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Gabapentin for pain relief |
Gabapentin is not a new medicine and has been used extensively for many years in the treatment of epilepsy. However, it has now been shown to have pain-relieving properties especially for the relief of pain caused by nerve damage (neuropathic pain).
Pain is a very complicated process and it would be reasonable to say that the exact mode of action of Gabapentin is not fully understood. Research has shown that the medication is potentially effective and is safe when taken for the relief of nerve damaged pain.
As with most drugs, Gabapentin can cause side-effects. These might be drowsiness, dizziness, weakness, tiredness, difficulty with vision, headache, tremor, numbness, weight gain, loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting.
The most common are drowsiness and dizziness though there is evidence that these side-effects are mild to moderate in nature and gradually decrease over time as your body becomes used to the effects of the drug. If you do experience any of these side-effects you should not drive or operate machinery as this could be dangerous to you and others.
Everyone’s pain is unique and therefore different and so is everyone’s response to medications. For this reason we try Gabapentin for 3-4 weeks. You will be the best person able to say if the medication is of benefit to you and whether you wish to consider continuing this drug therapy longer than this trial period.
It is important that Gabapentin is increased slowly to reduce the incidence and the severity of side effects. As with all pain relief medicines, the aim is to take as little medicine as possible for the best effect. The usual maximum dosage that can be taken is 1800 mg - that is six 300mg tablets per day (sometimes 2400 mg but only following discussion with your GP or the Consultant).
If you are taking antacids containing aluminium or magnesium you should leave at least two hours between this and your dose of Gabapentin.
In order to try to minimise side effects it is important that the medication is increased slowly.
Remember, not everyone responds to the same drug in the same way. It is possible and recommended that if you are experiencing side effects that you increase your medication more slowly. You should NOT increase your medication any FASTER without first seeking advice.
The following dosing guidelines are based on Gabapentin capsules 300 mg. Please remember to check the label on the drug packaging.
| Day | Total daily dosage | Number of tablets | |
| WEEK 1 | 1 | 300 mg | one at night |
| 2 | 600 mg | one in the morning + one at night | |
| 3 | 900 mg | one tablet 3 times a day | |
| 4-7 | 1200 mg | one tablet morning + afternoon, two tablets at night | |
| WEEK 2 | 1 | 1500 mg | two tablets in the morning, one tablet in the afternoon, two tablets at night |
| 2-7 | 1800 mg | two tablets three times a day |
Should you feel that you are gaining benefit from Gabapentin, the medication be continued for a longer period. Everyone responds to medication in different ways, therefore the length each person continues with this treatment will vary.