💊 Gabapentin (Gabapentin)
Gabapentin is a prescription medicine used to manage nerve pain after shingles (postherpetic neuralgia) in adults, and as add-on therapy for partial onset seizures in adults and children 3 years and older with epilepsy. Your doctor sets the dose that is right for you based on your condition and kidney function.
In Arabic: غاباباتين
🏷️ Brand names & manufacturers
Packages shown are US-market (DailyMed). Brands available in Palestine are in the price section below.
Gabarone🏭 INA Pharmaceutics Inc.
Gabapentin🏭 Precision Dose, Inc.
Gabapentin🏭 Ajenat Pharmaceuticals LLC
Gabapentin🏭 Epic Pharma, LLC✅ What it is used for
- Management of postherpetic neuralgia in adults
- Adjunctive therapy for partial onset seizures, with and without secondary generalization, in adults and pediatric patients 3 years and older with epilepsy
🧪 Active ingredient
The active ingredient is gabapentin (1-(aminomethyl)cyclohexaneacetic acid). It is structurally related to GABA but has no effect on GABA binding, uptake, or degradation. The precise mechanism of its pain-relieving and antiseizure action is unknown.
🌿 Benefits
- Relief of nerve pain after shingles
- Helps control partial onset seizures when added to other treatment
📝 How to use
- Take by mouth exactly as directed by your doctor or pharmacist; the dose is set by them only.
- For epilepsy it is taken three times a day, and the time between doses should not exceed 12 hours.
- Food has only a slight effect on absorption.
- If you take an antacid containing aluminum and magnesium hydroxides (such as Maalox), take gabapentin at least 2 hours after it.
- Do not stop suddenly, especially if you have epilepsy, as seizures may become more frequent.
💊 Dosage forms
- Capsules 100 mg
- Capsules 300 mg
- Capsules 400 mg
⚠️ Common side effects
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness (somnolence)
- Swelling of the limbs (peripheral edema)
- Ataxia (loss of coordination), fatigue and nystagmus (in epilepsy patients)
- Weakness, diarrhea, dry mouth, constipation, nausea, vomiting
- Weight gain and blurred vision
- In children 3 to 12 years: viral infection, fever, nausea and/or vomiting, somnolence, hostility
🚨 Serious — seek medical help
- Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS)/multiorgan hypersensitivity: fever, rash, swollen lymph nodes with other organ involvement; can be fatal or life-threatening
- Anaphylaxis and angioedema, which can occur after the first dose or at any time during treatment
- Respiratory depression (especially with CNS depressants such as opioids or underlying respiratory impairment)
- Suicidal thoughts or behavior
- Increased seizures or status epilepticus if stopped abruptly
- Neuropsychiatric reactions in children 3 to 12 years
- Sudden and unexplained death in patients with epilepsy
⛔ Do not use if
- Known hypersensitivity to gabapentin or any of its ingredients
❗ Warnings & precautions
- Stop and seek medical help immediately if you develop fever, rash, swelling of the face or throat, or severe allergic symptoms.
- Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how the medicine affects you, because of drowsiness and dizziness.
- Do not stop abruptly, as seizure frequency may increase in patients with epilepsy.
- Monitor for suicidal thoughts or behavior and report them to your doctor right away.
- Risk of respiratory depression is higher with CNS depressants or underlying respiratory impairment.
- Dose adjustment is needed in renal impairment and hemodialysis.
- May cause false-positive urine protein readings with the Ames N-Multistix SG dipstick.
🔄 Drug interactions
- Opioids (morphine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, buprenorphine): respiratory depression and sedation, sometimes resulting in death.
- Hydrocodone: gabapentin decreases hydrocodone exposure.
- Morphine: increases gabapentin concentrations; dose adjustment may be needed and patients should be watched for CNS depression.
- Maalox (aluminum/magnesium hydroxide): reduces gabapentin bioavailability by about 20%; take gabapentin at least 2 hours after.
- Does not interfere with the metabolism of commonly coadministered antiepileptic drugs.
🤰 Pregnancy
There are no adequate data on developmental risks in pregnant women. In animal studies gabapentin was developmentally toxic (fetal skeletal and visceral abnormalities and increased embryofetal mortality). Consult your doctor before use; women taking it during pregnancy are encouraged to enroll in the North American Antiepileptic Drug (NAAED) Pregnancy Registry at 1-888-233-2334.
🍼 Breastfeeding
The label text provided does not include breastfeeding information; consult your doctor or pharmacist.
🧒 Children
Safety and effectiveness for postherpetic neuralgia in children have not been established, nor as adjunctive therapy for partial seizures in children under 3 years. Children 3 to 12 years should be monitored for neuropsychiatric events. Pediatric doses are weight-based and set by the doctor.
