RASH ASSOCIATED WITH GABAPENTIN

[BAB97TIE]

I have been taking Gabapentin for about 9 months. I recently developed a skin rash. A google search indicates that a skin rash can be a serious side effect of Gabapentin. I would hate to stop taking it because it has really improved the quality of my sleep.

I have been using a steroid cream off and on for the last 2 months and it helps reduce the rash but it never goes away completely and occasionally the rash become more severe when I stop using the cream.

Has anyone had a similar reaction to Gabapentin?

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

[SueJohnson]

Unfortunately it means you are allergic to it. You might want to try switching to pregabalin. Although it is basically the same drug except you don't need to divide the doses, and the side effects are basically the same, some people find that the side effects that bother them on one don't bother them on the other.

Normally for side effects I would suggest you switch directly but I think with the skin rash it would probably be best to come off the gabapentin first and let the rash completely clear up before switching to pregabalin. And then I would start with 75 mg and wait to see if you develop a rash before increasing it slowly to the equivalent dose of gabapentin which would be the gabapentin amount divided by 6.

To come off the gabapentin you need to do so very slowly to avoid withdrawal effects. Reduce by100 - 200 mg every 2 weeks. If you do so you will have very few or no withdrawal effects. If you do have any, slow down even further, In very very rare cases you still might have withdrawal effects.

You are going to need a low dose opioid to control your RLS during this process.