Dosage for gabapentin enacarbil ( also known as horizant).

[jinolke]

I have been on gabapentin neurontin for several months but I read that on the Mayo website that the time release version (horizant) is better suited for treating RLS. I currently take 1200 mg of gabapentin neurontin in two doses at 7 and bedtime. I have now convinced my doctor to prescribe the horizant version but unsure what the equivalent doses would be.

[Madlegs1]

Half.

[jinolke in reply to Madlegs1]

Yes I have a full body version (shoulders and back) even during the day. Not as pronounced but I thought possibly taking a dose in the morning as well as the evening would spread the time release over the whole day and relieve some of my daytime symptoms. I have been able to get Horizant at a reasonable cost ($120 for 90 days)

[jinolke in reply to jinolke]

Here is the link on Mayo where they mention horizant.

mayoclinic.org/diseases-con....

[SueJohnson in reply to jinolke]

OK then Horizant makes sense.

[SueJohnson]

Unless you have RLS during the day too, there is no point in switching to Horizant as it is a 24 hour version and it is expensive (over $6,000/year) and Medicare and Part D prescription programs do not cover it. Madlegs1 is correct. 600 mg would be the correct dose. Take it at 5 pm with food. The higher the fat content the better it is absorbed.

Horizant has a prescription savings program which you may or may not be eligible for Https://horizant.com/savings If not, post back here and I can give you an alternate source.

[NeuroSeeker in reply to SueJohnson]

Horizant only works 5-6 hors for me, so I take gabapentin earlier and Horizant at bedtime. We are switching to pregabalin, though, because of increased PLMD.

It's too bad it didn't just stay the same!

[SueJohnson in reply to NeuroSeeker]

Strange how things work for you like only 5 to 6 hours, for Horizant and gabapentin should help PLMD. I hope pregabalin works better.

[NeuroSeeker in reply to SueJohnson]

Meds just don't work the same for everyone! I have pretty severe RLS, though I've absolutely encountered many here on this site with it way worse.

My father is non-responsive to a lot of medications; I've often wondered if I got that gene somewhere....

[jinolke in reply to NeuroSeeker]

Yes you are correct with your observation that meds can affect everyone very differently. I am sure I will have to experiment with dosage amount to get it right.

[SueJohnson]

The Mayo Clinic Updated Algorithm on RLS at Https://mayoclinicproceedings.org/a... does mention Horizant for if you have symptoms during the day but does not say is better suited for treating RLS.

[Perhapslove]

I was on 1800 mg of gabapentin with symptoms still breaking through in the evening. My sleep medicine specialist presribed Horizant 300 which was mildly effective. She increased the dose to 600 and I have finally been comfortable in the evenings as well as overnight. I had a rotten time for the year previous to this with augmentation and RLS symptoms throughout the day, The journey to relief has been long but it is finally here. Yes, Horizant is expensive. I was preapproved by my part D provider and my copay is $135 for a 90 day supply. So, that is $540 per year. It sounds expensive but I am blessed with my part D coverage from Highmark. The relief is so marvelous that it's worth it to me.

[SueJohnson in reply to Perhapslove]

You are very lucky your Part D insurance covered it and that's great that it works when gabapentin didn't. 😀

[jinolke in reply to Perhapslove]

Hi Perhapslove,

I am excited to hear about your success with Horizant for your sake as well as mine. Just a question on when you take your meds. Is it once a day or multiple times? If you get relief in the evenings as well as night time, what time is the dose you take to achieve that?

[Littlegran in reply to Perhapslove]

I have also been on 1800 mg of gabapentin for a long time, but I have also started having breakthoughs in the evening and at night. I was just prescribed 600 mg Horizant which I am taking at night, and have stopped gabapentin. But I am still having bad RLS. Are you taking gabapentin and Horizant? My Part D provider has denied my Horizant, so we will start an appeal. For my first prescription, I paid out of pocket $156. I am hoping that they will reverse and approve the Horizant; however, I have just started taking it with no results yet.