Anticonvulsants
One class of medications that is commonly used to treat chronic pain is anticonvulsants. These medications include gabapentin (neurontin) and pregabalin (Lyrica). These medications work really well for some people and are far safer than opioids.
Gabapentin
Gabapentin is commonly used to treat neuropathic pain and is able to reduce pain intensity by at least 50%. Studies have shown that 4 out of 10 people will experience pain relief with gabapentin. The ideal dosage for pain relief is between 1800 and 3600 mg a day.
The studies that have been done with gabapentin are usually relating to shingles and neuropathy caused by diabetes. Common side effects include dizziness, sleepiness, water retention, and problems with walking. Serious problems are rare.
Doctors normally start people off with a small dose and gradually increase the dose over time. It can take up to two months to feel the benefits. The overall benefits include a reduction in pain intensity, opioid consumption, and adverse effects relating to opioid use.
Pregabalin
Pregabalin is absorbed more rapidly than gabapentin and is 2-4 times more potent. It has been effective in treating neuropathic pain, incisional injury, and inflammatory injury. Side effects include dizziness, somnolence, dry mouth, blurred vision, and weight gain. A dose of 150-600 mg can be used to treat chronic pain. Pregabalin may be effective in patients who did not respond to gabapentin.
Sources
Wiffen, P., Derry, S., Bell, R., Rice, A., Tolle, T., Phillips, T., & Moore, A. (2017, June 9). Gabapentin for chronic neuropathic pain in adults. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews. Retrieved May 8, 2022, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28597471/
Wiffen, P. J., Derry, S., Bell, R., Rice, A. S. C., Tolle, T., Phillips, T., & Moore, R. (2017, June 9). Gabapentin for chronic neuropathic pain in adults. Retrieved May 8, 2022, from https://www.cochrane.org/CD007938/SYMPT_gabapentin-chronic-neuropathic-pain-adults
Baidya, D. K., Agarwal, A., Khanna, P., & Arora, M. K. (2011, July). Pregabalin in acute and chronic pain. Journal of anaesthesiology, clinical pharmacology. Retrieved May 8, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3161452/