Gabapentin Tinytabs, Neurontin

Medically reviewed by Elizabeth Scheffel, PharmD
Written by Helen Marshall, BPharm, MRPharmS on April 21, 2023

This article describes gabapentin oral capsule’s uses and dosage, ways to save on cost, and more. Below you’ll find coupon options for gabapentin.

Gabapentin may cause mild or serious side effects. More common mild side effects of gabapentin oral capsule and its serious side effects are listed below. This article doesn’t include all possible side effects of the drug. Side effects can vary based on your age, overall health, and any other medications you take.

To learn more about gabapentin oral capsule’s side effects, see this article or ask your doctor or pharmacist. You can also read the prescribing information for gabapentin oral capsule.

Mild side effects

More common mild side effects reported with gabapentin oral capsule are listed below.

With many drugs, mild side effects may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If the side effects are bothersome, tell your doctor or pharmacist. They may be able to suggest ways to manage them.

Gabapentin oral capsule’s mild side effects include:

• feeling sleepy
• dizziness
• low energy
• unsteadiness
• swollen legs, feet, or hands
• nausea and vomiting
• viral infections, such as a cough or the common cold
• weight gain
• mild allergic reaction*

* For details about this side effect, see the “Warnings for gabapentin” section below.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects of gabapentin oral capsule are listed below. With many drugs, serious side effects are possible but not common.

If you have serious side effects from this drug, call your doctor right away. If you’re having severe symptoms or a medical emergency, call 911 or a local emergency number.

Gabapentin oral capsule’s serious side effects include:

• changes in mood, thoughts, or behavior, in children (such as aggression, difficulty concentrating, and hyperactivity)
• suicidal thoughts or behavior
• severe allergic reaction*

* For details about this side effect, see the “Warnings for gabapentin” section below.

Suicide prevention

If you or someone you know is in crisis and considering suicide or self-harm, please seek support:

• Call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
• Text HOME to the Crisis Textline at 741741.
• Not in the United States? Find a helpline in your country with Befrienders Worldwide.
• Call 911 or your local emergency services number if you feel safe to do so.

If you’re calling on behalf of someone else, stay with them until help arrives. You may remove weapons or substances that can cause harm if you can do so safely.

If you are not in the same household, stay on the phone with them until help arrives.

Below you’ll find answers to a few commonly asked questions about gabapentin oral capsule.

Is gabapentin used for dogs?

Yes, veterinarians sometimes prescribe gabapentin for seizures, pain, or anxiety in dogs. This is an off-label use of gabapentin. With off-label use, a medication is prescribed for a use that’s not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

To find out more about gabapentin’s use in dogs, talk with your veterinarian. You should not give gabapentin to your dog unless it’s been prescribed for them.

Can gabapentin be used for anxiety or sleep?

Gabapentin isn’t FDA-approved for anxiety, but doctors sometimes prescribe it off-label for this use. Gabapentin isn’t approved for helping you sleep either, and it’s not usually prescribed for this use. But if you have sleep problems caused by nerve pain, gabapentin may help with this.

A brand-name form of gabapentin called Horizant is approved to treat restless legs syndrome (RLS). RLS is a nerve condition that can affect your sleep. Horizant is an extended-release tablet form of gabapentin. Gabapentin oral capsule is not approved for RLS treatment.

To learn more about these uses of gabapentin, talk with your doctor.

Is gabapentin similar to pregabalin (Lyrica)?

Yes, gabapentin is similar to pregabalin (Lyrica). Both are anticonvulsant medications used for certain seizures and nerve pain. The drugs work in the same way in your body and can cause similar side effects. But there are some differences between them.

For example, gabapentin and pregabalin are both FDA-approved for nerve pain caused by shingles. But pregabalin is also approved for nerve pain caused by diabetes or spinal cord injury, and for fibromyalgia. Gabapentin is sometimes prescribed for these uses, but these are off-label uses of the drug.

Both medications are taken by mouth. Gabapentin is taken three times a day, whereas pregabalin may be taken two or three times a day.

To learn more about how gabapentin compares with pregabalin, talk with your doctor. They can help determine whether one of these medications may be a better choice for you.

How does gabapentin work? And how long does it take to start working?

