Abstract
Although pregabalin is a first-line drug for neuropathic pain, including postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), it may cause some side effects, such as dizziness, somnolence, dose-dependent peripheral edema, and weight gain, which may influence patients to abandon its use. When pregabalin is used for PHN, the starting dose is usually 150 mg taken twice a day. We report four cases that at another hospital had discontinued pregabalin at 150 mg/day because of adverse effects. It was re-started in our department at 75 mg/day, which was gradually increased to 150 mg/day. All patients were able to continue pregabalin without adverse effects, which led to substantial improvement in the symptoms of two patients. For elderly patients, it may be appropriate to start at a low dose, wait until the side effects go away, and then gradually increase the dose until the benefits take effect.
