How Long Does Gabapentin Stay in the System?

Gabapentin is a popular medication, which is released under the brand name Neurontin and some others. Its primary goal is to help with treating neuropathic pain and seizures. Some research also shows the efficiency of gabapentin in reducing anxiety levels. Another possible use is in struggling with sleep disorders. [1] However, the drug may cause dependence and have side effects. That’s why patients should strictly follow physicians’ recommendations. You may consult URP Behavioral Health specialists to avoid unpleasant consequences of gabapentin use.

Scientists don’t comprehend for sure how the medicine treats nerve pain or seizures. Some attribute this to its ability to block certain signals in the brain. For example, seizures occur because of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Probably, gabapentin somehow hinders it, helping the organism overcome seizures. [2] Usually, the drug is prescribed in oral forms like capsules and tablets. Their common doses are 100 mg, 300 mg, and others.

How Long Does It Take Gabapentin To Get Out of Your System?

Gabapentin is among those medicines, which can be detected in drug screenings. That’s why its users can wonder how long it takes for gabapentin to leave the system. A huge amount of factors influence this. Hence nobody could tell the exact time when it’ll happen. Only approximate numbers can be given. The half-life of gabapentin can take 5-7 hours. Gabapentin requires five half-lives to get out of the body entirely. That means nearly 52 hours. Nevertheless, its components may remain in the system and be revealed in different tests.

The detection window for certain drug tests is the following:

• For this type of test, it may take 2 to 4 days to leave the system.
• The detection window for blood tests for gabapentin is one half-life of this drug or nearly 5-7 hours. Blood tests have little time to reveal it because it is so fast to be absorbed into the bloodstream and quickly eliminated by the kidneys.
• Gabapentin is undetectable in this body fluid. It’s because of its low concentrations here, despite the fact of its oral use.
• The medicine can take up to 90 days to completely leave the body with a hair renewal cycle. However, such tests are rarely conducted. [3]

How Long Does 100 mg of Gabapentin Stay in Your System?

The 100 mg dose of gabapentin is one of the basic doses. It stays in a human’s system for up to a few days. Still, its metabolites may remain much longer. That’s why some tests may detect the medication traces after this time. It’s worth noting one more time that these numbers are approximate. Many factors may strongly impact them. For instance, 5-7 hours of the drug’s half-life can turn into 52 hours for people with kidney problems. [3]

How Long Does 300 mg of Gabapentin Stay in Your System?

300 mg of gabapentin is also a standard dose and doesn’t expand the detection window that much. Consistent use, especially overuse, is more essential than a higher dose taken once. Therefore, it’s highly not recommended to take gabapentin uncontrolled. Even if one doesn’t feel significant changes after starting the treatment, nobody should increase a dose by themselves. It’s always best to discuss these problems with a doctor.

Factors Affecting How Long Gabapentin Stays in Your System

A wide range of factors define the answer to the question: How long does gabapentin stay in your body? Some of them, such as long-term drug use and kidney problems, have already been mentioned. Yet, many other factors can influence the time it takes for the medicine to leave the body.

• Age and health. The general rule is that the younger and healthier a person is, the quicker their body eliminates the medication. Not only renal diseases may slow this process. Some others can affect the metabolism, increasing the detection window.
• Body mass index/weight. Some studies claim that heavier people might eliminate gabapentin more quickly.
• Concurrent use of other medications. They may crucially affect the elimination time of gabapentin. That’s why patients should inform their doctors about all the medications they’re taking.
• The medicine is primarily metabolized in the kidneys and eliminated through the urine. Hence staying hydrated may conceivably accelerate the elimination of gabapentin.

Gabapentin is one of the most used medications in the United States. It had the 10th position among most often prescribed drugs in 2022. [4] This fact perfectly illustrates its relevance and effectiveness. Still, gabapentin is pretty powerful and may be detected in drug tests. For this reason, people should know how much time it takes for gabapentin to stay in the system. The answer varies because of a lot of factors. Type tests, genetic and physical peculiarities, hydration level, and many other reasons may affect it. If you have any questions or problems, don’t hesitate to contact URP Behavioral Health therapists for timely help.

References:

1. James S W Hong, Lauren Z Atkinson, Noura Al-Juffali, Amine Awad, John R Geddes, Elizabeth M Tunbridge, Paul J Harrison, Andrea Cipriani. Gabapentin and pregabalin in bipolar disorder, anxiety states, and insomnia: Systematic review, meta-analysis, and rationale. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9095464/. Nov 24, 2021
2. Pramila Jadhav, PharmD. Gabapentin (Gralise, Neurontin) – Uses, Side Effects, and More. https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-14208-8217/gabapentin-oral/gabapentin-oral/details. May 14, 2024
3. Alyssa, reviewed by our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Darrin Mangiacarne. How Long Does Gabapentin Stay in Your System? https://www.banyantreatmentcenter.com/blog/how-long-does-gabapentin-stay-in-your-system/
4. The Top 300 of 2022. https://clincalc.com/DrugStats/Top300Drugs.aspx