Pregabalin

[annamarie24]

Hey everyone,

Just wondering if anyone knows why pregabalin is a controlled drug? And if this makes doctors less likely to increase dose?

I was prescribed 75mg 3 times a day by a psychiatrist 9 weeks ago for anxiety disorders. But despite telling them they aren’t doing anything, I haven’t had a dose increase.

Also wondering about the controlled aspect as it’s mentioned a lot when I get the prescription filled and information online is conflicting.

Thanks

[_Alex_]

I don't know much about it, but misuse and fatalities apparently are the reason for making it class C.

[_Alex_]

It shouldn't make a difference to giving an increase, but who knows how some doctor's mind works.

[LAJ123]

Hi,

Only your doctor can say why the dose wont be increased for you but here is the current guidance for prescribers.

england.nhs.uk/wp-content/u...

theguardian.com/society/201...

Jim

[Terry4949]

I was placed on pregablin for anxiety I was 150 mg twice a day it did nothing for me when I was given it I was told by my doctor it was a wonderful drug very effective and no side effects or withdrawal after about 3 months I started to get very foggy vision and forgetfulness so my doctor decided just to stop it bad mistake I ended up in a hospital it is very addictive and the withdrawals can be brutal . In Scotland they made it a class drug because people were abusing it the prisons were having a lot of trouble with inmates being hooked up on it as it gives you a high and recently I watched a program on tv showing young adults injecting it and snorting it who had become addicted to it so this innocent safe drug wasn’t so safe as my doctor told me if you are not finding any relief from it then it’s probably not going to work for you going on to a higher dose won’t make any difference pregablin is one of those drugs that if it is going to work you will notice a effect with in days but if you decide to stop it taper very slowly or you may get some nasty withdrawals I have spoke to other people who have taking pregablin and they have said it was easier to get off benzos than pregablin that’s why it is now a class c drug it has the potential to be abused

[Hidden]

I believe I remember someone on here saying Pregablin had small amounts of morphine or a similar opioid in it (though I am not seeing this in the ingredients)? I forget who brought it up or where on here I read it, but yes, it has the potential to be abused (same with a similar med, Gabapentin) or misused. It's used off-label for anxiety because a small sample study showed it could possibly help. I was given Gabapentin but didn't see any improvement. If your doctor hasn't increased it but continues to prescribe it, I'd ask what he or she is hoping to see from you using the medication and if there is any benefit for anxiety on an increased dose. Generally speaking, I would say they're following guidelines like LAJ mentions for off-label use since Pregablin is a nerve pain medication. It's a Class V which means it's on the lowest end of the controlled substance scale (benzos and opioids are higher), but it really looks like that it's due to both the addictive qualities as well as its ability to kill pain...just from what I gather sleuthing around. Hope this information helped.

[hypercat54]

Hi I read that it is because it was abused so much that they reclassified it as a controlled drug. x

[Wanttobehapppy]

People use it to come down from class a drugs, i unfortunately know this

[Pug14]

I was on 750 mg per day and I am on a taper program. The withdrawals are brutal!! I really wouldn't recommend this drug to my worst enemy

[annamarie24 in reply to Pug14]

Can I ask the reason they have decided to taper you off? I have seen that the withdrawals are terrible so just wondering why they would choose to put people through that if a the medication is working and b if they allowed it to go up to a dose they now think is unsuitable. Thanks