What To Know About Neurontin (Gabapentin)

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUsesBefore TakingDosageSide EffectsWarnings and Interactions

Table of ContentsView All

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Table of Contents

Uses

Before Taking

Dosage

Side Effects

Warnings and Interactions

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Neurontin is a type of medication used to treat seizures in adults and children who are living with certain types of seizure disorders. It belongs to a class of drugs known asanticonvulsants.

What is the most important information I should know about Neurontin?You should not take Neurontin if you have a known hypersensitivity to gabapentin or other ingredients in this medication.This medication should be used with caution if you are an older adult or have COPD. Report any difficulty breathing to your doctor immediately.

What is the most important information I should know about Neurontin?

You should not take Neurontin if you have a known hypersensitivity to gabapentin or other ingredients in this medication.This medication should be used with caution if you are an older adult or have COPD. Report any difficulty breathing to your doctor immediately.

Uses for Neurontin

Off-Label Uses

Neurontin is sometimes prescribed off-label for the treatment of the following conditions:

A 2015 systematic review concluded that further research is needed to better understand gabapentin’s role in the treatment of mental health disorders.

Before Taking Neurontin

Before taking this medicine you should go over the list of active andinactive ingredientswith your doctor to make sure you are not allergic to any ingredient in it.

Gabapentin is the active ingredient in Neurontin, signs of an allergic reaction to gabapentin include swelling of the tongue, throat, or face, hives, and difficulty breathing.

If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while taking this medication, please inform your doctor. There is not a lot of data on the effects of Neurotonin in pregnancy, and is generally avoided if possible. One study found some evidence of an increased risk for cardiac malformations linked to gabapentin exposure in early pregnancy.

It’s a great practice to keep your doctor updated on all medication you might be using when pregnant.

You should also tell your doctor if you have any history of the following conditions:

Precautions and Contraindications

Neurontin has been found to potentially contribute to respiratory suppression in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and elderly people.If you notice you have trouble breathing while using this medication, contact your doctor immediately.

Some people have reported an increase insuicidal thoughts and behaviorswhen using these types of medications. If you notice a sudden change in your moods and behaviors or begging to experience suicidal thoughts, alert your doctor about this.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.988

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

988

Other Types of Gabapentin

Gralise and Horizant are two other brand-name drugs that contain gabapentin as an active ingredient.

Gabapentin Withdrawal: Symptoms, Timeline, Treatment

Neurontin Dosage

Your doctor is most likely to consider a couple of things when deciding your dosage for Neurontin. They’ll consider the severity of your condition, other medications you might be taking, and your tolerability (the degree to which a patient can handle adverse effects of a particular treatment)of the drug.

However, the manufacturer also recommends the following dosages for these conditions:

Modifications

Neurontin is not indicated for children younger than three years old. For children, the initial dose ranges between 10 to 15 milligrams for each kilogram of their weight. A patient might be directed to take one 10 or 15 mg dose at three separate times of the day (morning, afternoon and night).

How to Take and Store

You can take Neurontin with or without food. Swallow any pill you take whole, without chewing or crushing it.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember, but if it’s time for your next dose, skip the missed dose—don’t double your dose.

In many cases, Neurontin is prescribed to be taken three times a day. You shouldn’t take all three doses at once or close together. Try to take your first dose in the morning, the second in the afternoon, and the last at bedtime.

Side Effects of Neurontin

Some people might experience adverse effects while using Neurontin, most are mild and will go away with time. In rare cases, these side effects might be more severe or worsen. If you notice any lingering or unbearable side effects while using this medication, you should speak with your doctor.

Common

Some common but mild side effects you might experience while using this medication include:

Severe

In rare cases, you might experience more severe side effects such as:

If you experience any of the above side effects, contact emergency health services and your doctor immediately.

Neurontin Warnings and Interactions

This medication can causedrowsiness, and taking alcohol alongside this medication can worsen this side effect. If you are about to go in for any kind of surgery, including dental surgery, inform your doctor that you are currently taking Neurontin.

This medication might also make you lose coordination and slow down your reflexes. You shouldn’t drive or operate heavy machinery until you’ve monitored how this medication affects you.

Watch out for changes in moods and behaviors if you have a child who’s taking Neurontin. They might experience sudden mood swings, become more hyperactive, or have difficulty paying attention.

Neurontin could interact adversely with other medications. It’s important to give your doctor a full list of any other medication, vitamins, and supplements you might be taking alongside this medication to prevent adverse effects.

In rare cases, stopping Neurontin abruptly couldcause withdrawal symptomslike tremors, high blood pressure, and gastrointestinal problems.

Do not stop taking your medication without talking to your doctor first. They may recommend gradually tapering your dose over time to minimize potential withdrawal effects.

