For gabapentin oral liquid, use an accurate measuring device to measure your dose. A household spoon is not an accurate measuring device and may cause you to take the wrong dose. Ask your pharmacist to recommend an appropriate measuring device. People who are 65 years of age or older can be at a greater risk for some side effects of gabapentin. Talk to your healthcare provider about your risks if you are in this age group. Tell your child’s healthcare provider if you notice changes in your child’s behavior or thinking.
Getting the most from your treatment
- Gabapentin can make you hungrier, so it can be hard to stop yourself putting on weight.
- Some examples of these drugs include morphine, hydrocodone, and oxycodone.
- If you are taking gabapentin to treat seizures and you suddenly stop taking the medication, you may experience seizures more often.
- Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases.
- For more information on the possible side effects of gabapentin or tips on how to deal with a troubling side effect, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
- Some forms of gabapentin need to be taken with food.
These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital. In rare cases, it’s possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to gabapentin. If you feel this medicine is causing mood changes, talk to your doctor. They may gabapentin oral uses and side effects be able to change you to a different medicine.
If your care team wants you to stop the medication, the dose may be slowly lowered over time to avoid any side effects. Do not take gabapentin unless it has been prescribed to you by a healthcare provider. Different forms of gabapentin are not interchangeable even if the strength is the same.
Talk with your doctor if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant. This drug should only be used if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the pregnancy. Call your doctor if you become pregnant while taking this drug. Typically, your doctor will start you on a low dosage and adjust it over time to reach the dosage that’s right for you. They’ll ultimately prescribe the smallest dosage that provides the desired effect. When used with gabapentin, certain drugs used to treat stomach acid problems can reduce the amount of gabapentin in your body.
Drug Interactions
To do so may increase the chance of side effects. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take. Extended release formulation (Gralise) not studied in the treatment of seizures. Reported increased blood creatinine phosphokinase levels and muscle damage caused by inflammation. Gabapentin has mild interactions with at least 21 different drugs.
- Never take more than one dose in an attempt to catch up.
- If you have been given it for this reason then you should speak with your doctor if you have any questions about your treatment.
- Gabapentin oral liquid should be stored in a refrigerator, between 36 F to 46 F (2 C to 8 C).
If you suspect that you or someone else might have taken an overdose of this medicine, go to the accident and emergency department of your local hospital. Take the container with you, even if it is empty, so the doctor knows what has been taken. This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. If your doctor tells you to take one-half of a regular tablet as part of your dose, carefully split the tablet along the score mark.
Health topics
Tell your healthcare provider if you have any of these side effects that bother you. Gabapentin oral capsule can interact with several other medications. Different interactions can cause different effects. For instance, some can interfere with how well a drug works, while others can cause increased side effects.
If that does not work, your doctor may suggest a different medicine. These common side effects of gabapentin may happen in more than 1 in 100 people. There are benefits and risks to taking medications during pregnancy. Your care team can help you find the option that works for you.
This will be based on how well your kidneys are working. Send a note of thanks to Mayo Clinic researchers who are revolutionizing healthcare and improving patient outcomes. There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding. This document does not contain all possible side effects and others may occur.
Does gabapentin interact with other medicines (drug interactions)?
If you are taking gabapentin to treat seizures and you suddenly stop taking the medication, you may experience seizures more often. Your doctor may decrease your dose gradually over at least a week. 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 is in a class of medications called anticonvulsants. Gabapentin treats seizures by decreasing abnormal excitement in the brain.
CNS depressants include opioids, benzodiazepines, muscle relaxants, medications for sleep, and alcohol. Talk to your care team about all the medications, vitamins, and supplements you take. They can tell you what is safe to take together. Call emergency services right away if you have slow or shallow breathing, feel dizzy or confused, or have trouble staying awake. Gabapentin may interact with other medicines and supplements. Some gabapentin tablets should not be chewed, cut, or crushed.
This is also known as a drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS). Taking gabapentin with an opioid increases your risk for severe sleepiness, respiratory depression, coma, and even death. Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency. If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Severe breathing problems
Avoid driving, cycling or using tools or machinery while this is happening. If it lasts for more than a couple of days, speak to your doctor as they may need to change your treatment. Like all medicines, gabapentin can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them.
Individuals experienced double vision, slurred speech, drowsiness, diarrhea and sluggishness. If you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, talk with your healthcare provider about breastfeeding or medication options. Keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines, vitamins, minerals, and dietary supplements you are taking. Bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to the hospital. You should carry the list with you in case of emergencies.