Can Gabapentin stop working? (3+ reasons of Gabapentin inefficiency) 

In this blog post, we are going to answer the question, “Can Gabapentin stop working?”. Gabapentin is a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) analog and is used for the treatment of a number of health conditions. 

However, this med may stop working in some people after some time and this is what we are going to cover in this blog. We will look at the factors that can affect the effectiveness of your Gabapentin and what to do if it stops working. 

Can Gabapentin stop working?

Yes, Gabapentin can stop working in some cases. In fact, this is one of the most common complaints with this medication. Gabapentin is considered one of the most complex and dangerous medications in the world. 

This med is not tolerated well by every other individual taking it. Some, who do start their journey with Gabapentin in good terms, may suffer from Gabapentin inefficiency after some months. The probability of Gabapentin behaving that way also depends on the person taking it. 

Make sure you don’t deviate from your normal administration schedule if such a thing happens to you. A survey suggested that people find it normal to take twice the dose of their prescribed medication simply because they don’t find a single dose to be effective. 

This is one of the most common myths that people believe in. Doubling up your dose will not help your health. No, it won’t. When a healthcare provider prescribes a dose, he or she does it after considering all the important factors that can affect the dosage strength of your medication. 

Each individual gets a carefully determined dose that goes well with their physiological composition and any underlying health condition already present. This is the best way to make sure that you won’t suffer at the hands of either Gabapentin or any other prescription medication. 

However, when people start to take things into their own hands, they unintentionally end up ruining their entire treatment plan. Gabapentin, as stated earlier, is one of the most dangerous medicines on the planet. Don’t ever take it more than what your doctor has given. 

Never! The symptoms related to Gabapentin overdose are nerve-racking and they can significantly worsen your pre-existing health condition and can also give rise to a number of new complications. 

What are the possible reasons associated with Gabapentin inefficiency? 

There are a few reasons why Gabapentin may stop working in your body. Some of these include:

Addition of an incompatible prescription medication 

The addition of a medication that is not compatible with Gabapentin is one of the most common reasons why Gabapentin stops working suddenly. This can be easily identified and the problem can be solved. This problem is usually avoidable. 

When you go to a healthcare provider for any health-related problem, your history is always taken, including your medication history. This is when you should inform about every single medication you might be taking. 

This helps your doctor determine a safe treatment regimen. Drug interactions should always be looked at. There are plenty of meds that don’t work well with Gabapentin. 

They either interact pharmacodynamically or pharmacokinetically. Pharmacodynamic interactions are those in which medicine may interact with the working of Gabapentin. It may change the site at which the drug binds or it simply interferes with the mechanism of action of Gabapentin. 

This can result in therapeutic failure. Pharmacokinetic interactions are those in which medicine can change the rate of absorption or elimination of Gabapentin. 

It may not let Gabapentin absorb completely or it may cause rapid elimination of the drug without giving it enough time to produce the desired response. This also leads to therapeutic failure. Some of the drugs that don’t pair well with Gabapentin include:

• Aluminium and magnesium-containing Antacids
• Antidepressants, like Paxil, Prozac, Celexa, Elavil etc. 
• Anti-anxiety medications like benzodiazepines, including Ativan, Valium, Xanax, Klonopin etc. 
• Antipsychotic medications, like Largactil, Haldol etc. 
• Anti-allergy medications or antihistamines, like Lorin, ChlorTrimeton etc
• Sleeping pills
• Narcotic analgesics 
• Controlled substances 

Improper dose administration 

Improper dose administration is another reason why your Gabapentin may stop working. You have to ensure the proper use of medications, especially meds like Gabapentin which are not so easy to deal with. When you take your med improperly, it can lead to negative outcomes. 

Some people skip their doses thinking that it’s better to take the med on alternate days. No! You should never do that. If alternate dose administration was beneficial for your case, your doctor would have recommended that. 

You should take Gabapentin just as directed by your healthcare provider. Some people start taking more than the prescribed dose simply because they think that taking twice the dose will help them recover faster. That is so not the case. 

Taking more than what you’re supposed to come with more side effects. Imagine doing this with one of the most dangerous meds like Gabapentin. Can anything good come out of it? Think about it. 

Excessive use of alcohol and caffeine 

Excessive use of alcohol and caffeine can also make your Gabapentin ineffective. Gabapentin can actually be used for alcohol withdrawal. The med can significantly help tone down some of the symptoms associated with alcohol withdrawal. 

However, if you take Gabapentin and alcohol at the same time, the drug will not do you any good. It will simply not deliver any beneficial therapeutic outcome. Not just this, it may interact negatively with Gabapentin and may cause terrible, terrible side effects. 

Gabapentin is meant to be taken after stopping alcohol. However, Gabapentin is not the first choice of drug for alcohol cessation because of the side effects it produces. This med is also not tolerated well by every other person. Only the lucky ones are able to bear it. 

