Pregabalin (Lyrica) + Opiates

[tch2296]

I was wondering whether anyone had any experience using pregabalin (Lyrica) or gabapentin as a potentiator for opiates. Specifically, for heroin. Any input would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

[Papa Verine]

I tried this. I had a friend who got a month's worth of Lyrica from his PM doc and he didn't like em so he gave them to me. I looked it up and found out it was Sch. V and thought it might be a good addition to my heroin use. I didn't notice anything. I didn't feel like it potentiated opiates or did much of anything. I had the bottle laying around for a couple years then threw it away.

I never took a high dose of this shit. I've since read of people taking massive doses of Gabapentin and I wondered if I should've tried a much higher dose of Lyrica. Maybe somebody else here can add their thoughts on this.

[Restharrow]

My pain doctor prescribed it and I took it with my OXY for a couple of days (less than the amount scripted) and my hands became very swollen. It was the only time I ever had any type reaction like that to a med. The Dr. said its a common reaction.

I liked the way it made the pain meds work better, but no way I would have kept taking it with that reaction.

Good luck and be careful!
Will

[OpiumEyes]

I'm prescribed Lyrica for my Fibro, and I really don't think that it does anyone much good. No potentiating, no pain killing, nothing. I did mess with it for a bit though, and found that if I didn't take it as prescribed (obviously) and snorted a few capsules - I have the 200s - then it would severely screw with my balance. Somewhat entertaining, but I had no tolerance for it, and the tolerance comes up quickly. I was basically incoherent and unable to stand properly for several hours. A friend of mine tried it and the only thing it made him do was fall asleep, so I think it will really depend on the person.

Before Lyrica I was taking gabapentin, and when I took some pretty massive doses (like PapaV mentioned) I would end up feeling really, really stoned but without the head high. Also vaguely entertaining when you have nothing else, but not my most favorite thing in the world.

I hope that helps and i'm sorry if it doesn't make a lot of sense, but I'm having a hard time describing it well.
Sorry. :o

[tch2296]

Hmm, interesting, I am prescribed Lyrica and it certainly does a lot for me. I don't take it every day because tolerance to it builds incredibly fast and you get nothing good out of it that way.

Most people I know that have tried it get at least something out of it, but then again most of them aren't opiate addicts and don't know a good buzz from a dose of advil :p . For example, there is a large group of people at Bluelight that absolutely love Lyrica (most of them love Neurontin also), but I think most of them are full of shit anyways, and like I said, don't have much experience using real drugs.

Do you guys enjoy using gabapentin or do you get the same kind of reaction to that? To the person that said their hands swelled up, that is a common side effect for Lyrica and Neurontin, I guess, luckily it has not happened to me yet.

Normally if I take between 300-600 mg, I become very relaxed and get a very pleasant buzz, usually I just use it when I can't get opiates, it really helps me with the withdrawal. It's also a very effective anxiolytic for me personally. OpiumEyes, what you said makes a lot of sense. Every time I've taken over 600 mg, I become very tired and sedated and always end up falling asleep within a couple of hours. And I know what you mean about the tolerance.

Since I am prescribed it for anxiety, depression, and insomnia, I really don't know how effective it is as a painkiller, except that it is I think the only drug FDA-approved for Fibromyalgia.

I took 450 mg about a half hour ago and am already feeling a pleasant, glowing buzz.

[Mayo]

... I was basically incoherent and unable to stand properly for several hours. A friend of mine tried it and the only thing it made him do was fall asleep, so I think it will really depend on the person. Before Lyrica I was taking gabapentin, and when I took some pretty massive doses (like PapaV mentioned) I would end up feeling really, really stoned but without the head high.....I'm having a hard time describing it well. Sorry.

When I took a normal dose of lyrica or neurontin, it felt somewhat like I had smoked weed.
Even made a midnight run to taco bell for the first time in years.
So, I too have a hard time describing the feeling, and also think it depends a lot on the person.
Whenever I took either of these two drugs, about 6 hours later I would awake from sleep in a state of total panic.
It was very odd and disturbing.
I felt nothing different when taking them with an opiate, but felt very dizzy and tired when taking them with a benzo.

[tch2296]

When I took a normal dose of lyrica or neurontin, it felt somewhat like I had smoked weed.
Even made a midnight run to taco bell for the first time in years.
So, I too have a hard time describing the feeling, and also think it depends a lot on the person.
Whenever I took either of these two drugs, about 6 hours later I would awake from sleep in a state of total panic.
It was very odd and disturbing.
I felt nothing different when taking them with an opiate, but felt very dizzy and tired when taking them with a benzo.

Wow, I guess everyone really does have a different reaction. Thankfully I have never awoken in a panic, I tend to sleep quite soundly after taking gabapentin or pregabalin.

However, I know what you mean about the munchies, I fuckin' hit the pantry hard when I'm on this stuff.

I took my dose 3 hours ago (450 mg pregabalin) and I am feeling kind of euphoric and energetic, almost giddy. Im gonna dose a big shot of some primo heroin in about an hour and see if there is any synergy.

