What are the first signs of a Pregabalin overdose?

The earliest signs of a Pregabalin overdose are extreme drowsiness, difficulty staying awake, slurred speech, confusion, severe unsteadiness or stumbling (ataxia), and agitation or restlessness.

Can a Pregabalin overdose be fatal?

Yes. While isolated Pregabalin overdoses often cause profound sleepiness and confusion, high doses or combinations with alcohol, opioids, or benzodiazepines frequently cause fatal respiratory depression (stopped breathing), continuous seizures, or coma.

Should I make someone throw up if they took too much Pregabalin?

No. Never try to induce vomiting. Inducing vomiting in a person whose reflexes are impaired can cause them to inhale vomit into their lungs (aspiration), which can block their airway and cause fatal asphyxiation.

Pregabalin Overdose: Symptoms, Risks & Emergency Action

Emergency guidance: If you or someone else has taken too much Pregabalin, act immediately. Call 999 if the person is unresponsive, struggling to breathe, having a seizure, or has collapsed. If the person is awake, conscious, and breathing normally, call NHS 111 immediately for specialist poison advice. Never induce vomiting. Take all medication packets and blister strips with you to the hospital.

Recognizing Pregabalin overdose symptoms

Symptoms of taking too much Pregabalin typically emerge within 30 to 90 minutes of ingestion and range from moderate sedation to life-threatening respiratory collapse:

Severity Level	Common Symptoms	Required Emergency Action
Mild to Moderate Overdose	Extreme drowsiness, slurred speech, confusion, blurred vision, clumsiness, agitation, tremor	Call NHS 111 immediately. Keep the person awake and monitored. Do not leave them alone.
Severe Overdose	Inability to wake the person, slow or shallow breathing, seizures, pinpoint or dilated pupils, hypothermia	Call 999 immediately. Place in the recovery position. Prepare for CPR.
Mixed Overdose (with Opioids or Alcohol)	Coma, blue lips/fingernails (cyanosis), snoring/gasping breathing, respiratory arrest	Call 999 immediately. Administer naloxone if opioids are suspected. Begin chest compressions if breathing stops.

Immediate step-by-step action guide

Check responsiveness and airway: Shout their name and gently shake their shoulders. If they do not respond, check if their chest is rising and falling and listen for breath sounds for 10 seconds.
Call 999: Tell the emergency operator:
- That an overdose of Pregabalin has occurred.
- Whether the person is conscious or unconscious.
- Whether their breathing is slow, shallow, or absent.
- Whether any other substances (such as opioids, alcohol, or sleeping tablets) may have been taken.
Put in the Recovery Position: If the person is unconscious but breathing, roll them onto their side with their top leg bent at a right angle and their head tilted back. This keeps the airway open and prevents choking if they vomit.
Do NOT induce vomiting: Never try to make the person sick or give them salt water. If their swallowing reflexes are sedated, vomit can enter the lungs, causing acute asphyxiation or chemical pneumonitis.
Gather medication packaging: Collect all pill boxes, empty blister packs, prescription bottles, and any other drugs nearby so paramedics can calculate the exact dose and timing.

The lethal danger of mixed overdoses

According to statistics from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the vast majority of fatal gabapentinoid poisonings involve polysubstance co-ingestion.

When Pregabalin is taken alongside opioids (such as codeine, tramadol, morphine, or heroin), alcohol, or benzodiazepines (such as diazepam or alprazolam), the combined depression on the brainstem respiratory centre is catastrophic. Respiratory arrest can occur even at lower doses that would not be fatal if taken in isolation. Read our detailed interactions guide.

What happens in the Emergency Department?

There is no specific pharmacological antidote that binds to or reverses Pregabalin directly. Medical management in NHS Emergency Departments focuses on supportive care and toxicity stabilization based on National Poisons Information Service (TOXBASE) protocols:

Airway protection & oxygen: High-flow oxygen or endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation if breathing is severely suppressed.
Activated charcoal: May be administered if the patient arrives within 1 to 2 hours of ingestion and is fully alert and cooperative.
Cardiac monitoring: Continuous ECG monitoring to detect arrhythmias, tachycardia, or heart block.
Seizure management: Intravenous benzodiazepines (such as lorazepam or diazepam) if the patient experiences convulsions.
Haemodialysis: In massive, life-threatening overdoses complicated by acute kidney failure, urgent haemodialysis can be performed because Pregabalin is water-soluble and not protein-bound.

Support after an overdose: Compassionate UK help

If an overdose was taken intentionally in a moment of distress, crisis, or despair, please know that you are not alone and compassionate, non-judgemental support is available:

NHS Mental Health Services: Call 111 and select the mental health option for 24/7 urgent assessment.
Samaritans: Call 116 123 (free from any phone, 24/7) or email jo@samaritans.org.
SHOUT Crisis Text Line: Text SHOUT to 85258 for free, confidential 24/7 support via text message.
Frank (Substance Support): Call 0300 123 6600 or visit talktofrank.com for confidential advice on medicine dependence and misuse.

Clinical sources and references

Draft publication status: This page is prepared for a UK audience but has not yet received qualified clinical review.
Author: MediHarbour Editorial Team · Medical reviewer: To be assigned · Review date: Pending · Draft updated: 1 October 2026.
Sources should be checked against current NHS, MHRA, NICE, UK product information and peer-reviewed evidence before publication. Read our editorial policy.