Caffeine, on the other hand, can significantly make Gabapentin ineffective by interacting with it. When excessive coffee is present in your body, it significantly slows down the activity of Gabapentin. 

Underlying health conditions

Underlying health conditions can also play an important role in the activity of your Gabapentin. When you ingest a medication, it goes through a lot of physiological systems before it reaches its target receptors.

It goes through the stomach, liver, and is excreted out of the body by your kidneys. If there is an underlying health condition present in your body, like liver diseases, kidney diseases etc, can significantly affect the activity of Gabapentin in your system. 

Mostly, these conditions delay the effects of Gabapentin and make the drug inefficient for you as it becomes unable to deliver desired therapeutic outcomes. 

In such patients, the dose is usually adjusted to make sure that you don’t suffer from unusual side effects. Gabapentin is not an easy medication and it should definitely be used cautiously. 

Conclusion 

In this blog post, we have discussed the reasons which lead to the inefficiency of Gabapentin. Gabapentin is a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) analog and is used for the treatment of a number of health conditions. 

However, this med may stop working in some people after some time. In fact, this is one of the most common complaints with this medication. Gabapentin is considered one of the most complex and dangerous medications in the world. 

This med is not tolerated well by every other individual taking it. Make sure you talk to your healthcare provider if you think that your Gabapentin is not working as well as it used to. Do not increase the dose on your own thinking that it would help solve the problem. 

Overdosing on Gabapentin can become a nightmare as it can cause a number of disturbing symptoms. Make sure you use this med properly. 

FAQs: gabapentin stopped working 

Can gabapentin just stop working?

Yes, Gabapentin can stop working in some individuals. In fact, this is one of the most common complaints with this medication. Gabapentin is considered one of the most complex and dangerous medications in the world. This med is not tolerated well by every other individual taking it.

What happens when gabapentin stops working?

When Gabapentin stops working, you don’t achieve your desired treatment goals. Gabapentin is a gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) analog and is used for the treatment of a number of health conditions including Convulsions, anxiety, neuropathic pain, restless leg syndrome, menopausal symptoms, and nerve pain associated with shingles etc. If it doesn’t work, you don’t find relief in any of the above-mentioned conditions. 

Does gabapentin become more effective over time?

Gabapentin can only become more effective with time if your doctor escalates your dose accordingly. If you’re on the same dose, then the med works in the same manner. However, Gabapentin can stop working in some individuals. 

In fact, this is one of the most common complaints with this medication. Gabapentin is considered one of the most complex and dangerous medications in the world. This med is not tolerated well by every other individual taking it.

How long can you stay on gabapentin?

According to a research study, you can stay on Gabapentin for 5 to 7 months. However, the time duration of your treatment is determined by your healthcare provider. This is decided according to the condition for which you have started taking this medication and the severity of this condition. It also depends on how well you can tolerate Gabapentin. If you can’t seem to tolerate this medication well then the treatment is discontinued and you’re switched to another, safer medicine. 

What should I avoid while taking gabapentin?

• Narcotic analgesics: Both narcotic opioid analgesics and gabapentin decrease the amount of excitatory neurotransmitters in your brain. This can slow down your physiological functions including breathing rate. 
• Alcohol can also act as a central nervous system (CNS) depressant. The synergistic effects of alcohol and gabapentin can cause severe depression and suicidal behavior.
• Certain diabetic agents may react with gabapentin and cause increased water retention, which results in swelling or edema in the upper and lower extremities, or any other part of the body.

What are the signs of gabapentin toxicity?

Gabapentin can cause some serious side effects. These include:

• Suicidal behavior 
• Impaired motor coordination 
• Thrombocytopenia or decreased levels of platelets
• Water retention
• Rhabdomyolysis, a condition associated with abnormal breakdown of muscles
• Convulsions 
• Swelling or tenderness in different parts of the body.
• Allergic reaction associated with symptoms like redness of skin, itching, burning sensation, blisters, blue-purple patches, tightness of chest, wheezing, difficulty in breathing, hoarseness etc. 

References 

• Gabapentin Has Stopped Working &You Can Make it Work Again https://wholesomealive.com/gabapentin-has-stopped-working/ 
• Gabapentin https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/21561-gabapentin
• Gabapentin Withdrawal Symptoms, Signs & Side Effects https://americanaddictioncenters.org/neurontin-abuse/gabapentin-cause-withdrawal-symptoms
• National Library of Medicine – Gabapentin https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a694007.html 
• Gabapentin: The most dangerous drug in America? https://www.dentistryiq.com/dental-assisting/patient-relations/article/16367636/gabapentin-the-most-dangerous-drug-in-america
• Gabriel C Quintero – Review about gabapentin misuse, interactions, contraindications and side effects and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5308580/