Gabapentin

Most adults and children aged 6 years and over can take gabapentin. Always check before taking it.

Gabapentin is not suitable for some people. For example, check with your doctor if you've ever been addicted to a medicine or you're pregnant.

Gabapentin comes as tablets, capsules and a liquid that you swallow. Follow the instructions that come with your medicine.

Common side effects of gabapentin include feeling sleepy or dizzy. More serious side effects can happen in rare cases.

Gabapentin is not recommended while you're pregnant. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

It can cause problems to take gabapentin with some other medicines, such as antacids, strong painkillers or antidepressants.

Most adults and children aged 6 years and over can take gabapentin. It's sometimes prescribed for younger children by a specialist doctor.

Gabapentin is not suitable for some people.

To make sure it's safe for you, tell your doctor if you:

• have ever had an allergic reaction to gabapentin or any other medicine
• have ever misused or been addicted to a medicine
• are trying to get pregnant or are already pregnant
• are on a controlled sodium or potassium diet, or your kidneys do not work well – gabapentin liquid contains sodium and potassium, so speak to your doctor before taking it
• have a condition that affects lungs and airways, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or severe asthma

Each capsule of gabapentin contains 100mg, 300mg or 400mg of gabapentin. Each tablet contains 600mg or 800mg of gabapentin.

If you're taking gabapentin as a liquid, it usually contains 50mg in 1ml of liquid. Always check the label.

Dosage for epilepsy

The usual dose for:

• adults and older children (aged 12 and over) is 900mg to 3,600mg a day, split into 3 doses
• younger children (aged 6 to 12 years) – varies depending on their weight

Dosage for nerve pain

The usual dose to treat nerve pain in adults is 900mg to 3,600mg a day, split into 3 doses.

Changes to your dose

To reduce the risk of side effects, your doctor will prescribe a low dose to start with and then increase it over a few days.

When you find a dose that suits you, it will usually stay the same.

How to take it

Swallow gabapentin capsules and tablets whole with a drink of water or juice. Do not chew them.

You can take gabapentin with or without food.

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.

If you or your child are taking a liquid, it will come with a plastic syringe or spoon to measure your dose. If you do not have a syringe or spoon, ask your pharmacist for one. Do not use a kitchen spoon, as it will not measure the right amount.

These common side effects of gabapentin may happen in more than 1 in 100 people. They're usually mild and go away by themselves.

There are things you can do to help cope with them.

Do not drive, cycle or use tools or machinery until you feel better.

As your body gets used to gabapentin, these side effects should wear off. If they do not wear off within a week or two, your doctor may reduce your dose or increase it more slowly. If that does not work, your doctor may suggest a different medicine.

Take gabapentin with or after a meal or snack. It may also help if you do not eat rich or spicy food. Take small sips of water or other fluids to avoid dehydration. Signs of dehydration include peeing less than usual or having dark, strong-smelling pee.

Take small sips of water or other fluids to avoid dehydration. Signs of dehydration include peeing less than usual or having dark, strong-smelling pee. Do not take any other medicines to treat vomiting without speaking to a pharmacist or doctor.

If you take the combined pill or the progestogen-only pill and you're being sick, your contraception may not protect you from pregnancy. Check the pill packet for advice.

Drink plenty of water or other fluids to avoid dehydration. Signs of dehydration include peeing less than usual or having dark, strong-smelling pee. Do not take any other medicines to treat diarrhoea without speaking to a pharmacist or doctor.

If you take the combined contraceptive pill or the progestogen-only pill and you have severe, watery diarrhoea, or any diarrhoea that lasts for more than 24 hours, while taking gabapentin, your contraception may not protect you from pregnancy. Check the pill packet for advice.

If you feel this medicine is causing mood changes, talk to your doctor. They may be able to change you to a different medicine.

Try sitting with your feet raised on a chair or bed. When you stand up, try not to stand for too long. Gently exercising your arms might help. Talk to your doctor if this does not get better.

