Author: Gary Jackson

Can You Overdose on Gabapentin? Risk for Overdose & Symptoms

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances. This list is not complete and many other drugs may affect gabapentin. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Overdose symptoms may include slow breathing, double vision, tremor, slurred speech, drowsiness, change in your mental state, dizziness, tiredness, or diarrhea. Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Different brands of gabapentin are not interchangeable and they are FDA approved for different conditions.

Before taking this medicine

Also known by brand names like Neurontin and Horizant, gabapentin is an anticonvulsant that comes in capsules, tablets, or oral solutions. It’s used to treat people with seizure disorders, a condition called post-herpetic neuralgia (lasting nerve and skin pain after shingles), and restless leg syndrome (RLS). Gabapentin even has a street name – “babies” – that’s used when it’s sold and used illegally. As the rate of gabapentin abuse increases, many are wondering, “can you overdose on gabapentin? ” Today, our Delaware rehabs will discuss if and how a gabapentin overdose can happen, how much is too much, and the signs that indicate if someone has taken too much gabapentin.

Is gabapentin a narcotic or controlled substance?

1. If it’s just a few hours before it’s time to take your next dose, take only one dose.
2. Never stop taking gabapentin without talking to your healthcare provider first.
3. A small number of studies have reported misuse and abuse of gabapentin.
4. A growing body of literature shows that gabapentin overdoses can cause potentially serious physical and psychological effects.
5. Neurontin (gabapentin) is a medication that is used for several different conditions such as nerve pain, epilepsy, and many others.

Poison centers.” Journal of Clinical Toxicology, December 1, 2019. If you think someone may be overdosing on gabapentin, you should call 911. This is especially true if you suspect the person has taken gabapentin with other substances. The FDA has set a PDUFA date of January 30, 2025 for the investigational oral nonopioid therapy for acute pain, which could be a first-in-class win for Vertex. This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Your kidney function may need to be checked often and your dose may change based on the results.

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Serious breathing problems can happen if you take gabapentin with drugs that cause severe sleepiness or decreased awareness. Some examples include narcotic opioids, anti-anxiety medicines, antidepressants, and antihistamines. If you are 65 years of age or older and/or have a condition that affects your lungs, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), there is an increased risk for breathing problems. Watch for increased sleepiness or decreased breathing when you start taking gabapentin or when the dose is increased.

Does gabapentin cause withdrawal symptoms?

It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider. Gabapentin is used for many different conditions both as a primary treatment and as an add-on medication. Gabapentin is sold under different brand names including Neurontin®, Gralise®, and Horizant®. The most common conditions gabapentin is used for are nerve pain, fibromyalgia, epilepsy, restless leg syndrome, and postoperative pain. It is also used to treat depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, alcohol dependence, insomnia, hot flashes, and certain forms of anxiety.

Gabapentin is approved to prevent and control partial seizures, relieve postherpetic neuralgia after shingles and moderate-to-severe restless legs syndrome. Learn what side effects to watch for, drugs to avoid while taking gabapentin, how to take gabapentin and other important questions and answers. So far, there have been only two peer-reviewed case reports of death12from gabapentin toxicity (related to gabapentin overdose). Despite this low statistic, gabapentin abuse as a suicide attempthas risen over the years. It’s difficult to overdose on gabapentin, and it’s highly unlikely that you would die if you overdose.

Taking too much gabapentin is rarely fatal on its own, but it can be deadly if the gabapentin is taken with other substances, like alcohol or opioids. For this reason, it’s important to only use gabapentin as prescribed and avoid taking it with other substances, especially illicit drugs. Gabapentin was believed to be a factor in 2,975 of these 5,687 deaths (52.3%).

” Here, we’ll discuss whether and how gabapentin overdose can happen and what to expect if someone has taken too much gabapentin. Average doses of gabapentin range from 50 mg/kg per day in children aged 3 to 11 to 300 mg to 600 mg three times a day in people aged 12 years or older. However, as we’ve mentioned before, overdose can occur not only when a lethal dose is taken but also when it’s mixed with other drugs or alcohol with depressant effects. Compared with some drugs, such as opioids, gabapentin appears to be relatively non-fatal in overdose situations.

It works on the chemical messengers in your brain and nerves. Gabapentin is from a group of medicines called anticonvulsants. Reynolds’s study and others suggest that doctors’ long struggle to find a safe, reliable treatment for chronic pain is far from over. Just as opioids were used to get recreationally high and potentially cause overdose, it appears that their replacements sometimes are as well. An increasing number of people abuse gabapentin to get high and are at risk of overdose. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently studied gabapentin overdoses.

Baclofen, a muscle relaxant, has become another popular opioid replacement. Though gabapentin and baclofen can cause a boozelike “high” for some people, they’re far less addictive and less likely to be fatal when taken in large quantities than opioids are. The likelihood of an overdose increases when you abuse gabapentin with other drugs like opioids and alcohol. Those who use gabapentin should be aware that stopping gabapentin abruptly can actually increase the chance of experiencing seizure activity. Suddenly removing the anti-seizure effect can cause a rebound, raising the risk of seizures.

A growing body of literature shows that gabapentin overdoses can cause potentially serious physical and psychological effects. Long-term gabapentin abuse, or drug abuse of any kind, can lead to serious consequences in the long run. The severity of the gabapentin overdose will be assessed in-depth by medical personnel in the emergency room. To mitigate the consequences and stabilize the patient’s state, they could give them a certain drug or treatment. It’s essential to go by all directives and suggestions made by the medical staff to promote a speedy recovery.