What is Gabapentin 400 mg?
Gabapentin 400 mg is a widely prescribed anticonvulsant med. Such meds are also labelled as antiseizure drugs. These meds are administered for effective management and control of painful nerve conditions and for the treatment of seizures / fits. This med is taken to treat those living with nerve pain due to the onset of diabetes. One of the key applications of this med rests in its ability to control episodes of localised fits or seizures. This type of convulsion affects only a portion part of your brain.
What is Gabapentin 400mg used for?
Gabapentin 400mg is an anti-epileptic medication used to treat seizure disorders caused by epilepsy and nerve damage caused by postherpetic neuralgia. This drug belongs to a class of medications called anti-convulsants. This medicine may also be used to treat other conditions as determined by your doctor.
Key and active chemicals of gabapentin 400 mg capsule can alter minerals such as calcium presence. In this light, it is a key thing to know that minerals like calcium have a direct bearing on the incidence of fits or convulsions of the focal or localised type.
One of the good thing is this med can be procured with ease with needful prescriptions from a treating doctor. So, if you want to know where to buy gabapentin 400 mg from, try online drugstores / pharmacies, of course with a valid prescription.
What is the recommended dosage of Gabapentin?
The dosage of Gabapentin prescribed to each patient will vary. Always follow your physician’s instructions and/or the directions on the prescription drug label.
Gabapentin can be taken with or without food.
How long does it take for Gabapentin 400 mg to work?
Studies show that it takes gabapentin 400 mg more than 2 weeks to reach full-fledged therapeutic potential. Duration of treatment can change depending on how your body responds and reacts to first doses of this antiseizure drug. You also need to remember no two people with nerve problems react in a similar manner to doses of this med. In this milieu, strength of doses and timeline of treatment are based on the discretion of your caregiver.
Typical dosage plan range from 200 milligrams (mg) to 2,200 mg each day all through the dosage plan. It is comforting thing to know one can either procure gabapentin 400 mg online or visit a local drugstore for refills i.e., every time your supply gets over.
Your initial doses are at a lower strength
Your treating physician is likely to start your treatment at a lesser strength. If your system reacts well or develops unpleasant or undesired side effects, dosage strength is slowly increased for the remaining part of treatment. Such precautionary measures like commencing the plan at lesser dosage strength may also impact the duration of therapy.
Gabapentin 400 mg dosage for nerve pain
You may be advised to take the initial doses at 400 mg or perhaps at an even lower strength. Such reduced doses are provided for 4 to 6 days. Your caregiver looks out for spells of side effects or episodes of hypersensitivity. Upon ensuring no such untoward effects, doses are slowly boosted over a period of time.
In general, gabapentin 400 mg dosage for nerve pain depends on your age, gender and intensity of pains. A widely administered dosage strength for managing nerve conditions hovers at ~ 600 mg. At this strength, you may observe positive outcomes by the close of the second week of the dosage plan.
What if you miss a dose of Gabapentin?
If your physician has instructed or directed you to take Gabapentin medication in a regular schedule and you have missed a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, then skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double the doses unless otherwise directed.
What if you overdose on Gabapentin 400mg?
Any medication taken in excess can have serious consequences. If you suspect an overdose of Gabapentin, seek medical attention immediately.
How to get Gabapentin 400 mg out of your system fast?
Gabapentin 400 mg may take anywhere between 5 to 9 days to get eliminated form your system. The timespan taken for elimination depends on strength of dosages, duration of the treatment plan, how acute is your nerve condition, etc. You may need to brace yourself up for the onset of signs of withdrawal in about 18 hours from the final dose of this med. Signs of withdrawal include being restless, stomach conditions such as pains, nausea, vomiting, etc. In a few cases, severe spells of headaches, drowsiness and turning dizzy may also arise.
Your doctor will ensure the final few doses are tapered to a minimum of say 100 mg and then bring the treatment plan to a complete halt. It is a safe thing to consult with your pharmacist or doctor about how to take gabapentin 400 mg.
How much is too much Gabapentin per day?
Users tend to take an overdose of gabapentin. They do it believing that an overdose can catalyse their recovery. Some people may have skipped a dose and to make up for it may take a double dose of this med. Both these are not safe practices.
In general, dosages up to 2,400 mg are tolerate well by adults. In some remote instances, dosages of 3,200 mg for a shorter span of time of a week or 8 days have also been tolerated. But, persistent doses of more than 3,000 mg can lead to an overdosed condition.
How to know if you have taken an overdose of this med?
You can infer an overdosed situation through a few characteristic signs. These can include excessive levels of drowsiness, acute spells of dizziness, loss of coordination, breathing conditions like gasping or wheezing, passing out, etc. If you notice one or more of these conditions, call your treating doctor / pharmacist on an emergency mode.
You may also get in touch with 911 if you are living in the US. You may also reach out to the helplines run by the food and drug administration (FDA) for US-based users. In this milieu, it is useful to know that FDA offers support to address adverse effects of drugs this agency approves. People who encounter an overdosed condition and are living in Canada can call a local poison management center. You may also establish contact on a top priority basis with Health Canada.
