Author: Buy Gabapentin Online

Is gabapentin considered a painkiller?

Gabapentin is commonly used to treat some types of nerve pain but is classified as an anticonvulsant medicine, not as an opioid or painkiller.

Gabapentin was first approved in 1993 and is used to treat:

    • postherpetic neuralgia, a nerve pain caused by the shingles virus (herpes zoster),
    • restless legs syndrome (RLS), a painful movement disorder in the legs
    • partial seizures in adults and children at least 3 years old who have epilepsy

Gabapentin works by affecting chemicals and nerves in the body that are involved in the cause of seizures and in some types of nerve pain.

Gabapentin is not a federally-controlled drug substance and does not contain an opioid (narcotic) medication. However, gabapentin misuse and abuse has been reported, and it may be restricted in some states through their state drug-monitoring program. Gabapentin abuse can boost the high a person gets from opioid painkillers, muscle relaxants, and anxiety medications. This can be dangerous and potentially life-threatening.

In 2019, the FDA issued an alert that serious breathing problems have been reported with gabapentin and other related drugs, like Lyrica (pregabalin) in people at risk of slowed breathing.

    • This includes people who use opioid pain medicine or CNS depressants, people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, and the elderly.
    • These serious breathing problems may be fatal.
    • Read more about this serious FDA warning here.

Avoid or limit the use of alcohol (in beverages or medicines) with gabapentin as it can worsen drowsiness or dizziness. Ask you doctor about drinking alcohol while you are taking gabapentin.

What type of pain does gabapentin treat?

Gabapentin is approved by the FDA to treat:

Postherpetic neuralgia: nerve pain that can occur due to an outbreak of shingles. Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, occurs when the chicken pox virus deep-seated in your nerve activates again later in life and causes a serious skin rash. Not everyone gets postherpetic neuralgia from shingles, but it can be painful if you do. It causes a burning nerve pain that lasts for months, or even years, after the rash and blisters have cleared up.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS): an uncontrollable urge to move your legs around, often at night. This is usually due to leg discomfort. It may occur most often when you are sitting, laying down, or during bedtime. It can be disruptful to sleep and travel. It is thought RLS may occur due to an imbalance of the chemical dopamine in the brain.

Gabapentin has also been used off-label for the treatment of other types of neuropathic (nerve) pain like peripheral diabetic neuropathy, fibromyalgia and trigeminal neuralgia. “Off-label” uses of gabapentin are uses that have not been approved by the FDA and are not found in the package insert, but may have been accepted for use by healthcare providers based on clinical use.

How does gabapentin come?

There are several brand names of gabapentin including Gralise, Horizant, and Neurontin. Use only the brand and form of gabapentin your doctor has prescribed.

Gralise (gabapentin) is indicated for the management of postherpetic neuralgia only. It is not used for epilepsy. Gralise comes as a 300 and 600 milligram (mg) extended-release (ER) tablet and in a 30-day starter pack of 78 tablets. A generic option is not yet available.

Horizant (gabapentin enacarbil) is used in adults to treat either nerve pain due to postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) or restless legs syndrome (RLS). Horizont is also an extended-release 300 mg or 600 mg tablet and is not interchangeable with other gabapentin products. A generic option is not yet available.

Neurontin (gabapentin) is an immediate-release form used to treat seizures in adults and children who are at least 3 years old, in addition to nerve pain due to shingles. It comes as 100, 300, or 400 mg oral capsules; 600 mg and 800 mg oral tablets, and as a 250 mg per 5 mL oral solution. It is also available as a generic option.

Some brands are only used for certain conditions, and these products may not be interchangeable. Check your medicine each time you get a refill to make sure you have received the correct form.

Some of these medicines may be expensive. Ask your healthcare provider if you are able to use a generic form of gabapentin for your condition (this may not always be possible). Generic options could save you hundreds of dollars each month, or may be less expensive than your insurance copay.

Also, check with the manufacturer who may offer copay cards or patient assistance programs to lessen your overall costs, if you qualify. Be sure to check for online coupons, too, that can save you money on both generics and brands.

To learn more about gabapentin, join the Drugs.com gabapentin Support Group and Q&A Section where you can ask questions, share experiences and keep up with the latest news.

