It’s very important to let your doctor know about all drugs you are taking, including illegal or recreational drugs, over-the-counter medications, herbs, or supplements.
Taking gabapentin with other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing can worsen these effects. Ask your doctor before taking gabapentin with a sleeping pill, narcotic pain medicine, muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety, depression, or seizures.
Types of drugs that are known to interact with gabapentin and may cause problems include:
- Opiate pain medications, including Vicodin and morphine, among others
- Naproxen (also known as the brands Aleve, Naprosyn, and others)
- Medications used for heartburn, including Mylanta, Maalox, and cimetidine
If you do dipstick tests to check your urine for protein, tell your doctor. Gabapentin may affect the results of some of these types of tests.
There are only a few interaction issues that are known. Antacids have been known to decrease absorption of the drug, as well as lower the blood level by 20%. Gabapentin could also increase the level of concentration of some oral contraceptives by up to 13%. However, these two interaction possibilities are not clinically significant in any way.
Gabapentin can interact with other medications, supplements, and substances, potentially affecting how it works in the body or increasing the risk of side effects. Some interactions to be aware of include:
- Alcohol: Drinking alcohol while taking gabapentin can increase the risk of drowsiness, dizziness, and impaired coordination. Avoid or limit alcohol consumption while using gabapentin.
- Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants: Gabapentin can enhance the effects of other medications or substances that depress the central nervous system, such as benzodiazepines (e.g., diazepam), opioids (e.g., morphine), and certain antidepressants. This can lead to increased sedation, drowsiness, and respiratory depression.
- Antacids: Some antacids containing aluminum or magnesium can reduce the absorption of gabapentin when taken together. To minimize this interaction, it’s recommended to take gabapentin at least 2 hours before or after taking antacids.
- Opioid Pain Medications: Concurrent use of gabapentin with opioid pain medications can increase the risk of respiratory depression, sedation, and other central nervous system effects. Close monitoring is typically recommended when these medications are used together.
- Certain Antacids: Some antacids containing aluminum or magnesium can decrease the absorption of gabapentin. To avoid this interaction, gabapentin should be taken at least 2 hours before or after taking these antacids.
- Other Medications: Gabapentin can interact with certain medications used to treat seizures, such as phenytoin and valproic acid. It’s essential to inform your doctor about all medications, supplements, and herbal products you are taking to avoid potential interactions.
- Kidney Function: Gabapentin is primarily eliminated from the body by the kidneys. If you have impaired kidney function, the dose of gabapentin may need to be adjusted to avoid accumulation in the body and potential toxicity.
Gabapentin Drug Interactions
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Acepromazine
- Alfentanil
- Alprazolam
- Amobarbital
- Anileridine
- Aripiprazole
- Asenapine
- Baclofen
- Benperidol
- Benzhydrocodone
- Bromazepam
- Buprenorphine
- Buspirone
- Butabarbital
- Butorphanol
- Calcifediol
- Calcium Oxybate
- Cannabidiol
- Cannabis
- Carbinoxamine
- Carisoprodol
- Carphenazine
- Chloral Hydrate
- Chlordiazepoxide
- Chlorpromazine
- Chlorzoxazone
- Clobazam
- Clonazepam
- Clorazepate
- Clozapine
- Codeine
- Cyclobenzaprine
- Daridorexant
- Dexmedetomidine
- Diacetylmorphine
- Diazepam
- Dichloralphenazone
- Difenoxin
- Dihydrocodeine
- Diphenhydramine
- Diphenoxylate
- Doxylamine
- Droperidol
- Enflurane
- Esketamine
- Estazolam
- Eszopiclone
- Ethchlorvynol
- Ethopropazine
- Ethylmorphine
- Fentanyl
- Flibanserin
- Flunitrazepam
- Fluphenazine
- Flurazepam
- Fluspirilene
- Fospropofol
- Gabapentin Enacarbil
- Halazepam
- Haloperidol
- Halothane
- Hexobarbital
- Hydrocodone
- Hydromorphone
- Hydroxyzine
- Isoflurane
- Ketamine
- Ketazolam
- Ketobemidone
- Lacosamide
- Levocetirizine
- Levorphanol
- Lorazepam
- Loxapine
- Magnesium Oxybate
- Meclizine
- Melperone
- Meperidine
- Mephobarbital
- Meprobamate
- Meptazinol
- Mesoridazine
- Metaxalone
- Methadone
- Methdilazine
- Methocarbamol
- Methohexital
- Methotrimeprazine
- Methylene Blue
- Midazolam
- Molindone
- Moricizine
- Morphine
- Morphine Sulfate Liposome
- Nalbuphine
- Nicomorphine
- Nitrazepam
- Nitrous Oxide
- Olanzapine
- Oliceridine
- Opium
- Opium Alkaloids
- Orlistat
- Orphenadrine
- Oxazepam
- Oxycodone
- Oxymorphone
- Papaveretum
- Paregoric
- Pentazocine
- Pentobarbital
- Perampanel
- Perazine
- Periciazine
- Perphenazine
- Phenobarbital
- Pimozide
- Piperacetazine
- Pipotiazine
- Piritramide
- Potassium Oxybate
- Prazepam
- Pregabalin
- Primidone
- Prochlorperazine
- Promazine
- Promethazine
- Propofol
- Quazepam
- Quetiapine
- Ramelteon
- Remifentanil
- Remimazolam
- Remoxipride
- Ropeginterferon Alfa-2b-njft
- Secobarbital
- Sertindole
- Sodium Oxybate
- Sufentanil
- Sulpiride
- Suvorexant
- Tapentadol
- Temazepam
- Thiethylperazine
- Thiopental
- Thiopropazate
- Thioridazine
- Tilidine
- Tizanidine
- Tolonium Chloride
- Topiramate
- Tramadol
- Triazolam
- Trifluoperazine
- Trifluperidol
- Triflupromazine
- Trimeprazine
- Zaleplon
- Zolpidem
- Zopiclone
- Zotepine
- Zuranolone
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Aluminum Carbonate, Basic
- Aluminum Hydroxide
- Aluminum Phosphate
- Dihydroxyaluminum Aminoacetate
- Dihydroxyaluminum Sodium Carbonate
- Ginkgo
- Magaldrate
- Magnesium Carbonate
- Magnesium Hydroxide
- Magnesium Oxide
- Magnesium Trisilicate
Other Interactions
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.
Other Medical Problems
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Depression, history of or
- Lung or breathing problems (eg, respiratory depression) or
- Mood or mental changes, history of—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.
- Kidney disease (eg, patients receiving dialysis)—Use with caution. The effects may be increased because of slower removal of the medicine from the body.