Gabapentin for epilepsy

Examples

Generic Name	Brand Name
gabapentin	Neurontin

Gabapentin requires several daily doses and comes in capsules and pills.

How It Works

It is not known exactly how gabapentin prevents seizures.

Why It Is Used

Gabapentin may be used alone or combined with other antiepileptic medications to control partial seizures in adults and in children age 3 and older.^{1, 2}

How Well It Works

Gabapentin can reduce the frequency of seizures by more than 50%.¹ Although it is not as effective as other new epilepsy drugs, it may have fewer side effects. Gabapentin has not been shown to be effective for treating primary generalized seizures or childhood absence seizures.

Side Effects

Gabapentin is a well-tolerated drug that usually causes only mild side effects. These often go away within 1 to 2 weeks and include:

• Dizziness.
• Drowsiness and fatigue.
• Headache.
• Sedation.
• Weight gain.
• Foot swelling.

See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)

What To Think About

Cost

Gabapentin is expensive. However, the cost of this medication is usually covered by your provincial health plan.

Other concerns

For some people, gabapentin may produce side effects or carry risks, including an increased risk of birth defects, that are not fully known yet. Report any unexpected side effects or problems to your doctor.

It may take time and careful, controlled adjustments by you and your doctor to find the combination, schedule, and dosing of medication to best manage your epilepsy. The goal is to prevent seizures while causing as few unwanted side effects as possible. Once the most effective medication program is determined, it is important that you follow it exactly as prescribed.

Complete the new medication information form (PDF) (What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this medication.

Author:	Douglas Dana Merrill Hayden	Last Updated: February 2, 2006
Medical Review:	Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Tom Bailey, MD - Family Medicine Steven C. Schachter, MD - Neurology
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