[dharma bum]

I have found that it helps me need less of my suboxone. But only if I take my lyrica hours before my suboxone dose and let the effects of the lyrica kick in good.
I was once a recreational user of pregabalin and gabapentin but after months, maybe even years i STARTED TO experience some bad side effects, such as, ataxia and dysarthia. I would stutter and have severe vocal jerks...so I stopped the rec use and now only use it occasionally for potentiation.

[tch2296]

I have found that it helps me need less of my suboxone. But only if I take my lyrica hours before my suboxone dose and let the effects of the lyrica kick in good.
I was once a recreational user of pregabalin and gabapentin but after months, maybe even years i STARTED TO experience some bad side effects, such as, ataxia and dysarthia. I would stutter and have severe vocal jerks...so I stopped the rec use and now only use it occasionally for potentiation.

Wow, that's kind of scary.

Well, I took the lyrica 3-4 hours ago and am just preparing my shot of heroin right now. I definitely feel pretty relaxed from the lyrica, we'll see how it goes.

(15 minutes later)

Took a really big hit, it didn't have any discernable effect on the rush, except that it kinda seemed to creep up on me more, although I tasted the dope right away, just now as I am typing, I'm starting to get a pretty nice nod, nothing really out of the usual yet, what I am hoping is that the pregabalin might extend the duration of the high or have positive effects later on.

[tch2296]

Nah, the lyrica didn't affect the heroin high at all really, it made me more cheerful before i got high, but nothing interesting. I shoulda jsut saved em for a rainy day

[ouaisOut]

I've been prescribed Gabapentin for years for my CP condition. I have uncontrolled nerve pain (botched back surgeries) and I tried gabaP a long time ago and gave up on it because it didn't do shit. But of course, I always take the refills from my spine doc because he's the one who writes my percocet and you know how it go. And they're super-cheap at my HMO's pharmacy.

Well, a couple of weeks ago, I decided, what the hell, I'll try gabaP again. Everything I've read on my CP and drug forums has indicated that for most people it does nothing or provides a mild sedation. I've been WAY tapering my opiate dose, so I was on about 60-70mgs of oxycodone that day (which I took in the morning). I took the gapapentin at night (1 capsule! 300mg! That's a nothing dose.), woke up in the middle of the night and I couldn't stop my eyes from rolling back in my head. It was INCREDIBLY unpleasant. This went on for about an hour and a half. Every 30 seconds, my eyes would flip. Made no sense.

So, I decided to try a little scientific experiment, since I'd never heard of gabaP doing this. A couple of days later, I took the gabaP at night. The only opiates I'd done that day were 2 pods and 60mgs oxycodone in the morning. No waking up feeling that my eyes were going to flip into my brain. No prob. So next day, I took my tiny dose of oxycodone (60mgs) in the morning with a couple pods, took no gabaP in the morning. Just the 300mg dose the night before.

I was driving home late that afternoon, and my fucking eyes decided to take the trip to the back of my skull again. I was on the Bay Bridge. You can't fucking pull over on that bitch. So the entire time I was driving, I was slapping myself hard in the face and trying to keep my eyes from rolling, which they were trying to do about every 30 seconds. After about 30 minutes (pulled over as soon as I could), my eyes chilled and I was cool to get home.

So I'm not fucking with gabapentin again. Anyone else have this problem? I didn't talk to my spine doc about it because he's got the brain of a bad-tempered insect. But I did talk to my meds shrink who's the polar opposite of my spine doc. My meds shrink had never heard of it. But he did give me Lyrica samples to try (he's like that. Gives me lamictal and seroquel samples because he knows I'm broke. I love him. And he knows his shit. Old hippie who likes to fuck over the pharm companies and the system.) But now I'm scared of trying the Lyrica.

Shit, that was long. Sorry. Just thought I'd put it out there in case other people have had a similar experience.

[irish]

I got a sample pack of lyrica, and felt kinda concussed, like I just took a good punch to the head. It does help a bit for benzo withdrawal though.

[Jose]

Neurontin a/k/a morontin: a lot of folks say it makes them brain dead.

If I take either lyrica or gabap before bed, I will sleep for 16 hours..easy. I have noticed some increased relaxation with the gabap and hydro combo. Also, this may seem strange--but, I have noticed much more of a euphoric effect when I combine gabap & a highly carbonated drink (i.e., perrier). I have also noted closed eye visuals after taking at least 4 300mg gabap. Both have withdrawal effects--sweating, irritability, anxiety for a few days.

[blenderqueen]

i find the lyrica works way better than neurontin for nerve pain. I have awful sciatica & lyrica is only thing ever helped with it. I don't think I've ever really taken it w/o an opiate in my system. but I do find that it seems to make the opiates work a bit better or stretch a little longer if I'm running really short before my next fill is due for example. (stumbled into realizing that!) so now I notice if I'm patient & don't just take another oxy right away or whatever, less actually will kick in pretty decent after about an hour ish if I take it at the same time with my lyrica. Also with a benzo, like a xanax before bed, I notice I do have an easier time falling asleep. (I'm quite the insomniac!). I have also heard other friends say it helps with sleep, withdrawal, & potentiation. I've never taken more than prescribed of the lyrica. I think I'll try a larger dose when I have some down time & report back if any noticable difference.
HTH,s & good luck:)

queenie