A disease such as epilepsy has been familiar to people since ancient times. It is associated with a violation of the central nervous system, in particular, the cerebral cortex. It is almost impossible to predict the time of convulsive seizures; they can be provoked by both strong overexcitation and a sudden negative disorder.
Adults can also suffer from epilepsy, most often they are victims of an acquired form of the disease, which develops against the background of other complex diseases, and there is also a congenital type of epileptic seizures, more often children suffer from them.
If earlier this type of disease was fought using traditional methods, today it is possible to more or less normalize the condition of patients with the help of certain medications. One of these is the drug "Gabapentin", it is produced in Russia by the companies CJSC Canonfarm Production and LLC Peak Pharma. There is also a drug in pharmacies with this name of Indian origin. The average price for packing capsules is 500 rubles.
Properties of the drug "Gabapentin"
The active substance is gabapentin. Once in the patient's body, it helps to reduce the risk of neuropathic pain. This substance increases the synthesis of GABA, inhibits the release of neurotransmitters of the monoamine group.
After taking the capsule, the effect is achieved after 2-3 hours. The medicine is applicable in the treatment of convulsive seizures in both adults and children.
Below will be considered to the drug "Gabapentin" instructions for use, analogues of this medication. Since it may not be suitable for all patients and not everyone is happy with its price, many are looking for cheap substitutes for it or alternative means for treating epilepsy.
Instructions for use, indications and contraindications, side effects
The drug in question cannot be prescribed to patients on their own, that is, without the advice of a doctor. Treatment should only be under the supervision of a doctor. It is the doctor who, according to the recommendations for using the medicine and assessing the complexity of the diagnosed condition of the patient, determines the dose of the drug.
When it is used in medical therapy, the doctor should be aware of the medications that the patient can take. Interaction with other drugs may adversely affect the patient's body.
The drug "Gabapentin" is prescribed for monotherapy of focal seizures in adults and children from 12 years of age, as an additional treatment for epilepsy in combination with other drugs in adults, with migraines, with neuropathic pain, for women during intense hot flashes, manifested in menopause.
Contraindications for admission are as follows:
- Hypersensitivity to the components of the drug;
- metabolic disorders in relation to the absorption of glucose and galactose;
- acute pancreatitis;
- age up to 12 years;
- pregnancy;
- lactation.
While taking the capsules are washed down with water.
The medicine "Gabapentin" can cause the following side effects:
- dizziness, headaches;
- temporary loss of memory;
- tremor;
- pancreatitis;
- nausea;
- increase in blood pressure;
- skin itching;
- urinary incontinence;
- swelling of the face and body.
Reviews on the drug "Gabapentin"
Many doctors (and patients themselves are experiencing this) note the fact that this tool can be addictive. As necessary, the dosage of the drug is gradually reduced over one week.
Many patients note a manifestation of bad mood, lethargy, confusion, sometimes there are times when patients are prone to suicidal thoughts, which are encouraged by prolonged depression.
The foregoing focuses once again on the fact that independent treatment with this agent is inappropriate and may have negative consequences.
Synonyms of the drug
Despite the high quality of the drug noted by specialists, in medical practice a large list of drugs of a similar effect on the body of people with epilepsy is applicable.
For the drug "Gabapentin", an analogue can be selected from the group of drugs also containing gabapentin in its composition. These include capsules of German production “Gabagamma” (900 rubles), “Neurontin” (1400 rubles), Russian-made capsules “Gapentek” (460 rubles), “Konvalis” (500 rubles), Hungarian-made preparation “Tebantin” (1600 rubles), the domestic medicine “Topiomat” (600 rubles), Croatian capsules “Katena” (800 rubles).