Avoid driving, cycling or using tools or machinery while this is happening. If it lasts for more than a couple of days, speak to your doctor as they may need to change your treatment.

Try chewing sugar-free gum or sucking sugar-free sweets. Brush your teeth twice a day and see your dentist regularly for check-ups.

Speak to your doctor. They may be able to change your medicine or offer other treatments that might help with this problem.

Gabapentin can make you more hungry, so it can be easy to put on weight.

Try to eat a healthy, balanced diet without increasing your portion sizes. Do not snack on foods that contain a lot of calories, such as crisps, cakes, biscuits and sweets. If you feel hungry between meals, eat fruit and vegetables and low-calorie foods.

Doing more exercise will also help.

If you're having problems with your memory, speak to your doctor. They may want you to try a different medicine.

Make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids. It's best not to drink too much alcohol. Ask your pharmacist to recommend a painkiller.

Headaches should usually go away after the first week of taking gabapentin. Talk to your doctor if they last longer than a week or are severe.

If you notice this, speak to your doctor.

Keep taking the medicine, but talk to your doctor if this advice does not help and a side effect is still bothering you or does not go away.

Gabapentin is not generally recommended in pregnancy as there's not enough information about whether it's safe for your baby.

However, from the small amount of information that is available, there's no clear evidence that it's harmful. It should only be taken if the benefits of the medicine outweigh the possible risks.

If you take gabapentin for epilepsy, it's important that this is well controlled during pregnancy, as seizures can harm you and your baby. Keep taking gabapentin, but talk to your doctor urgently. They may recommend you change to a different medicine.

If you're trying to get pregnant or have become pregnant while taking gabapentin, it's recommended to take a high dose of folic acid (5mg a day). You can get this from your doctor or midwife.

Ideally, you'll take high-dose folic acid for 3 months before you start trying to get pregnant and for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Do not worry if you have not taken it before you get pregnant, but start taking it as soon as possible once you know you're pregnant. It helps your baby to grow normally.

If you take gabapentin around the time of giving birth, your baby may need extra monitoring for a few days after they're born. This is because they may have withdrawal symptoms from gabapentin.

We do not know what the long-term effects of taking gabapentin in pregnancy may be on childhood learning and development. For safety, you'll usually be advised to take it only if the benefits of the medicine outweigh the risks. Talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks.

If your baby is healthy, you can take gabapentin while breastfeeding, but talk to your doctor or pharmacist first.

It's important to keep taking gabapentin to keep you well. Breastfeeding will also benefit both you and your baby.

Gabapentin passes into breast milk in very small amounts. It has not been known to cause any side effects in breastfed babies. But it's important to keep monitoring your baby if you're taking any medicine while breastfeeding.

Contact your healthcare professional or call 111 as soon as possible if you notice that your baby:

• is not feeding as well as usual, or putting on weight as expected
• is more irritable than usual
• is unusually sleepy
• has a stomach upset, such as diarrhoea, constipation, or is being sick (vomiting)
• has a rash

If your baby has any symptoms that are not listed, or if you're worried about them, you can also call 111 or contact any healthcare professional.

Carry on taking gabapentin, and keep breastfeeding as usual until you've got advice about your baby's symptoms.

It's important not to share a bed with your baby while you're taking gabapentin.

Some medicines may affect how gabapentin works or increase the chance of you having side effects.

Antacids can reduce the amount of gabapentin that the body takes in so it does not work as well.

To stop this happening, if you need to take an antacid, take it at least 2 hours before or after your dose of gabapentin.

Check with a pharmacist or your doctor if you're taking any other medicines, including:

• strong painkillers, such as morphine – these can make you very tired and dizzy when you start taking gabapentin
• antidepressants, such as amitriptyline or fluoxetine
• antipsychotic medicines for mental health problems like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, such as olanzapine

These are not all the medicines that may cause problems if you take them with gabapentin. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet.