Lifestyle

5 Signs Your Nerve Pain Medicine May Need a Second Look, and the Breathing Warning Older Adults Should Know

By Mike Harper · November 3, 2026

Gabapentin and the closely related drug pregabalin are often prescribed for nerve pain, including the lingering pain that can follow shingles. A handful of their side effects are worth mentioning to the doctor who prescribed them.

The Food and Drug Administration says these medicines, known as gabapentinoids, are approved to treat partial seizures and nerve pain from spinal cord injury, shingles and diabetes, as well as fibromyalgia and restless legs syndrome. Brand names include Neurontin for gabapentin and Lyrica for pregabalin.

These are signs drawn from MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine’s drug information service, and Britain’s National Health Service.

Sleepiness and tiredness. MedlinePlus lists drowsiness, tiredness and weakness among gabapentin’s side effects and says alcohol can add to the drowsiness. The NHS says these effects should wear off as the body adjusts. If they do not within a week or two, it says, the doctor may lower the dose, raise it more slowly or suggest a different medicine.

Dizziness or feeling unsteady. Both drugs can cause dizziness and unsteadiness, and MedlinePlus warns that gabapentin may cause loss of coordination. It advises not driving until you know how the medicine affects you and your doctor agrees it is safe. For pregabalin, it lists lack of coordination and loss of balance.

Blurred or double vision. MedlinePlus lists double or blurred vision for gabapentin. For pregabalin, it puts blurred vision, double vision or other changes in eyesight among the serious effects that call for contacting the doctor immediately.

Memory trouble or difficulty concentrating. Gabapentin may slow your thinking, MedlinePlus says, and memory problems are on its list. Pregabalin’s list includes forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating or paying attention. The NHS suggests speaking to a doctor about memory problems.

Swelling or weight gain. MedlinePlus lists swelling of the hands, feet, ankles or lower legs, along with increased appetite and weight gain, for gabapentin. With pregabalin, it says to call the doctor immediately about swelling of the arms, hands, feet, ankles or lower legs.

Mood changes also deserve attention. MedlinePlus says about 1 in 500 people who took anticonvulsants such as gabapentin in clinical studies became suicidal. It advises calling the doctor right away about new or worsening anxiety, depression or irritability, or other unusual changes in mood or behavior.

The most serious warning involves breathing. On Dec. 19, 2019, the FDA warned that serious breathing difficulties may occur in people taking gabapentin or pregabalin who have respiratory risk factors. Those include taking opioid pain medicines or other drugs that depress the central nervous system, and conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The agency said older adults are also at higher risk.

The FDA’s list of symptoms includes confusion or disorientation, unusual dizziness or lightheadedness, extreme sleepiness, slowed, shallow or difficult breathing, not responding normally or being hard to wake, and bluish skin, especially on the lips, fingers and toes. The agency says to seek medical attention immediately, because these problems can be life threatening.

Do not stop either medicine on your own. MedlinePlus says stopping gabapentin suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, trouble sleeping, nausea, pain and sweating, and that people taking it for seizures may have them more often. A doctor may lower the dose gradually over at least a week.

MedlinePlus also advises telling your doctor about any lung or kidney disease and about every prescription and nonprescription medicine, vitamin and supplement you take. The FDA adds that alcohol belongs on that list.

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Do not stop or change the dose of any medicine without talking with the prescriber. Call 911 for trouble breathing or if someone cannot be woken. This article was produced with the assistance of AI and fact-checked against the sources cited by LightWave Reports.