Pregabalin and lower back pain

[Tessbind]

I was just wondering if anyone on pregabalin is experiencing lower back pain. I have only just started the drug at 50mg a night and now on 25mg a day slowly working up to 100mg twice a day. (i probably need to increase it). I am taking it for nerve pain although I also have RLS. I have osteoarthritis of the neck and do experience lower back pain/stiffness but it usually only starts after I have been walking for a while (usually about an hour) and it has remained like this for years. But about 4 days after I started taking the pregabalin the back pain/stiffness has got significantly worse and is immediate as soon as I get up or walk around which is causing me serious discomfort and makes sitting uncomfortable too.

If anyone has this side effect (it is listed on the leaflet as a common side effect) does it improve with time while getting used to the drug?

Many thanks in advance x

[SueJohnson]

Yes that is a possible side effect of pregabalin although it is not common.

You might want to try switching to gabapentin. Although they are basically the same drug except you need to divide the doses, and the side effects are basically the same, some people find that the side effects that bother them on one don't bother them on the other. Multiply the pregabalin amount by 6 to get the correct dose. If you need more than 600 mg take the extra 4 hours before bedtime as it is not as well absorbed above 600 mg. If you need more than 1200 mg, take the extra 6 hours before bedtime.

If you take magnesium, even in a multivitamin, don't take it within 3 hours of the gabapentin as it reduces the absorption of the gabapentin. If you take calcium don't take it nor calcium-rich foods within 2 hours for the same reason.

The above is for RLS. Obviously you will need to take it additionally during the day for your nerve pain.