Lyrica Interactions: Alcohol, Medications, and Others

Lyrica is available in two forms: Lyrica and Lyrica CR. Both drugs contain pregabalin as their active drug.

Lyrica contains an immediate-release form of pregabalin. This means the drug is released into your body soon after you take it.

But Lyrica CR contains a controlled-release form of pregabalin. This means the drug is released slowly into your body over time.

Because Lyrica and Lyrica CR contain the same active drug, they are expected to have the same interactions. However, this article only focuses on Lyrica.

To learn more about Lyrica CR and its possible interactions, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Certain health conditions or other factors could raise your risk of harm if you take Lyrica. In that case, your doctor may not prescribe Lyrica for you. This is known as a contraindication. The list below includes contraindications of Lyrica.

If you’ve had an allergic reaction. If you have had an allergic reaction to Lyrica or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe Lyrica. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better options for you.

If you have questions about whether you should avoid Lyrica based on a past allergic reaction, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Before you start taking Lyrica, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

The chart below lists drugs that may interact with Lyrica. Keep in mind that this chart does not include all drugs that may interact with Lyrica. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section below.

* To learn more about Lyrica’s side effects, see this article.

You should not drink alcohol while taking Lyrica. This is because both Lyrica and alcohol may cause sleepiness and dizziness. Drinking alcohol while taking Lyrica could raise your risk of these side effects or make them worse if you have them. And experiencing extreme sleepiness or dizziness could make it dangerous to perform tasks that require alertness, such as driving or operating heavy machinery.

If you drink alcohol and are concerned about avoiding it while you take Lyrica, talk with your doctor before starting treatment.

Learn more about certain drug interactions that can occur with Lyrica.

Interaction with opioids

Taking Lyrica with opioids could increase the risk of having side effects from Lyrica. (Opioids are a group of medications used to treat pain.) See below for details.

* Respiratory depression can lead to coma or even be fatal in some cases. If you’re concerned about your risk of this side effect, talk with your doctor.

What you can do

Before starting Lyrica treatment, tell your doctor about any opioids you take. If they tell you it’s safe to take Lyrica with an opioid, watch for sleepiness and symptoms of respiratory depression. These may include:

• slow, shallow breathing
• daytime sleepiness
• trouble breathing
• headache

Your doctor may prescribe a lower dosage of Lyrica than usual to reduce your risk of these side effects.

Interaction with sleep aids

Taking Lyrica with sleep aids could increase the risk of side effects from Lyrica. (Sleep aids are a group of drugs used to help people fall asleep or stay asleep.)

This interaction is described below.

What you can do

Before taking Lyrica, tell your doctor about any sleep aids you take. If they tell you it’s safe, you may take Lyrica with these medications. But your doctor will likely prescribe a lower dosage of both Lyrica and the sleep aid. Taking lower dosages of these drugs can reduce your risk of extreme sleepiness.

Interaction with gabapentin

Taking Lyrica with gabapentin (Gralise, Horizant, Neurontin) could increase the risk of side effects from Lyrica. (Gabapentin is a drug used to treat certain types of pain or seizures.)

What could happen

Gabapentin may raise the risk of respiratory depression and sleepiness from Lyrica.

What you can do

Before starting Lyrica, tell your doctor if you take gabapentin. If they tell you it’s safe, you may take Lyrica with this drug. But your doctor will likely prescribe a lower dosage of both Lyrica and gabapentin. This can help reduce your risk of having these side effects.

Lyrica may have other interactions. They could occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. See below for details.

Does Lyrica interact with supplements?

Before you start taking Lyrica, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any supplements, herbs, and vitamins you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.

If you have questions about interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Lyrica and herbs

Lyrica is known to interact with valerian root. Taking this herb with Lyrica may increase your risk of side effects from Lyrica, including excessive sleepiness. There are currently no reports of Lyrica interacting with other herbs. But this doesn’t mean that interactions with herbs won’t be recognized in the future.

It’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any herbs during your Lyrica treatment.

Lyrica and vitamins

There are currently no reports of Lyrica interacting with vitamins. But this doesn’t mean that vitamin interactions won’t be recognized in the future.

For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products during treatment with Lyrica.

Does Lyrica interact with food?

There are currently no reports of Lyrica interacting with food. If you have questions about eating certain foods during your treatment with Lyrica, talk with your doctor.

Does Lyrica interact with vaccines?

There are currently no reports of Lyrica interacting with vaccines. If you have questions about getting certain vaccines during your treatment with Lyrica, talk with your doctor.

Does Lyrica interact with lab tests?

There are currently no reports of Lyrica interacting with lab tests. If you have questions about getting certain lab tests during your treatment with Lyrica, talk with your doctor.

Does Lyrica interact with cannabis or CBD?

