Yes, gabapentin can cause problems, especially if it is not used as directed or if certain precautions are not followed.
Some potential issues associated with gabapentin use include:
- Side Effects: Common side effects of gabapentin include dizziness, drowsiness, fatigue, coordination problems, blurred vision, and weight gain. These side effects are usually mild to moderate and often improve over time. However, some individuals may experience more severe or persistent side effects.
- Dependency and Withdrawal: Although gabapentin is not considered a controlled substance, there have been reports of dependence and withdrawal symptoms, especially in individuals who misuse or abuse the medication. Withdrawal symptoms may include anxiety, insomnia, nausea, sweating, and flu-like symptoms.
- Interaction with Other Medications: Gabapentin can interact with certain medications, including opioids, benzodiazepines, and other central nervous system depressants. Combining gabapentin with these substances can increase the risk of sedation, respiratory depression, and overdose.
- Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior: Gabapentin and other antiepileptic drugs have been associated with an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior. Patients taking gabapentin should be closely monitored for changes in mood, behavior, or suicidal ideation, especially when starting or changing the dose of the medication.
- Allergic Reactions: Some individuals may experience allergic reactions to gabapentin, which can manifest as rash, itching, swelling, or difficulty breathing. In rare cases, severe allergic reactions such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis may occur, which require immediate medical attention.
- Renal Impairment: Gabapentin is primarily eliminated from the body through the kidneys. Therefore, individuals with impaired kidney function may require dose adjustments or closer monitoring to prevent accumulation of the medication and potential toxicity.
- Cognitive Impairment: Some individuals may experience cognitive impairment, memory problems, or confusion while taking gabapentin, especially at higher doses or in combination with other medications.
Side Effects of Gabapentin
Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them.
The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with gabapentin.
You will find a full list in the manufacturer’s information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.
| Common gabapentin side-effects |
What can I do if I experience this? |
| Feeling sleepy, tired, unsteady or dizzy; blurred vision and other eyesight problems | Do not drive or use tools or machines |
| Headache | Ask your pharmacist to recommend a suitable painkiller |
| Feeling or being sick, indigestion, stomach ache | Stick to simple foods – avoid rich or spicy meals |
| Diarrhoea | Drink plenty of water to replace the lost fluids |
| Constipation | Try to eat a well-balanced diet and drink several glasses of water each day |
| Dry mouth | Try chewing sugar-free gum or sucking sugar-free sweets |
| Infections, flu-like symptoms, increased appetite, flushing, increased blood pressure, changes in weight, changes in emotions or mood, fits, movement difficulties, feeling shaky, difficulties sleeping, breathing difficulties, cough, gum changes, bruises, muscle or joint pains, impotence, and swollen feet or ankles |
If any of these become troublesome, speak with your doctor for advice |
Important: gabapentin has been associated with a number of unwanted effects which affect the blood, pancreas and liver.
Although these occur less commonly than the side-effects listed above, you must let your doctor know straightaway if you notice any of the following as they could be serious:
-
- Persistent stomach pain with sickness (these could be symptoms of an inflamed pancreas).
- A skin rash, or any swelling of your mouth or face (these could be symptoms of an allergic reaction).
- Any yellowing of your skin or of the whites of your eyes (these could be symptoms of jaundice).
- Any unusual bruising or bleeding (these could be symptoms of a blood disorder).
If you experience any other symptoms which you think may be due to the medicine, speak with your doctor or pharmacist for further advice.