Pregabaline 300mg

Pregabalin 300mg is available as a capsule strength. Pregabalin is not an opioid. Pregabalin belongs to a different drug group called gabapentinoids, which work in a different way on the nervous system to painkillers like tramadol and codeine.

Pregabalin is used for three things in the European Union. The first is nerve pain, which can be pain caused by shingles or diabetic nerve damage. The second is epilepsy, where it is used in addition to other medications to treat partial seizures. The third is generalised anxiety disorder.

How pregabalin works. Pregabalin binds to a part of the calcium channels on nerve cells. This reduces the release of the chemical messengers that carry the pain and seizure signals out of the cells. It calms overactive nerves, rather than blocking the pain signals like an opioid drug does.

Dosage and the daily maximum. The dose range for adults is between 150mg and 600mg per day, split into two or three doses. The maximum dose is 600mg per 24 hour period, so one capsule of 300mg is half of the maximum daily dose. The doses are built up over time rather than taking the highest dose at once when starting the medication.

Kidneys matter here. Pregabalin leaves the body through the kidneys almost entirely. Those whose kidneys are not working well need a lower dose of the medication, and that dose should be calculated from a kidney function test. This is especially true of pregabalin compared to most other medications, since the kidneys clear almost all of it from the body.

Taking pregabalin with opioids. Taking pregabalin together with an opioid painkiller is dangerous. The combination can cause excessive sedation, breathing that slows or stops, coma and even death. Regulatory agencies have issued formal warnings about this combination of medications. If you are prescribed both pregabalin and an opioid, your doctor should be making that decision rather than it happening by accident across two prescriptions.

Side effects of pregabalin 300mg. The common side effects include dizziness, drowsiness, weight gain, swelling of the hands and feet, dry mouth and blurred vision. Dizziness and drowsiness are typically worst when first starting the medicine or after increasing the dose, and these side effects can affect the ability to drive a car.

Never stop it suddenly. Stopping pregabalin suddenly can lead to seizures, severe anxiety, insomnia, nausea and sweating. The drug is discontinued gradually over a period of at least one week, on a plan set by the prescribing doctor.