Gabapentin is a prescription drug. It comes as an oral capsule, an immediate-release oral tablet, an extended-release oral tablet, and an oral solution.
Gabapentin oral capsule is available as the brand-name drug Neurontin. It’s also available as a generic drug. Generic drugs usually cost less than the brand-name version. In some cases, the brand-name drug and the generic version may be available in different forms and strengths.
Why Gabapentin is Used
Gabapentin oral capsule is used to treat the following conditions:
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- Seizures: Gabapentin is used to treat partial (focal) seizures. It’s taken together with other seizure medications in adults and in children 3 years of age and older who have epilepsy.
- Postherpetic neuralgia: This is pain from nerve damage caused by shingles, a painful rash that affects adults. Shingles appears after infection with the varicella zoster virus. This virus occurs in people who have had chicken pox.
Gabapentin may be used as part of a combination therapy. This means you may need to take it with other drugs.
Gabapentin Dosage for Adults
For adults, the gabapentin dosage can vary widely depending on the condition being treated. Upon starting treatment with gabapentin, the starting dose may be 100 to 300 mg per day and steadily increase until an effective dose is reached. The maximum dosage will depend on the condition being treated.
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- Standard gabapentin dosage for adults: 300-600 mg taken three times per day.
- Maximum gabapentin dosage for adults: 1200 mg taken three times per day for a maximum daily dose of 3600 mg.
Gabapentin Dosage Chart for Adult
| Indication | Age | Standard dosage | Maximum dosage |
| Partial seizures | |||
| 12 years and older | 300-600 mg three times per day | 3600 mg per day | |
| 5-11 years | 25-35 mg/kg (11.4-15.9 mg/lb) per day divided into three daily doses | 50 mg/kg (22.7 mg/lb) per day | |
| 3-4 years | 40 mg/kg (18.2 mg/lb) per day divided into three daily doses | 50 mg/kg (22.7 mg/lb) per day | |
| Postherpetic neuralgia | 18 years and older | 300 mg on day 1, 300 mg twice daily on day 2, then 300 mg three times daily on day 3; dosage may be further increased after day 3 to 600 mg three times per day | 1800 mg per day |
| Diabetic peripheral neuropathy | 18 years and older | 300-1200 mg three times per day (off-label) | 3600 mg per day |
| Fibromyalgia | 18 years and older | 600 mg twice daily and 1200 mg at bedtime (off-label) | 2400 mg per day |
| Alcohol dependence | 18 years and older | 300-600 mg three times per day (off-label) | 1800 mg per day |