Lyrica is a prescription drug used to treat nerve pain in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. It is also used as a treatment for partial onset seizures and as treatment for fibromyalgia, notes Rxlist.com. Generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD, can also be treated with Lyrica. Certain patients should not take Lyrica to avoid serious adverse reactions.
Pregabalin Sensitivity
Any patient who has been diagnosed with sensitivity to pregabalin should not take Lyrica. Pregabalin is a component of Lyrica. Patients with sensitivity to this component may experience skin complications such as redness, blisters and a rash. Difficulty breath and wheezing may also occur if patients sensitive to pregabalin take Lyrica, explains Pfizer.
History of Angioedema
Patients with a history of angioedema, which is swelling beneath the skin that may be caused by an allergic reaction, should exercise extreme caution when taking Lyrica due to the increased likelihood of it reoccurring. Symptoms associated with angioedema include facial swelling, including the tongue, lips and mouth, and possible swelling of the throat. This condition may become life-threatening, explains Drugs.com.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Lyrica is classified as a Category C medication, which means it has shown to cause abnormalities in animal studies, prohibiting human studies from being performed. Rxlist.com notes that fetal death, growth restriction and impairment of both the reproductive and nervous systems occurred when tested on rats and rabbits. Abnormalities in the skull and other portions of the skeleton also occurred. Animal studies also proved that Lyrica was able to cross into the milk of rats. No studies have been performed to determine whether Lyrica can cross into the breast milk of humans, although it is advised that nursing mothers either not take Lyrica or discontinue nursing if Lyrica must be taken.
