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    What is Gabapentin?

    Gabapentin is a drug that most people recognize by its brand name Neurontin. This drug is mainly used as an oral medication for the treatment of neuropathic pain and seizures. This drug can be used for adults as well as children above the age of 3 years for the treatment of epilepsy.

    What are the Different Forms of Gabapentin?

    Gabapentin is available in a solid tablet form, which can divide further into the immediate-release oral tablet and extended-release oral table. Apart from the tablet, the drug gabapentin is also available as an oral solution. So it is established that the use of the Gabapentin drug is to be done through the oral route irrespective of it being in solid pills or liquid solution.

    What is gabapentin used for?

    There are different uses of Gabapentin drug based on the forms in which it is available. Gabapentin is used to treat neuropathic pain, seizures, and much other pain.

    What is gabapentin prescribed for?

    Let’s look at the disease where doctors prescribing gabapentin for treatment.

    • Focal Seizures

    Seizures are symptoms of disorders that indicate that the activity of the nerve cells in the brain is disturbed. Usually, it occurs as a part of epilepsy in both adults and children.

    Focal seizures are also known as partial seizures and prescribing gabapentin to treat them with other medications. The Gabapentin dosage for the treatment of seizures is different and also based on the severity of the condition and the age of the patients. They are not interchangeable for adults and children.

    • Postherpetic Neuralgia

    It is the most common type of complication caused by shingles and, these causes damage to the nerve fibers of the skin, making the skin burn along with the appearance of blisters and rashes. These are the common symptoms of shingles, which are caused by the Herpes Zoster virus, also known as the Chickenpox virus.

    Even when the rashes and blisters heal, the burning pain lasts for, and slow-release Gabapentin and immediate-release Gabapentin oral tablets are used as treatment.

    Gabapentin helps by relieving the pain caused by nerve damage for adults suffering from Shingles. They can use gabapentin for shingles as a combination treatment with other drugs.

    • Diabetic neuropathy

    There are two types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2, out of which Type 2 diabetes is considered to be the more severe one as it leads to nerve damage and harms the central nervous system over time.

    There is no cure for diabetes, so neuropathic pain occurs frequently, but gabapentin capsules help for relieving neuropathic pain.

    • Migraine headaches

    Migraine headaches are chronic and, it does not have any permanent cure. The intensity of migraine headaches can increase with time. But new-age treatments such as botox are explored for managing the symptoms better.

    Similarly, many doctors prescribe oral tablets of gabapentin for off-label use for relieving migraine headaches.

    These are some of the uses of solid oral Gabapentin medication and, your doctor can help you to get a more specific use of this drug.

    Uses of Gabapentin Oral Solution

    There is the solution of Gabapentin used for the treatment of seizures, chronic pain, and pain relief in incurable conditions such as cancer, nerve damage, social phobia, and bipolar disorder.

    The liquid solution of the Gabapentin oral drug is considered to be more potent than the oral tablets and is thus, taken under the careful observation of your doctor.

    How does Gabapentin work?

    Gabapentin’s primary use is to prevent or control seizures. It works by calming down nerve activity to reduce seizure intensity or occurrence.

    Children and adults can take the drug. The Neurontin brand can treat one form of epilepsy in children as young as three years old.

    Some people take other medications with Gabapentin to control epilepsy symptoms.

    Gabapentin can also help reduce postherpetic neuralgia, a burning or stabbing nerve pain that is a common complication of shingles.

    What are the dosages of Gabapentin Available?

    Gabapentin Dosage available as:

    • Gabapentin 100 mg
    • Gabapentin 300 mg
    • Gabapentin 400 mg
    • Gabapentin 600 mg
    • Gabapentin 800 mg

    Your doctor decides the best Gabapentin dose based on your physical condition, the condition for which you need pain relief as well as your age.

    What is the most common side effect of gabapentin?

