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How Should Withdrawal Symptoms After Discontinuing Lyrica Be Managed?
Question: My dad is 73 years old. He has Diabetes type 2, slight renal failure, hyper tension, gout and neuropathy. He has been taking the drug Lyrica 600 mg once a day, once a week or every 4-5 days. He feels that he has become physically and psychologically dependent of the drug and gets severe withdrawal symtoms when the drug are out of his system. He has tried to get off the drug on his own but has failed several times and get on the rebound. He needs professional and medical help but the doctors here in Sweden are not very familiar with the drug Lyrica so he needs the right advice and instructions
Brief Answer:
How was this discontinued?
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I will like to know what symptoms he experience when the drug is discontinued. Also, I will like to know whether this is abrupt or tapered over a time period and if yes, how much time.
Is he getting weaned off because of adverse effects or simply because you think he's psychologically and physically dependent on?
Hope to hear from you and will take it on from there.
How was this discontinued?
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I will like to know what symptoms he experience when the drug is discontinued. Also, I will like to know whether this is abrupt or tapered over a time period and if yes, how much time.
Is he getting weaned off because of adverse effects or simply because you think he's psychologically and physically dependent on?
Hope to hear from you and will take it on from there.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
When the drug is out of his system, after 24 hours, his head, face and body is itchy. He has muscle pain in his legs, shoulders and back pain. Blurred vision, gets fatigued, low energy, can walk upward but is hunched back. Feels exhausted. Pain and aches all over his body. Feels depressed. Is physically and psychologically dependent on the drug. He has tried to ween off the drug by beginning taking 600 mg the first day, then 300 mg for a week, then 150 mg another week and then 75 mg for three weeks and then nothing at all. He still has withdraw symtoms because his body is used to 600 mg once a day and when he lowers the dose he feels tired, depressed, aches and pains all over. He wants to get off the drug because of the severe side effects and because of the addictive symtoms.
Brief Answer:
See below!
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
1. The initial goal should not be to get him off completely but to reduce to the minimum tolerable. In the case, we would continue to reduce until we reach a point where he can no longer tolerate. When that happens, we will revert to the immediate prior dosage that he tolerated. This way, we maintain for a while and only attempt decreasing further after.
2. The recurrent symptoms might be attributed to dependence or could simply be unmasking of what the drugs have been taking care of. I will not advise that he gets off because of the addiction or side effects. Ultimately, I will want him to safely get off if he thinks he can manage his symptoms without these drugs. One approach is to ensure his diabetes is well managed with an A1C of less than 7, consistently.
Let me know what your take is about the above proposed plan.
See below!
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
1. The initial goal should not be to get him off completely but to reduce to the minimum tolerable. In the case, we would continue to reduce until we reach a point where he can no longer tolerate. When that happens, we will revert to the immediate prior dosage that he tolerated. This way, we maintain for a while and only attempt decreasing further after.
2. The recurrent symptoms might be attributed to dependence or could simply be unmasking of what the drugs have been taking care of. I will not advise that he gets off because of the addiction or side effects. Ultimately, I will want him to safely get off if he thinks he can manage his symptoms without these drugs. One approach is to ensure his diabetes is well managed with an A1C of less than 7, consistently.
Let me know what your take is about the above proposed plan.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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