Maybe you're thinking about taking pregabalin for your depression.

Or maybe you started taking pregabalin for some other reason, and now you're depressed, and you're wondering if the depression happened because of the pregabalin.

Which it could be.

Pregabalin, sold under the brand name lyrica, is an anticonvulsant drug used for neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia and also for partial seizures.

Doctors also prescribe it for generalized anxiety disorder - although it's not FDA approved for anxiety.

(Pfizer, the company that makes pregabalin, funded a study which found pregablin was more effective than placebo in reducing anxiety symptoms.)

But what about the side effects?

From the original test studies on lyrica:

• More than 10% of patients reported dizziness and/or drowsiness.
• More than 5% of patients reported dry mouth, edema, blurred vision, weight gain, and/or thinking abnormalities (mostly being unable to concentrate or pay attention).
• More than 1% of patients reported visual disturbance (including blurred vision, diplopia), ataxia, dysarthria, tremor, lethargy, memory impairment, euphoria, weight gain, constipation, dry mouth, peripheral edema, loss or decrease of libido, and/or erectile dysfunction.
• Less than 1% reported depression, confusion, agitation, hallucinations, myoclonus, hypoaesthesia, hyperaesthesia, tachycardia, excessive salivation, sweating, flushing, rash, muscle cramp, myalgia, arthralgia, urinary incontinence, dysuria, thrombocytopenia, and/or kidney calculus.

So there's certainly a chance pregabalin may have triggered your depression. Especially since drug companies' own reporting of side effects are often understated. Anxiety is also a side effect of pregabalin!

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

Blurred vision, double vision, or other changes in eyesight
Hives
Rash
Itching
Blisters
Swelling of the eyes face, throat, mouth, lips, gums, tongue, head or neck
Shortness of breath
Wheezing
Muscle pain, tenderness, soreness, or weakness, especially if it happens with a fever.

Pregabalin may be habit forming. Don't stop taking it without talking to your doctor. If you suddenly stop taking pregabalin, you might experience withdrawal symptoms, including trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, nausea, diarrhea, headaches or seizures.

Your doctor will probably decrease your dose gradually over at least a week.

In addition to reading about depression and pregabalin, it's also important to understand the underlying causes that would lead someone to such a painful place.

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Basically it comes down to making one slight shift in what you do everyday, and you can watch in amazement as your life slowly begins to start working out in almost every way.

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