How long do you take Gabapentin?

Have you tried IMITRIX NASAL SPRAY? I successfuly used that many years ago.
As soon as I felt that a migraine was about to hit, I used the spray immediately and got quick relief within 15 minutes or so. It was very fast-acting, and eventually the migraines stopped altogether. Imitrix was a God-send to me. There are some caveats in taking this drug, so check with your DOCTOR.
All the best in 2024.
Rayboy
Greentown, PA

I started on Gabapentin on 10/2023 for back pain and stopped 6 months later as I was feeling much better. The back pain has come back. Can I start taking Gabapentin now or is it no longer potent.

@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.

Be careful with this drug. Took it for leg swelling. Had a seizure after stopping it. I was also on a sleeping pill at the time so you never know.

I have been taking gabapentin on and off for almost 3 years now. It was initially given me for nerve pain in my back. It didn’t do much for that. But, I have found it very helpful for the mild peripheral neuropathy that started in one leg and has now moved to both legs and feet. I don’t experience this neuropathy as badly or continually as many in this group, so I am one that takes it as needed. I know it is supposed to be, according to the almighty Google, a drug that gains its efficacy after taking for a certain length of time. I did not find that to be necessary. I take 300 mg of gabapentin around 6 AM and by 8 AM the tingling and numbness in my legs has dissipated greatly. By a 2 PM dose of the same amount, within a few hours, it is almost completely gone. This is a normal day. There are days when I need a third dose, knowing I won’t sleep without it. So to answer your question finally I feel that your wife may take it as needed and if the bottle lasts three or four months that’s fine. I have one now. I’m working on that should’ve been gone a year ago. I was prescribed 600 mg three Times a day. Way too much for me. I adjusted my dose on my own and only took what I needed. I don’t think it’s like an antibiotic prescription that you have to finish completely if you start to feel better. I hope this helps and I wish your wife luck in this journey. It can be very uncomfortable at times, but I have found this to be a good first line medication for help. My doctor says the next one is pregabalin. I don’t want to go there if I don’t have to

I’m trying to reply with as much support and sensitivity as possible. I’ve had constant severe pain since 1978, and it wasn’t until the late 1990’s that Neurontin became a drug of choice for chronic pain. My result was horrible… fatigue, confusion, loss of libido… but I KEPT A JOURNAL and used it for 6 months. Then I got with my Dr and TOGETHER we decided „not for me“. I can’t overstate how dangerous it seems to self-medicate and self-dose. I know the long nights and hopelessness, the effect on family and jobs, etc., that chronic severe pain can imply. I hope that you can find a way to team with your doctors and other professionals to have the best outcome. Keeping and sharing a journal is a start. Good luck.