How does gabapentin work?
It's not clear exactly how gabapentin works.
In epilepsy, it's thought that it stops seizures by reducing the abnormal electrical activity in the brain.
With nerve pain, it's thought to block pain by affecting pain messages travelling through the brain and spine.
When will I feel better?
It takes a few weeks for gabapentin to work fully. You may still have seizures or pain during this time.
Are there any long-term side effects?
Some people can become addicted to gabapentin. If this happens, you’ll have withdrawal symptoms after you stop taking the medicine.
When you stop taking gabapentin, you'll need to reduce your dose gradually to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Do not stop taking gabapentin without talking to your doctor.
You can also talk to your doctor if you're concerned you are becoming physically dependant on gabapentin.
How will I know if I'm addicted to gabapentin?
If you're addicted to gabapentin, you may find it difficult to stop taking it or feel you need to take it more often than necessary.
If you stop taking gabapentin suddenly you may get withdrawal symptoms.
These can include:
- feeling agitated or anxious
- panic attacks
- feeling your heartbeat (palpitations)
- difficulty sleeping
- shaking
- sweating
- body aches
- feeling restless
Talk to your doctor if you:
- are worried about addiction
- need help with addiction
- want to stop taking gabapentin
Can I get epilepsy medicines for free?
If you have epilepsy, you are entitled to free prescriptions for all of the medicines you take, not just your epilepsy ones.
To claim your free prescriptions, you'll need to have a medical exemption certificate.
The application form for the medical exemption certificate is called FP92A. You can get this from your doctor's surgery.
You'll need to fill in the form, then your doctor will sign it and send it off.
Are there similar medicines to gabapentin?
Pregabalin (also called Lyrica) is a medicine that works in a similar way to gabapentin.
Like gabapentin, it's taken for epilepsy and nerve pain. It can also be taken for anxiety. But there are differences between pregabalin and gabapentin.
Pregabalin can be taken less often and in different doses to gabapentin.
If you need to change to pregabalin, your doctor will explain how to swap safely from gabapentin.
Is gabapentin a controlled medicine?
Gabapentin is a controlled medicine. This means there are strict rules on how it's prescribed and dispensed to make sure it's not given to the wrong person or misused.
When you collect gabapentin, your pharmacist will ask for proof of identity such as your passport or driving licence. You'll also be asked to sign the back of your prescription, to confirm that you've received it.
If you're collecting gabapentin for someone else, you're legally required to show the pharmacist proof of your identity if asked.
How do I collect a prescription for a controlled medicine?
Your gabapentin prescription will probably need to be hand signed by a doctor. This can take longer than normal repeat prescriptions.
It's best to hand in your repeat prescription request up to 5 days before you're due to run out of gabapentin. This will give your doctor enough time to sign it.
Once your prescription has been written, you'll need to collect your medicine from a pharmacist within 28 days. If you do not, your prescription will become invalid and you'll need to get a new one.
Sometimes, your pharmacist may not be able to give you the whole amount of gabapentin prescribed to you. If this happens, you will need to go back to the pharmacy to pick up the remaining medicine within 28 days. Again, if you do not collect your prescription within this time, it will become invalid and you will need to get a new prescription.
Do I need to stay on the same brand of gabapentin?
Most people do not have to stay on the same brand of gabapentin as there's very little difference between brands.
Talk to your doctor if you have been asked to switch to a different brand and are worried about that.
If your epilepsy has been hard to control in the past and the brand you're now taking is working well for you, your doctor may recommend you stay on the same one.
Will it affect my contraception?
Gabapentin does not affect any type of contraception, including the combined contraceptive pill, progestogen-only pill and emergency contraception.
But if gabapentin makes you sick (vomit) or you have severe diarrhoea for more than 24 hours, your contraception may not protect you from pregnancy.
If this happens, follow the instructions in the leaflet that comes with your pills.
Find out more:
- What to do if you're sick or have diarrhoea when taking the combined pill
- What to do if you're sick or have diarrhoea when taking the progestogen-only pill
Can I drive or ride a bike?
You may feel sleepy, tired or dizzy when you first start taking gabapentin. This may also happen if your dose has increased.
If this happens to you, do not drive or ride a bike until you feel better.
It's an offence to drive a car if your ability to drive safely is affected. It's your responsibility to decide if it's safe to drive. If you're in any doubt, do not drive.
GOV.UK has more information on the law on drugs and driving
If you have epilepsy, you are generally not allowed to drive until:
- you have not had any seizures (while awake) for 1 year
- you have only had seizures while you're asleep
If you change your epilepsy medicine, your doctor will tell you whether you need to stop driving and for how long.
Can I drink alcohol while taking gabapentin?
Yes, you can drink alcohol with gabapentin, but it may make you feel sleepy or tired.
During the first few days of taking gabapentin, it might be best to stop drinking alcohol until you see how the medicine affects you.
Is there any food or drink I need to avoid?
You can eat and drink normally while taking gabapentin.
Will recreational drugs affect gabapentin?
Gabapentin can intensify the highs of recreational drugs like heroin.
So, if you use recreational drugs alongside gabapentin, there may be more chance of unpleasant side effects like panic attacks, anxiety and memory loss.
Find out more about the side effects of recreational drugs on the FRANK website.
