Gabapentin is a well-established treatment option for itch with a reassuring safety profile that does not require continued lab monitoring. Generalized itching is a common cause of visits to the dermatologist and can be difficult to treat, leading to sleepless nights and inability to function. Anticonvulsants, such as gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise, Horizant) Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline; Numbing agents, such as lidocaine, in the form of a cream, gel, spray or skin patch; An injection including corticosteroids and local anesthetics Gabapentin can cause some rare but serious side effects. While these are uncommon, people should be aware of them and seek medical attention if needed. Consult a doctor right away if you 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; Thoughts of suicide or self harm, worsening mood, feelings of depression; Trouble breathing Rare but serious side effects include rash, itching, yellowing of the skin, swelling of the face and throat, problems speaking, difficulty swallowing and changes in memory, personality or ability It usually starts with a fever, rash, and swelling of the lymph nodes. But it can progress and cause damage to major organs, like the liver, kidneys, or heart. Angioedema, anaphylaxis, and DRESS syndrome are medical emergencies that require immediate treatment. Neurontin (gabapentin) is used to treat pain you may have from shingles (postherpetic nerve pain). It is also used with other seizure medicines for partial onset seizures in patients 3 years and older. Gralise (gabapentin) is only used for pain after having shingles (postherpetic nerve pain). It should not be used for any other medical condition. PHN can happen after a person has had shingles, an infection from the same virus as chickenpox that causes a painful rash or blisters. Nerve pain from PHN can last for months, or even longer, after the rash has gone away. An extended-release form of gabapentin is also FDA-approved to treat PHN. More serious side effects of gabapentin include skin rash, itching, swelling of the face, eyes, lips, tongue or throat, bluish tinge to the lips or fingernails, hoarseness, trouble breathing or swallowing, trouble speaking, unexpected muscle pain, extreme sleepiness, confusion, and seizures. Gabapentin can cause allergic reactions, including DRESS, which can be serious. DRESS stands for Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms. It is also sometimes called multiorgan 3. Gabapentin may cause a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction that may affect your skin or other parts of your body such as your liver or blood cells. You may or may not have rash when you get this type of reaction. It may cause you to be hospitalized or to stop gabapentin. Gabapentin may cause serious or life threatening allergic reactions called anaphylaxis. But this is very rare. These symptoms may be the first signs of a serious reaction: Call your doctor Rashes is reported as a side effect among people who take Gabapentin (gabapentin), especially for people who are female, 60+ old, have been taking the drug for < 1 month also take Tylenol, and have Rheumatoid arthritis. Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking gabapentin: More common in children. 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. A drug rash or eruption is a type of drug reaction involving your skin. We'll go over how to identify the different types and which ones require medical treatment. Apart from gabapentin, there were no other recently introduced medications. Gabapentin is usually a safe and well-tolerated drug with a low incidence of adverse reactions . In opposition to other antiepileptic drugs, skin reactions are rare, and, in adults, the prevalence of rash possibly related to gabapentin varies from 1 to 10% . 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. Talk to your doctor if you're concerned about becoming physically dependent on gabapentin. Other side effects. These are not all the side effects of gabapentin. Gabapentin can be used in adults and children age 3 and older who have partial seizures. Relieve nerve pain following shingles in adults. Shingles is a painful rash that develops many years after you've had chickenpox. The virus that causes chickenpox stays dormant in a portion of your spinal nerve root called the dorsal root ganglion. Contact your care team right away if you notice fevers or flu-like symptoms with a rash. The rash may be red or purple and then turn into blisters or peeling of the skin. Or, you might notice a red rash with swelling of the face, lips or lymph nodes in your neck or under your arms. For patients with major risk factors for rash consider using valproate, gabapentin, topiramate, levetiracetam, pregabalin, felbamate, primidone, vigabatrin, or lacosamide as they are associated with a low risk of rash [1, 10] (Table 2). Brivaracetam (FDA-approved in 2016) also likely has a low rate of rash as it is structurally related to
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