Gabapentin is prescribed for a variety of reasons, including nerve pain due to conditions such as shingles or herpes. However, it is most commonly used in the treatment of seizures for children and adults over the age of 12. Before taking gabapentin, it is important to learn about its side effects.
Side Effects in Children
Gabapentin may have a different effect on children than it does on adults. Drugs.com recommends calling the doctor if your child begins to exhibit side effects such as changes in his behavior that include aggressiveness, hostility or restlessness. Memory problems or difficulty concentrating may also be cause for concern.
Common Side Effects in Adults
As reported by Dr. Arthur Schoenstadt of eMedTV.com, the most common side effects of gabapentin in adults has been reported in 8 to 28 percent of those taking this medication. Just as with children, these side effects are generally harmless and usually subside once your body is acclimated to the drug.
Initially you may suffer from dizziness and lack of coordination. Fever may also occur, along with nausea and vomiting. Infections (such as urinary tract infections) may accompany the fever, and you may feel drowsy due to the medication slowing down the nerve impulses in your brain. Fluid retention is also common and cause swelling of your feet, hands, arms and legs.
Weight Gain
Weight gain is a fairly common side effect for both children and adults taking gabapentin. While a slight weight gain in children is not considered to be unusual or unhealthy, contact your child's doctor if it becomes significant over time.
In adults, weight gain may be more bothersome rather than an actual cause for concern. If your weight gain is slow but steady while taking gabapentin, you can eat more fruits and vegetables, add whole grains to your diet, swap high-fat meat for lean cuts and omit foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Also, exercising 30 minutes a day most of the days of the week will help.
In certain cases, weight gain may be an indication of a more serious health problem. If you notice the weight gain is rapid and you are retaining excess fluid, it may be a sign of congestive heart failure. Your doctor needs to be made aware of these symptoms immediately should you begin to experience them.
Thoughts of Suicide
According to eMedTV.com, the FDA released a warning for seizure medications due to the increased risk of suicidal thoughts in the patients taking them. While this warning encompassed only a few anticonvulsants--gabapentin among them--the FDA feels the risk includes all seizure medications.
Because of the necessity of anticonvulsants, it is believed the benefits outweigh this risk. Therefore, the FDA recommends that anyone taking a seizure medication watch for the warning signs of suicidal behavior and alert family members to these signs as well. They include a preoccupation with death, thinking or talking of suicide, becoming depressed or a worsening of a preexisting depressive condition, and giving away valued possessions.
