Doctors often prescribe gabapentin to prevent epilepsy-related seizures and nerve pain. It is generally safe but can have side effects, including blurred vision and behavior changes. What are the serious side effects of gabapentin? If you have any of these symptoms, call your healthcare provider right away: Signs of an allergic reaction: If you have a skin rash, hives, itching or swollen, blistered or peeling skin with or without fever contact your healthcare provider. Doctors prescribe gabapentin to treat epilepsy, restless legs syndrome, and some types of nerve pain. Learn more the drug's uses, risks, and safety here. Gabapentin may cause stomach side effects like nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, heartburn, gas, or stomach pain, especially when you are first starting treatment. Taking it with food may help to lessen these side effects. Take your medicine exactly as prescribed by your doctor. While it can be very effective, it may also cause some side effects. Gabapentin is a medication primarily used to treat nerve pain and seizures. While it can be effective, it also has a range of potential side effects that users should be aware of. Here is a detailed overview of gabapentin side effects: Common Side Effects of Gabapentin Some side effects of gabapentin may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant with pain-relieving effects that may be used to treat certain seizure disorders or relieve nerve pain. Common side effects include dizziness or drowsiness and it may cause a withdrawal syndrome on discontinuation so should not be stopped abruptly. Gabapentin can cause a variety of GI side effects including diarrhea, constipation, nausea, and abdominal pain. Studies have found that up to 15-25% of people taking gabapentin experience diarrhea while around 5-10% develop constipation. Gabapentin is also used to manage a condition called postherpetic neuralgia, which is pain that occurs after shingles. Gabapentin works in the brain to prevent seizures and relieve pain for certain conditions in the nervous system. It is not used for routine pain caused by minor injuries or arthritis. Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant. What side effects may I notice from receiving this medication? Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible: Allergic reactions or angioedema—skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, eyes, lips, tongue, arms, or legs, trouble swallowing or breathing; Rash, fever, and swollen lymph nodes Gabapentin is used to control the symptoms of seizures and works by reducing the abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Exactly how it does this is not fully understood. Gabapentin is also prescribed to treat certain types of long-lasting pain caused by damage to nerves. Side effects of gabapentin. Common side effects of gabapentin include: drowsiness or dizziness; headache or blurred vision; nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation; dry mouth; weight gain; swelling of the hands, feet, or ankles; back or joint pain; flulike symptoms such as fever or body aches. Rare but serious side effects. Rare but serious Gabapentin side effects. When you start taking a new medication, you may experience some common side effects. These will likely reduce within a short time, but if they persist or become problematic, consult with your doctor, as you may need a reduced dose or a change of medication. Common side effects of gabapentin include : Gabapentin may increase the movement of food through the intestines. This can lead to bloating, gas, and diarrhea. Reduced gastric emptying: Gabapentin may slow down the emptying of the stomach. This can lead to nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Increased permeability of the gut lining: Gabapentin may increase the permeability of the gut The use of gabapentin, even when used correctly, may cause some side effects. Usually, the side effects are minor and tolerable. But, sometimes, they may be more serious. The most common gabapentin (Neurontin) side effects are dizziness and drowsiness. This may affect your ability to drive or perform other activities. Other gabapentin side effects include edema (fluid buildup), weight gain, and eye problems, but these aren’t as common. Gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise, Horizant) is a medicine used to treat partial seizures, nerve pain from shingles and restless leg syndrome. It works on the chemical messengers in your brain and nerves. Gabapentin is from a group of medicines called anticonvulsants. Gabapentin is a drug that is used in the treatment of epilepsy, anxiety, depression and neuropathic pain. We aimed to study the antiinflammatory effects of gabapentin on carrageenan-induced paw edema and to determine its gastric side effects on gastric mucus secretion in Wistar rats. Like all medicines, gabapentin can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. Common side effects. 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: Feeling sleepy, tired or dizzy Side Effects, Uses, Dosage, and More About Gabapentin Oral Capsules Medically reviewed by Philip Ngo, PharmD — Written by University of Illinois — Updated on February 13, 2024 Side effects
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