Gabapentin: Benefits and Side Effects

Gabapentin is a prescription medication used to treat seizures, nerve pain, and certain types of neuropathic pain. It works by affecting certain chemicals in the brain.

Gabapentin FAQ

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Is gabapentin a controlled drug?

GoodRx, Inc. Archived from the original on 23 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018. ^ "Gabapentin controlled release – Depomed". Adis Insight. ^ "Pregabalin and gabapentin will become controlled drugs in April". NursingNotes. 17 October 2018. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2019.

What is gabapentin used for?

Gabapentin is used to treat epilepsy. It's also taken for nerve pain, which can be caused by different conditions, including diabetes and shingles. Nerve pain can also happen after an injury. In epilepsy, it's thought that gabapentin stops seizures by reducing the abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

What are the different types of gabapentin?

Gabapentin is available as: Gabapentin tablets. It’s available as 300- and 600-milligram tablets (Gralise) and 600- and 800-milligram tablets (Neurontin or generic gabapentin). Gabapentin oral solution. The oral solution contains 250 millgrams of gabapentin per 5 milliliter (50 mg per mL) Neurontin or generic gabapentin.

What are the side effects of gabapentin?

Most people who take gabapentin don't get any side effects. The most common ones are feeling sleepy, tired and dizzy. Side effects are usually mild and go away by themselves. It takes at least a few weeks for gabapentin to work. You don't need to have epilepsy for gabapentin to help with pain or migraine. The most common brand name is Neurontin. 3.

How does gabapentin work?

Gabapentin is used to control the symptoms of seizures and works by reducing the abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Exactly how it does this is not fully understood. Gabapentin is also prescribed to treat certain types of long-lasting pain caused by damage to nerves.

Does gabapentin cause nerve pain?

Nerve pain can also happen after an injury. In epilepsy, it's thought that gabapentin stops seizures by reducing the abnormal electrical activity in the brain. With nerve pain, it's thought to block pain by affecting the pain messages travelling through the brain and down the spine. Gabapentin is available on prescription.

Does gabapentin treat epilepsy?

Gabapentin was developed to treat epilepsy, and is called an antiepileptic. It was then discovered that it works on pain nerves as well as the nerves in the brain that cause epilepsy. Why am I having gabapentin? You are being prescribed gabapentin to treat your pain, not for epilepsy. What are the benefits?