The most serious side effects of gabapentin are trouble with thinking, sleepiness, drowsiness, dizziness, unsteadiness, clumsiness and vision changes.
Gabapentin may also cause rash, itching and trouble breathing or even trouble swallowing and possible swelling of the face, mouth and hands and you experience these side effects you should seek medical attention right away.
The organ that gabapentin is hard on is the kidneys as well as the heart.
Damage to the kidneys can result from taking gabapentin in some cases and fluid buildup or edema can be worse when taking gabapentin when you already have any existing kidney problems or kidney disease.
The increased edema from the gabapentin can put stress on your heart and kidneys.
The downside of gabapentin is that it can cause clumsiness, vision changes, drowsiness, dizziness, unsteadiness, sleepiness and even trouble with thinking.
When taking gabapentin, you should also be sure you know how you react to gabapentin before driving or operating machinery or before doing anything which can be dangerous if you're not well coordinated, alert or able to think well or see well.
The reason why gabapentin has a bad reputation is because gabapentin can enhance the psychological effects of opioids, and gabapentin also has the potential for abuse and has also resulted in drug overdose deaths.
Gabapentin will sometimes cause weight gain, but not always.
Weight gain is a possible and sometimes is a side effect of gabapentin, although it's not a very common side effect of taking gabapentin.
Some people experience some weight gain when taking gabapentin due to fluid retention, specifically peripheral edema which is swelling in the feet and ankles.
Other people may also experience increased appetites, which can also result in weight gain if it's not managed with exercise and diet.
Things that cannot be mixed with gabapentin are central nervous system depressants such as oxycodone, morphine as well as alcohol and certain antihistamines such as diphenhydramine and certain sleeping pills such as zolpidem.
Mixing gabapentin with these substances can increase your risk of developing side effects such as dizziness, respiratory depression and even excessive drowsiness.
Also you have to be careful when mixing gabapentin with strong painkillers like morphine as these can also make you very dizzy and tired when you begin taking gabapentin.
The best painkiller to take with gabapentin is Tylenol also known as acetaminophen and even Advil or Motrin also known as ibuprofen.
Tylenol, Advil and Motrin are safe to take with gabapentin as they have no known interactions and work well even when taken together.
Gabapentin works by inhibiting voltage gated calcium channels and the release of excitatory neurotransmitters and is primarily used for treating epilepsy, nerve pain, "neuropathic pain, restless leg syndrome and anxiety.
Gabapentin is also known as Neurontin which is used with the name Neurontin to treat partial seizures in children and adults with epilepsy.
Neurontin also known as gabapentin is also approved for the treatment of a type of nerve pain called postherpetic neuralgia.
Gabapentin is not a controlled substance and is not controlled by the controlled substances act of 1970.
And at therapeutic doses of (900-3600 mg/day), gabapentin does not bind to GABAA or GABAB receptors, nor does it bind to benzodiazepine sites.
Gabapentin is a strong painkiller when used to treat pain such as nerve pain although it is not considered a painkiller or opioid and instead is an anticonvulsant medication.
The negative side of gabapentin are possible side effects such as unsteadiness, vision changes, clumsiness, trouble with thinking, sleepiness, drowsiness and dizziness.
When you stop taking gabapentin for nerve pain you can experience withdrawal symptoms which include insomnia, anxiety, headaches, dizziness and nausea.
The best and safest way to get off gabapentin is to taper off of it under the supervision of a doctor.
The withdrawal symptoms when stopping gabapentin can begin within 12 hours to 7 days.
Gabapentin should be stopped if it is not working or preventing seizures or if you are experiencing any serious side effects when taking gabapentin.
People who should not take gabapentin are people who are trying to become pregnant, are already pregnant or people on a controlled sodium or potassium diet or if your kidneys are not working well.
The best time to take gabapentin is at night as it can make you feel drowsy.
Gabapentin is a very strong painkiller and kills pain including nerve pain near instantly.
The length of time you should take gabapentin for nerve pain depends on your condition.
If you have nerve pain from diabetes then you may need to take the gabapentin daily for the rest of your life but if you have temporary nerve pain then you may only need to take the gabapentin for 4 to 12 weeks.
Gabapentin requires three times daily administration because of its short duration of effect.
Gabapentin enacarbil (brand name Horizant) only requires once-daily dosing.
Only effective for partial-onset seizures, not other types of seizure disorders.
Some branded and generic forms of gabapentin are not interchangeable.
Gabapentin is most commonly prescribed to treat nerve pain associated with diabetes.
Although gabapentin is used for other pain and issues as well.
Gabapentin is used to treat a variety of conditions such as seizures, pain, nerve pain, nerve pain after herpes, essential tremors.
Other conditions that Gabapentin is used to treat include.
Restless legs syndrome, an extreme discomfort in the calf muscles when sitting or lying down.
Reuropathic pain.
Acute pain following an operation.
Additional medication to treat partial seizures.
The "change of life" signs.
And alcoholism.
The most common side effects of gabapentin are dizziness and drowsiness when taking gabapentin.
Side effects of Gabapentin include drowsiness, dizziness, loss of coordination, tiredness, blurred/double vision, unusual eye movements, or shaking (tremor) may occur.
If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
Gabapentin can make you feel relaxed and calm and reduce pain.
Gabapentin can produce feelings of relaxation, calmness and euphoria.
Some users of Gabapentin have also reported that the high from snorted gabapentin can be similar to taking a stimulant.
It can also enhance the euphoric effects of other drugs, like heroin and other opioids, and is likely to increase the risks when taken in this way.
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.
Gabapentin at doses of 1800 mg to 3600 mg daily (1200 mg to 3600 mg gabapentin encarbil) can provide good levels of pain relief to some people with postherpetic neuralgia and peripheral diabetic neuropathy.
Evidence for other types of neuropathic pain is very limited.
Dizziness and drowsiness are common gabapentin side effects.
Weight gain and uncoordinated movement are possible side effects.
Serious Side Effects of Gabapentin Include.
Violent behavior, aggressiveness, or anger.
Anxiousness or restlessness.
Anxiety that is new or worse.
Depression that is new or worse.
Irritability that is new or worse.
Mania.
Panic attacks.
And also suicidal thoughts or behavior.