Pregabalin is used for nerve pain, epilepsy and generalised anxiety disorder. Like gabapentin it is a controlled drug, it is started low and increased gradually, and it must never be stopped abruptly.
Nerve pain — diabetic neuropathy, post-shingles pain, sciatica — as an add-on treatment for some epilepsy, and for generalised anxiety disorder.
It has to be taken regularly to build up an effect; it is not an as-needed medicine.
Usually two or three times a day, with or without food, at evenly spaced intervals. The dose is increased in steps over days or weeks to let side effects settle.
Allow several weeks at an effective dose to judge whether it is helping. If it is not, it should be reduced and stopped rather than continued.
Drowsiness, dizziness, unsteadiness, blurred vision, weight gain, swollen ankles and dry mouth are common. Do not drive or use machinery until you know how it affects you — driving while impaired is an offence.
Contact your doctor for mood changes or thoughts of harming yourself — Samaritans are on 116 123, free, at any hour — or for breathing difficulties, or swelling of the face or throat.
Alcohol adds substantially to drowsiness. As a controlled drug there are rules about prescription validity and travelling abroad — ask us before a trip.
1 Lyng Lane, West Bromwich B70 7RW · Mon–Fri 8:30am–6pm, Sat 9am–1pm · 0121 500 5756
Ask our pharmacist →We use essential cookies to make the site work — things like your basket, sign-in and secure checkout. With your permission we’d also like to use analytics cookies to understand how the site is used and improve it. See our cookie policy.
