Gabapentin is a drug used in conjunction with other drugs to control seizures. It is also used in the prevention and control of nerve pain and is considered to be an effective drug for this use.
Gabapentin, initially the effects of gabapentin are not immediate and you may need to take the drug continuously for a couple of weeks to feel the benefit of this drug. Gabapentin needs to build up in your system once it has you can expect to feel relief after 20 to 30 minutes.
It’s important to remember that gabapentin is not a sedative, so it may not provide immediate relief for insomnia. It is typically taken at bedtime to help reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality over time.
If you are taking gabapentin for sleep and are not noticing any improvement after a few weeks, you should talk to your doctor. They may recommend adjusting the dosage or trying a different medication.
How Much Gabapentin Should I Take?
Only take what has been prescribed.
This drug is prescribed for people with seizures along with other drugs. It is also effective against nerve pain.
The medication is most effective when maintained at a constant level within the body, it’s important to take the medication as prescribed and at regular intervals to maintain its efficacy.
Under no circumstances let twelve hours elapse between taking the medication, this renders the medication ineffective until you have built up the correct level again.
Gabapentin comes in different forms and may look the same to you, the differences are to do with how Gabapentin is released into your bloodstream.
It is important not to interchange the medication unless you have the consent of your doctor.
Your doctor may instruct you to split the tablets to get the correct dose, if you have not taken the other half of the tablet within seven day discard the tablet to maintain the potency of the drug.
Gabapentin may be introduced into your system gradually with your doctor increasing the dose as your symptoms may require.
Does Gabapentin 100 mg Make You Sleepy?
The effects of Gabapentin will vary from person to person depending on body weight and body composition.
You should only take what has been prescribed to you, if you feel the medication is not having the desired effects you expected after 1 month consult your doctor for advice.
Gabapentin and Children
If your child has been prescribed this medication the amount of medication will be calculated against body weight, consequently a growing child will have the medication increased.
The Importance Of Following The Prescription Instructions
Due to the way this drug released at different rates in the body it is imperative to adhere to the prescribed amount and time to take the drug,
When first prescribed it is best to take Gabapentin at bedtime and then follow the schedule equally spaced through the day.
Gabapentin Side Effects
There are side effects to gabapentin and you should be aware of these side effects and how to recoginse if there is a problem.
Ganapentin can cause difficulty with breathing and in some cases the user will need to be admitted to hospital as an emergency.
You should not be using this medication if you have kidney disease.
If you suffer from mood swings this should be discussed with your doctor, Gabapentin has been reported to increase suicidal thoughts in users who have depression and anxiety.
Heart or liver disease is a concern with this drug and will not be prescribed.
Nerve Dysfunction
Because we are all different and our symptoms are different we will find that finding relief from nerve pain varies greatly, it should occur within two weeks but can take longer depending on the prescribed dosage and your condition.
When we take drugs we normally expect immediate relief from our symptoms, well normally within 30 minutes if we are honest.
However, this drug works differently in all that take it. On the outside you should expect the drug to be at its maximum efficiency after one month.
What is the best time to take gabapentin?
If you have been using this drug for awhile you will have noticed some variances from different manufacturers. The drug can be taken as a liquid and you are instructed to use precise measurements.
Most users take the medicine in the form of a tablet with precise instructions. You may have noticed that when taking the medication from Horizant the medication should always be taken with food. When other Pharmaceutical companies say to take the medicine on an empty stomach.
Gabapentin is mostly prescribed to be taken before bed.
Does Gabapentin Help With Sleep and Anxiety?
On occasions Gabapentin may be prescribed off label to help with mild symptoms of anxiety and bi-polar disorder.
However, when coming off gabapentin a side effect can be anxiety. Speak to your doctor if you are worried about this medication.
Trigeminal Neuralgia
Trigeminal Neuralgia is a condition where the patient is experiencing pain along the nerve of the jaw bone.
This is a painful condition and tend s to last for sometime. You can get some relief using normal pain killers but Gabapentin is prescribed if the condition is not abating.
There have been long term studies in the effectiveness of this medication for treating Neuralgia, the studies show mixed results with the average of 80% women and 20% men taking the medication.
The results indicate there is immediate relief to be found with the drug. However, ging the drug time to build in the body gives significant improvements in the condition
Conclusion
Gabapentin is an effective drug and can be used effectively for pain or seizures, due to the way the drug is constructed for the required release of Gabapentin into the bloodstream you should never mix tablets.
How soon will Gabapentin kick in and give you relief from your symptoms and pain. It depends somewhat on your size and how you absorb the medication.
If we talk about average after two weeks you will see an improvement and after one month of taking the medication you will have maximum efficacy.
