Does Gabapentin work immediately? (+3 options)

In the article given below, we will be digging deep into the mechanism of action of Gabapentin. We will discuss the duration of action of this drug in treating different health conditions. We will also be looking into the side effects and interactions of this drug.

Does Gabapentin work immediately?

Gabapentin may or may not work immediately. Its mechanism depends on the dosage and the condition for which it has been taken.

The duration and onset of action of Gabapentin varies significantly based on the health condition of the patient. Therefore, it may take a few hours to days for it to develop its action.

How does Gabapentin affect your brain?

Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant medication that can freely cross the blood-brain barrier and has a direct effect on certain brain chemicals.

It is commonly sold under the brand name Neurontin. It is used for the treatment of epileptic seizures, and neuropathic pain, and for relieving anxiety symptoms (1).

Even though Gabapentin has a similar chemical structure to GABA, it does not bind directly to GABA receptors. Rather it induces its effect indirectly on GABAergic neurotransmission as it has an inhibitory effect by slowing down the nerve signals in the brain.

Gabapentin works directly by binding to the high-voltage-gated calcium channels and inhibiting the excitatory neurotransmitters from causing excessive excitability of nerve cells (1).

What is the expected time frame for Gabapentin to show effect?

Gabapentin can be prescribed for the treatment of many health conditions. Some of them are discussed below:

Gabapentin for epileptic seizures

Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant drug that is mostly prescribed for relieving partial or complete seizures, particularly in epileptic patients (2).

However, the onset of action of gabapentin for the treatment of epileptic seizures may vary from person to person. The initial short-term effects of gabapentin may appear within a few hours of drug administration to a few days (2).

The seizure control activity of gabapentin is achieved at an initial dose of 300-1200mg which could be increased up to 3600mg per day in three divided doses (1).

Gabapentin for nerve pain

If your doctor or pharmacist has prescribed Gabapentin for the relief of nerve pain, it may take 2 weeks to 2 months to have pain relief.

Gabapentin may not immediately relieve pain and if it takes longer than 6-8 weeks, you should consult your doctor to increase dosage or change in medication (3).

The initial dosage of gabapentin for neuropathic pain should start from 300to1200mg with a maximum dose of 3600mg in three divided doses per day.

For this condition, you should start taking gabapentin with a low dose and slowly increase the dosage until the desired results are achieved (3).

Some side effects of using this drug for neuropathic pain include fever, drowsiness, dizziness, anxiety, flatulence, diarrhoea, mood changes, headache, and variation in blood pressure. Increasing the medication dose may increase dizziness and drowsiness which is why you should not drive on Gabapentin (3).

Gabapentin for anxiety

For monitoring the duration of anxiety with Gabapentin, various reports suggest that many patients experienced relief in anxiety symptoms within a few weeks. The patients were recommended a dosage of 200-1800mg per day in divided doses along with other medication in their regimens (4).

The patients showed a reduction in irritability, worry, anxiety, and panic symptoms. The initial improvement in anxiety symptoms of patients started to appear after two weeks of continuous drug intake (4).

These patients displayed a serious reduction in anxiety symptoms and were considered generally safe to use with other drugs (4).

What to do if Gabapentin fails to provide relief?

If your doctor has mentioned a time duration for relief of symptoms, and the results are not obtained then consult your doctor again. Additional symptoms or underlying conditions can prolong the onset of drug action, which needs to be properly conveyed to your healthcare prescriber.

If the symptoms or side effects are prolonged, then the patient needs to seek immediate medical help.

Conclusion

In this article, we have elaborately discussed the mechanism of working for Gabapentin. This article also sheds light on the time frame for the onset of action and certain factors on which gabapentin depends for working and producing efficacious outcomes.

References