What To Know About Neurontin (Gabapentin)

12 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Neurontin.National Institute of Mental Health.Bipolar disorder.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fibromyalgia.Perloff MD, Berlin RK, Gillette M, Petersile MJ, Kurowski D.Gabapentin in headache disorders: What is the evidence?Pain Med. 2016;17(1):162-171. doi:10.1111/pme.12931Berlin RK, Butler PM, Perloff MD.Gabapentin therapy in psychiatric disorders: A systematic review.Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2015;17(5):10.4088/PCC.15r01821. doi:10.4088/PCC.15r01821Patorno E, Hernandez-Diaz S, Huybrechts KF, et al.Gabapentin in pregnancy and the risk of adverse neonatal and maternal outcomes: A population-based cohort study nested in the US Medicaid Analytic eXtract dataset.PLoS Med. 2020;17(9):e1003322. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1003322U.S. Food and Drug Administration.FDA warns about serious breathing problems with seizure and nerve pain medicines gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise, Horizant) and pregabalin (Lyrica, Lyrica CR).DailyMed.GRALISE- gabapentin tablet, film coated GRALISE STARTER PACK- gabapentin kit.UC San Diego Health.Gabapentin enacarbil extended-release tablets (Horizant).2021Pegler S, Underhill J.Evaluating the safety and effectiveness of new drugs.Am Fam Physician.2010;82(1):53-57.National Health Services UK.Gabapentin: medicine to treat epilepsy.November 23, 2018Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan.Gabapentin.

12 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Neurontin.National Institute of Mental Health.Bipolar disorder.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fibromyalgia.Perloff MD, Berlin RK, Gillette M, Petersile MJ, Kurowski D.Gabapentin in headache disorders: What is the evidence?Pain Med. 2016;17(1):162-171. doi:10.1111/pme.12931Berlin RK, Butler PM, Perloff MD.Gabapentin therapy in psychiatric disorders: A systematic review.Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2015;17(5):10.4088/PCC.15r01821. doi:10.4088/PCC.15r01821Patorno E, Hernandez-Diaz S, Huybrechts KF, et al.Gabapentin in pregnancy and the risk of adverse neonatal and maternal outcomes: A population-based cohort study nested in the US Medicaid Analytic eXtract dataset.PLoS Med. 2020;17(9):e1003322. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1003322U.S. Food and Drug Administration.FDA warns about serious breathing problems with seizure and nerve pain medicines gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise, Horizant) and pregabalin (Lyrica, Lyrica CR).DailyMed.GRALISE- gabapentin tablet, film coated GRALISE STARTER PACK- gabapentin kit.UC San Diego Health.Gabapentin enacarbil extended-release tablets (Horizant).2021Pegler S, Underhill J.Evaluating the safety and effectiveness of new drugs.Am Fam Physician.2010;82(1):53-57.National Health Services UK.Gabapentin: medicine to treat epilepsy.November 23, 2018Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan.Gabapentin.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Neurontin.National Institute of Mental Health.Bipolar disorder.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fibromyalgia.Perloff MD, Berlin RK, Gillette M, Petersile MJ, Kurowski D.Gabapentin in headache disorders: What is the evidence?Pain Med. 2016;17(1):162-171. doi:10.1111/pme.12931Berlin RK, Butler PM, Perloff MD.Gabapentin therapy in psychiatric disorders: A systematic review.Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2015;17(5):10.4088/PCC.15r01821. doi:10.4088/PCC.15r01821Patorno E, Hernandez-Diaz S, Huybrechts KF, et al.Gabapentin in pregnancy and the risk of adverse neonatal and maternal outcomes: A population-based cohort study nested in the US Medicaid Analytic eXtract dataset.PLoS Med. 2020;17(9):e1003322. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1003322U.S. Food and Drug Administration.FDA warns about serious breathing problems with seizure and nerve pain medicines gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise, Horizant) and pregabalin (Lyrica, Lyrica CR).DailyMed.GRALISE- gabapentin tablet, film coated GRALISE STARTER PACK- gabapentin kit.UC San Diego Health.Gabapentin enacarbil extended-release tablets (Horizant).2021Pegler S, Underhill J.Evaluating the safety and effectiveness of new drugs.Am Fam Physician.2010;82(1):53-57.National Health Services UK.Gabapentin: medicine to treat epilepsy.November 23, 2018Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan.Gabapentin.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Neurontin.

National Institute of Mental Health.Bipolar disorder.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fibromyalgia.

Perloff MD, Berlin RK, Gillette M, Petersile MJ, Kurowski D.Gabapentin in headache disorders: What is the evidence?Pain Med. 2016;17(1):162-171. doi:10.1111/pme.12931

Berlin RK, Butler PM, Perloff MD.Gabapentin therapy in psychiatric disorders: A systematic review.Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2015;17(5):10.4088/PCC.15r01821. doi:10.4088/PCC.15r01821

Patorno E, Hernandez-Diaz S, Huybrechts KF, et al.Gabapentin in pregnancy and the risk of adverse neonatal and maternal outcomes: A population-based cohort study nested in the US Medicaid Analytic eXtract dataset.PLoS Med. 2020;17(9):e1003322. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1003322

U.S. Food and Drug Administration.FDA warns about serious breathing problems with seizure and nerve pain medicines gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise, Horizant) and pregabalin (Lyrica, Lyrica CR).

DailyMed.GRALISE- gabapentin tablet, film coated GRALISE STARTER PACK- gabapentin kit.

UC San Diego Health.Gabapentin enacarbil extended-release tablets (Horizant).2021

Pegler S, Underhill J.Evaluating the safety and effectiveness of new drugs.Am Fam Physician.2010;82(1):53-57.

National Health Services UK.Gabapentin: medicine to treat epilepsy.November 23, 2018

Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan.Gabapentin.

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