What is pregabalin and what is it used for?

Buy pregabalin 300mg online in UK and Ireland. Pregabalin is used to treat conditions including epilepsy, nerve pain and anxiety on the NHS.

It comes as tablets, capsules or in liquid form, and may be called Alzain, Axalid or Lyrica, depending on the brand.

More than eight million pregabalin prescriptions were dispensed in England in 2022.

Prescription rates are showing signs of levelling off across the UK, but doctors say it can be a very useful treatment for patients when taken correctly, and should remain available.

What are the side effects of pregabalin?

Some call pregabalin the new Valium or “Bud” (as in Budweiser beer) because it can make users feel relaxed, in a similar way to tranquilisers or alcohol. Buy pregabalin 300mg online in UK and Ireland.

Taking too much of it – particularly when combined with other street drugs that also have a sedative effect – can cause drowsiness and breathing problems.

Patients who are prescribed pregabalin are advised to avoid alcohol.

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How many deaths have been linked to pregabalin in the UK?

Records in England suggest most deaths between 2004 and 2020 involving pregabalin happened when it was taken alongside another medicine such as methadone or morphine.

In many cases, the drugs had not been prescribed.

Taken together, opiates and pregabalin slow down breathing. An emergency antidote called naloxone that works against opiates does nothing to counteract pregabalin’s effects. Buy pregabalin 300mg online in UK and Ireland.

The 2022 data for England and Wales lists 441 deaths related to pregabalin.

There have also been a significant number of deaths in Northern Ireland.

According to the latest data from the NI Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra), 71 of the 213 drug-related deaths recorded in 2021 mentioned pregabalin on the death certificate.

That compares to one death in 2013, nine in 2016, rising to 77 in 2019 before falling back.

The number of deaths linked to pregabalin and the similar drug gabapentin in Scotland peaked in 2020, at 502. This dropped to 472 in 2021, and 367 in 2022.

Can you get addicted to pregabalin?

Pregabalin’s calming effect – sometimes described as a “gentle high” – can mean some users underestimate the drug’s addictive nature over time. Buy pregabalin 300mg online in UK and Ireland.

Dependence on pregabalin is especially dangerous for those with a prior history of drug abuse or addiction.

How can you come off it, and is withdrawal an issue?

Some people find it hard to stop taking pregabalin.

Withdrawal symptoms can include mood changes such as anger and irritability, anxiety and panic as well as physical symptoms like sweating, nausea and chills.

Anyone trying to come off the drug should seek health advice first.

You should not suddenly stop taking pregabalin unless advised by your doctor. The dose is usually reduced over a week or longer. Buy pregabalin 300mg online in UK and Ireland.

Is non-prescription pregabalin illegal?

The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 divides drugs into three categories, class A, B and C, according to the harm they cause when misused. Buy pregabalin 300mg online in UK and Ireland.

Pregabalin was made a class C drug in 2019. That means it is illegal to possess pregabalin without a valid prescription, or to supply it to others.

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) statistics show pregabalin is the fourth most commonly seized drug behind cannabis, cocaine and benzodiazepines.

Between July 2021 and June 2022, pregabalin was seized by officers on 804 occasions.

In the following twelve months, that figure rose to 1,081 – an increase of more than 34%.