Patient/caregiver was educated on precautions to be exercised while taking gabapentin as follows:
- Gabapentin use can result in poor motor coordination and unsteadiness, with increased fall risk and accidents. Confusion and dizziness with gabapentin use, can add to the motor incoordination, thus enhancing the fall risk significantly. Observing compliance with general fall prevention measures and DME recommended, such as, cane or walker, can help prevent falls and injuries.
- Notify your doctor of any new or worsening episodes of seizures, deteriorating nerve pain and discomfort, or other continuing unpleasant side-effects, so that, your dosage on the medication could be revised. Maintain compliance with follow-up physician appointments, to update on the relief from symptoms. Your physician could change the dose of gabapentin, based on the relief obtained or side-effects developed. Be accommodative to the plan of frequent dose changes, until you show an optimum response.
- If you miss a dose, try taking it at the earliest notice of noncompliance. If it is time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take the dose scheduled. Do not take an extra dose to try making up for the missed dose. Notify your doctor and other health care personnel regarding your dose noncompliance.
