Does Lyrica make you sleepy?

Yes, Lyrica (pregabalin) can cause significant drowsiness (somnolence) and may affect your ability to drive, operate machinery, or do other dangerous activities. This may lead to an injury or fall, so use caution. In studies, up to 20% of children and 35% of adults experienced drowsiness as a side effect.

Drowsiness, dizziness or sleepiness can begin right away or shortly after you first start treatment and may be worse with higher doses. Ask your doctor when you can resume driving or other hazardous activities.

Avoid alcohol or other nervous system depressants (for example: opioids, benzodiazepines, antidepressants, antihistamines) if you are taking Lyrica. Combining Lyrica with these substances can further worsen your drowsiness, thinking skills, reaction time and may dangerously impair your breathing.

Use of Lyrica with other nervous system depressants (especially opioids, but also benzodiazepines, antidepressants, antihistamines) in people with breathing problems or in the elderly may be life-threatening or deadly. Combining these agents may dangerously suppress your ability to breath (cause respiratory depression).

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you combine Lyrica with any medicine.

What is Lyrica?

Lyrica (pregabalin) is approved to treat certain nerve-related pain disorders in adults 18 years and older. It’s also used for a certain type of epilepsy in patients one month and older.

These uses are:

• fibromyalgia
• nerve pain associated with diabetic neuropathy
• nerve pain from shingles (postherpetic neuralgia)
• nerve pain from spinal cord injury
• as an add-on therapy for partial-onset seizures (a type of epilepsy)

Lyrica is a controlled substance but it is not a narcotic (an opioid medication like oxycodone or morphine). It is scheduled by the DEA as a C-V (Schedule 5) controlled substance. C-V controlled substances have a low potential for abuse, especially relative to the drugs in lower schedules, (I-IV) but may still be abused.

Some patients may experience euphoria, a feeling of pleasure or happiness, when taking Lyrica, and that is why it is a controlled substance.

Does drowsiness go away with Lyrica?

Lyrica is a medicine typically used over the long-term to treat conditions such as nerve pain and seizures, so you may wonder, does drowsiness get better with Lyrica?

• Drowsiness may be more common at the start of Lyrica treatment, and improve over time. However, in some people, drowsiness may continue throughout treatment and not get better.
• Studies have shown that some people decide to stop treatment due to side effects, which may include drowsiness. Feeling drowsy can affect your work, driving and overall quality of life.

Do not stop Lyrica treatment on your own. If you have drowsiness that does not clear up or becomes concerning to you, contact your doctor. They may be able to adjust the dose or select a different treatment to help decrease this side effect.

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How often does drowsiness occur with Lyrica?

Nervous system side effects occur commonly with Lyrica, but the frequency varies by the dose and condition being treated. To help manage any side effects from Lyrica, your doctor may slowly increase your dose over a few days or weeks when you are first starting treatment.

Nervous system side effects and rates reported in at least 5% of all patients in manufacturer’s clinical studies include:

• dizziness: 8% to 43%
• drowsiness: 4% to 35%
• neuropathy (nerve pain, weakness, numbness): 2% to 9%
• ataxia (impaired balance or coordination): 1% to 20%
• abnormal gait (walk): 0% to 8%
• confusion: 1% to 7%
• trouble with thinking, impaired concentration: 0% to 9%
• tremor: 3% to 11%
• amnesia (memory troubles): 2% to 6%
• speech disorder: 1% to 7%
• incoordination: 1% to 6%
• twitching: 0% to 5%
• fatigue: 5% to 11%
• headache: 10% to 14%

Keep in mind that clinical studies occur under widely variable conditions. The side effects you experience and how often they occur can vary from studies and other people. If you have questions about any side effects or warnings with Lyrica, contact your healthcare provider.

This information does not include all the possible side effects that can occur with Lyrica. To review a more complete listing of Lyrica side effects, visit:

• Lyrica Warnings and Side Effects (in more detail)

Does Lyrica cause dizziness?

Yes, Lyrica can cause dizziness and this is one of the most common side effects with this medicine. Dizziness has been reported in 30% of adult patients. In Lyrica studies, dizziness and somnolence (extreme drowsiness) were the side effects that most commonly led to people stopping treatment (4% each).

If you experience drowsiness or dizziness that makes you want to stop your Lyrica treatment, contact your doctor first. Many of the side effects that occur with Lyrica get worse with higher doses and your doctor may be able to adjust your dose to help lessen any side effects.

Do not stop taking Lyrica unless directed by your doctor. If you and your doctor decide you should stop treatment, the dose is usually slowly discontinued (tapered) over at least a week, or longer, rather than abruptly stopped.

This is not all the information you need to know about Lyrica (pregabalin) for safe and effective use and does not take the place of your doctor’s directions. Review the full product information and discuss this information and any questions you have with your doctor or other health care provider.