Doctors don’t fully understand how gabapentin works for seizures or nerve pain. The medication attaches to channels that let calcium in and out of nerve cells. This is thought to stop surges of nerve activity that can cause seizures. And it’s thought to reduce nerve pain by stopping nerves from sending messages that cause pain.

Gabapentin starts working about 2 to 3 hours after you take a dose.

Gabapentin has a half-life of about 5 to 7 hours. (A drug’s half-life is how long it takes for your body to remove half a dose of the drug.) It takes about five half-lives for the body to clear a drug out of its system. So it would take about 25 to 35 hours (about 1 to 1.5 days) for gabapentin to be cleared from your system after your last dose.

What is the best time of day to take gabapentin? What should I do if I miss a dose?

There aren’t specific best times of the day to take gabapentin. However, it’s best to spread out your gabapentin doses evenly during the day, at about the same times each day. This helps the medication work effectively.

Gabapentin is usually taken three times a day. So, you may want to separate your doses by 6 to 8 hours. However, it’s important to follow your doctor’s instructions.

If you miss a dose of gabapentin, take it as soon as possible. But if it’s almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and just take your next dose as usual. Do not take two doses together to make up for a missed dose.

Can gabapentin capsule be crushed, split, or chewed?

No, you should not crush, split, or chew gabapentin oral capsules. You should swallow the capsules whole, with water.

If you have trouble swallowing the capsules, talk with your doctor or a pharmacist. They may be able to recommend ways to help or a different form of gabapentin.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves prescription drugs such as gabapentin for certain conditions. Approved uses for gabapentin oral capsule are described below.

Use for nerve pain

Doctors may prescribe gabapentin oral capsule for treating nerve pain caused by shingles. It’s used for this purpose in adults. And it’s usually prescribed as a long-term treatment.

Shingles is an infection that can occur in people who’ve had chickenpox in the past. It causes a painful, blistering rash. After the rash clears up, you may have nerve pain in the area of skin where you had the rash.

With nerve pain caused by shingles, you may have burning, stabbing, throbbing, or shooting pain. You may also have itchiness. The pain may be constant, or it may come and go. It can be triggered by something that’s not usually painful, such as a light touch.

Use for seizures

Doctors may prescribe gabapentin oral capsule to help prevent focal onset seizures (sometimes called partial onset seizures) in people with epilepsy. It’s used for this purpose in adults and children ages 3 years and older. And it’s usually prescribed as a long-term treatment.

With partial onset seizures, you may have unusual feelings or sensations. You may lose awareness of your surroundings, stare blankly, or have trouble hearing or speaking. You may also make unusual noises or small repetitive movements that you can’t control.

Partial seizures can sometimes become secondary generalized seizures. With secondary generalized seizures, your muscles may become stiff and start jerking. You may also lose consciousness and fall down. Doctors may prescribe gabapentin for partial seizures that do or don’t spread into secondary generalized seizures.

Gabapentin is prescribed together with other anticonvulsant medications for seizures.

The dosage of gabapentin oral capsule your doctor prescribes may vary based on your condition and certain other factors. Talk with your doctor about the dosage you should take.

Taking gabapentin

Gabapentin oral capsule is taken by mouth.

Your doctor will talk with you about how to take gabapentin oral capsule. They’ll explain how much to take and how often. Always follow your doctor’s recommendation.

Gabapentin oral capsule can be taken with or without food.

See the “Common questions about gabapentin” section for information on missed doses and the best time to take this drug.

Overdose of gabapentin

You should not take more gabapentin than your doctor prescribes. For some drugs, doing so may lead to serious side effects or overdose.

If you think you’ve taken too much gabapentin, call your doctor or pharmacist right away. Or you could call 800-222-1222 to speak with someone at America’s Poison Centers. You can also use its online resource. If you have concerning symptoms, call 911 or a local emergency number immediately. You can also go to the closest emergency room.

Stopping gabapentin doesn’t usually cause withdrawal symptoms. (Withdrawal symptoms can occur when you stop taking a drug your body depends on to function like usual.) However, withdrawal symptoms have occurred in people who stopped gabapentin after taking doses that were higher than what’s typically prescribed. Withdrawal symptoms reported include agitation and confusion.

