In the United States, state, federal, and private employers observe the right to dictate their…. Most people experience many periods of stress in their lifetime. Working, raising children, even just…. Gabapentin, the generic name for Neurontin, is a prescription medication that is used to treat neuropathic pain, nerve pain, epilepsy, hot flashes, restless leg syndrome, and more. The medication functions as a mild tranquilizer that can produce euphoric effects when taken in high doses.
While the medication is meant to be swallowed whole, snorting gabapentin is a popular method of consumption among drug users. As a result, doctors and physicians often prescribe this medication for off-label use. In fact, there have been increasing reports of gabapentin abuse throughout the years. Even though it is not a controlled substance, gabapentin abuse can be dangerous, addictive, and life-threatening. Additionally, people who snort the drug or combine it with other drugs may be at an increased risk of addiction and severe side effects compared to those who take the medication as advised by their doctor.
Overall, gabapentin Neurontin is abused far less than other drugs, such as opioids and benzodiazepines. The medication is involved with the GABA neurotransmitters in the brain, the same neurotransmitters affected by benzodiazepines. As such, the drug slows down the central nervous system. However, gabapentin does not affect GABA in the same way. In high doses, this can produce a high that is similar to that produced by marijuana. The most popular way to abuse gabapentin is by mixing it with alcohol , opioids, or benzodiazepines to increase the effects of the other intoxicant.
Some people abuse the drug by taking a high dose of it, crushing and snorting it, or injecting it. No matter what way the drug is abused, long-term gabapentin abuse can lead to the development of tolerance, physical dependence, and addiction. If someone abuses gabapentin for an extended period of time, they may develop a tolerance. Tolerance occurs when a person needs to consistently increase their dose in order to achieve the effects they are chasing.
When tolerance develops, drug users may use more of the drug or seek alternative ways to ingest the drug to make the effects more powerful. For example, according to the Ohio Board of Pharmacy , gabapentin was the most-dispensed drug in the state of Ohio in December But by January , six of the eight were reporting misuse.
That trend has continued in Even when taken in the prescribed dosage, gabapentin can produce a number of side effects. These are only magnified when taking a gabapentin recreational dose:. The danger arises when gabapentin is abused at higher levels, because fatal overdoses been reported at doses as low as mg. These effects are dangerously magnified when gabapentin and alcohol are used together, especially since alcohol is already quite dangerous on its own.
Although a gabapentin overdose appears very similar to an opioid overdose, victims will not successfully respond to an administration of Narcan, the anti-opioid overdose reversal emergency medication.
In fact, a whopping And one of the best ways of doing that is by taking a short online addiction quiz. It only takes a few minutes to complete and could end up being the objective opinion you need to finally recognize your gabapentin abuse and addiction.
You can also use the guidelines for a substance use disorder that are provided by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health to take a more objective look at patterns of gabapentin abuse.
These 11 scenarios from the National Institute on Drug Abuse are used by licensed physicians and psychiatrists around the world to diagnose substance use disorders. Most especially, doctors should be cautious of giving gabapentin Neurontin to patients with a personal or family history of substance abuse, particularly if that history of abuse involves opioids.
Rather, the entire focus needs to be on curtailing the diversion and abuse of gabapentin, which can in turn positively impact the ongoing opioid epidemic.
More than anything, patients and providers alike should have an increased awareness of the abuse potential of gabapentin and the dangers of drug diversion.
Unfortunately, NO prescription medication is safe when it is not taken in the prescribed manner or at the correct dosage.
Curbing the misuse of Neurontin and other medications containing gabapentin will take away one of the biggest strategies used by opioid addicts to maintain their addiction. It's Possible to overcome addiction. Poluru Reddy, Ph. Our substance use disorder program accepts many health insurance plans, this is our residential program.
First Things First—What is Gabapentin? Some of the specific conditions that gabapentin treats, both approved and off-label, include: Diabetic neuropathy Fibromyalgia Shingles Multiple sclerosis pain and spasticity Hot flashes Restless leg syndrome Involuntary eye movement Anxiety Tremors Itching due to kidney failure Non-seizure symptoms of alcohol withdrawal Second-line treatment for Substance Use Disorders SUDs The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has promoted Neurontin gabapentin as a safer potential alternative to dangerous opioids, and the American Pain Society has made the recommendation that it should be used to treat pain after surgery.
Ultimately then, what is gabapentin? Take a look at our inpatient program. Gabapentin—Wonder Drug or Snake Oil? Rachel Vickers Smith, Ph. Roughly 2 out of every 3 drugs deaths involve opioids.
Get your life back in order, take a look at our residential program. But how are drug users committing gabapentin abuse? How much Neurontin to get high, then, depends entirely on the person involved.
Reddy The drugs prescribed during the Medication-Assisted Treatment that is utilized by top rehab programs can block the pleasurable effects of opioids, but they have no effect on non-opioid substances like gabapentin. Privacy laws can also be a hindrance to addressing gabapentin abuse.
And as is the case with most diverted drugs, abuse follows increased use. Keller Even when taken in the prescribed dosage, gabapentin can produce a number of side effects. Symptoms of gabapentin overdose include: Loss of muscle coordination ataxia Mania Hypoactivity Extreme sedation Drowsiness Slurred speech Drooping eyelids Difficulty breathing Violent diarrhea These effects are dangerously magnified when gabapentin and alcohol are used together, especially since alcohol is already quite dangerous on its own.
Emergency help is always needed during gabapentin overdose situations. The most notable signs of gabapentin abuse are: Takes more than is prescribed. Runs out much sooner than expected. It is increasingly being used preemptively to control postoperative pain. Therefore, its interaction with inhaled anesthetics is of clinical interest. In this study, we examined the effects of gabapentin on the minimum alveolar concentration MAC of isoflurane in cats.
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