Pregabalin

About pregabalin

Pregabalin belongs to a group of medicines known as anti-epileptic medicines, although it is prescribed for the treatment of several different conditions. You may have been prescribed pregabalin for the treatment of partial seizures, which are a type of epilessia. A seizure is a short episode of symptoms which is caused by a burst of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. With a partial seizure, the burst of electrical activity stays in one part of the brain. Therefore, you tend to have localised or 'focal' symptoms. Pregabalin works by reducing the abnormal electrical activity in the brain. It is taken alongside other medicines for epilepsy.

Pregabalin is also prescribed to treat certain types of long-lasting pain caused by damage to nerves. This type of pain, called dolore neuropatico, can be caused by a number of different conditions, including diabete (where it is called diabetic neuropathy) and fuoco di Sant'Antonio (where it is called postherpetic neuralgia).

Pregabalin can also be helpful in treating the symptoms of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), particularly if other medicines which are more often prescribed for people with this condition are not suitable. GAD is a long-term condition where anxiety is a major symptom.

Before taking pregabalin

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking pregabalin it is important that your doctor knows:

• Se hai meno di 18 anni.

• Se sei incinta, stai cercando di avere un bambino o stai allattando.

• Se hai problemi con il funzionamento dei tuoi reni.

• If you have any problems with your heart.

• If you have ever had drug or alcohol dependence problems.

• Se stai assumendo altri medicinali. Questo include qualsiasi medicinale che stai assumendo e che è disponibile per l'acquisto senza prescrizione medica, così come i medicinali a base di erbe e complementari.

• Se hai mai avuto una reazione allergica a un medicinale.

How to take pregabalin

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about pregabalin and will provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking it.

• Take pregabalin exactly as your doctor tells you to. The dose varies from one person to another so it is important that you follow your doctor's instructions carefully. There are several strengths of pregabalin capsules available, so it is always worth checking the strength of the capsules each time you get a new prescription to make sure they are what you are expecting.

• You will be advised to take a low dose when you first start taking pregabalin, and then to increase the dose over the first few weeks. This is to allow your body to get used to the new medicine. Most people take two or three doses a day once they are on a regular maintenance dose. Your doctor will explain all this to you, and the dosing directions will be printed on the label of the pack. If you are still unsure about how to take your doses, seek medical advice from a pharmacist.

• You can take pregabalin before or after food. Swallow the capsules with a drink of water. If you have been supplied with oral liquid medicine, see the instructions below for using the oral dosing syringe.

• Once you are taking a regular amount of pregabalin, try to take your doses at the same times each day. This will help you avoid missing doses.

• If you do forget to take a dose, take one as soon as you remember. Try to take the correct number of doses each day, but do not take two doses at the same time.

Instructions for using the dosing syringe with Lyrica® Oral Solution

1. Remove the bottle cap, and push the syringe adaptor into the top of the open bottle.

2. Insert the syringe into the adapter.

3. Capovolgi la bottiglia (con la siringa collegata ad essa).

4. Gently pull out the plunger of the syringe so that the solution fills the syringe to the mark which corresponds to your dose. Make sure any air bubbles are removed.

5. Rimettere la bottiglia nella posizione corretta e rimuovere la siringa dalla bottiglia.

6. Put the tip of the syringe into your mouth, and gently push the plunger so that the liquid is released into your mouth.

7. Replace the bottle cap (leaving the adapter in the bottle). Wash the syringe with water after each use.

Ottenere il massimo dal tuo trattamento

• Cerca di mantenere i tuoi appuntamenti regolari con il tuo medico. Questo è per permettere al tuo medico di controllare i tuoi progressi.

• A small number of people have developed mood changes or suicidal thoughts whilst being treated with anti-epileptics. If this happens to you, you must tell your doctor about it straightaway.

• You must avoid getting pregnant while you are taking pregabalin, so make sure you have discussed with your doctor which types of contraception are suitable for you. If you want to have a family, make sure that you discuss this with your doctor before you become pregnant. This is so that you can be given advice about your treatment from a specialist. If you become pregnant while you are taking pregabalin, you must tell your doctor straightaway.

• Quando inizi un nuovo trattamento per l'epilessia, potrebbe esserci un cambiamento nel numero o nel tipo di crisi che sperimenti. Il tuo medico ti consiglierà a riguardo.

• People with epilepsy must stop driving. Your doctor will advise you about when it may be possible for you to start driving again. This will usually be after a year free of seizures.

• You must take pregabalin regularly every day. Stopping treatment suddenly can cause problems which will make you feel unwell. If it becomes necessary for the treatment to stop, your doctor will ask you to reduce your dose over a period of at least a week.

Can pregabalin cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with pregabalin. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Se si verificano altri sintomi che ritieni possano essere dovuti al medicinale, parla con il tuo medico o farmacista per ulteriori consigli.

How to store pregabalin

• Tenere tutti i medicinali fuori dalla vista e dalla portata dei bambini.

• Conservare in un luogo fresco e asciutto, lontano da fonti di calore e luce diretta.

Informazioni importanti su tutti i medicinali