What are the long term effects of taking gabapentin?

According to researchers, long-term use of gabapentin — a nonopioid pain medication — among older adults may cause altered mental status, dizziness, drowsiness and renal dysfunction, and it could also lead to polypharmacy, which in itself can lead to adverse events and hospital stays.

How long can you be on gabapentin?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “the efficacy and safety of gabapentin have not been examined in clinical studies for treatment periods longer than five months.” However, gabapentin can be taken longer than five months, should a treating physician deem it necessary, provided the patient does not ...

Does gabapentin damage the brain?

This study found that not only can Gabapentin cause memory loss when abused, but it can also lead to other cognitive problems that can contribute to memory impairment. Also, Gabapentin's long-term use side effects present other dangers, such as weakened muscles, fatal toxicity, and respiratory failure.

Can you take gabapentin for too long?

But taking higher doses of gabapentin, or taking it for very long periods of time, increases the severity of the side effects. According to WebMD, these can be anything from swelling in the hands and feet to extreme mood swings (ranging from mania to depression, with suicidal thoughts).

Can you take gabapentin long-term for nerve pain?

Gabapentin is used to manage long-term (chronic) pain, not to be taken for pain as needed. Chronic pain can interfere with sleep and work, and lead to depression. Studies show that pain relief may start within one week and reach a maximum effect in about 4 weeks.

Gabapentin Side Effects - What You Need To Know Now

How long do you take gabapentin for neuropathy?

Most studies used oral gabapentin or gabapentin encarbil at doses of 1200 mg or more daily in different neuropathic pain conditions, predominantly postherpetic neuralgia and painful diabetic neuropathy. Study duration was typically four to 12 weeks.

What is the most common side effect of gabapentin?

Gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise) is a medication used to help manage certain epileptic seizures and relieve pain for some conditions, such as shingles (postherpetic neuralgia). Dizziness and drowsiness are common gabapentin side effects. Weight gain and uncoordinated movement are possible side effects.

Does gabapentin damage the kidneys?

Gabapentin does not directly influence or damage the kidney. You should check with your physician about the dose of Gabapentin that you are taking.

Why you should not take gabapentin?

Gabapentin may cause vision changes, clumsiness, unsteadiness, dizziness, drowsiness, sleepiness, or trouble with thinking. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are not alert, well-coordinated, or able to think or see well.

Will gabapentin make you gain weight?

Although they're not common side effects, gabapentin has been reported to potentially cause weight gain and fluid buildup in the legs (edema). If you're taking gabapentin or another medication that you think may have led to gaining a few extra pounds, talk to your healthcare provider.

Can gabapentin lead to dementia?

In contrast, medications with no known cognitive adverse effects, which include oxcarbazepine, vigabatrin, tiagabine, lamotrigine, gabapentin, levetiracetam, pregabalin, and lacosamide, did not correlate with an increased dementia risk.

Is gabapentin hard on your liver?

(Review of spontaneous reports of adverse events attributed to gabapentin from a French registry [Fuzier 2013] identified 90 cases of liver damage, gabapentin being the only suspect drug in 10 cases of "hepatitis", one of which was fatal).

Does gabapentin affect eyesight?

Gabapentin and impairment

Double vision was reported in 8% of people taking gabapentin for nerve pain. Other vision impairments such as lazy eye, nystagmus (uncontrolled eye movements), and blurred vision were reported by at least one in 50 participants.

What drugs should not be taken with gabapentin?

Does gabapentin cause heart problems?

Clinical side effects associated with gabapentin include hypotension and bradycardia; however, these side effects can evolve into antihypertensive treatment.

Is it better to take gabapentin at night?

You can take gabapentin with or without food, but it's best to do the same each day. Try to space your doses evenly through the day. For example, you could take it first thing in the morning, early afternoon and at bedtime.

Can I take vitamin D with gabapentin?

No interactions were found between gabapentin and Vitamin D3.

What natural herb is like gabapentin?

What nutrients does gabapentin deplete?

Is gabapentin a high risk drug?

Patients and their surgeons are increasingly looking to alternative pain medications to reduce the risks associated with opioids. Gabapentin has been touted as a safer alternative but does itself carry significant risks, particularly for older adults, especially if used long-term.

Can gabapentin cause permanent memory loss?

Long-term effects

According to the authors of a 2010 study paper , people with preexisting kidney disease may experience potentially fatal toxicity when taking gabapentin. Gabapentin may cause other long-term effects, including memory loss, weakened muscles, and respiratory failure.

Can gabapentin make joint pain worse?

If you experience joint pain with pregabalin, consider talking to your doctor about gabapentin (Neurontin), an alternative medication that is useful for many of the same conditions as pregabalin. It does not cause the joint pain side effect.

Does gabapentin cause belly fat?

Official answer. Gabapentin may cause weight gain, but it is a rare side effect. Studies have shown that a small number of people taking gabapentin, a drug used to treat epilepsy and postherpetic neuralgia, experienced weight gain. People who do gain weight may gain about 5 pounds after 6 weeks of use.

How do you get off of gabapentin?

Tapering or slowly reducing your dose is the recommended way to stop taking gabapentin. Tapering off will help you avoid side effects. The timeline to reduce gabapentin depends on the individual and the current dose of the medication. Your doctor will develop a plan to slowly take you off the medication.

What kind of pain does gabapentin help with?

Gabapentin is used to treat some types of persistent pain. It is especially good for nerve pain, such as burning, shooting or stabbing pain. Gabapentin belongs to the anticonvulsant group of medications, which are also used to treat epilepsy. You are on this medicine to treat your pain.