👴 Older adults
Gabapentin is almost exclusively eliminated by the kidneys, and kidney function often declines with age, increasing exposure. Doctors usually start at the low end of the dose range and adjust by creatinine clearance. Peripheral edema and ataxia tend to increase with age.
🌡️ Storage
Store at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F); excursions permitted to 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F).
⏰ Missed dose
The label does not give specific missed-dose instructions; ask your doctor or pharmacist and do not double the dose. For epilepsy, the time between doses should not exceed 12 hours.
🆘 Overdose
Symptoms may include double vision, tremor, slurred speech, drowsiness, altered mental status, dizziness, lethargy and diarrhea; fatal respiratory depression has been reported. Gabapentin can be removed by hemodialysis. If overdose is suspected, seek medical care immediately or call your poison control center (US: 1-800-222-1222).
💰 Price & brands in your area
🏛️ Official price in Palestine — Ministry of Health price list:
| Product | Company | Pack | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| GABAPENTIN HIKMA 100 MG 20 CAP Gabapentin 100 mg | Pharmacare Store | 20 capsule /box | 9 ₪ |
| GABAPENTIN HIKMA 300 MG 50 CAP Gabapentin 300 mg | Pharmacare Store | 50 capsule | 46 ₪ |
| GABAPENTIN HIKMA 400 MG 50 CAP Gabapentin 400 mg | Pharmacare Store | 50 Capsules / Box | 54 ₪ |
| GABAPENTIN HIKMA 600 MG 30 TABLETS GABAPENTIN | Pharmacare Store | 30 TAB | 70 ₪ |
| GABAPENTIN HIKMA 800 MG 30 TABLETS GABAPENTIN | Pharmacare Store | 30 TAB | 85 ₪ |
| NEURONTIN 300mg-100CAP GABAPENTIN | Alram Drug Store | 100 CAP | 105 ₪ |
| NEURONTIN 400mg-100CAP GABAPENTIN | Alram Drug Store | 100 CAP | 130 ₪ |
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Mechanism of action
Structurally related to GABA but does not affect GABA binding, uptake or degradation. Binds with high affinity to the α2δ subunit of voltage-activated calcium channels; the relationship to therapeutic effect is unknown. Bioavailability is not dose proportional (about 60% at 900 mg/day, falling to 27% at 4800 mg/day). Plasma protein binding is under 3%; not appreciably metabolized, eliminated unchanged by renal excretion; half-life 5 to 7 hours; clearance is proportional to creatinine clearance.
Labeled dosing
Dose is determined by the prescriber. Label general adult dosing: Postherpetic neuralgia: Day 1 300 mg single dose, Day 2 600 mg/day (300 mg BID), Day 3 900 mg/day (300 mg TID), then titrate as needed up to 1800 mg/day. Partial onset seizures (age 12 and older): start 300 mg TID; maintenance 300 to 600 mg TID; doses up to 2400 mg/day were well tolerated in long-term studies. Adjust dose in renal impairment (by creatinine clearance) and hemodialysis.
- Maximum interval between doses is 12 hours in epilepsy.
- Pediatric 3 to 4 years: maintenance 40 mg/kg/day in three divided doses; 5 to 11 years: 25 to 35 mg/kg/day.
- Abrupt discontinuation may increase seizure frequency.
- Monitor for suicidal ideation, respiratory depression and multiorgan hypersensitivity.
🎓 Key points for students
- Exact mechanism is unknown; binds the α2δ subunit of voltage-gated calcium channels.
- Not metabolized and renally excreted unchanged, so dosing follows renal function.
- Bioavailability decreases as dose increases (non-linear).
- Key warnings: DRESS, anaphylaxis and angioedema.
- Higher risk of respiratory depression with opioids and other CNS depressants.
- Maalox reduces absorption by about 20%.
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What is gabapentin used for?
It is used for nerve pain after shingles in adults, and as add-on treatment for partial onset seizures in adults and children 3 years and older.
Can I stop gabapentin suddenly?
No. Stopping abruptly may increase seizures in people with epilepsy. Talk to your doctor before making any change.
Can I drive while taking it?
It may cause drowsiness and dizziness, so do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how it affects you.
What are the most common side effects?
Dizziness, drowsiness and swelling of the limbs; in epilepsy also ataxia, fatigue and nystagmus.
Does it interact with other medicines?
Yes, especially opioids, which increase the risk of breathing problems and sedation, and aluminum/magnesium antacids, which reduce absorption. Tell your doctor about all your medicines.
Is it safe in pregnancy?
There are no adequate data in pregnant women, and animal studies showed fetal harm. Consult your doctor before use.
⚕️ For education only — not a substitute for advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Do not start or stop any medicine without advice. Source: official FDA drug label via openFDA (2024-02), simplified. Updated: 2026-11-11.