What should I tell my care team before I take this medication?
They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
- Kidney disease
- Lung or breathing disease
- Substance use disorder
- Suicidal thoughts, plans, or attempt by you or a family member
- An unusual or allergic reaction to gabapentin, other medications, foods, dyes, or preservatives
- Pregnant or trying to get pregnant
- Breast-feeding
What may interact with this medication?
- Alcohol
- Antihistamines for allergy, cough, and cold
- Certain medications for anxiety or sleep
- Certain medications for depression like amitriptyline, fluoxetine, sertraline
- Certain medications for seizures like phenobarbital, primidone
- Certain medications for stomach problems
- General anesthetics like halothane, isoflurane, methoxyflurane, propofol
- Local anesthetics like lidocaine, pramoxine, tetracaine
- Medications that relax muscles for surgery
- Opioid medications for pain
- Phenothiazines like chlorpromazine, mesoridazine, prochlorperazine, thioridazine
This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.
What should I watch for while using this medication?
Tell your care team if your symptoms do not start to get better or if they get worse. Do not stop taking except on your care team's advice. You may develop a severe reaction if you do.
This medication may cause serious skin reactions. They can happen weeks to months after starting the medication. 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.
This medication may affect your coordination, reaction time, or judgment. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you. Sit up or stand slowly to reduce the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Drinking alcohol with this medication can increase the risk of these side effects.
Watch for new or worsening thoughts of suicide or depression. This includes sudden changes in mood, behaviors, or thoughts. These changes can happen at any time but are more common in the beginning of treatment or after a change in dose. Call your care team right away if you experience these thoughts or worsening depression.
Your mouth may get dry. Chewing sugarless gum or sucking hard candy, and drinking plenty of water may help.