    Side effects of Gabapentin Oral drug:
    • Anxiety
    • Headache
    • Double vision
    • Memory problems
    • Dry mouth
    • Constipation
    • Blurry vision
    • Drowsiness
    • Rapid eye movements
    • Diarrhea
    • Fever
    • Nausea
    • Dizziness
    • Fatigue
    • Runny nose

    People are reported some of the most common side effects of the gabapentin drug. Side effects of gabapentin may feel when the body adapts to the presence of the drug. There is a rare chance to have long-term side effects of Gabapentin.

    As a precaution, if you find that your side effects are severe or unbearable to you, then inform your doctor immediately. Also, this is a brief list of side effects and, you can get a more detailed list of Gabapentin side effects from your doctor as well as your pharmacist.

    Which are the Medications that Interact with The Drug?

    Before you start taking medication, you must be aware of what drugs should not be taken with Gabapentin. The medicines that interact with Gabapentin Oral are laid down below:

    • Cetirizine
    • Alprazolam
    • Ascorbic acid
    • Acetaminophen
    • Levothyroxine
    • Hydrocodone
    • Metoprolol
    • Atorvastatin
    • Cyclobenzaprine
    • Duloxetine
    • Aspirin
    • Omega-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids
    • Escitalopram
    • Pregabalin
    • Quetiapine
    • Cyanocobalamin
    • Cholecalciferol
    • Sertraline

    These are the names of the medications that have been reported to interact with the Gabapentin drug, which implies that if you use the above-mentioned drugs with Gabapentin, then there may be undesired effects on your health.

    This does not mean that you cannot use any other drug with Gabapentin. In some cases, the dosages of two different drugs will have to be adjusted so that the optimum results are obtained. If some drug interacts, producing adverse effects even in lower dosages, then that drug can be replaced with a suitable substitute.

    How Should Gabapentin be used in Pregnant and Lactating Mothers?

    Gabapentin and pregnant women:

    When a person is planning to have a baby, they should discuss all their medications with their doctor to avoid damage to the unborn child. Generally, doctors avoid prescribing Gabapentin drugs to pregnant women as safer alternatives are available.

    Gabapentin and Lactating women:

    Many doctors prescribe Gabapentin drugs to lactating mothers and, in the majority of cases, the child has not suffered from any adverse effects of the medication. But if you are breastfeeding a child while making use of the Gabapentin drug, then make sure your doctor monitors the health of your child to recognize any adverse effects of the drug.

    Are there any Warnings Associated with the Use of the Drug Gabapentin?

    Gabapentin drugs can induce extreme drowsiness and even make your reflexes slower and weaker, so if you are going to use this drug, avoid operating any heavy or delicate machines and avoid driving too.

    If you are new to the use of Gabapentin, rule out any risk of Gabapentin allergy to avoid any harmful side effects. Your doctor will help you determine if you have any allergic reactions to this pain-relieving drug.

    FAQs

    1) How long does it take for Gabapentin to work?

    Gabapentin tablets show their effect within one or two weeks after you start the dosage. It may take three or four weeks because few symptoms cannot reduce in a short time.

    2) How long does gabapentin take to kick in?

    This medicine starts to show its effect within 2 to 3 hours. Gabapentin medication can take a few weeks to reduce symptoms.

    3) Is gabapentin safe?

    Gabapentin is extremely safe when used this medication carefully. There is a rare chance of side effects if you are following the strict guidance of your doctor.

    4) Does gabapentin make you sleepy?

    Gabapentin uses to treat neuropathic pain, it’s not a sleeping pill. But after usage, you may feel sleepy, dizzy, and a little bit tired.

    5) How much gabapentin can I take?

    Users must take gabapentin dosages according to their doctor’s guidance, otherwise, their health conditions may get worse. Let your doctor decide the lowest dose of gabapentin and the highest gabapentin dose.

    6) How long does gabapentin stay in your system?

    Generally, gabapentin can stay in your system for five to seven hours.

    7) How to take gabapentin?

    You can swallow a whole Gabapentin tablet with water or juice, but do not try to chew them. You can take this medication with or without food.

    8) What is the half-life of gabapentin?

    The estimated half-life of gabapentin is five to seven hours.

    9) What does gabapentin look like?

    Gabapentin tablets are the same as other medicines, and there are many pictures available.