Patient information

Gabapentin and pregabalin are medicines used to treat ‘nerve pain’, also known as neuropathic pain. Nerve pain might feel like burning, shooting or stabbing pain, tingling or an electric shock.

Before deciding to take gabapentin of pregabalin, other safer approaches should be tried first, including medicines and other helpful approaches (see Living well with pain for suggestions). We have links to a wide range of Useful resources available to help you live better with pain.

If you are taking, or about to start taking, gabapentin or pregabalin, it is important you are aware of the risks as well as the possible benefits.

Thinking about gabapentin or pregabalin

The decision to try taking gabapentin or pregabalin to help with your pain should be made with your healthcare worker. It's important you understand what these medicines do, how well they work, and what to expect if you take them. It is also important to understand both the possible benefits and the risks before starting treatment.

Reviewing your gabapentin or pregabalin

It is important to review your medicine regularly to make sure it is still helping and not causing problems. A review will help you and your healthcare worker to decide if you should continue taking, change, reduce, or stop taking your medicine.

Reducing your gabapentin or pregabalin

It's important to understand why reducing your dose of gabapentin or pregabalin may be right for you, and what might happen if your dose is reduced. Your medicine is sometimes used for long-lasting (chronic) pain. However, it may not work for some people and may cause unwanted effects (side effects).

Patient information leaflets