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Darienne: From Piki - My life on Effexor, Lyrica & Gabapentin


Darienne

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I was put on Effexor 20 years ago by a doctor whose computer program said I was depressed.  I was not.  I was also completely uneducated about anti-depressants.  Took it obediently for many years.  Finally questioned the top pharmacist in our city about getting off it...by this time I had learned something...and he said...never even try.  So I didn't.  Until I was put on Lyrica and finally woke up to the pharmaceutical realities around me.  I've been off Effexor completely now since December 2021 with apparently no kickback effects.  I did it very slowly and very carefully with the help of a FB forum. 

 

The Lyrica came about because of excruciating leg nerve pain during my second major attack of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis.  I tried all the pain killers to ease the pain but nothing worked.  I was put on Lyrica (about which I knew nothing).  Quickly I joined the Lyrica and Gabapentin FB forum.  The Lyrica was increased to 600 mg daily before the pain subsided to the point of bearing it.  As soon as I could I weaned off the stuff very slowly and carefully.  With no real problems.  It took 9 months. 

 

Five years later in the 4th major attack of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis, I went onto Gabapentin.  Again the top dose, 3600 mg daily, to quell the unbearable leg nerve pain.  Again with the support of the FB forum and now using the guidelines put forth by Drs. Breggin and Dr. Heather Ashton, I was able to wean off 3600 mg of Gabapentin in 9 weeks...the same amount of time I had been on the drug.  There were no problems although I have to admit I was very edgy while dropping the drug so rapidly. 

 

I wish I could say that I am doing well, but I am not.  The nerve pain is back albeit at a low level but I am so apprehensive about the future.  

Darienne from Lyrica Survivors

Effexor: 75 mg, July 2001 - Dec 2021, weaned slowly with FB forum support 

Lyrica: 600 mg, May 2016 - March 2017, weaned according to Ashton manual, FB forum support

Gabapentin: 3600 mg, November 2020 - March 2021, weaned according to Ashton & Breggin, FB forum support

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to Darienne: From Piki - My life on Effexor, Lyrica & Gabapentin
  • Moderator

@Darienne

 

Welcome to SA. 

 

Could you please create a signature. Thank you.

 

Instructions:  Withdrawal History Signature

 

I'm going to give you a link to get you started and @MerryJayneFriday should join you shortly to welcome you.

 

 

In the meantime, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

PREVIOUS medications and discontinuations: Have been on medications since 1996. 

 Valium, Gabapentin, Lamictal, Prilosec and Zantac from 2000 to 2015 with a fast taper by a psychiatrist.

 Liquid Lexapro Nov, 2016 to 31-March, 2019 Lexapro free!!! (total Lexapro taper was 4 years-started with pill form)

---CURRENT MEDICATIONS:Supplements:Milk Thistle, Metamucil, Magnesium Citrate, Vitamin D3, Levothyroxine 25mcg, Vitamin C, Krill oil.

Xanax 1mg 3x day June, 2000 to 19-September, 2020 Went from .150 grams (average weight of 1 Xanax) 3x day to .003 grams 3x day. April 1, 2021 went back on 1mg a day. Started tapering May 19, 2023. July 28, 2023-approximately .87mg. Dr. fast tapered me at the end and realized he messed up. Prescribe it again and I am doing "slower than a turtle" taper.

19-September, 2020 Xanax free!!! (total Xanax taper was 15-1/2 months-1-June, 2019-19-September, 2020)

I am not a medical professional.

The suggestions I make are based on personal experience.

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  • Moderator

Hello @Darienne and welcome. Congrats on beating the gaba drugs twice!  Woo hooo!  You know when I came off the Lyrica my pain ramped up exponentially but now has settled down to more manageable levels (mostly)  but im coming up on 2 years off.  Many natural remedies I really like Medical Marijuana and my chiropractor.. I also have a spinal cord stimulator and it does help too.  

 

Hope you feel better soonest.  Hang in there if I can help holler XO 

 

MJF

MerryJayneFriday

Polydrugged for many years after dx of Failed Back surgery.   Tapered from Lyrica from 2016 to 2020

Quit 10 mg oxycontin Sept 2021

currently taking 5mg oxycodone every 4 to 5 hours

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Thanks for the welcome, @MerryJayneFriday.  Glad you made it off Lyrica and are pretty much managing your pain.

 

I hope I never have to go on a gabapentinoid again but sad to say, the nerve pain has not left me in peace this time.  It's very low grade but I am fearful for the future.  

 

Right now I am battling extreme fatigue from having contracted Lyme disease in October and that's my main focus.  Still I want to keep in touch with this group as I have now since 2017.   

