What should not be taken with Lyrica? (5+ dangerous combinations) 

In this blog post, we are going to answer the question, “What medications should not be taken with Lyrica?”. Lyrica is one of the commonly prescribed medications for the treatment and management of a number of mental health illnesses. 

Its primary use is to relieve the symptoms associated with epilepsy. Lyrica can be paired with a number of other medications for a better therapeutic outcome. However, some medications should not be paired with Lyrica and this is what we are going to cover in this blog. 

What should not be taken with Lyrica?

Lyrica should not be taken with the following medications:

• Narcotic analgesics 
• Sleeping pills
• Muscular relaxants 
• Benzodiazepines 
• Gabapentin 
• Alcohol 

Narcotic analgesics

Lyrica should not be used with narcotic analgesics like Morphine, Codeine, Tramadol, etc. The concomitant use can cause a number of significant complications that may become too difficult to handle at higher doses. 

Lyrica is known to cause respiratory depression as a side effect because it decreases the excessive neuronal activity in the brain and reduces the contraction of muscles to help you relax. 

This way the drug also makes you feel calm and relaxed, and it helps you fall asleep faster than you usually do. When opioid analgesics are combined with Lyrica, these side effects can be drastically enhanced. Too much respiratory depression can lead to coma or other complications. 

People who suffer from respiratory illnesses like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are more susceptible to this type of interaction and it can become life-threatening for such people. 

This is why you should always make sure to inform your healthcare provider about any narcotic analgesic you might be taking before starting to use Lyrica. 

If you have to use the two together, your doctor may adjust the doses of both of the meds a little to make sure that you’re protected from the awful side effects of such meds. If you have accidentally overdosed on one or both of these meds, immediately seek medical attention.

Sleeping pills

Lyrica should not be paired with sleeping pills like Zolpidem, Zaleplon, Eszopiclone, etc. This is because Lyrica also helps you fall asleep as it controls the excessive neuronal firing in your brain. 

If you take both of these meds together, the side effects will become much more enhanced and life-threatening for some people. Make sure you never use these two meds together. 

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

Muscular relaxants 

Lyrica should not be taken with Muscular relaxants. This is because the concomitant use may increase the amount of Lyrica in your blood. The high amount of drug concentration means a greater occurrence of side effects. 

The concomitant use can also cause life-threatening respiratory depression because muscular relaxants also relax the muscles responsible for the working of your respiratory system. Lyrica also causes respiratory depression as a side effect. 

Make sure you never use these two meds together without your doctor’s approval.  If you have to use the two together, your doctor may adjust the doses of both of the meds a little to make sure that you’re protected from the awful side effects of such meds.

Benzodiazepines 

The use of Benzodiazepines and Lyrica should be avoided as much as you can. This is because they both control the excessive neuronal firing in the brain. Too much inhibitory action in the brain can cause significant impairment of sensory and motor coordination.

Both of them are also associated with respiratory depression as a side effect. Too much respiratory depression can lead to coma or other complications. 

People who suffer from respiratory illnesses like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are more susceptible to this type of interaction and it can become life-threatening for such people. 

This is why you should always make sure to inform your healthcare provider about any Benzodiazepine you might be taking before starting to use Lyrica. 

Gabapentin

Gabapentin should also not be paired with Lyrica for the same reason as Benzodiazepines. Gabapentin is also an antiepileptic medication and it has almost the similar kind of side effects. Gabapentin is a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) analogue and it basically mimics the activity of GABA, which is an inhibitory neurotransmitter. Lyrica also controls the chemicals in your brain. Too much CNS depression can cause a number of life-threatening complications. 

Alcohol 

Alcohol and Lyrica should never be used together. The concomitant use of Lyrica and alcohol can make you suffer terribly. This is because both of these meds can act as CNS depressants. Excessive intake of these two 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. 

What is the clinical significance of Lyrica? 

There are a number of conditions that are treated by Lyrica. These include:

Epilepsy 

As stated earlier, the primary use of Lyrica is the management and treatment of epileptic seizures. There are several research studies that have explained how Lyrica works for epilepsy, but there are a lot of studies which revealed that Lyrica may not be enough for the treatment of epilepsy on its own. 

Some experts believe that Lyrica can surely help reduce your symptoms and the frequency of your seizures, but this drug needs much more to cure the entire disease. It can be often paired with a strong antiepileptic drug. 

However, Lyrica needs time to work. Many research studies have indicated that this medication can take up to a week or two to make noticeable changes in your system and you should continue to take the medication for long-term management of epilepsy

Nerve pain

Lyrica is also used in the treatment and management of nerve pain that could occur because of a number of reasons. Some of these include:

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

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

However, it may take a few weeks to control your pain and you may have to continue to take Lyrica for that purpose. Again, it is advised by experts here to not stop using Lyrica even on days you feel your pain isn’t that bad or when you can’t feel that. 

Lyrica can cause a number of disturbing symptoms upon abrupt withdrawal. This is why you should continue to take this medication till your doctor asks you to stop. 

Anxiety 

Lyrica can also be used for the treatment and management of anxiety. This is because of the mechanism of action of Lyrica. As stated earlier, Lyrica can block the release of a number of excitatory neurotransmitters like glutamate. 

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

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

Ensuring the proper use of Lyrica 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 Pregabalin. 

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

To prevent that from happening, you can ask your doctor or pharmacist about the excipients present in the formulation 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 Pregabalin in order to avoid any possible drug interaction.

Conclusion 

In this blog post, we have discussed the meds that should never be taken with Lyrica. Lyrica is one of the commonly prescribed medications for the treatment and management of a number of mental health illnesses. 

Lyrica can be paired with a number of other medications for a better therapeutic outcome. However, some medications should not be paired with Lyrica. 

Some of these drugs include narcotic analgesics, sleeping pills, muscular relaxants, benzodiazepines, Gabapentin, alcohol etc. It is extremely important to inform your doctor about all the meds you have been taking before you take Pregabalin in order to avoid any possible drug interaction.

FAQs: What not to take with Lyrica

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. 

What medicines can not be taken with Pregabalin?

Lyrica should not be taken with the following medications:

• Narcotic analgesics 
• Sleeping pills
• Muscular relaxants 
• Benzodiazepines 
• Gabapentin 
• Alcohol 

Does pregabalin affect sleep?

Pregabalin can affect your sleep by making you more drowsy. Lyrica helps control your anxiety by blocking the release of a number of excitatory neurotransmitters like glutamate. These neurotransmitters are the main reason why your anxiety flares up. This way, it makes you calmer and more relaxed. It also helps relax your muscles, which can induce sleep. 

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.

What are the common side effects of Pregabalin? 

Lyrica is associated with the following side effects:

• Nausea 
• Vomiting 
• Diarrhoea or Constipation 
• Dizziness or lightheadedness 
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Flatulence and bloating 
• Unusually elevated mood
• Forgetfulness or difficulty in remembering things
• Difficulty in speaking 
• Difficulty in decision making 
• Confusion 
• Lack of confidence 
• Impairment of motor coordination 
• Anxiety 
• Loss of balance
• Muscular pain 

References 

• Does Lyrica Interact with other Medications? https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-93965/lyrica-oral/details/list-interaction-medication
• Lyrica Interactions: Alcohol, Medications, and Others https://www.healthline.com/health/drugs/lyrica-interactions#when-to-avoid 
• Lyrica – Uses, Side Effects, and More https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-93965/lyrica-oral/details
• Lyrica https://www.drugs.com/lyrica.html 
• National Library of Medicine – Pregabalin https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a605045.html