@srosenbe7 We are not medical professionals on Mayo Clinic Connect. We do provide support and our own life experiences to help others that come here.

Did you talk with your prescribing physician before you stopped the gabapentin? I suggest that you check with your doctor before starting back on gabapentin as your question is medical and best answered by a physician.

I believe that medication starts losing its potency the older it gets. But with that said I have taken Tylenol and other things after expiration dates and they do work. A pharmacist can answer your question about potency. However.....you need to see your doctor. Did you wean off it like every other day as Gabapentin must be weaned down to avoid side effects. I take 900mg at bedtime. If Your Dr. put you on it did you let them know you wanted to stop taking it because yes, your symptoms can come back as Gabapentin addresses nerve pain. I use it for sciatic pain when my piriformis muscle acts up and gets inflamed and then sits on the sciatic nerve. Gabapentin cannot be just stopped and must be weaned down. I don't know why your Dr. put you on it but please give them a call or send a message to them if you are able so they can address the issue.

I took some steroid pills for horrible back pain that were 15-20 years old and they worked until I could see my doctor.

Typically RXs last about 1 year, possibly longer, but may lose potency over time, years…
That being said, my Rheumatologist told me to take Gabapentin “As Needed” for nerve pain. I ask for 100mg pills and take 2 at a time to minimize the negative effects. Long term use of Gabapentin can be very harmful, can damage nerve signals.
If need it’s for what it was prescribed for, I would recommend,(I’m not a Dr, but…)
Based on my a personal experience for the last 3 years, start taking it, specifically in the evenings w/ dinner and see if it helps. If you don’t see any relief in a couple days, you may need to have your back checked by a professional for possible other issues. Maybe you reinjured the area.

Hello @srosenbe7 - I combined your discussion with an existing discussion titled, "How long do you take Gabapentin?" - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/taking-gabapentin/ because members were discussing how long you can take gabapentin and it goes along with long-term use and storage of gabapentin.

Most prescriptions should come with an expiration date which is a general guideline on how long a medicine can sit. It would be best to contact your provider however if you are experiencing a return in pain and if you are curious about whether or not the old prescription is still valid.