This is not all the information you need to know about gabapentin for safe and effective use and does not take the place of talking to your doctor about your treatment. Review the full gabapentin information here, and discuss this information and any questions you have with your doctor or other health care provider.

Gabapentin interactions with medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary.

When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

      • Acepromazine
      • Alfentanil
      • Alprazolam
      • Amobarbital
      • Anileridine
      • Aripiprazole
      • Asenapine
      • Baclofen
      • Benperidol
      • Benzhydrocodone
      • Bromazepam
      • Buprenorphine
      • Buspirone
      • Butabarbital
      • Butorphanol
      • Calcifediol
      • Calcium Oxybate
      • Cannabidiol
      • Carbinoxamine
      • Carisoprodol
      • Carphenazine
      • Chloral Hydrate
      • Chlordiazepoxide
      • Chlorpromazine
      • Chlorzoxazone
      • Clobazam
      • Clonazepam
      • Clorazepate
      • Clozapine
      • Codeine
      • Cyclobenzaprine
      • Daridorexant
      • Dexmedetomidine
      • Diacetylmorphine
      • Diazepam
      • Dichloralphenazone
      • Difenoxin
      • Dihydrocodeine
      • Diphenhydramine
      • Diphenoxylate
      • Doxylamine
      • Droperidol
      • Enflurane
      • Esketamine
      • Estazolam
      • Eszopiclone
      • Ethchlorvynol
      • Ethopropazine
      • Ethylmorphine
      • Fentanyl
      • Flibanserin
      • Flunitrazepam
      • Fluphenazine
      • Flurazepam
      • Fluspirilene
      • Fospropofol
      • Gabapentin Enacarbil
      • Halazepam
      • Haloperidol
      • Halothane
      • Hexobarbital
      • Hydrocodone
      • Hydromorphone
      • Hydroxyzine
      • Isoflurane
      • Ketamine
      • Ketazolam
      • Ketobemidone
      • Levocetirizine
      • Levorphanol
      • Lorazepam
      • Loxapine
      • Magnesium Oxybate
      • Meclizine
      • Melperone
      • Meperidine
      • Mephobarbital
      • Meprobamate
      • Meptazinol
      • Mesoridazine
      • Metaxalone
      • Methadone
      • Methdilazine
      • Methocarbamol
      • Methohexital
      • Methotrimeprazine
      • Methylene Blue
      • Midazolam
      • Molindone
      • Moricizine
      • Morphine
      • Morphine Sulfate Liposome
      • Nalbuphine
      • Nicomorphine
      • Nitrazepam
      • Nitrous Oxide
      • Olanzapine
      • Opium
      • Opium Alkaloids
      • Orlistat
      • Orphenadrine
      • Oxazepam
      • Oxycodone
      • Oxymorphone
      • Papaveretum
      • Paregoric
      • Pentazocine
      • Pentobarbital
      • Perampanel
      • Perazine
      • Periciazine
      • Perphenazine
      • Phenobarbital
      • Pimozide
      • Piperacetazine
      • Pipotiazine
      • Piritramide
      • Potassium Oxybate
      • Prazepam
      • Pregabalin
      • Primidone
      • Prochlorperazine
      • Promazine
      • Promethazine
      • Propofol
      • Quazepam
      • Quetiapine
      • Ramelteon
      • Remifentanil
      • Remimazolam
      • Remoxipride
      • Ropeginterferon Alfa-2b-njft
      • Secobarbital
      • Sertindole
      • Sodium Oxybate
      • Sufentanil
      • Sulpiride
      • Suvorexant
      • Tapentadol
      • Temazepam
      • Thiethylperazine
      • Thiopental
      • Thiopropazate
      • Thioridazine
      • Tilidine
      • Tizanidine
      • Tolonium Chloride
      • Topiramate
      • Tramadol
      • Triazolam
      • Trifluoperazine
      • Trifluperidol
      • Triflupromazine
      • Trimeprazine
      • Zaleplon
      • Zolpidem
      • Zopiclone
      • Zotepine

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Aluminum Carbonate, Basic
  • Aluminum Hydroxide
  • Aluminum Phosphate
  • Dihydroxyaluminum Aminoacetate
  • Dihydroxyaluminum Sodium Carbonate
  • Ginkgo
  • Magaldrate
  • Magnesium Carbonate
  • Magnesium Hydroxide
  • Magnesium Oxide
  • Magnesium Trisilicate

Gabapentin and Alcohol/Food Interactions

Alcohol can increase the nervous system side effects of gabapentin such as dizziness, drowsiness, and difficulty concentrating. Some people may also experience impairment in thinking and judgment. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with gabapentin. Do not use more than the recommended dose of gabapentin, and avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medication affects you. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns.

