Can you take Fluoxetine and Pregabalin together? (3 benefits) 

In this blog post, we are going to answer the question, “Can you take Fluoxetine and Pregabalin together?”. Both Fluoxetine and Pregabalin have frequently prescribed medications and they can be used for a number of mental health-related problems. 

They can also be paired together for the management and treatment of persistent types of mental illnesses that usually don’t respond to monotherapy. This blog will cover the safety, efficacy, and proper use of Fluoxetine and Pregabalin. 

Can you take Fluoxetine and Pregabalin together?

Yes, you can take Fluoxetine and Pregabalin together, but only if your healthcare provider believes that this combination can help you recover from your health condition. Both Fluoxetine and Pregabalin are approved for the management and treatment of generalised anxiety disorder. 

They can be used for the treatment of major depressive disorder. Fluoxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. It works by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin by blocking serotonin transporters (SERT). 

This way, more active serotonin is available to bind to its respective receptors. This serotonergic activity counteracts the symptoms associated with depression, anxiety, and several other mental health conditions. 

Pregabalin, on the other hand, is an antiepileptic medication. It works by blocking the voltage-gated calcium channels in your brain that are responsible for the release of a number of excitatory neurotransmitters. 

The excess of these neurotransmitters increases the electrical activity in your brain, which results in excessive neuronal firing that causes seizures. 

Pregabalin blocks this entire activity and reduces the frequency and severity of your convulsions. The drug has been used for decades now and is considered a very good addition to your epilepsy treatment regimen. 

What are the benefits of using Fluoxetine and Pregabalin together? 

The combination of Fluoxetine and Pregabalin holds some significant clinical importance. These include:

• Better treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) 
• Safe and effective nerve pain management 
• Promising activity against anxiety disorders

Better treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) 

The combination of Fluoxetine and Pregabalin is considered important for the management and treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). As stated earlier, Fluoxetine is an SSRI. It is a known fact that SSRIs take time to work. 

These meds do not work overnight and you have to give them a considerable amount of time to be accepted by your body and to start working. 

This can become a problem during the treatment and management of major depressive disorder (MDD), which is a persistent type of depression. When these meds are combined with Pregabalin, it results in the augmentation of SSRIs and they start to kick in way earlier than their usual time. 

This is why the combination of Fluoxetine and Pregabalin holds significant importance for the treatment of MDD, as Pregabalin makes Fluoxetine work faster to cure the disease effectively. 

On the other hand, Pregabalin itself holds some clinical importance for the treatment of MDD. However, one important thing to mention here is the fact that this combination may not be a good choice of treatment for every other individual. 

Some people may not be able to treat either one or both of these meds. Fluoxetine, although it is considered one of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants, may not be tolerated well by some people. 

If an individual can not tolerate this antidepressant, there’s no point in combining it with any other medication whatsoever. The same goes for Pregabalin. 

Some people may exhibit signs of an allergic reaction or any unusual side effect after taking their first ever pregabalin dose. This indicates that Pregabalin is not a good choice of medication for them. 

Safe and effective nerve pain management 

Pregabalin and Fluoxetine both are associated with nerve pain relief. This combination can be used for the management and treatment of several different kinds of nerve pain. Some of these include:

• Nerve pain associated with diabetes 
• Nerve pain associated with shingles
• Nerve pain associated with spinal cord injury

Pregabalin provides promising results when it comes to the management of nerve pain. According to the NHS, Pregabalin works by blocking the pain mediators travelling down your spine. It actively inhibits pain messages and blocks the perception of pain.

Similarly, Fluoxetine also numbs down the sensation of pain and helps to provide relief. However, this combination may take a few weeks to control your pain and you may have to continue to take these two meds for that purpose. 

Again, it is advised by experts here to not stop using either Fluoxetine or Pregabalin, even on days you feel your pain isn’t that bad or when you can’t feel that. These meds can cause a number of disturbing symptoms upon abrupt withdrawal. 

This is why you should continue to take these medications till your doctor asks you to stop. For safe discontinuation of Fluoxetine and Pregabalin, your doctor may suggest a proper taper schedule in which the doses are cut down gradually so that your body won’t have to face the consequences of the sudden change. 

Promising activity against anxiety disorders

Both Fluoxetine and Pregabalin are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment and management of anxiety disorders. Fluoxetine is an SSRI, which is one of the most commonly used classes of antidepressants for the purpose of anxiolytic activity. 

Fluoxetine balances the number of chemicals in your brain that may contribute to your anxiety or panic attacks. Fluoxetine may take up to 4 to 6 weeks to work when it is given alone, but when it is combined with Pregabalin, it starts working way earlier than that. 

Pregabalin not only helps in the augmentation of Fluoxetine, but it also possesses anti-anxiety properties. This is because of the mechanism of action of Pregabalin. As stated earlier, Pregabalin can block the release of a number of excitatory neurotransmitters like glutamate. 

