Getting off Lyrica may cause a number of discontinuation side effects. This drug is prescribed for the pain of fibromyalgia, and the nerve pain associated with diabetes and shingles.
Quitting Lyrica suddenly can result in withdrawal symptoms including insomnia, headache, nausea, diarrhea and flu-like symptoms.
“Some people withdraw from Lyrica without any ill effects,” says Joe Wegmann, psychopharmacologist and licensed clinical social worker, author of Psychopharmacology: Straight Talk on Mental Health Medications.
I didn’t know there were any serious problems in some people quitting Lyrica until I came upon this by accident on the Web.
This was several months ago, and I filed this information deep inside my mind and forgot about it.
But looking back, I realize that people on the forum reported that getting off Lyrica was producing some very nasty side effects.
But just how widespread is this? Wegmann explains, “These forum threads don’t report on alcohol consumption, illicit drug consumption, polypharmacy issues or associated physical illnesses — very important.”
All that the Web peruser sees are the complaints by the person trying to quit Lyrica. Yes, we don’t know about other variables that can make it difficult to quit this drug.
Nevertheless, it’s a wise idea to taper off this drug, because you don’t know if you’re going to be one of the unlucky ones.
Wegmann explains: “What seems to work with those experiencing a discontinuation syndrome with Lyrica is to place them on a low dose benzodiazepine regimen (diazepam or clonazepam), in conjunction with tapering the Lyrica downward at 50 mg per week.
“This is a safe, slow taper. Many taking doses of 300 mg per day are able to discontinue the drug within seven days without ill effects.”
Here’s a little irony: After I had forgotten about the Lyrica withdrawal information I had picked up on the Web, a neurologist gave my mother two bottles of 75 mg Lyrica capsules for nerve pain associated with carpal tunnel syndrome.
She was instructed to taper ON the drug, to build it up in her system: starting out with one 75 mg capsule in the morning for a few days; then one in the morning, one at night, for a few days; then two in the morning and one at night for a few days; and so on until maintaining on the full dose of two capsules, twice a day (total 300 mg per day).
The neurologist never mentioned anything about withdrawal effects of getting off Lyrica.
And interestingly, I never recognized this drug as the one that I had read about a few months’ prior in the forum, either.
So when about a week later, my mother wanted to quit this medication altogether (she had been up to 225 mg a day by then), because it wasn’t doing anything for the pain, I thought nothing of it.
She outright quit taking Lyrica, and had no withdrawal effects at all, though of course, she’d been on it for only a week as well.
If you’re on Lyrica, consult with your prescribing physician about how to taper off to minimize withdrawal effects.
Joseph Wegmannis a licensed clinical pharmacist and clinical social worker with more than 30 years of experience in the field of psychopharmacology.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
