Other assorted AEs have been described irregularly, including myoclonus [Huppertz et al. 2001], asterixis [Heckmann et al. 2005] and gynecomastia [Malaga and Sanmarti, 2006]. A single case of encephalopathy and corpus callosal edema occurring following abrupt discontinuation of PGB has been described [Oaklander and Buchbinder, 2005; Prilipko et al. 2006]. Finally, there is a single report of rhabdomyolysis occurring in a patient with combined PGB and simvastatin therapy, a known AE with the latter medication [Kaufman and Choy, 2012]. Comparisons of PGB with other NeP agents have been performed. Comparisons between amitriptyline, duloxetine and PGB have shown similar efficacies in pain relief, with better sleep efficacy but more AEs occurring with PGB compared with the other two agents [Boyle et al. 2012]. While PGB was superior to duloxetine for improving the patient’s global impression of change, it led to more dizziness [Quilici et al. 2009].
Somnolence is slightly less common, being experienced in 22% of patients treated with PGB compared with 7% of those receiving placebo [Pfizer, 2005]. Dizziness and somnolence, alone or together, can impair abilities for performance of potentially dangerous job functions, such as driving or operating complex or heavy machinery. These AEs often occur when PGB is initiated, with these AEs often diminishing after weeks of therapy with PGB. For clinical trials examining DPN or PHN, 9–14% of patients receiving PGB and 4–7% of those receiving placebo discontinued treatment prematurely due to AEs. As would be anticipated based upon their frequency, dizziness (3–4%) and somnolence (2–3%) are the most frequent AEs to lead to drug discontinuation.
If you have diabetes or heart problems, call your doctor if you have weight gain or swelling in your hands or feet while taking pregabalin. Pregabalin is also used with other medications to treat partial-onset seizures in adults and children aged at least 1 month. Do not take this drug again if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to it.
This drug works best when the amount of medicine in your body is kept at a constant level. It is best to take pregabalin at evenly spaced intervals throughout the day and night. Read the Medication Guide and, if available, the Patient Information Leaflet provided by your pharmacist before you start using pregabalin and each time you get a refill. Talk to your care team about the use of this medication in children. While it may be prescribed for children as young as 1 month for selected conditions, precautions do apply.
As PGB is capable of crossing the placenta, such potential teratogenic effects must be seen as possible. Despite the preclinical data, no controlled data exist for human pregnancies. Therefore, PGB should only be offered to pregnant women in the absence of other options, with the benefits of use outweighing the potential, and theoretical, risks. For men receiving PGB, information of a possible risk for male-mediated teratogenicity should be provided. Also, aged progeny demonstrate neurobehavioral and reproductive dysfunction.
Take this medication by mouth as directed by your doctor, usually once daily after an evening meal. Doing so can release all of the drug at once, increasing the risk of side effects. Do not stop using pregabalin suddenly, even if you feel fine. Stopping suddenly may cause increased seizures or unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Follow your doctor’s instructions about tapering your dose for at least 1 week before stopping completely.
Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines lyrica without prescription your doctor’s approval. Teratogenicity is felt to be of low probability with PGB. As a result, pregnancy category C has been allocated to PGB by the US Food and Drug Administration.