Darienne from Lyrica Survivors

Effexor: 75 mg, July 2001 - Dec 2021, weaned slowly with FB forum support 

Lyrica: 600 mg, May 2016 - March 2017, weaned according to Ashton manual, FB forum support

Gabapentin: 3600 mg, November 2020 - March 2021, weaned according to Ashton & Breggin, FB forum support

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@Darienne

 

Hi

Congratulations on your achievement. 
 

I too have spinal stenosis and the last setback was pretty grim. 
 

By chance I found a physio with expertise in the field as I am too medically compromised to consider surgery. 
 

With regular physio I can get months of lesser pain, unless I do something stupid like tree surgery. 
 

I hope you find comfort. 
 

OldDodgy 

My Intro topic.  Was Dickie in FB gabapentinoids 

2020 January Stopped Quetiapine 150 at night in a fairly chaotic fashion with holds, jumping at 6mg 

2020 June Stopped Pregabalin 150 at night using Ashton Method Some holds. 

2021 December Stopped Mirtazipine 15 using Ashton Method. (Slower at end). 

Nov 21 - Given Quetiapine 12.5 for sleep. Reduced mid March 2022 to 6mg - Off 30/5/22

Feb 2022 Ongoing Diazepam 17.5, Blip at Christmas when took 22.5mg for a few days, now 24 FEB Stable 17.5 as advised. Had long covid. Now going to 16.25 from 8/7/22. 7% drop 

Oxazepam 10mg.STOPPED 10th FEB 2022  “Rescue dose x 2 in 2 months. 

Buccastem 3mg less than 1 a month for nausea. 

Past meds since 1969 -Approx dates only available. Tranxene 15, Clomipramine 150 for about 25 years. 1993 Paroxetine 20 AD change. Diazepam 20mg swap from Tranxene.

Oxazepam 10mg Prn since 1990's  1995 Trial of MAOIS. 2000 Escitaopram 10mg. 2015 trial of Trazadone. 2004 Pregabalin 150 at night.

2015 Started on Quetiapine 150 note, Mirtazipine 15 note. Diazepam increased to 30mg split dosing. 

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1 hour ago, OldDodgy said:

 

By chance I found a physio with expertise in the field as I am too medically compromised to consider surgery. 
 

With regular physio I can get months of lesser pain, unless I do something stupid like tree surgery. 

Sorry to read about your situation although it's great that you have found some relief.

 

When I think about it...it's not the stenosis problems which sent me onto the Gabapentinoids...it's the nerve pain.  So far it's not been identified as to its origins.  It was truly unbearable and I would take just about anything to end it.  I've read that gabapentinoids don't work..but for me for some reason they did.  

Darienne from Lyrica Survivors

Effexor: 75 mg, July 2001 - Dec 2021, weaned slowly with FB forum support 

Lyrica: 600 mg, May 2016 - March 2017, weaned according to Ashton manual, FB forum support

Gabapentin: 3600 mg, November 2020 - March 2021, weaned according to Ashton & Breggin, FB forum support

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@Darienne

In the previous group where you were a member too we knew  many folk who benefited initially from pentinoids for various nerve pains.

Sadly most who posted there had reached a level where they ceased to work and were looking at natural alternatives. 
You can still access those methods if you remain a member. 
Hopefully a cause will be found for you. 

You will of course have done all the basic blood screening recommended on SL, 

if not I think I remember most recommended. 
Yours 

OD 

My Intro topic.  Was Dickie in FB gabapentinoids 

2020 January Stopped Quetiapine 150 at night in a fairly chaotic fashion with holds, jumping at 6mg 

2020 June Stopped Pregabalin 150 at night using Ashton Method Some holds. 

2021 December Stopped Mirtazipine 15 using Ashton Method. (Slower at end). 

Nov 21 - Given Quetiapine 12.5 for sleep. Reduced mid March 2022 to 6mg - Off 30/5/22

Feb 2022 Ongoing Diazepam 17.5, Blip at Christmas when took 22.5mg for a few days, now 24 FEB Stable 17.5 as advised. Had long covid. Now going to 16.25 from 8/7/22. 7% drop 

Oxazepam 10mg.STOPPED 10th FEB 2022  “Rescue dose x 2 in 2 months. 

Buccastem 3mg less than 1 a month for nausea. 

Past meds since 1969 -Approx dates only available. Tranxene 15, Clomipramine 150 for about 25 years. 1993 Paroxetine 20 AD change. Diazepam 20mg swap from Tranxene.

Oxazepam 10mg Prn since 1990's  1995 Trial of MAOIS. 2000 Escitaopram 10mg. 2015 trial of Trazadone. 2004 Pregabalin 150 at night.

2015 Started on Quetiapine 150 note, Mirtazipine 15 note. Diazepam increased to 30mg split dosing. 

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I'm sorry.  I don't know what SL means.    

