Neurontin

neurontinType: anticonvulsant and analgesic

Active ingredient: Gabapentin

Common use: Neurontin is an anticonvulsant and analgesic. It is chiefly used to treat postherpetic neuralgia (nerve pain caused by herpes virus) and epilepsy with partial onset seizures. Neurontin affects nerves and chemicals in the body that are involved with seizures and certain types of pain.

Neurontin can be used alone or in combination with other medications.

How to use: Unless otherwise ordered by your doctor, Neurontin should be taken with a glass of water. It can be taken with or without food. To not take antacid within 2 hours before or after taking Neurontin, since antacids impairs the body’s absorption of Neurontin.

If you break a tablet to get the correct dose, use the remaining half for your next dose. A broken tablet that has been broken for more than 28 days should be discarded.

Unless otherwise ordered by your doctor, spread out the doses evenly. So, if you should take three doses in a 24 hour period, take them approximately every 8 hour. Going more than 12 hours without a dose of Neurontin is not recommended.

It is not advisable to suddenly stop taking Neurontin, change the dose dramatically or abruptly substitute it for another medicine. Changes, including changing over to another medicine, should be done gradually over the course of at least seven days.

When Neurontin is used to treat postherpetic neuralgia in adults, the dose is usually 300 mg on the first day, 600 mg on the second day (2 doses á 300 mg) and 900 mg on the third day (3 doses á 300 mg). If necessary to manage the pain, the dose can be increased gradually up to 1800 mg a day (3 doses á 600 mg a day).

When Neurontin is used to treat epilepsy with partial onset seizures in patients aged 12 and above, the starting dose is 3 doses a day á 300 mg per dose. The recommended maintenance dose is 300 mg – 600 mg three times a day.

How to store: Store Neurontin tablets at room temperature in a tightly-closed container, and keep away from heat, light and moisture. If your Neurontin isn’t in the form of tablets, follow the instructions on the label.

Warnings:

  • Do not use Neurontin if you are allergic to any of the ingredients.
  • Tell your doctor about all your health conditions and medical treatments. It is especially important to let your doctor known about current or previous kidney problems, liver problems, or heart disease.Never combine Neurontin with other medicines without checking with your doctor first. This includes both prescription medicine, over-the-counter medicine and herbal products/alternative medicine.

    Taking Neurontin with drugs that make your sleepy or slow your breathing can be dangerous. Such drugs are found in many different medicine groups, including pain medication, muscle relaxers, sleeping medicine, medicine for anxiety, medicine for depression and medicine against seizure.

    Examples of medicines that can be risky when combined with Neurontin are hydrocodone, morphine and naproxen.

  • Seek medical attention if you develop suicidal thoughts while using Neurontin.
  • Keep all doctor appointments and laboratory appointments while using Neurontin.
  • It is unknown if it is safe to use Neurontin during pregnancy. Using Neurontin during pregnancy is therefore not recommended.
  • Neurontin is excreted into breast milk and may be unsafe for the baby. Breastfeeding while using Neurontin is not recommended.
  • As mentioned above, you need to be weaned off Neurontin gradually. Do not stop taking it abruptly, change the dose abruptly or supplement for another treatment abruptly. The dose should be lowered gradually over the course of at least one week.
  • It is advisable to wear a medical alert tag or similar that tells medical care providers that you are being treated with anti-seizure medication.
  • Neurontin can cause a false positive if your urine is screened for protein. Tell the laboratory staff in advance that you are being treated with Neurontin.
  • Neurontin can cause blurred vision, impair your reaction speed and impair your thinking. Do not drive, operate machinery or do anything else potentially dangerous until you known how you react to Neurontin.
  • Alcohol can increase the risk of certain Neurontin side-effects.
  • Seek immediate medical attention if you develop signs of an allergic reaction to Neurontin, such as hives, swollen face, swollen lips, swollen tongue, swollen throat, swollen glands, painful sores around your eyes or mouth, fever or difficulty breathing.
  • Contact your doctor if you experience mood changes, behavior changes, anxiety or depression, or if you feel unusually agitated, hostile, restless or hyperactive. Seek more immediate medical attention if you experience serious thoughts about suicide or other types of self-harm.
  • Contact your doctor if you experience increased seizures, fever, swollen glands, body aches, flu-like symptoms, skin rash, easy bruising, easy bleeding, tingling, numbness, muscle weakness, upper stomach pain, loss of appetite, dark urine, yellowing of the skin, yellowing of the eyes, chest pain, shortness of breath, irregular heart beat, nausea, vomiting, confusion, rapid weight gain, less urine output than before, cough, rapid back and forth eye movements, sore throat, skin pain, red or purple skin rash that spreads, blistering, or peeling skin.

Examples of reported side-effects of Neurontin:

The most common ones

  • Clumsiness or unsteadiness
  • Uncontrolled back-and-forth eye movements
  • Blurred vision
  • Flue-like symptoms
  • Hoarseness
  • Lower back pain
  • Lower side pain
  • Swollen hands
  • Swollen feet
  • Trembling

Less common

  • Fever
  • Shortness of breath
  • Sore throat
  • Black stools
  • Chest pain
  • Easy bruising
  • Easy bleeding
  • Chills
  • Cough
  • Depression and other mental changes
  • Loss of memory
  • Swollen arms
  • Swollen legs
  • Swollen glands
  • Painful urination
  • Difficulties urination
  • Ulcers or white spots in the mouth
  • Ulcers or white spots on the lips
  • Fatigue
  • Weakness