These neurotransmitters are the main reason why your anxiety flares up. Pregabalin helps control your pressure by blocking these chemicals. However, you should never start taking Fluoxetine and Pregabalin without your doctor’s approval. 

There are a vast number of combinations out there for the treatment and management of anxiety. Fluoxetine and Pregabalin may not be the first choice of combination treatment. This is why you should tell your healthcare provider about your symptoms and you should never take more than the prescribed dose. 

How to ensure the safe and effective use of Fluoxetine and Pregabalin? 

Ensuring the proper use of Fluoxetine and Pregabalin is the main key to achieving your desired therapeutic goals. First and the most important thing is to make sure that you are not allergic to Fluoxetine or Pregabalin.

If you exhibit any sign of an allergic reaction or any unusual side effect right after taking your first ever dose, then this combination is not a good choice of the treatment plan for you. 

To prevent that from happening, you can ask your doctor or pharmacist about the excipients present in both of the formulations to make sure it does not contain anything that you know you’re allergic to. 

It is also extremely important to inform your doctor about all the meds you have been taking before you take Fluoxetine and Pregabalin. Medications don’t always go well together. Some meds are highly incompatible with one another. 

Some meds are incompatible in terms of the side effects as they all cause the same kind of side effects that may become too much for you to bear. You should definitely inform your healthcare provider if you are a heavy drinker. 

The concomitant use of Fluoxetine, Pregabalin, and alcohol can make you suffer terribly. This is because all of these chemicals can act as CNS depressants. Excessive intake of these meds can induce depression and suicidal behaviour in people. 

It can also cause side effects like dizziness, drowsiness, fatigue, impaired senses, impaired motor coordination, confusion, inability to speak, blackouts, coma, and even death. 

This is why you should never pair these two together. If you’re an alcoholic, don’t forget to mention it to your healthcare provider. Your honesty is necessary to save your own life.

Conclusion 

In this blog post, we have discussed the concomitant use of Fluoxetine and Pregabalin. This combination can be used for different purposes, including better treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), safe and effective nerve pain management, and promising activity against anxiety disorders. 

Make sure you only start taking this combination if it is prescribed by your healthcare provider. It is not recommended to take any medication without your doctor’s approval. If you’re an alcoholic, don’t forget to mention it to your healthcare provider. Your honesty is necessary to save your own life.

FAQs: Can you take fluoxetine and pregabalin together

Can you take Fluoxetine and Pregabalin together?

Yes, you can take Fluoxetine and Pregabalin together, but only if your healthcare provider believes that this combination can help you recover from your health condition. Both Fluoxetine and Pregabalin are approved for the management and treatment of generalised anxiety disorder. Make sure you only start taking this combination if it is prescribed by your healthcare provider. It is not recommended to take any medication without your doctor’s approval.

What drugs should not be taken with fluoxetine?

• Monoaminoxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). The combination use can increase the risk of serotonin syndrome. 
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). The combination use can increase the risk of bleeding. 
• Pimozide. The concomitant use can increase the plasma concentration(availability of a drug in the blood) of pimozide to much higher levels. It can result in life-threatening arrhythmia.
• Controlled substances, including all narcotic analgesics. The concomitant use can cause severe psychological side effects. 
• Mood stabilisers 
• Alcohol 

What can I take with pregabalin?

Pregabalin can be taken with a number of medications, depending upon the desired therapeutic goal. It can be paired with antidepressants for the treatment and management of Major depressive disorder and neuropathic pain. It can also be paired with OTC painkillers like Ibuprofen, Paracetamol etc. 

Does pregabalin affect serotonin?

No, Pregabalin does not affect serotonin levels. It is an antiepileptic medication and it basically works by blocking the voltage-gated calcium channels in your brain that are responsible for the release of a number of excitatory neurotransmitters. The excess of these neurotransmitters increases the electrical activity in your brain, which results in excessive neuronal firing that causes seizures. Lyrica blocks this entire activity and reduces the frequency and severity of your convulsions. 

Can you take pregabalin long-term?

Yes, Pregabalin can be used as long as it takes to counteract the effects of your illness. It is an antiepileptic drug which can also be used for the treatment and management of nerve pains, anxiety, and fibromyalgia. It works by blocking the voltage-gated calcium channels in your brain that are responsible for the release of a number of excitatory neurotransmitters. The excess of these neurotransmitters increases the electrical activity in your brain, which results in excessive neuronal firing that causes seizures.

References 

• Drug Interactions between fluoxetine and Lyrica https://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/fluoxetine-with-lyrica-1115-0-1937-2171.html
• Newer Antidepressants in Combination With Pregabalin for Fibromyalgia Syndrome https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02451475
• Antidepressants, Lyrica OK Combo in Fibromyalgia https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/acr/42653 
• Pregabalin in the treatment of depression https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17984164/ 
• Lyrica – Uses, Side Effects, and More https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-93965/lyrica-oral/details