Author: Alex Thompson
Gabapentin Side Effects: Common and Serious Side Effects
For instance, some can interfere with how well a drug works, while others can cause increased side effects. For postherpetic neuralgia, it seems to prevent the increase in sensitivity to pain that occurs. For seizures, it may alter the effect of calcium (low calcium levels may cause seizures).
Your child’s dose may change if the child gains or loses weight. Your dose needs may change if you switch to a different brand, strength, or form of this medicine. Avoid medication errors by using only the medicine your doctor prescribes.
If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist. If you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, talk with your healthcare provider about breastfeeding or medication options. Inform your providers of all medications you take, including prescription and over-the-counter, as well as supplements, vitamins and herbal products. Drinking alcohol with gabapentin could increase sleepiness or dizziness. It’s becoming more common for gabapentin to be misused for its psychoactive effects. Its overdose death risk is lower than that of opioids, but it’s not risk-free.
Side Effects of Gabapentin
This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Taking gabapentin with other drugs that make you drowsy or slow your breathing can cause dangerous side effects or death. Ask your doctor before taking opioid medication, a sleeping pill, a muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety or seizures.
Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Different brands of gabapentin are not interchangeable and they are FDA approved for different conditions. Use only the brand and form of gabapentin your doctor has prescribed. Check your medicine each time you get a refill to make sure you receive the correct form.
Gabapentin can slow or stop your breathing, especially if you have recently used an opioid medication or alcohol. A person caring for you should seek emergency medical attention if you have slow breathing with long pauses, blue colored lips, or if you are hard to wake up. Overdose symptoms may include slow breathing, double vision, tremor, slurred speech, drowsiness, change in your mental state, dizziness, tiredness, or diarrhea.
What is gabapentin?
Speak with your doctor if you notice these side effects when taking gabapentin. The safety and efficacy of gabapentin have not been examined for treatment periods longer than 5 months. Call your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms. If you think your symptoms are life threatening, call 911. Generic formulations of gabapentin are typically covered by most insurance plans. However, many insurance companies require prior authorization for branded formulations of gabapentin.
- Gabapentin is available as both a brand name product and a generic product (chemically the same, usually lower cost than the brand name product).
- This information can help your doctor decide whether any risk of misuse outweighs the potential benefit of using gabapentin.
- Your dose needs may change if you switch to a different brand, strength, or form of this medicine.
Don’t take this drug again if you have ever had an allergic reaction to it before. Taking it a second time after any allergic reaction to it could be fatal (cause death). This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. Your kidney function may need to be checked often and your dose may change based on the results.
Only use the brand of this medicine that your doctor prescribed. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription. Swallow the extended-release tablets whole; do not cut, chew, or crush them.
It comes with serious risks if you don’t take it as prescribed. Gabapentin can cause problems in children aged 3–12 years who have epilepsy. It raises their risk of thought and behavioral problems, such as being hyper and acting hostile or restless.
Does gabapentin cause withdrawal symptoms?
For example, people who experience nerve pain may have the option to “step up” to pregabalin (Lyrica) if treatment with gabapentin doesn’t suffice. If you think you’ve taken too much of this drug, call your doctor or local poison control center. If your symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately. Gabapentin oral capsule is used for short-term or long-term treatment. The length of treatment depends on what condition it’s being used to treat.
However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. Gabapentin works in the brain to prevent seizures and relieve pain for certain conditions in the nervous system. It is not used for routine pain caused by minor injuries or arthritis. The use of gabapentin, even when used correctly, may cause some side effects. Your doctor will monitor your kidney function during your treatment with this drug.
DRUGS AND MEDICATIONS CENTER
Gabapentin mirrors the effects of GABA calming excited neurons. The most common side effects of gabapentin use are dizziness and drowsiness. Of the people who’ve misused the drug, most had a history of substance misuse or used gabapentin to help with withdrawal symptoms from other substances. It helps prevent certain types of seizures in people who have epilepsy. It’s not a cure for epilepsy — the drug will only work to control your seizures as long as you keep taking it.
Swallow the capsule whole and do not crush, chew, break, or open the capsule. Measure the oral liquid using a marked measuring spoon, oral syringe, or medicine cup. The average household teaspoon may not hold the right amount of liquid. This medicine is available only with your doctor’s prescription.