From this group of drugs, patients respond unambiguously to the Gabagamma and Topiomat medicines. It is noted that these agents effectively prevent
epileptic seizures. In Russia, “Topiomat” tablets are a
preferential medicine in some regions
, therefore, people of this drug “Gabapentin” analogue, in spite of its high cost, bothered to try it, but for people not included in the list of beneficiaries, this drug can sometimes not afford. Therefore, more often the patients themselves and their relatives are also interested in effective, but cheap medicines.
More expensive drugs of the Hungarian and German release also deserve attention, their effect is most effective, they cause fewer side effects, but nevertheless they are more often refused due to the high price, preferring more affordable means for treatment.
Pregabalin analogues
To the drug "Gabapentin", an analogue can also be selected from the group of other medicines treating epilepsy and seizures. They may contain other active substances acting on the central nervous system, similar to gabapentin. There are many of them.
The action of the element (it contains more than one drug "Gabapentin" analogue) of pregabalin is identical to gabapentin. But nevertheless, the influence of the first is considered more effective. Pregabalin is included in the Algerika medicine, which is available in capsule form (the cost of one package is 600 rubles), as well as the Pregabalin Canon medicine (price is 700 rubles).
Despite their effectiveness, patients still note the fact that gabapentin is faster compared to them. Many are afraid of such side effects of the Algerica drug, such as a decrease in the clarity of vision, fog in the eyes. And the drug "Pregabalin Canon" in many causes a sleeping state, fatigue.
Yes, and their cost is higher than the funds in question. So the price does not always focus on the quality and ability of the drug to lower the threshold for epileptic seizures.
Pregabalin is also addictive, so its cancellation is performed by a gradual reduction in dosage.
There is another substitute with pregabalin - Lyric capsules, they cost 650 rubles. They contain a very large list of side effects, therefore they are taken with great care and are not recommended for the treatment of children.
Too many doctors note, in terms of the quality of their influence on the normalization of the condition of patients with epilepsy, the drug substitute "Gabapentin", the analogue of "Lyric" is the Hungarian-made drug "Prabegin" (costs 600 rubles).
Substitutes with lacosamide
The pharmaceutical market is saturated with drugs that can replace the drug "Gabapentin." An analogue of this medication may include lacosamide. It is contained in the Wimpat drug (5 times more expensive than Gabapentin) from Germany.
This medication "Gabapentin" analogue is recommended for adults. Not suitable for cores in patients with renal failure. His instructions indicate a minimal list of side effects, the most common are dizziness and nausea, and the rare ones are allergic to the components of the medicine.
Analogs with Topiramate
The pharmacokinetics of topiramate is identical to gabapentin. It contains the following drug "Gabapentin" analogues: the medicine "Topamax" (600 rubles), tablets "Topilepsin" (400 rubles).
These medications can cause visual impairment (the development of glaucoma), and speech impairment, and confusion, and the formation of kidney stones. They are taken with extreme caution. They cannot be combined with many drugs, therefore, complex therapy for the treatment of epileptic seizures excludes them from the list.
Levetiracetam Substitutes
This substance can also replace gabapentin. It is contained in such preparations as “Tiramax”, “Levicon”, “Levitsit”. These medicines are also not cheap. The average cost is 600-700 rubles.
Levetiracetam is not recommended for use in the treatment of children under 6 years of age. This substance (many patient reviews emphasize this) can cause irritability (especially in children), aggression, hallucinations.
There is not a single substitute that would not cause serious side effects if you evaluate all of the above Gabapentin analogues. Reviews of people say about the discomfort of taking them. But still, the need for medical treatment is the only option for the prevention of epileptic seizures today.
The medicine "Gabapentin": analogues are cheaper
Since the treatment of epilepsy is very expensive, many still try together with doctors to select cheaper drugs. So you can recommend such analogues for Gabapentin in Russia as Paglüferal tablets (cost around 100 rubles), Convulsan capsules (270 rubles), Lameolep pills (400 rubles), Seizar tablets (300 rubles).
The list of cheap drugs is not so big, but it can completely replace the intake of expensive drugs.