Cannabis (marijuana) and cannabis products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have been specifically reported to interact with Lyrica. Taking Lyrica with cannabis or cannabis products may lead to excessive sleepiness.

Before you start treatment with Lyrica, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you take cannabis. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions.

Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.

Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Lyrica. Before taking Lyrica, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Lyrica is right for you.

Health conditions or other factors that might interact with Lyrica include:

• Bleeding problems. Lyrica may cause a low level of platelets in some people. This could increase your risk of bleeding or worsen any bleeding problems you already have. Before taking Lyrica, tell your doctor if you have a bleeding problem, such as hemophilia. They can determine whether it’s safe for you to take Lyrica.
• Breathing problems. Before taking Lyrica, tell your doctor if you have breathing problems. Lyrica may cause respiratory depression. Your risk of this side effect may be higher if you have breathing problems such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Your doctor may prescribe a lower dosage of Lyrica than usual. Or they may prescribe a treatment other than Lyrica for your condition.
• Heart problems. Before taking Lyrica, tell your doctor if you have heart problems (such as heart failure). Lyrica may cause swelling of the hands, feet, and legs, which can cause new or worsened heart problems. Your doctor can tell you whether it’s safe for you to take Lyrica with your condition.
• Kidney problems. Having kidney problems, such as kidney failure, could raise your risk of side effects from Lyrica. If you have kidney problems, your doctor may give you a lower dosage of Lyrica than usual.
• Mental health conditions. In rare cases, Lyrica may cause changes to your mental health. Examples include mood changes, depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts or behaviors. If you have any mental health conditions, tell your doctor before taking Lyrica. They can determine whether it’s safe for you to take this drug.
• Misuse of drugs or alcohol in the past. Before taking Lyrica, tell your doctor if you’ve had misuse of alcohol, recreational drugs, or prescription drugs in the past. (For medications, “misuse” means taking a drug differently from how it was prescribed.) Lyrica may cause euphoria (feelings of extreme happiness). Your risk of this side effect with Lyrica may be greater if you’ve had misuse of drugs or alcohol in the past. Your doctor can advise you on whether it’s safe to take Lyrica.
• Pregnancy. It isn’t known whether Lyrica is safe to take during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, talk with your doctor before taking Lyrica.
• Breastfeeding. It is not recommended to breastfeed while taking Lyrica. This is because the drug may pass into breast milk. It isn’t known whether the drug may cause side effects in a child who is breastfed. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, talk with your doctor before taking Lyrica.
• Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Lyrica or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Lyrica. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.

Find answers to some frequently asked questions about Lyrica and possible interactions.

Is it safe to take Lyrica with antidepressants, such as SSRIs or Cymbalta?

Yes, it should be safe to take Lyrica with antidepressants. This includes antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and Cymbalta (duloxetine). There are no known interactions between Lyrica and these medications.

If you’re interested in taking antidepressants with Lyrica, talk with your doctor.

Can I take Lyrica with over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen?

Yes, you can take Lyrica with over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers, including acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil). There are no known interactions between Lyrica and OTC pain relievers.

If you’d like to take an OTC pain reliever with Lyrica, talk with your doctor. They can recommend a treatment to ease your pain.

Does Lyrica interact with caffeine?

No, Lyrica is not known to interact with caffeine.

Caffeine is found in various foods and drinks, such as dark chocolate and coffee. It’s also available as a supplement. It should be safe to take Lyrica with any of these forms of caffeine.

If you have other questions about combining Lyrica and caffeine, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Lyrica. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:

• Whether you drink alcohol or take cannabis.
• Other medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you fill out a medication list.
• What to do if you start taking a new drug during your Lyrica treatment.

It’s also important to read Lyrica’s label and other paperwork that comes with the drug. You may see colored stickers on the label that describe interactions. And the paperwork (sometimes called the prescribing information) may have other details about interactions. If you need help understanding this information, your doctor or pharmacist can help.

Taking Lyrica exactly as prescribed can also help prevent interactions.

If you still have questions about Lyrica and its possible interactions, talk with your doctor.

Questions you may want to ask your doctor include:

• Does my Lyrica dosage affect my risk of interactions?
• If I take Lyrica and have certain health conditions, will I be monitored more closely during treatment?
• Do I need to tell you if I start taking another medication or supplement during my Lyrica treatment?

To learn more about Lyrica, see these articles:

• Lyrica (pregabalin)
• All About Lyrica’s Dosage
• Lyrica vs. Gabapentin: What You Should Know
• Side Effects of Lyrica: What You Need to Know

To get information on different conditions and tips for improving your health, subscribe to any of Healthline’s newsletters. You may also want to check out the online communities at Bezzy. It’s a place where people with certain conditions can find support and connect with others.

Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.