 

I'm not suggesting the Gabapentinoids would work again...rather that they did work.  And it could be noticed that I got off each one as quickly and carefully as possible.  The Lyrica took much longer than the Gabapentin because the work of Dr. Peter Breggin was not apparently known at that time.   The Gabapentin was 9 weeks on and then 9 weeks to get off.  However, it's still my belief that I was very lucky.  

 

Thanks for your concern.  @OldDodgy.

Darienne from Lyrica Survivors

Effexor: 75 mg, July 2001 - Dec 2021, weaned slowly with FB forum support 

Lyrica: 600 mg, May 2016 - March 2017, weaned according to Ashton manual, FB forum support

Gabapentin: 3600 mg, November 2020 - March 2021, weaned according to Ashton & Breggin, FB forum support

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@Darienne

Sorry SL was an abbreviation for Surviving Lyrica and I thought you might had been a member. My Apols. 

Some folk can indeed have bursts on pentinoids and if it helps then certainly that is a reasonable way to handle your pain. I used them for 14 years after an Road Accident. Getting off using Ashton was ok except the haematology consultant wanted me off asap because I was on blood thinners -)) 

 

I noted that you got off ok which is really encouraging. 
Yours OldDodgy 

My Intro topic.  Was Dickie in FB gabapentinoids 

2020 January Stopped Quetiapine 150 at night in a fairly chaotic fashion with holds, jumping at 6mg 

2020 June Stopped Pregabalin 150 at night using Ashton Method Some holds. 

2021 December Stopped Mirtazipine 15 using Ashton Method. (Slower at end). 

Nov 21 - Given Quetiapine 12.5 for sleep. Reduced mid March 2022 to 6mg - Off 30/5/22

Feb 2022 Ongoing Diazepam 17.5, Blip at Christmas when took 22.5mg for a few days, now 24 FEB Stable 17.5 as advised. Had long covid. Now going to 16.25 from 8/7/22. 7% drop 

Oxazepam 10mg.STOPPED 10th FEB 2022  “Rescue dose x 2 in 2 months. 

Buccastem 3mg less than 1 a month for nausea. 

Past meds since 1969 -Approx dates only available. Tranxene 15, Clomipramine 150 for about 25 years. 1993 Paroxetine 20 AD change. Diazepam 20mg swap from Tranxene.

Oxazepam 10mg Prn since 1990's  1995 Trial of MAOIS. 2000 Escitaopram 10mg. 2015 trial of Trazadone. 2004 Pregabalin 150 at night.

2015 Started on Quetiapine 150 note, Mirtazipine 15 note. Diazepam increased to 30mg split dosing. 

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@OldDodgy, I was a member as stated in my signature...since 2016.  Amy Ireland is my angel in human form and I will never forget her help.  Wonderful woman. 

 

With luck I'll never have to face that pain again, although I am not really confident of that one.  Or I can finally find some other pain killer to help.  So far nothing else  worked...which is why I ended up on Lyrica the first time.  

Darienne from Lyrica Survivors

Effexor: 75 mg, July 2001 - Dec 2021, weaned slowly with FB forum support 

Lyrica: 600 mg, May 2016 - March 2017, weaned according to Ashton manual, FB forum support

Gabapentin: 3600 mg, November 2020 - March 2021, weaned according to Ashton & Breggin, FB forum support

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@Darienne

 Yes Amy helped me get off quetiapine, pregabalin and mirtazipine 

and I think she knows how greatful we were for her tenacity! 
Best wishes 

OldDodgy aka Dxxxie 

Edited by OldDodgy
Typo

My Intro topic.  Was Dickie in FB gabapentinoids 

2020 January Stopped Quetiapine 150 at night in a fairly chaotic fashion with holds, jumping at 6mg 

2020 June Stopped Pregabalin 150 at night using Ashton Method Some holds. 

2021 December Stopped Mirtazipine 15 using Ashton Method. (Slower at end). 

Nov 21 - Given Quetiapine 12.5 for sleep. Reduced mid March 2022 to 6mg - Off 30/5/22

Feb 2022 Ongoing Diazepam 17.5, Blip at Christmas when took 22.5mg for a few days, now 24 FEB Stable 17.5 as advised. Had long covid. Now going to 16.25 from 8/7/22. 7% drop 

Oxazepam 10mg.STOPPED 10th FEB 2022  “Rescue dose x 2 in 2 months. 

Buccastem 3mg less than 1 a month for nausea. 

Past meds since 1969 -Approx dates only available. Tranxene 15, Clomipramine 150 for about 25 years. 1993 Paroxetine 20 AD change. Diazepam 20mg swap from Tranxene.

Oxazepam 10mg Prn since 1990's  1995 Trial of MAOIS. 2000 Escitaopram 10mg. 2015 trial of Trazadone. 2004 Pregabalin 150 at night.

2015 Started on Quetiapine 150 note, Mirtazipine 15 note. Diazepam increased to 30mg split dosing. 

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