How Long Does Gabapentin Stay In Your System: How To Get It Out In The Body Naturally
Gabapentin is an approved drug for the treatment of seizures. Therefore, it is often referred to as anticonvulsants. The drug is recommended for children over the age of 3 years including adults. However, did you know How Long Does Gabapentin Stay In Your System: How To Get It Out In The Body Naturally.
Gabapentin at a Glance
Gabapentin, known as an anticonvulsant or antiepileptic drug, is the most commonly used drug to prevent and control seizures as well as relieve nerve pain after shingles.
Other Uses of Gabapentin
In addition to being used for the treatment of seizures, Gabapentin can also help treat:
- Pain unrelated to nerve problems
- Anxiety, especially in certain psychological disorders, such as bipolar disorder
- Restless leg syndrome
- Withdrawal from alcohol and other drugs
How Does Gabapentin Work While In Your System For a Long Time?
Gabapentin does not fall under the control of any drug, but it is still subject to a doctor’s written prescription. Listed as an anticonvulsant drug, gabapentin likely reflects the action of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
Neurotransmitters in the brain are chemicals responsible for allowing brain cells to communicate with each other. In addition, GABA acts as the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, which means it reduces communication between nerve cells.
The decrease in activity experienced by the brain is most likely a result of many people experiencing calming effects or improving mood when GABA increases in their brains. Additionally, this could be the reason why low GABA levels can be associated with anxiety or mood disorders, epilepsy, and chronic pain.
Although gabapentin has low addiction potential, especially when compared to other prescription pain medications such as opiate drugs. Gabapentin is not effective for pain relief.
Therefore, the doctor will prescribe gabapentin along with other medications to address certain conditions or problems more effectively. This is important to note because if gabapentin does not work for the body, you may want a stronger drug to alleviate any problems that may be experienced. As a result, addiction can come into play.
Therefore, consult with a doctor on how to combine gabapentin with alternative drugs that have a low likelihood of addiction. This is very important to ensure and protect your health, especially if you have a history of addiction or see addiction tendencies begin to appear when taking any medication.
These tendencies may include:
- Want to drink more than prescribed
- Looking for stronger alternatives to reduce pain
- Hide or keep secrets about drug use from friends or family
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How Long Does Gabapentin Stay In Your System?
Gabapentin is processed in the body depending on several factors such as:
- Types of gabapentin used
- Such as immediate release, continuous-release, or continuous release of enacarbil
- Any underlying medical condition
- Other Drugs Used with Gabapentin
- Genetics (age, weight, gender, etc.)
However, for most people, the period it takes for the amount of the drug to be reduced by half in the body, ranges from five to seven hours.
The liver is responsible for metabolizing most substances. Gabapentin reacts slightly differently to the organs in the body. Instead of being broken down by the liver, gabapentin is mainly processed and metabolized by the kidneys. Therefore, gabapentin will not last long in the body, unlike some other substances processed by the liver.
Within 48 hours of their last dose, the drug’s half-life will be gone completely. Just like gabapentin, it is processed by the body depending on various factors, and its release rate.
For example, if an extended-release of gabapentin is taken, the drug will continue to release through the body for a longer duration of time. Thus, the drug will stay in the body longer than the immediate-release version.
Gabapentin’s elimination time can be affected by the amount taken, the person’s weight, and the kidney function of the individual. Thus, older individuals or someone who has a body mass index as well as low weight usually experiences a longer elimination time, than someone younger or with a higher weight.
Hydration can speed up the process of excretion of gabapentin because the drug is metabolized by the kidneys and eliminated through urination.
Gabapentin Half-Life
The half-life of the drug refers to the amount of time it takes the body to clear half of the drug from its system. Gabapentin’s half-life is between 5-7 hours for most people. But the half-life can be up to 52 hours for people with kidney problems. The half-life of gabapentin can be even longer especially for people undergoing dialysis.
It usually takes five half-lives for all drugs to completely leave the system. Based on these estimates, gabapentin can persist in a person’s system without kidney disease for about 35 hours.
Factors that Influence How Long Gabapentin Lasts in Your System
Factors that affect how long gabapentin remains in the system include:
Kidney function
The kidneys remove Gabapentin from the body. If a person has impaired renal function, it takes longer to clean the drug. The half-life of gabapentin in a person with kidney disease can be longer than in someone who does not have it.
Age
For the most part, younger people tend to eliminate the drug from their system faster than older people. This is usually due to a decrease in kidney function occurring with age.
Drug Interactions
Certain medications can increase the amount of gabapentin in the body, so it takes longer to be cleared of the system. These drugs include over-the-counter painkillers such as naproxen, stomach acid drugs such as cimetidine, and opioids such as morphine and hydrocodone. Some medications may also reduce the amount of gabapentin that the body absorbs, including antacids such as Maalox.
How To Get It Out In The Body Naturally?
If symptoms appear after gabapentin use that can be detrimental to the body, as well as other effects, possible poisoning may occur. Therefore, the need for certain treatments to reduce the level of substances in the blood.
Drink more water
The human body contains 80% water. Therefore, a person certainly needs water to help the body perform its functions. When drinking, you not only quench your thirst but also help remove toxins from the body. When you want to remove toxins, you may need more water than usual recommendations.
Drinking 8-10 glasses of water per day is enough in providing water for the body. But you need to increase the consumption of water when you detoxify. However, each person’s water needs vary depending on gender and body size. A person’s fluid needs will also increase as he performs more physical activity.
Also read about Does Xanax Lower Blood Pressure.
Do activities that can sweat
Exercise is one of the healthy ways to keep your body fit and help remove toxins.
Consume more vegetables and fruits
If you feel unable to spend a lot of vegetables and fruit in one day, maybe you can make it into juice. Make juices with a mixture of your favorite vegetables and fruits, especially those that contain a lot of fiber and vitamin C.
Reduce sugar consumption
Reducing the consumption of sugar, including artificial sweeteners, is an effort to reduce toxins in the body. Consuming a lot of sugar can weigh down the work of the pancreas in producing insulin. You should choose foods that also contain sugar (carbohydrates) fiber, such as wheat, oats, and brown rice so that you get more benefits.
Get enough sleep
Sleep is the body’s time to rest, so the next day will be refreshed. Getting enough sleep every night helps the body reduce toxins because during sleep the organs in the body do not work as hard as when you wake up. Sleep deprivation can weaken the immune system, making you easily sick.
How Does Detox From Gabapentin Work If It Stays In The System For A Long Time?
Although gabapentin is considered relatively safe to consume, it is important to consult with a medical professional and ask if the drug is good for you. Gabapentin is used to treat withdrawal symptoms from drug detox or alcohol detox. It is important to seek treatment to reduce the addiction.
Can Gabapentin Accumulate in Your System?
Gabapentin can affect people differently depending on certain factors such as age, weight, and genetics. Therefore, your doctor may give you a low dose so that the drug does not accumulate in the body too quickly to cause adverse side effects.
How long are gabapentin side effects go?
Most of the side effects experienced from gabapentin are mild and will disappear after a few days. Consult your doctor on how to lower the dose slowly so that the side effects are not severe.