Pregabalin

Pregabalin

What is Pregabalin?

Pregabalin is a prescription medication used for treating epilepsy and anxiety. Pregabalin is an anxiolytic and anticonvulsant used to relieve anxiety, distress, and convulsions.

Pregabalin is best for treating chronic neuropathic pain as it stops brain chemicals from passing on signals to your brain that initiate pain. Blocking those nerve impulses diminishes the ability to experience pain.

It comes in various forms, like capsules, oral solutions, and tablets.

What is Pregabalin used for?

Its primal use is for relieving nerve pain caused by diabetes, shingles, or injury. It is also used for controlling seizures by reducing unnecessary nerve impulses in the brain. For nerve pain, it lessens and blocks the pain by affecting pain messages that travel from the brain to the central nervous system. In people experiencing anxiety, it stops the brain from releasing chemicals that make them feel anxious and distressed.

How long does Pregabalin take to come into action?

Usually, Pregabalin is taken for epilepsy, but one can also use it for anxiety. Pregabalin takes at least a couple of weeks to work. However, if you have epilepsy, you should not miss a dose, as missing a dose could trigger a seizure.

In how many forms is it available?

Pregabalin is available as a capsule, solution, and tablet, all taken orally. There may be different existing brands in the market. The capsules and oral solutions are to be taken with or without food two to three times a day, depending on your prescription. You must take the tablet around the same time every day. It is advised not to chew, crush or cut the extended-release tablets.

What dose should I choose?

Your dosage of Pregabalin directly depends on your disease and its severity. Therefore, each patient must be given the medication depending on the case. It is strictly advised to use the medicine according to your prescription without increasing or decreasing your dosage. To make any changes in the dosage, consult your doctor first.

Pregabalin’s available strengths:

25mg, 50mg, 75mg, 100mg, 150mg, 200mg, 225mg, and 300mg, and for extended-release tablets, the strength available are 82.5mg, 165mg, and 330mg.

What are the side effects of Pregabalin?

Just like every medication, Pregabalin also comes with certain side effects. It can cause sleepiness, dizziness, and blurry vision. In addition, it might impact your ability to think, see and move. Therefore you must not drive or use machinery or equipment that can risk your life, as these tasks require alertness.

Some common side effects include dizziness, sleepiness, lack of concentration, blurry vision, dry mouth, swollen hands and feet, or weight gain. If these side effects do not disappear in a matter of a few days or a few weeks, please consult your doctor or your pharmacist.

Serious side effects

Apart from the common side effects, you may experience severe side effects. These symptoms can be life-threatening; therefore, visit the emergency as soon as possible.

These symptoms include allergic reactions like swollen face, mouth, lips, gums, tongue, throat, or neck, difficulty in breathing, hives, blisters, or rashes.

You may also feel suicidal thoughts, worsened anxiety or depression, agitation, panic attacks, difficulty sleeping, irritability, aggression, anger, violence, impulsiveness, manic episodes, or changes in your usual behaviour mood.

How to manage these side effects?

After taking Pregabalin, you may experience some effects as your body is still trying to get used to the medication. If these side effects do not go away on their own after some time, you should consider seeing your doctor.

If you feel dizzy and sleepy, try not to do any physical activity during that time. Instead, take some time off to rest. Increase your intake of water and fluids to avoid diarrhoea and headaches. If you experience nausea, consider taking Pregabalin in the middle of your meals. As Pregabalin can potentially increase your weight, therefore try to eat healthily.

Interactions with Pregabalin can cause side effects

You must always be mindful of taking Pregabalin with other drugs as it can cause serious life-threatening interactions

Pregabalin interacts with Diabetes drugs like rosiglitazone and pioglitazone to cause weight gain and swollen hands and feet. Taking these drugs with existing heart pain can cause serious problems.

Tranquillizers taken with pregabalin cause sleepiness and dizziness.

Opioids taken with Pregabalin can lead to life-threatening breathing issues.

Blood pressure drugs taken with Pregabalin may cause swelling and hives.

Warnings

Pregabalin comes with multiple warnings to prompt the patients about the potential reactions

Using drinks containing alcohol can tend to increase the risk of drowsiness and dizziness. You shouldn’t drink alcohol while taking Pregabalin. If you drink alcohol, talk to your doctor.

Warnings for people with certain health conditions

Allergy warning

Pregabalin can cause some life-threatening allergic reactions like trouble breathing, swelling of your face, mouth, lips, neck, gums, throat, or tongue, and rashes, hives (raised bumps), or blisters

If you happen to experience these symptoms, rush to the nearest emergency.

Never take this drug if you have had an allergic reaction to it in the past.

Alcohol interaction warning

Alcoholic drinks can increase the risk of drowsiness and dizziness from Pregabalin. Therefore, you shouldn’t drink alcohol while taking this drug.

For people with kidney problems

If you have kidney problems or even a history of kidney disease, you may be unable to handle this drug as it might interact with your kidney disease, causing further complications.

For people with heart problems 

If you have heart problems, your condition may worsen. These include swelling in your arms, legs, or feet, weight gain, and fluid retention in your body.

For people with mental health disorders 

If you have mental health issues, Pregabalin might further worsen the symptoms leading to severe depression, suicidal thoughts, and self-harm.

For people with a history of drug or alcohol misuse 

If you have a history of alcohol or drug problems, consult with your doctor before taking this medication, as using Pregabalin with opioids may lead to respiratory depression.

For people with underlying respiratory problems:

Pregabalin may cause life-threatening respiratory issues in people with already-existing breathing problems.