mrs. B)

[ddemos]

How long did you give the Wellbutrin? It also made me anxious, even when I was the passenger in the car! However within ten days the anxiety was gone completely. Don't take two diff. kinds of anti-dep. together, as they fight one another in your system...talk it over with your doctor, one of mine told me together, the other(much more of a meds. guy) told me not to mix. I also take cymbalta, which tricks your body's pain receptors. I have had good sucess with these two. What I have learned in this process is that there has to be ALOT of tweaking to get the correct drug and dosage, AND most importantly, you need to give the drugs a chance, so patience is the key. I know I rejected many things for many years prematuraly and wasted much time and suffered in vain. I wish somebody had been more forceful with me, and I had been less bullheaded. Live and really learn.

[ChrissySunshine]

Hi Amy (Mrs B), I really don't think there is a "miracle drug" for anxiety, but I've found that Ativan works very well for me. I say there's no "miracle drug" cause the things that have worked best for me are meditation, relaxation techniques, and deep breathing. The Ativan really helps when I need that extra "push" to relieve the at-times intense anxiety I get. It IS addicting, but if you work with your doc, and don't take it for an extended period of time, you should be ok. Good Luck, and let us know how you're doing!

[Mrs. Burschman]

ddemos,
Thanks for your input! I'm not sure about the "two drugs fighting" theory. Taking Wellbutrin and Paxil shouldn't really be that much different than taking Effexor. Wellbutrin raises norepinephrine (and dopamine). Paxil raises serotonin. Effexor works on norepinephrine and serotonin. I tried Effexor, but in the little type, it says it can cause vasodilation. Another word for vasodilation in your head? Migraines. I was getting one daily. I had to stop it after two weeks. It's odd, because it's what my mom takes, and she has no problems with it.

Chrissy,
I wish Ativan worked for me! But for some reason, the antianxiety drugs (I've tried Klonopin, Ativan and Xanax did absolutely nothing. My psychiatrist said she's only had one other patient who had that same reaction. Guess I'm just lucky! :rolleyes:

I felt better today, so maybe it's not fair to write off Lyrica yet. I'm going through a bunch of stress besides IC, so maybe I'm asking too much of a 100mg capsule!

Thanks for your care and concern! Anxiety sucks! But it's better when you know you aren't the only one who fights it!

Amy (Mrs. B) :bunny:

[mela414]

I just a scriopt for Lyrica from my PA We are starting me on a low dose (25mg) as i am sooooo sensitive. Not usre if I will start it this week as my hubby is finally having his leg surgery on Wed. They're removing the cancerous tumor and then doing a limb sparing surgery by inplanting a prosthetis in his femar and a new knee joint. So....I don't think this is a good time to try a new drug. I willwait til I have him home and he's feeling a little better. She also said she would talk to the dr about the Cytotec and call me back with more information. they haven't used it on many patients so she couldn't srite the scipt for it, She did however say that some of her patients were reporting results with the Lyrica. She also gave me something new for the Vulvodynia. It's a Cromalyn cream. Cromalyn is used to reduce mast cells. It is ususally precribed to people with asthma...........hhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmm let's see how this works out. I'm waiting for the pahrmacist to compound it and mail it to me.
I'll keep you posted on the Lyrica.

[sunshine_77us]

Ativan also works well for me. I've been taking it for a year or so.

[KathleenS]

I also thought I finally found a cure for my unbearable anxiety with Lyrica. Well, it was heaven for about two months and then a couple weeks ago it stopped quelling the anxiety and it is now back in full-force and I am beside myself.

Kathleen

[Mrs. Burschman]

Kathleen,

How annoying! It lasted just long enough for you to get your hopes up, it sounds like!

If it does quit working, I know I can handle it, but it's so much nicer to not be so incredibly anxious all of the time!

Amy (Mrs. B) :bunny:

[Kara Isabel]

I'm agreeing w/ Baba and the others! I think Wellbutrin *may* be a problem! I have GAD, PA's.....basically major issues w/ panic and anxiety my whole life and Wellbutrin wacked me out! I felt way more anxious on it! I take Norpramin now which also boosts NE and dopamine and its a much better match w/ my chemistry (low dose).

I'd consider tweaking the wellbutrin dose down and see if that helps?

Bummer the Lyrica effect didnt' last!

[KathleenS]

Amy,

I saw my dr. today and when I told him Lyrica wasn't helping the anxiety anymore, he told me to stay on it and added 4mg Gabatril 2 hours before bedtime. Gabatril is supposed to help with both pain and anxiety. Yay, there's still hope! Even if it helps only with the raging anxiety I will be so happy.

I hope this helps you. Also, I came acrosss an article stating that Paxil and gabatril work well together. Here's the link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14658975&dopt=Abstract

[Mrs. Burschman]

Kathleen,

Thanks for the tip! I was wondering myself about Gabitril, since I know it also raises GABA. I'll keep that in mind!

Amy (Mrs. B) :bunny:

[Alex11]

Boy i really worry about the mixing of anti-depressants. But neither my doctor or Walgreens has raised any flags so I'm assuming they know what they are doing...

I take Lexapro, Lyrica for chronic nerve pain in my back and elavil, too. I feel like I'm taking too much but if it's working I'm so afraid to change it.

[Baba Yaga]

Fascinating, Kathleen! Please let us know what your sedation level turns out to be on this. i sure hope it works for you.

[Mrs. Burschman]

Alex,

If it's any consolation, I was on Paxil and amitriptyline, then Paxil and nortriptyline, and it didn't seem to cause any problems. Just sleepiness, since both cause that!

They're both antidepressants, but they're not in the same class, so that usually is OK. If someone has treatment-resistant depression, they might try drugs from two different classes, and sometimes that will work. So your definitely not breaking new ground by taking two kinds of drugs!

I hope they keep working. If they're working and the side effects don't suck too bad, I think I'd just try to forget about how annoying it is to be on so many drugs. I say that, but it's hard for me, too. It makes me feel so broken or something to be on SIX PRESCRIPTION DRUGS! I guess I think that shouldn't be the case until I'm 80 or so!

Amy (Mrs. B) :bunny:

[KathleenS]

Well, adding the gabitril (4mg) definitely helped the anxiety. Not as well as in the early weeks on Lyrica alone, but took the edge off. However, I had what I suspect is an unusual response; I became really depressed (beginning the second day). I lasted about 5 days and now have stopped gabitril and the depression is gone (or back to my usual level, which is mild these days). But, of course, the anxiety is back.

My reaction may have been based on the fact that I'm on a handful of meds. several that affect GABA.

Kathleen