Gabapentin Disease Interactions

Anxiolytic, sedative, and hypnotic agents have the potential to cause dependence and abuse. Tolerance as well as physical and psychological dependence can develop, particularly after prolonged use of excessive dosages, and abrupt cessation and/or a reduction in dosage may precipitate withdrawal symptoms. In patients who have developed tolerance, overdosage can still produce respiratory depression and death.

Therapy with anxiolytic, sedative, and hypnotic agents should be administered cautiously and for as brief a period as possible. Addiction-prone individuals, such as those with a history of alcohol or substance abuse, should be under careful surveillance or medical supervision when treated with these agents.

In addition, it may be prudent to refrain from dispensing large quantities of medication to such patients. After prolonged use or if dependency is suspected, withdrawal of medication should be undertaken gradually using a dosage-tapering schedule.

 

 

Can I drive or ride a bike after I take Gabapentin ?

Gabapentin is used with other medications to prevent and control seizures. It is also used to relieve nerve pain following shingles (a painful rash due to herpes zoster infection) in adults.

Gabapentin is known as an anticonvulsant or antiepileptic drug.

You may feel sleepy, tired or dizzy when you first start taking gabapentin. This may also happen if your dose has increased.

If this happens to you, do not drive or ride a bike until you feel better.

It’s an offence to drive a car if your ability to drive safely is affected. It’s your responsibility to decide if it’s safe to drive. If you’re in any doubt, do not drive.

If you have epilepsy, you are generally not allowed to drive until:

    • you have not had any seizures (while awake) for 1 year
    • you have only had seizures while you’re asleep

If you change your epilepsy medicine, your doctor will tell you whether you need to stop driving and for how long.

Do I need to stay on the same brand of Gabapentin?

Gabapentin capsules, tablets, and oral solution are used along with other medications to help control certain types of seizures in people who have epilepsy.

Gabapentin capsules, tablets, and oral solution are also used to relieve the pain of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN; the burning, stabbing pain or aches that may last for months or years after an attack of shingles).

Gabapentin extended-release tablets (Horizant) are used to treat restless legs syndrome (RLS; a condition that causes discomfort in the legs and a strong urge to move the legs, especially at night and when sitting or lying down).

Gabapentin is in a class of medications called anticonvulsants. Gabapentin treats seizures by decreasing abnormal excitement in the brain. Gabapentin relieves the pain of PHN by changing the way the body senses pain. It is not known exactly how gabapentin works to treat restless legs syndrome.

Most people do not have to stay on the same brand of gabapentin as there’s very little difference between brands.

Talk to your doctor if you have been asked to switch to a different brand and are worried about that.

If your epilepsy has been hard to control in the past and the brand you’re now taking is working well for you, your doctor may recommend you stay on the same one.

How and when to take Gabapentin ?

Gabapentin is a prescription medicine. It’s important to take it as advised by your doctor.

Dosage and strength

Each capsule of gabapentin contains 100mg, 300mg or 400mg of gabapentin. Each tablet contains 600mg or 800mg of gabapentin.

If you’re taking gabapentin as a liquid, 2ml is usually the same as taking a 100mg tablet or capsule. Always check the label.

Dosage for epilepsy

The usual dose for:

    • adults and older children (aged 12 and over) is 900mg to 3,600mg a day, split into 3 doses
    • younger children (aged 6 to 12) – varies depending on their weight

Dosage for nerve pain

The usual dose to treat nerve pain in adults is 900mg to 3,600mg a day, split into 3 doses.

Changes to your dose

To prevent side effects, your doctor will prescribe a low dose to start with and then increase it over a few days. Once you find a dose that suits you, it will usually stay the same.

How to take Gabapentin ?

Swallow gabapentin capsules and tablets whole with a drink of water or juice. Do not chew them.

You can take gabapentin with or without food, but it’s best to do the same each day.

