Is Gabapentin a Narcotic?

Is Gabapentin a Narcotic?

Gabapentin may be given by your doctor to help with Epilepsy, Neuropathic Pain, or another condition. You may be wondering if it is a drug and if it is safe for you to take. Since 1993, Doctors Have Been Prescribing Gabapentin. It affects the GABA neurochemical but not the receptors for other drugs that are known to be abused, such as opioids. Because of this, gabapentin has not been labeled as a controlled drug by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). In some places though, it is a Schedule V drug, which means that there is a small chance that it will be abused or become addicting.

There Isn’t a Lot Of Evidence that gabapentin is abused, but it does have depressant qualities like other harmful drugs. This drug also causes withdrawal symptoms in people who stop using it after becoming physically dependent on it.

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➜ What Is Gabapentin?

Gabapentin

Gabapentin, also known by the Brand Name Neurontin is a painkiller that you can only get with a prescription. It belongs to a group of drugs called gabapentinoids. The recipe for its chemicals is like that of the neurotransmitter GABA, which is found in the brain and affects the nervous system.

The main reason Gabapentin Is Used To Treat Epilepsy is because it stops seizures. But it is also given to people with neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, diabetic neuropathy, hot flashes, and detox from alcohol, opioids, and cocaine. Gabapentin is often used instead of opioid medicines because it is less likely to cause addiction. However, many people who use it still abuse and become addicted to it.

Gabapentin 100mg works by altering the body’s calcium channels to reduce seizures and alleviate nerve pain. It makes you Feel Calm And Relaxed, which helps with nerve pain, stress, and trouble sleeping.

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➜ Gabapentin’s Legal Classification

Contrary to what some people think, gabapentin is not considered a drug by federal law. Opioids, which are officially called narcotics, are drugs that Work Like morphine and are often used to treat pain. Gabapentin on the other hand is not in this group. As a result, some states put it on Schedule V of the Controlled Substances Act because it can be abused. However, it is not listed as an opiate anywhere in the federal government.

❀ Approved for Neuropathic Pain

After That, It Was Approved to treat neuropathic pain, which includes strong feelings like tingling, burning, aching, and stabbing that can last after shingles, a virus that causes a painful and sensitive rash.

The practice of off-label usage, or prescribing a drug for conditions other than those for which it is approved is not exactly illegal, But This Drug Has Been The Subject Of A Lot Of Attention.

In the 1990s Pfizer, the company that makes Neurontin, said that the brand name drug might be able to help bipolar disorder, even though there wasn’t enough evidence to support this. According To Reuters, Pfizer had to pay fines totaling $325 million because a court said that advertising Neurontin for uses that were not approved was legally illegal.

❀ This medication is currently used off-label for conditions such as:

Right now, this drug is used for diseases other than what it was approved for, such as
  • Migraines
  • Seizures
  • Hot flashes
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Restless leg syndrome
  • Postherpetic Neuralgia
  • Other conditions associated with neuropathic pain

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➜ Gabapentin is Not a Narcotic

Gabapentin is Not a Narcotic

Medical terms are more clearly defined, and they don’t generally have the negative meanings they do in legal situations. This medicine is not the same as oxycontin, oxycodone, or Vicodin. It was Approved By The U.S. Food And Drug Administration (FDA) in 1993. The American Pain Society (APS), a group based in Chicago that studies pain conditions, suggests it for some cases after surgery because it may lower the need for opioids after some surgeries.

This is not exactly true for Gabapentin because it does not work by binding to receptors in the brain to block the feeling of pain. Because of this, it is not recognized as such. Here are Some Examples to help you:

  • Oxycodone
  • Hydrocodone
  • Hydromorphone
  • Meperidine
  • Tramadol
  • Codeine
  • Fentanyl
  • Morphine

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➜ How is Gabapentin Abused?

