Lyrica Dosages: Your GoodRx Guide - GoodRx (2024)

Lyrica (pregabalin) is a prescription medication that treats certain types of nerve pain. This includes nerve pain from diabetes, shingles, and spinal cord injuries. It also treats pain from fibromyalgia and partial-onset seizures.

In this article, we’ll cover typical Lyrica dosages. But be sure to follow your healthcare provider’s instructions about taking the medication, even if they’re different from what’s discussed below.

What’s the typical Lyrica dosage for adults?

Your Lyrica dosage will depend on what condition you’re treating. But, typically, Lyrica is taken 2 to 3 times a day. The medication comes as capsules and an oral solution. Both forms can be taken with or without food.

Good to know: Lyrica also comes in an extended-release form called pregabalin ER (Lyrica CR). It’s approved to treat nerve pain associated with diabetes and shingles. And it’s taken once a day. In this article, we’ll only discuss dosages for immediate-release Lyrica products.

Nerve pain from diabetes

If you have nerve pain from diabetes (diabetic neuropathy), your healthcare provider may prescribe you a starting Lyrica dosage of 50 mg three times a day.

Within the first week or so of treatment, your dosage may be increased to a maximum of 100 mg three times a day. But that will depend on two factors: how well Lyrica is working for your nerve pain and whether you’re experiencing side effects. If Lyrica is working well for you at 50 mg three times a day, or if you’re having bothersome side effects, your healthcare provider may decide to keep you at this lower dosage.

Higher daily doses (those closer to 600 mg) cause more dizziness and sleepiness than a daily dose of 300 mg per day. And studies show that 300 mg per day is usually enough to reduce pain and improve sleep problems, which is a common complaint of people with diabetic neuropathy. Because of this, dosages greater than 300 mg per day aren’t typically recommended.

Good to know: Lyrica is the most studied medication for diabetic neuropathy. It’s a first-choice treatment for this reason. Another medication called gabapentin (Neurontin) is also considered a first-choice treatment for diabetic neuropathy, even though it isn’t FDA approved for this use. Gabapentin and Lyrica are part of the same group of medications.

Nerve pain from shingles

Lyrica is a first-choice medication for nerve pain associated with shingles (postherpetic neuralgia). The starting dosage is usually 75 mg twice daily or 50 mg three times a day. During the first week of treatment, your dosage may be increased to up to 300 mg per day. Your healthcare provider may prescribe this higher dosage as 150 mg twice daily or 100 mg three times a day.

If 300 mg per day doesn’t relieve your nerve pain after 2 to 4 weeks, your dosage may be increased to a maximum of 600 mg per day. This may be prescribed as 300 mg twice daily or 200 mg three times a day. However, side effects like dizziness and drowsiness are more common with higher doses.

Partial-onset seizures

Lyrica can be used with other seizure medications to treat partial-onset seizures. The recommended starting dosage to treat this type of seizure in adults age 17 and older is 150 mg per day. This dosage may be taken as two or three doses over the course of the day. Depending on your situation, your provider may increase your dosage weekly. The maximum dosage is 600 mg per day, divided into two or three doses.

Fibromyalgia

The starting Lyrica dosage for fibromyalgia is typically 75 mg twice a day. After about a week of treatment, your healthcare provider may increase your dosage to 150 mg twice daily. If your symptoms still don’t improve with this dosage, your healthcare provider may prescribe you 225 mg twice daily. The maximum dosage is 450 mg per day.

Good to know: For the treatment of fibromyalgia, non-pharmacologic (non-medication) approaches are typically tried first. Aerobic exercise has proven benefits for people with fibromyalgia. Other treatment options, like relaxation techniques and physical therapy, may also be helpful. If non-pharmacologic treatment doesn’t work, this is when medications like Lyrica may be added.

Nerve pain from spinal cord injuries

For nerve pain from a spinal cord injury, the typical starting dosage of Lyrica is 75 mg twice daily. After about a week, your healthcare provider may increase your dosage to 150 mg twice daily if needed. After 2 to 3 weeks, if you’re tolerating Lyrica well but still having pain, your dosage may be increased further, up to 300 mg twice daily.

What’s the typical Lyrica dosage for children?

Lyrica is FDA approved to treat partial-onset seizures in children who are at least 1 month of age to 16 years old. Lyrica may be used for other off-label reasons in children, but we’ll focus on the dosages for partial-onset seizures here.

Your child’s Lyrica dosage will depend on how much they weigh. Your child's healthcare provider will usually see how your child does on a dosage for a week or so before considering an increase. When your child reaches 17 years of age, they’ll take an adult dosage.

Children who weigh less than 30 kg and are younger than 4 years old should take the medication in three doses spread over the course of the day. Older children who weigh less than 30 kg can take the medication in two or three doses.

Are there any dosage adjustments for medical conditions?

Lyrica leaves your body through your urine. So if your kidneys don’t work as well as expected, you may need a lower dosage of Lyrica. Lyrica can build up in your body if your kidneys aren’t getting rid of it fast enough. And this can lead to side effects, like dizziness, drowsiness, and fluid buildup (edema).

If you have existing kidney problems, let your healthcare provider know. They’ll check your kidney function with a blood test before prescribing you Lyrica. Based on the results, they may start you at a lower dosage of the medication.

Can you stop taking Lyrica abruptly?

No, you shouldn’t stop taking Lyrica abruptly. Stopping treatment without slowly lowering your dosage first can lead to withdrawal symptoms, including:

• Return of preexisting seizures

• Trouble sleeping

• Nausea

• Anxiety

• Increased sweating

• Diarrhea

• Headache

If you're interested in stopping treatment with Lyrica, talk to your healthcare provider first. Don’t make any changes to your dosage without checking with them first. They’ll help you come up with a plan to slowly stop taking Lyrica, if it’s safe to do so. Your dosage will likely be lowered over the course of at least 1 week.

What happens if you miss a dose of Lyrica?

If you miss a dose of Lyrica, take it as soon as you realize. If it’s close to when you’re supposed to take your next dose, just skip the missed one. Don’t double up on Lyrica doses to make up for a missed one. This increases your risk of side effects.

What should you do if you take too much Lyrica?

Taking too much Lyrica can be dangerous. It can lead to side effects like extreme sleepiness, confusion, and agitation. It can also lead to heart problems and seizures.

Coma and problems breathing can also occur, but this is more likely when the medication is taken with other substances that can cause sleepiness and trouble breathing. Examples of these substances include alcohol, opioids, and benzodiazepines.

If you think you’ve taken too much Lyrica, contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or call 911 right away.

How to save on Lyrica

Lyrica is available as a brand-name medication. But you can also find it as a lower-cost generic. GoodRx can help you navigate ways to save:

• Save with GoodRx. GoodRx may be able to help you save over 90% off the average retail price of the generic versions of Lyrica. At certain pharmacies, the price for generic Lyrica may be as low as $17.29 with a free GoodRx coupon. But keep in mind that Lyrica is a controlled substance, and many pharmacies don’t accept discounts on controlled substances.

• Save with a copay savings card. If you have commercial insurance and meet the eligibility requirements, brand-name Lyrica may cost as little as $4 a month with the manufacturer’s savings card.