You might be taking a high dose of gabapentin if your doctor has prescribed the drug off-label for your condition. With off-label use, a drug is prescribed for a use that’s not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

High doses can also be a sign of misusing gabapentin. Misuse refers to taking a drug in a way other than how it’s prescribed. With misuse, gabapentin can be addictive.

Be sure to talk with your doctor before stopping gabapentin, especially if you’re taking a high dose of the drug. Your doctor can tell you whether your dosage is considered higher than what’s usually recommended.

If you take gabapentin for epilepsy, you should not stop taking it without talking with your doctor first. Suddenly stopping treatment could make your seizures come back or get worse. If you and your doctor decide you should stop gabapentin, your doctor will usually reduce your dosage slowly.

For some medications, certain things may affect how the drug works. These include getting vaccines, consuming alcohol or certain foods, or taking the drug with other medications. This effect is called a drug interaction.

Before you take gabapentin, ask your doctor to check for possible interactions. They can check for interactions these items may cause with gabapentin. Be sure to tell them about any of the following you take or use:

• prescription medications
• over-the-counter medications
• vitamins, herbs, or supplements

To learn about drug-condition interactions, see the “Warnings for gabapentin” section below.

Gabapentin should not be taken by some people. And it should be taken cautiously by certain other people. Precautions for taking this drug are described below.

Warnings

Gabapentin could cause harm to people with certain health conditions. This effect is called a drug-condition interaction. Other factors can also affect whether gabapentin oral capsule is a safe option for you.

Tell your doctor about your overall health and any past health conditions before you take gabapentin oral capsule. Health conditions and other factors you and your doctor should discuss include:

• kidney problems
• lung or breathing problems, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• mental health conditions, such as depression or suicidal thoughts
• whether you need to be able to drive or operate machines (gabapentin may affect your ability to do so safely)

Allergic reaction

Gabapentin can cause an allergic reaction in some people. Severe allergic reactions are rare but possible.

If you’ve had an allergic reaction to gabapentin or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe gabapentin. They can tell you about medications that are safer options for you.

A mild allergic reaction may cause the following symptoms:

• skin rash
• itchiness
• flushing (temporary warmth, redness, or deepening of skin color)

A severe allergic reaction may cause the following symptoms:

• swelling under your skin, usually in your hands, feet, eyelids, or lips
• swelling of your mouth, throat, or tongue, which can cause breathing problems
• fever, rash, and swollen lymph glands (such as swelling in your throat or armpits)

If you have an allergic reaction to gabapentin, call your doctor right away. If you have severe symptoms, call 911 or a local emergency number.

Information about gabapentin and pregnancy and breastfeeding is described below.

Gabapentin and pregnancy

It’s not known whether gabapentin oral capsule should be taken during pregnancy. If you’re planning a pregnancy or can become pregnant, talk with your doctor before taking this medication.

If you become pregnant while taking gabapentin, you can consider signing up for the pregnancy registry for the drug. You can learn more on the registry website or by calling 888-233-2334. You can also talk with your doctor about signing up.

Gabapentin and breastfeeding

It’s not known whether gabapentin oral capsule should be taken while breastfeeding. If you’re currently breastfeeding or planning to do so, talk with your doctor before taking this medication.

You may be able to save money on your prescription for gabapentin oral capsule by using our Perks discount coupons. These can be found at the end of this article.

If you have questions about how to pay for gabapentin, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. You can also learn more about the cost of gabapentin in this article.

Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with insurance copays or benefits.

This article describes gabapentin oral capsule’s uses and dosage, ways to save on cost, and more. Let your doctor know if you have questions about gabapentin or would like more details about it.

Here’s a list of some possible questions you may want to ask your doctor:

• Are side effects of gabapentin different for older adults?
• Does gabapentin 300 mg cause certain side effects?
• How long will I need to take gabapentin for nerve pain?
• What other medications will I take with gabapentin for epilepsy?
• What alternative medications can I take for my condition?

• Food and Drug Administration. (2023). Orange Book: Approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/index.cfm
• Gabapentin- gabapentin capsule. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/aee768cc-fef0-438b-b757-8100e1560b7f/spl-doc

Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.