Gabapentin abuse happens when the drug is taken in Larger Amounts Or More Often Than Recommended, or when it is gotten and used without a prescription. Basically, it is abuse whenever it is used for something other than what it was made for. Gabapentin 300mg is especially appealing to people who are addicted to other drugs, like opioids or alcohol.

It is often used to ease the signs of withdrawal from these drugs between uses. Gabapentin may help people who are coming off of opioids, booze, or other drugs Feel Less Anxious And More Relaxed. It is also abused for fun by people who want to feel relaxed, especially people who abuse alcohol or other drugs.

Gabapentin abuse usually involves taking more of it than a doctor would regularly recommend. People can either chew up and swallow tablets or crush them up and snort them to get high faster. If You Take More Of The Medicine or do it in a way that isn’t recommended, you may experience an overdose, which can lead to serious medical problems or even death.

❀ Controlled Substance

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the federal agency responsible for maintaining the list of Schedule I, II, and III type drugs, does not classify it as a controlled substance.

While this Suggests The Drug Is Not Habit-Forming and poses a minimal risk of abuse and addiction, there is controversy surrounding its off-label or non-medical use.

One study says that between 2011 and 2015, prescriptions went up by 42%, which is 57 million. Some people say that This Medicine Is Too Much Like Other Drugs that are addicting, especially when mixed with painkillers, muscle relaxers, and anti-anxiety drugs.

Such mixes can give you a high that Feels Like Happiness and could lead to addiction. Also, it is known that higher doses can cause withdrawal signs when the treatment stops.

❀ Side Effects of Excessive Gabapentin Use

Taking too much gabapentin abusing it or taking it more often than recommended may lead to any or all of the following side effects:

  • Dizziness or drowsiness
  • Anxiety and depression
  • Suicidal ideations or behaviors
  • Problems with coordination
  • Mood swings
  • Tremors or shaking
  • Memory loss or forgetfulness
  • Difficulty speaking
  • Inability to feel pleasure
All of these things can be bad for your health, your job, your relationships, and your safety in general.

People often abuse gabapentin because large amounts (800 mg or more) can make them feel happy in a way that drugs tests can’t pick up on. To get the high they want, people who abuse gabapentin often mix it with opioids. When these things come together, they could be very bad or even kill you. Gabapentin 400 mg can be too much to handle by itself or when mixed with other medicines.

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➜ Signs of Gabapentin Addiction

Signs of Gabapentin Addiction

In addition to physical signs, the following actions may also show that someone is abusing gabapentin:

  • Change in social habits or circle of friends
  • Change in grooming habits and personal hygiene
  • Continuous preoccupation with the medication
  • Anxiety at the possibility of the medication being unavailable
  • Seeking multiple physicians to get more of the drug
  • Exaggerating or lying about symptoms to doctors
  • Changing doctors when the original prescriber will no longer prescribe the medication
  • Refusal to stop using the drug despite negative social, legal, health-related, or financial consequences
  • Failed attempts to stop using the medication

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➜ Treatment for a Gabapentin Addiction

When people take gabapentin too much or too often, they often become Physically And Mentally Dependent On It, which eventually turns into addiction. Quitting gabapentin all of a sudden can be dangerous and cause withdrawal signs that range in how bad they are.

Some of these signs are feeling sick, anxious, unable to sleep, sweating, and pain. It could also cause seizures, which can hurt you, give you health problems, or even be life-threatening.

So, a medically controlled detox program should be the first step in treating gabapentin addiction. This makes sure that withdrawal signs are treated quickly, which makes the whole Process Safe And More Comfortable.

After detox, drug abuse treatment, either inpatient or outpatient, is likely to be suggested. It Is Important To Know that addiction can be treated and that recovery is possible. The first thing you need to do to start getting better is to ask for help.

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➜ Final Word

Since It Was First Made In 1993, gabapentin has been an important drug for treating many diseases. But there are some risks with the drug. Even though Gabapentin Isn’t Likely To Be Abused, you should still be careful when you take it. In the event that you abuse or become dependent on gabapentin, you should talk to your doctor and find a nearby rehab center.

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