Gabapentin: what it is for, how it works, how to take it and side effects


Gabapentin is a drug used to treat seizures and neuropathic pain, which is pain caused by nerve damage.

Neuropathic pain can arise as a complication of diabetes or after a reactivation of the varicella zoster virus, which causes chickenpox.

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Gabapentin has been used as an anticonvulsant for 20 years, but previously only its effects as a muscle relaxant and antispasmodic were known.

Due to its therapeutic application, gabapentin can only be purchased upon presentation and retention of a medical prescription. Medical guidelines regarding the dose and time of use are essential, so that you have the benefits of the medicine.

The brand name for gabapentin is Neurontin®, available in 300 and 400 mg capsules and 400 and 600 mg tablets. The drug can be purchased at SUS pharmacies, as it appears in the National List of Essential Medicines (Rename).

See what gabapentin is for, how it works, how to take it, what are the contraindications and possible side effects of the medicine.