What the FDA labels say about taking them together
Butorphanol and pregabalin
Butorphanol's FDA label of January 2, 2026 names pregabalin in its drug interactions section; the pregabalin labels PlainMeds reads (3) do not name butorphanol. The butorphanol label: “… relaxants, general anesthetics, antipsychotics, gabapentinoids (gabapentin or pregabalin), and other opioids, can increase the risk of respiratory depression, profound sedation, coma, and death.”
Check it at the source: the butorphanol FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 2, 2026, Hospira, Inc.); the pregabalin FDA label on DailyMed (effective April 15, 2025, Viatris Specialty LLC).
What does the butorphanol label say about pregabalin?
Butorphanol label, drug interactionsDrug Interactions Benzodiazepines and Other Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants Due to additive pharmacologic effect, the concomitant use of benzodiazepines or other CNS depressants such as alcohol, sedatives/hypnotics, anxiolytics, tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, general anesthetics, antipsychotics, gabapentinoids (gabapentin or pregabalin), and other opioids, can increase the risk of respiratory depression, profound sedation, coma, and death.
Butorphanol label, warningsRisks from Concomitant Use with Benzodiazepines or Other CNS Depressants Profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death may result from the concomitant use of butorphanol tartrate with benzodiazepines and/or other CNS depressants, including alcohol (e.g., non-benzodiazepine sedatives/hypnotics, anxiolytics, tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, general anesthetics, antipsychotics, gabapentinoids [gabapentin or pregabalin], and other opioids).
Source: FDA drug label (Butorphanol Tartrate), Hospira, Inc., effective January 2, 2026 (SPL set 9822ca3f-aee2-46e5-8a96-495400e65d10), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the pregabalin label say about butorphanol?
Pregabalin's label (effective April 15, 2025) and its 2 other brand-application labels do not name butorphanol in these sections. A label lists what its studies and reports found; it is not a complete list.
Source: FDA drug label (Lyrica), NDA021446 (Upjohn), as published by Viatris Specialty LLC, effective April 15, 2025 (SPL set d4734e7d-5079-455e-8ff5-8f4539c998a9), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
These are the labels' own sentences. PlainMeds does not grade interactions; a pharmacist or prescriber can say what they mean for one person's medicines.
Both medicines on the record
| Butorphanol | Pregabalin | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Pain | Nerve pain and fibromyalgia, Seizures and epilepsy |
| Boxed warning | Yes | No |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC) | $15.46 per mL 10 mg/mL spray | $0.0571 per capsule 100 mg capsule |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
Source: FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026 and the FDA Drug Shortage Database (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Check more medicines together
- up to five at once