Gabapentin, a drug that’s primarily used to control seizures in patients with epilepsy and to ease nerve pain, is becoming one of the most misused and abused drugs in the country. Also known as Neurontin, it acts as a sedative, creating feelings of relaxation and, in some cases, euphoria, specifically when paired with opioids. The drug is FDA approved and isn’t considered a controlled substance, but, still, Gabapentin abuse is rampant and many states are calling upon the federal government for a change in drug classification.
If you or a loved one take gabapentin, here’s what you should know.
What is Gabapentin?
Gabapentin has been used in the United States for more than 25 years. It was initially approved by the FDA for seizure control in adults and children with epilepsy and was then later approved to help manage postherpetic neuralgia (or nerve pain in folks who have had shingles). It also has off-label uses (meaning it’s applied in ways that are not FDA-approved) such as alcohol use disorder, chronic cough, restless legs syndrome, and nerve pain. One study found that gabapentin significantly reduced pain and other nerve symptoms in women undergoing chemo for ovarian cancer.
Side Effects of Gabapentin
Thirty-five percent of people on gabapentin had to stop taking it due to side effects, particularly dizziness and gastrointestinal problems. While gabapentin can be helpful in a number of conditions, it also causes side effects that can be debilitating for many people, and even deadly for some.
In December 2019, the FDA issued a warning that people with respiratory risk factors, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), who are taking gabapentin or pregabalin, a gabapentin-like drug, could experience serious breathing difficulties that may lead to death. The warning also applies to the use of either of these drugs in combination with central nervous system depressants, such as opioids, anti-anxiety drugs, antidepressants, or antihistamines. The FDA is requiring gabapentin and pregabalin manufacturers to add warnings about the risk of respiratory depression to their labels, citing reports of a dozen deaths in people with one or more risk factors.
What’s more, both pregabalin and gabapentin were shown to increase the risk of suicidal behavior, unintentional overdoses, injuries, traffic incidents, and violent crimes, particularly in users between the ages of 15 to 24 years old. (Pregabalin was more potent overall than gabapentin.) Other side effects include dizziness, drowsiness, diarrhea, anxiety, unwanted eye movements, strange or unusual thoughts, weight gain, and more. Before buy gabapentin online consult with your doctor
Misuse and Abuse
A review of 11 studies and 23 case reports published in the journal Addiction reported that up to 65% of people who had prescriptions for gabapentin misused the drug. Users take more to amplify the drug’s side effects of relaxation, calmness, and euphoria, but it can also be used to stave off withdrawal symptoms and block the effects of medicines used to treat addiction, prolonging a user’s high. In some cases, the user’s goal was self-harm or suicide. Most of the abuse was from people who also took other substances, particularly opioids. When paired with opioids, gabapentin can bolster the drug’s effects, but combining the two can cause significant organ and brain damage, and even death.
Of the people on gabapentin or pregabalin, only 1.6% of non-opioid users abused the drugs compared to 68% of opioid users who engaged in misuse. Gabapentin is the 9th-most prescribed drug in the United States. IQVIA reported that 67 million prescriptions for gabapentin were written in the United States in 2019, a 71% increase from 2012.
