How does lyrica work in the body

Your spinal cord has nerves that your brain uses to send signals throughout your body. This may cause symptoms such as sedation severe sleepiness and respiratory depression.

Your doctor may adjust the dosage of one or more of your medications, or they may have you try a different medication for your condition. Lyrica may interact with certain diabetes drugs called thiazolidinediones. Both thiazolidinediones and Lyrica can cause swelling in your hands, feet, and legs. Taking Lyrica with thiazolidinediones may raise your risk for swelling, as well as weight gain.

If you take these drugs together, your doctor will likely monitor you for any symptoms of swelling or unusual weight gain. Your doctor may adjust your dosage of Lyrica or the thiazolidinedione, or they may have you try a different drug to treat your condition. But you should still check with your doctor or pharmacist before using any of these products while taking Lyrica. If you have any questions about eating certain foods with Lyrica, talk with your doctor.

As with all medications, the cost of Lyrica can vary. To find current prices for Lyrica in your area, check out GoodRx. The cost you find on GoodRx. Keep in mind that you may be able to get a day supply of Lyrica. If approved by your insurance company, getting a day supply of the drug could reduce your number of trips to the pharmacy and help lower the cost.

Before approving coverage for Lyrica, your insurance company may require you to get prior authorization. This means that your doctor and insurance company will need to communicate about your prescription before the insurance company will cover the drug. The insurance company will review the prior authorization request and decide if the drug will be covered.

If you need financial support to pay for Lyrica, or if you need help understanding your insurance coverage, help is available. Pfizer Inc. Lyrica may be available through a mail-order pharmacy. If recommended by your doctor, you may be able to receive a day supply of Lyrica. This means there should be less of a concern about running out of the medication. Some Medicare plans may help cover the cost of mail-order medications.

Lyrica is available in a generic form called pregabalin. A generic drug is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. And generics tend to cost less than brand-name drugs. To find out how the cost of pregabalin compares with the cost of Lyrica, visit GoodRx.

They may have a preference for one version or the other. In animal studies, pregnant rats and rabbits given Lyrica gave birth to offspring with issues such as low birth weight and problems with bone formation. Together, you can determine the best treatment for your condition. Lyrica belongs to a class of drugs called AEDs. This information can be helpful for doctors and people considering using these drugs during pregnancy. To sign up or learn more, visit the registry website or call Animal studies showed that Lyrica made male rats less fertile, caused changes to their sperm, and led to problems in their offspring.

If you plan to conceive a child, be sure to talk with your doctor. This is because Lyrica passes into breast milk. You can also call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at or use their online tool. But if your symptoms are severe, call or your local emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency room right away. For treating seizures in either adults or children, Lyrica is only Food and Drug Administration FDA -approved for use with other seizure medications.

If you have questions about using Lyrica with other medications, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. It may be helpful to take your doses around mealtimes to help you remember to take them. This could affect how your body absorbs the medication, which may affect how it works.

This could also raise your risk for side effects. If you have trouble swallowing Lyrica capsules, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. The liquid solution may be an option for you. Or, your doctor may have you try a different treatment for your condition. Before taking Lyrica, talk with your doctor about your health history. Lyrica may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health. These include:. When you get Lyrica from the pharmacy, the pharmacist will add an expiration date to the label on the bottle.

This date is typically 1 year from the date they dispensed the medication. The expiration date helps guarantee that the medication is effective during this time. If you have unused medication that has gone past the expiration date, ask your pharmacist if you can still use it. How long a medication remains good can depend on many factors, including how and where you store it. Avoid storing this medication in areas where it could get damp or wet, such as bathrooms. This helps prevent others, including children and pets, from taking the drug by accident.

It also helps prevent the drug from harming the environment. This article provides several useful tips on medication disposal. You can also ask your pharmacist for information about how to dispose of your medication.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up-to-date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or other healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects.

The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.

