Can Lyrica cause withdrawal?

[Arj72]

I sent this email to my pdoc this morning, but thought I'd try to get some feedback here.  I discontinued Lyrica on the 17th after only being on it for a month because it was causing low moods and unbearable dizziness.  I previously discontinued Mirtazapine as well (a month ago, when I started the Lyrica).

 

Hi XXXX, just thought I'd email you my thoughts for tomorrow's appointment as I have a tendency to forget what I wanted to talk about until after I leave your office.
 
Overall I'm still struggling quite a bit and I'm still experiencing the following:
 

1. A restless energy (similar to an uncomfortable caffeine/stimulant buzz).  I'd categorize it as anxiety except it appears to be free from thought/free floating.  No panic as of yet.  The sensations ebb/flow through the day and some moments are definitely harder to deal with than others.  Coping mechanisms aren't doing much to help deal with it (breathing/meditation).
2. Nausea
3. Headaches
4. Flu-like body aches and weakness
5. Overall fatigue/somnolence compounded by my trouble sleeping
6. Late stage insomnia.  I'm able to fall asleep okay but the sleep through the night is light and often interrupted.  This is improved a bit with a minute dose of melatonin before bed, but not a long term solution.
7. Tightness in my neck/shoulder area
8. Loss of appetite
9. Loss of concentration/focus
10. Overall crappy mood because to be honest, I feel like poo.

 
I acknowledge that this could very well be untreated anxiety/depression rearing it's ugly head again but there is one major difference from my normal presentation in that I reliably had a diurnal variation in my moods and I could reliably expect to feel better in the evenings.  This has not been happening and it has made things that much harder to deal with. I'm not desperate, but feel that I am becoming so.  Work is getting harder to manage as my lack of concentration (or concentrating too much on how I feel) is making it hard to accomplish much.
 
Any feedback you can provide me today would be appreciated, although I am seeing you tomorrow.

Thanks,
XXXX

 

Can this all be related to a withdrawal syndrome from Lyrica?

[Ash19]

I was on 450mg for about four months and then came off them pretty quickly, I don't remember getting any withdrawal symptoms though, but I may have experienced them but dismissed them as just general pain and misery

[jarn]

I don't remember withdrawal from discontinuing Lyrica, and I think - THINK (it's been so long) that I was on 600mg.  But don't quote me.  

 

That doesn't mean it couldn't be happening to you.

 

One thought with the nausea - sometimes the only symptom of anxiety for me is nausea.  I don't FEEL anxious, necessarily, not overtly, but I am nauseous.  It resolves by taking Ativan daily.  So now I take it daily.