How much Gabapentin should I take to sleep?
This med can help you fall asleep. But, it does not have the needful approved for treating insomnia. As it causes drowsiness, it is prescribed to make people sleep. This use is an extended application of this med. The typical dose for making you sleep hovers in the range of 1,600 – 1,800 mg. However, users may soon develop a habit, they run the risk of turning addicted to this drug.
What other drugs could interact with Gabapentin?
- Hydrocodone
- Morphine
- Naproxen
It may be noted that drugs other than those listed above may also interact with Gabapentin.
Usually drug interactions occur when it is taken with another drug or with food. Before you take a medication for a particular ailment, you should inform the health expert about intake of any other medications including non-prescription medications, over-the-counter medicines that may increase the effect of Gabapentin, and dietary supplements like vitamins, minerals and herbal, so that the doctor can warn you of any possible drug interactions.
Do let your doctor know if you smoke, consume alcohol or caffeinated drinks, or use illegal drugs as these may interfere with the action of your medication. Make sure to inform your doctor of any medical conditions you may have, or any family history of medical problems. Do not start or stop using any medicine without consulting your doctor.
What are the side effects of Gabapentin 400mg?
Like other medicines, Gabapentin 400mg can cause some side effects. If they do occur, the side effects of Gabapentin are most likely to be minor and temporary. However, some may be serious and may require the individual to inform the doctor or visit the nearest hospital immediately.
It is pertinent to note that side effects of Gabapentin cannot be anticipated. If any side effects of Gabapentin develop or change in intensity, the doctor should be informed as soon as possible.
Gabapentin can cause side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, loss of appetite, and dry mouth. This is not a complete list of all side effects. Do concur with your doctor and follow his directions completely when you are taking Gabapentin.
What are the Alternatives to Gabapentin?
Gabapentin medicine is an anti-epileptic drug which is prescribed off-label for the treatment of a variety of conditions.
Top 5 gabapentin alternatives are mentioned below:
Cymbalta: Cymbalta is a selective serotonin and norepinephrine which reuptakes inhibitor antidepressant (SNRI). This medicine is approved for the management of depression, neuropathic pain, anxiety, fibromyalgia, and musculoskeletal pain.
Elavil: Elavil medication is a tricyclic antidepressant which is commonly used in place of gabapentin medicine for various types of nerve pain. This is an FDA-approved for the treatment of condition like depression but has an off-label use for neuropathic pain.
Klonopin: Klonopin is a medicine which is a benzodiazepine that is approved for the treatment of seizure and panic disorders in adults and children.
Lidoderm: Lidoderm medicine is a local anesthetic which helps in blocking the nerves in the body to lower the pain. It is used for the treatment of post-shingles which is similar to gabapentin.
Lyrica: Lyrica medication is a controlled substance and anticonvulsant like gabapentin. This medicine is approved for the management of fibromyalgia and nerve pain from condition like diabetes, post-herpetic infection, or spinal cord injury.
How to stop Gabapentin 400 mg?
Caregivers use a proven approach to stop the intake of gabapentin 400 mg. Physicians taper the last few dosages to a bare minimum. Clinical research done on this realm has positive results to show. Studies reveal the existence of a tighter association in between reduced signs of withdrawal and tapering off of your final doses.
In this light, it is an equally safe thing to evenly distribute each of your doses within a 24-hour timeline. Medications of the night time need to be consumed 30 – 40 minutes prior to the usual bedtime.
How to wean off Gabapentin?
It is not a good practice to discontinue the intake of this drug without the consent of your caregiving team. Users who stopped taking gabapentin 400 mg after consulting with the treating physician can avoid typical withdrawal symptoms. Signs of an abrupt withdrawal include development of sleeping problems, episodes of insomnia or going sleepless all through several nights, living with spells of anxieties or becoming restless, and also a few discomforts in abdomen such as indigestion, nausea, etc.
Several symptoms of an abrupt withdrawal of gabapentin 400 mg can persist for 6 to 7 days from the time you stopped the dosage plan. In some instances, unpleasant outcomes can persist longer than 10 days’ time. Duration of persistence of withdrawal signs vary based on timespan of treatment, doses taken per day, strength of dosages, your age and prior medical conditions, if any.
A few people developed evidence of dependencies and being addicted to this med. Risks of dependencies are likely in people who take opioids and / or alcohol. Symptoms of addiction are craving to consume more of this med, talking to doctors to obtain more prescriptions, intake of larger dosages, etc. In general, users who took 3,000 mg or more each day may have to stay cautious of risks of addiction or dependencies.
Tapering off the last few doses of gabapentin 400 mg
Doctors resort to a time-tested route to prevent the likely onset of withdrawal symptoms. They taper off your final few doses. Studies on this subject establish a close link between tapering last dosages and reduction of symptoms of withdrawal.