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This can result in…. Lyrica pregabalin. Medically reviewed by Dena Westphalen, Pharm. What is Lyrica? Lyrica uses. Lyrica generic. Lyrica side effects. Lyrica dosage. Lyrica vs. Alternatives to Lyrica. Common questions about Lyrica. Lyrica withdrawal and dependence. How Lyrica works. Lyrica and alcohol. Lyrica interactions. Lyrica cost. Weight gain: Pregabalin may cause weight gain and swelling of the extremities. Report any significant weight gain or any swelling of the legs, arms, or other areas of the body to your doctor.

Pregnancy: Information about the safety and effectiveness of using pregabalin during pregnancy is limited. This medication should not be used during pregnancy unless the benefits outweigh the risks. If you become pregnant while taking this medication, contact your doctor immediately.

Breast-feeding: This medication passes into breast milk. If you are a breast-feeding mother and are taking pregabalin, it may affect your baby. Talk to your doctor about whether you should continue breast-feeding. Children and adolescents: The safety and effectiveness of using this medication have not been established for children and adolescents less than 18 years of age.

Seniors: The effectiveness of the kidneys in removing pregabalin from the body tends to decrease with age. Seniors may need lower doses of this medication to reduce the possibility for side effects. If you are taking any of these medications, speak with your doctor or pharmacist. Depending on your specific circumstances, your doctor may want you to:. An interaction between two medications does not always mean that you must stop taking one of them. Speak to your doctor about how any drug interactions are being managed or should be managed.

Medications other than those listed above may interact with this medication. Tell your doctor or prescriber about all prescription, over-the-counter non-prescription , and herbal medications you are taking.

Also tell them about any supplements you take. Since caffeine, alcohol, the nicotine from cigarettes, or street drugs can affect the action of many medications, you should let your prescriber know if you use them.

All material copyright MediResource Inc. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www. About this Medication. How does this medication work? What will it do for me? Acne Doctor Discussion Guide. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture not in the bathroom.

It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily.

To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location — one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program.

In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor may order certain lab tests to check your body's response to pregabalin.

Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription. It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription over-the-counter medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital.

It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies. Pregabalin pronounced as pre gab' a lin. Why is this medication prescribed?

How should this medicine be used? Other uses for this medicine What special precautions should I follow? If prescribed Lyrica, you must inform your healthcare provider about all medications that you take, prescription and non-prescription, as well as any supplements.

Especially important to note are ACE inhibitors , narcotics, and Avandia rosiglitazone or Actos pioglitazone for diabetes.

As with any prior significant medical problem, people who have had a drug use disorder or alcohol use disorder in the past should inform their healthcare provider. Because of the increased possibility of misuse of Lyrica in those individuals, closer monitoring may be necessary or another treatment may be preferable. Lyrica should be taken at the prescribed dosage. If a dose of Lyrica is missed and it's almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose. Two doses of Lyrica should not be taken together.

Do not stop taking Lyrica without consulting your healthcare provider. You should continue taking the drug even after experiencing pain relief.

Also, plan for refills so that the prescription does not run out. People who are pregnant or plan to become pregnant should notify their healthcare provider before starting the drug. No adequate, well-controlled studies have been conducted in pregnant humans, and use is only appropriate when the potential benefit to the person who is pregnant outweighs the possible risk to the fetus.

Male fertility may also be impacted by taking Lyrica, so this should be discussed with your healthcare provider. Studies showed that the drug made male animals less fertile.

Also, birth defects occurred in the offspring of male animals who were treated with pregabalin. Study results published in concluded that patients with sciatica improved to the same level whether given Lyrica pregabalin or placebo. While the drug has been prescribed for various nerve-related conditions, including sciatica, some researchers do not recommend its use for sciatica based on the results.

But, not all researchers agree—some think it may be useful for chronic sciatica. For certain, if you are currently taking Lyrica pregabalin , do not stop without consulting your healthcare provider first. Usually they're not severe. Dosage recommendations vary depending on your condition and symptoms. Usually, though, healthcare providers start adults off with a low dose of milligrams mg per day of Lyrica, then may gradually increase it.

The maximum dose is mg in a single day. Learn about treatment and lifestyle changes to cope with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.