Description

gabapentin for pain

gabapentin for pain is a prescription medication known as a gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) analogue. GABA reduces the excitability of nerve cells (neurons) in the brain, which play a role in seizures and the transmission of pain signals. Gabapentin mirrors the effects of GABA calming excited neurons.

Gabapentin is in a class of medications called anticonvulsants.

What are the brand names of gabapentin?

Gabapentin is available as both a brand name product and a generic product (chemically the same, usually lower cost than the brand name product). Brand names of gabapentin include Horizant®, Gralise® and Neurontin®. gabapentin for pain

What is gabapentin approved for?

Gabapentin is used to:

Prevent and control partial seizures. Gabapentin can be used in adults and children age 3 and older who have partial seizures.
Relieve nerve pain following shingles in adults. Shingles is a painful rash that develops many years after you’ve had chickenpox. The virus that causes chickenpox stays dormant in a portion of your spinal nerve root called the dorsal root ganglion. For whatever reason, this otherwise dormant virus gets reactivated — usually by stress — causing a shingles rash. Nerve pain following a case of shingles is called postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).
Treat moderate-too-severe primary restless legs syndrome.

The branded gabapentin products Neurontin and Gralise are approved for partial seizures and PHN. The branded gabapentin enacarbil product Horizant is approved for restless legs syndrome and PHN. gabapentin for pain

How should I take gabapentin?

Take Gralise tablets with your evening meal. Swallow tablets whole with a full glass of water. Don’t chew, break or crush.
Take Horizant tablets with food. Swallow tablets whole with a full glass of water. Don’t chew, break or crush.
Take other forms of gabapentin with or without food.
Neurontin and generic forms of Neurontin tablets may be broken into two pieces. You can take the second half for your next dose. Don’t use the half-tablet beyond 28 days after the whole tablet was cut or broken.
Carefully measure the liquid formulation of gabapentin using the measuring device that comes with the drug. If you did not receive a measuring device, please ask your pharmacist for a medication-measuring device.
If you take an aluminum or magnesium-containing antacid, such as Maalox®, Mylanta®, Gelusil®, Gaviscon®, or Di-Gel®, wait at least two hours before taking your next dose of gabapentin.
Take gabapentin exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider. gabapentin for pain