Also, it is a safe thing to space out doses in evenly distributed manner. Plans that have a night dose must be taken 30 minutes before going to sleep or your usual bedtime. If you are taking night dose, check with your caregiver / pharmacist about possible side effects of taking gabapentin 400 mg along with a few other meds in the night.
Other possible adverse effects and how to manage them
This anticonvulsant med may trigger a few undesired effects and unpleasant results. These counterproductive outcomes include spells of headaches / migraine, signs of infections like fever, tremors, runny nose as well as gastric problems like vomiting, nausea and / or indigestion. Owing to these undesired effects, it is a good thing to have more knowledge about all likely side effects of this med.
For instance, if skin problems such as inflammation, hives or itchiness are showing up, it may be due to prior allergies to anticonvulsant meds. Upon noticing one or more of these allergies, speak with your physician without much delay.
Upon sensing undesired reactions such as swelling of lower lips, tongue or nostrils, or onset of respiratory difficulties, it is highly recommended to obtain clinical assistance on a top priority mode. In general, if you have had prior episodes of allergic reactions to genre to which gabapentin 400 mg belongs to, consult with your caregiver and share all inputs about earlier spells of hypersensitivity.
The need to adhere to prescribed medication plan
You are advised to exert needful caution and take all dosages without forgetting even a single dose. If you forgot to consume a dosage, never increase the strength of the upcoming dose. People tend to do this unsafe thing to make up for the missed dosage. This is a dangerous thing to do. Taking two dosages at the same time may lead to potential risks of toxicity.
How effective is Gabapentin 400mg for nerve pain?
The results of medicine Gabapentin 400mg over the counter shows that 30 to 40% of people taking gabapentin were able to reduce the pain by half or more, compared to 10 to 20% of people consuming the placebo. Although some people might attain significant relief, which others might also have side effects without having any sort of relief of pain.
How much is Gabapentin 400 mg without insurance?
Gabapentin 400 mg price may vary depending on the type of pharmacy you purchase this med. Also, where you live in the US matters and is a factor that influences gabapentin 400 mg price.
Users can be better-off to know of an online pharmacy called internationaldrugmart. This pharmacy sells several cost-effective approaches to procure gabapentin 400 mg online. These online vendors of drugs help save on costs, especially to people who are not covered by an insurance scheme. Gabapentin 400 mg price in this online pharmacy is known to be available at rates lower than other drugstores / pharmacies. One can take advantage of the lower price options this online pharmacy extends which is seldom offered by other pharmacies / drugstores.
Gabapentin 400 mg price is in the range of ~ USD 15 – 16 for 30 pills, if the med is bought from online pharmacies. Internationaldrugmart offers gabapentin 400 mg capsule at much lower price. It enables price-sensitive buyers to get antiseizure meds at truly competitive prices.
Internationaldrugmart also offers more scope for shoppers to achieve substantial savings while you are buying gabapentin 400 mg capsule, chiefly if you do not have an active insurance program to cover your drug costs.
Can I buy Gabapentin 400mg over the counter?
No, you cannot get the medicine Gabapentin 400mg over the counter. You will need a proper prescription before one can receive the medication gabapentin or Neurontin. This amazing Gabapentin and Neurontin medicine is not available over the counter and must be prescribed by a licensed doctor only. Gabapentin without prescription is not classified as a controlled substance in most of the states and it can be prescribed online in 43 out of 50 states.
Some people try buying gabapentin 400 mg capsule or such anticonvulsant drugs as over the counter (OTC) meds. However, this is considered an unsafe option to pursue. This med is available to people only on showing a valid prescription from a qualified doctor or caregiving practitioner. You may need to know that some anticonvulsant drugs may be available through the over the counter mode. You can check with your pharmacist to know more in this regard.
In general, remedies offered by OTC meds lack ample evidence. Several of them may not have substantial scientific basis of their remedial properties. Also, relief such drugs offer from pains may be of a temporary kind. So, as a precautionary or safety measure, talk to your treating physician before purchasing gabapentin 400 mg online.
Can I buy Gabapentin 400mg without a prescription?
Gabapentin medicine is not sold as a Gabapentin 400mg over the counter medication. You shall also need a prescription for gabapentin from your healthcare provider. One shall need to fill the prescription at a pharmacy. Gabapentin without prescription belongs to the family of medicines known as antiepileptic medicine that is used for the treatment of epilepsy (seizures) when other treatments might have not worked.
What are the questions to ask your doctor before taking Gabapentin 400mg capsule?
- Is it possible for me to take Gabapentin with other drugs?
- Should certain beverages, foods and other products be avoided when I take Gabapentin?
- What are the possible drug interactions of Gabapentin?
- How will Gabapentin work in my body?
- How should Gabapentin be taken?
- How to reduce the risk of Gabapentin drug interactions and side effects?
Note
The health and medical information provided here is intended to supplement and not substitute for the expertise and judgment of your physician, pharmacists or other health care professional. It should not be understood to indicate that the use of Gabapentin is safe, appropriate or effective for you. Always consult your health care professional before using this, or any other, drug.