I am so stoned from the Lyrica!

[anniepie1976]

OK, so I have had 2 doses 50 mg each so far of the Lyrica and I am extremely dizzy and stoned feeling! Is this enough of a dose to give me this reaction? I see that there are people taking much more on here! Has anyone on here had a reaction like this to so little? Does it subside eventually? I remember I had this feeling with Neurontin also. About 900 mg did it with the Neurontin though. Is this the reason it helps pain? Because you get so "crocked" you are numb? Just curious. I am worried because I have a 2 yr old at home and theres times I have to drive us places. Help!

[Sarojini]

First, I'm so sorry you are having this reaction to Lyrica :(

Second, we are all different when it comes to drug reactions. I take 150mg twice a day, and started with 75mg twice a day. I remember feeling a bit tired and slightly loopy for a day or two when I first began taking this medication, but it went away very quickly, and now I do not notice any side effects, so as you can see, we're very different!

That doesn't mean that you are abnormal though - others do report loopy-ness and a stoned feeling. If it does not subside in a few days, I would definitely give your doctor a call. Also, if it becomes so bad that you cannot function, call your doctor or go to the ER.

And, NO, it doesn't work by making you so stoned you don't care about pain anymore... LOL :lmao: It works by blocking the release of calcium from special nerve cells in your body. Other types of nerve cells need that calcium to produce the neurotransmitters that pass pain messages along to the brain, so when the calcium stops, they stop releasing neurotransmitters. As a result, the pain messages slow down or stop.

I hope you feel better soon!!

[Taramc]

My neurologist wants me at more than 150mg a day! But I can't get past 75mg/day taken in two doses: 50mg/night and 25mg/next morning after work.

My job is doing radio traffic reports and the Lyrica zones me out so bad I can't think up words or even talk straight! I once took too much Lyrica and couldn't get the word 'resinous' out - kept saying 'residence' instead! And my speech will slur, my reactions will be delayed...

Since problems like this only frustrate doctors, I just figured I have two choices: raise the Lyrica and risk my job, or keep it low and endure more of the nerve pains. Easy - my job pays for the doctors AND the drugs so I picked the job :)

I can't say enough how much Lyrica has helped me, though, even at the lower dose. Some of us are just sensitive I guess...

[dminton]

My experience with Lyrica is like this: I started at 25 mg at night. Then 50 mg. Then for 4 days I took 50 in the AM, and 50 in the PM. I love this medication BUT it gives me a headache and I can't take it! It works great for vulvodynia, even at low doses like this, and I am frustrated to no end that it gives me a headache. I've tried the above dosing several times, and always end up with it giving me a nasty headache. In fact, last year, I was taking 50 mg every night just to help with sleep, sort of an after-dinner cocktail effect, and started getting horrible headaches around 2-3 AM. I finally figured out it was Lyrica ("but how could it be? it's supposed to be good for headaches!") after it went on for weeks. That's what happened to me. I really wish I could take it.

As for the stoned feeling, I really felt that when I took 50 twice a day. I did not feel it so much if I took 75 at night only. But I didn't last longer than 4 days on the twice daily dosing, so never got past that stoned feeling. I did feel more relaxed and less stressed, which I really really liked.

[mom_in_ma]

I only felt the stoned feeling for a day or so. Unfortunately, I can't take it either as it effect my breathing. Ugh!!!!!

[Claredale]

I started at the low dose and even though I thought I felt fine, everyone else around me knew differently. They said I looked stoned and my memory was horrible. I did what my doctor said to do and keep trying it, but I never was able to even go to the next dose. It didn't help with my nerve pain either. Like everyone always says, we all react differently to meds. I can take valium, amitriptyline, Vistaril and all those meds and never get very tired at all. I may sleep for an hour, and other people take it and sleep for hours. I have to take sleep meds in order to get any sleep.

[Penny24]

I was taking 100mgs of lyrica last year and for the first couple months I felt so much better. It started to wear off though. so I went off of it. I also have pfd and started valium a couple months ago. Only trouble is I only get 5hrs sleep on it. I am wondering if I should go back on the lyrica and also take a muscle relaxer at night. Does anyone do both? I am also on Elmiron and Seasonique birth control. thanks

[Claredale]

When I tried all my nerve meds, I used Valium and even went off of it for a short time to see if that was the culprit, but it didn't make a difference. I pretty much have been on valium, one orally and one I now crunch up and put in a capsule and insert into my vagina (thank you so much, it is working perfectly! Even better than the muc more expensive valium supp. throughout my entire IC life. I learned this technique from a wonderful person on this board that suggested it. I have found it really helps with my freq especially when I first go to bed. I take enough meds that could probably knock an elephant on it's butt to get my much needed sleep. The only other time I take a valium is when I have my going to see my MIL days. Without it, I would end up allowing her to make me upset which in turn would take me forever to fall asleep even on my sleep meds and muscle relaxers. I am actually going to see her today, so I will take half of a valium (otherwise known as my MIL pills) and be the sweet little daughter in law that I am expected to be. At night I also take a Soma. I am supposed to take them 3 times a day, but I normally just take 1 at night. Sometime if I have done too much and set off any of my triggers, I will take a 2nd one about 5 hours later. My body doesn't react and stay in my system as long as many of you have posted. I very rarely groggy in the morning even when I feel I take enough meds that I feel should make me sleep for days.

Since you can handle Lyrica, have you talked to your doctor about increasing your dosage? I just know what I read about it, and it is one of those meds that normally get increased over time. I sure wish it would have worked for me, but it just wasn't meant to be. LIke I said before, I felt great on them, but other people saw a huge difference in my attitude and that I slurred my words so much.

Hugs, Tracey

[sugar]

I felt really stoned like you, almost kinda drunk at first when taking Lyrica. I was bumping into walls and stuff like that. I continued with it, and like lots of others, after a wk or two, that went away. I don't notice anything with it now. I've been on it since January. My pain has improved...I'd like to go off of it cause it's caused me to gain weight, but if it can help me get better, then I'll work on the weight part when that happens.
Take care,
Annette

[lisabar36]

Hi, I am up to 50 mg 3 times a day, so far I feel fine. I have a ways to go in doseage but I been fine so far. No side effects yet.