The side effect rates are based on patients over 12 years old, as reported in clinical trials for the brand equivalent, Neurontin. Horizant (gabapentin enacarbil) is an alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone function extended release tablet used to treat restless legs syndrome and for the pain from having shingles (postherpetic nerve pain). Doctors prescribe gabapentin to control seizures, treat RLS, and reduce nerve pain. Several types of gabapentin are available, and different forms can treat different medical issues.

Brand Name

It’s also used to treat nerve pain caused by a shingles infection. 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.

Anaphylaxis: Symptoms and what to do

Generic formulations of gabapentin are typically covered by most insurance plans. However, many insurance companies require prior authorization for branded formulations of gabapentin. You should not need a new prescription for this medication to be refilled. Your doctor will write the number of refills authorized on your prescription. Store gabapentin at room temperature between 68°F and 77°F (20°C and 25°C).

1. Always tell your healthcare provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using.
2. According to the FDA, there have been reports of oral overdoses from taking up to 49 grams of the drug.
3. For more information on the possible side effects of gabapentin or tips on how to deal with a troubling side effect, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
4. In the 2 controlled trials in postherpetic neuralgia, 16% of the 336 patients who received NEURONTIN and 9% of the 227 patients who received placebo discontinued treatment because of an adverse reaction.

Health Conditions

The brand-name drug Neurontin can treat one form of epilepsy in children as young as 3 years old. Some people take other medications with gabapentin to control epilepsy symptoms. Gabapentin comes as a capsule, a tablet, an extended-release (long-acting) tablet, and an oral solution (liquid) to take by mouth. Gabapentin capsules, tablets, and oral solution are usually taken with a full glass of water (8 ounces 240 milliliters), with or without food, three times a day. This medicine may cause respiratory depression, a serious breathing problem that can be life-threatening, when used together with narcotic pain medicines.

It is not known exactly how gabapentin works to treat restless legs syndrome. The overall incidence of adverse reactions and the types of adverse reactions seen were similar among men and women treated with NEURONTIN. The incidence of adverse reactions increased slightly with increasing age in patients treated with either NEURONTIN or placebo. Because only 3% of patients (28/921) in placebo-controlled studies were identified as nonwhite (black or other), there are insufficient data to support a statement regarding the distribution of adverse reactions by race. Serious breathing problems can happen if you take gabapentin with drugs that cause severe sleepiness or decreased awareness.

Advise patients to discontinue NEURONTIN and seek medical care if they develop signs or symptoms of anaphylaxis or angioedema see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS. During the course of premarketing development of NEURONTIN, 8 sudden and unexplained deaths were recorded among a cohort of 2203 epilepsy patients treated (2103 patient-years of exposure) with NEURONTIN. Gabapentin is not appreciably metabolized nor does it interfere with the metabolism of commonly coadministered antiepileptic drugs see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY. The use of NEURONTIN in patients less than 12 years of age with compromised renal function has not been studied. The active ingredient in NEURONTIN capsules, tablets, and oral solution is gabapentin,which has the chemical name 1-(aminomethyl)cyclohexaneacetic acid.

At 2000 mg/kg, the plasma gabapentin exposure (AUC) in rats is approximately 8 times that in humans at the MRHD. Inform patients that NEURONTIN is taken orally with or without food. Inform patients that, should they divide the scored 600 mg or 800 mg tablet in order to administer a half-tablet, they should take the unused half-tablet as the next dose. Advise patients to discard half-tablets not used within 28 days of dividing the scored tablet. In an oral carcinogenicity study, gabapentin increased the incidence of pancreatic acinar cell tumors in rats see Nonclinical Toxicology.

Your family or caregivers should also watch for sudden changes in your behavior. Tell your doctor right away if you have any sudden changes in mood or behavior, or thoughts about suicide. Different brands of gabapentin are not interchangeable and they are FDA approved for different conditions. Use only the brand and form of gabapentin your doctor has prescribed. Check your medicine each time you get a refill to make sure you receive the correct form.

Risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviors

Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time alcohol and brain fog than your doctor ordered. There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding. 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. Tell your healthcare provider about any recent and current mental health problems, especially if you have had thoughts of suicide, have ever attempted suicide, or have depression or mood problems.

In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4% and 15 how to ween off alcohol to 20%, respectively. The background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. Advise the patient to read the FDA-approved patient labeling (Medication Guide).