Try to space your doses evenly through the day. For example, you could take it first thing in the morning, early afternoon and at bedtime.

If you or your child are taking a liquid, it will come with a plastic syringe or spoon to measure your dose. If you do not have a syringe or spoon, ask your pharmacist for one. Do not use a kitchen spoon, as it will not measure the right amount.

How long to take it for

If you have epilepsy, it’s likely that once your condition is under control you’ll still need to take gabapentin for many years.

If you have nerve pain, once your pain has gone you’ll continue to take gabapentin for several months or longer to stop it coming back.

If you forget to take it

If you forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it’s within 2 hours of the next dose, it’s better to leave out the missed dose and take your next dose as normal.

Never take 2 doses at the same time. Never take an extra dose to make up for a forgotten one.

If you have epilepsy, it’s important to take this medicine regularly. Missing doses may trigger a seizure.

If you forget doses often, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine.

If you take too much

Taking too much gabapentin can cause unpleasant side effects.

Urgent advice: Contact 111 for advice or go to A&E now if:

you take more than your prescribed dose of gabapentin and:

    • you feel dizzy or sleepy
    • you have double vision
    • you start slurring your words
    • you have diarrhoea
    • you pass out (faint)

If you need to go to A&E, take the gabapentin packet or leaflet inside it, plus any remaining medicine, with you.

Stopping gabapentin

It’s important not to stop taking gabapentin suddenly, even if you feel fine. Stopping gabapentin suddenly can cause serious problems.

If you have epilepsy, stopping gabapentin suddenly can cause seizures that will not stop.

If you’re taking it for any reason and stop suddenly, you may have a severe withdrawal syndrome. This can have unpleasant symptoms, including:

    • anxiety
    • difficulty sleeping
    • feeling sick
    • pain
    • sweating

It’s possible to prevent withdrawal seizures and other symptoms by gradually reducing the dose of gabapentin.

Do not stop taking gabapentin without talking to your doctor – you’ll need to reduce your dose gradually.

Risks of taking Gabapentin during pregnancy and when breastfeeding

Risks during pregnancy and when breastfeeding

People who are pregnant and those who intend to become pregnant should tell a doctor before taking gabapentin.

Research from 2020 suggests that taking this drug during pregnancy may be associated with a higher risk of cardiac malformations in the fetus, a condition called small for gestational age, and preterm birth.

However, it is also essential to control seizures during pregnancy, so pregnant people should only take the drug if it is absolutely necessary.

People should never start or stop taking gabapentin for seizure control before talking with a doctor. They will assess the potential risks and benefits.

After childbirth, gabapentin passes into breast milk. At low levels, it may not affect the infant. However, it is best to discuss this issue with a doctor before breastfeeding.

Presence of other health conditions that affect Gabapentin

To ensure that gabapentin is safe to take, a person should tell a doctor if they also currently have or have ever had:

    • diabetes
    • dialysis treatment
    • drug or alcohol misuse issues
    • heart disease
    • kidney disease
    • liver disease
    • seizures (if taking gabapentin for conditions unrelated to seizures)

Gabapentin Interactions with other medications and substances

Gabapentin can interact with other prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

People should be sure to give a doctor a full list of their current medications and supplements before taking gabapentin.

The results of another 2017 review suggest that the following are some of the main substances that interact with the drug:

    • caffeine, which is present in tea, coffee, and cola
    • ethacrynic acid, which is a diuretic
    • losartan, which is a medication for high blood pressure
    • magnesium oxide, which is a mineral supplement and antacid
    • mefloquine, which is an antimalarial drug
    • morphine, which is an opioid pain medication
    • phenytoin, which is an anti-seizure medication

If gabapentin causes sleepiness, a person should speak with a doctor before taking other medications that can also cause drowsiness, including:

    • antianxiety medications
    • antidepressants
    • antihistamines
    • cold and flu medications
    • muscle relaxers
    • narcotics, which are pain medications
    • sleeping pills

Presence of other health conditions

To ensure that gabapentin is safe to take, a person should tell a doctor if they also currently have or have ever had:

    • diabetes
    • dialysis treatment
    • drug or alcohol misuse issues
    • heart disease
    • kidney disease
    • liver disease
    • seizures (if taking gabapentin for conditions unrelated to seizures)