gabapentin vs meperidine
Side-by-side comparison of gabapentin and meperidine. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
Examples: Benzodiazepines and other sedatives/hypnotics, anxiolytics, tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, general anesthetics, antipsychotics, gabapentinoids (gabapentin or pregabalin), other opioids, alcohol.
Recommendation: Your doctor may need to adjust your doses, and you should be monitored for signs of excessive sedation.
Neurontin, Gralise
Demerol
Gabapentin is a medicine that can treat nerve pain and seizures. It works by calming overactive nerves in the body.
Meperidine is a strong pain medicine. It is used to treat severe, acute pain when other pain medicines are not strong enough.
Gabapentin is used to manage nerve pain after shingles in adults. This is called postherpetic neuralgia. It is also used with other medicines to treat partial seizures in adults and children ages 3 and older who have epilepsy.
Meperidine is used to manage acute pain that is severe enough to need an opioid pain medicine. It is for use when other treatments do not work well enough. Meperidine should not be used for chronic, long-lasting pain. Taking meperidine for a long time may increase the risk of seizures.
Gabapentin affects how nerves send signals to the brain. It is thought to work by decreasing the activity of overexcited nerve cells. This can reduce pain and prevent seizures.
Meperidine is an opioid agonist. It works by binding to receptors in the brain and spinal cord. This reduces the feeling of pain.
- • Dizziness
- • Sleepiness
- • Swelling in arms and legs
- • Uncoordinated movements
- • Tiredness
- • Lightheadedness
- • Dizziness
- • Sleepiness
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- Tiredness 24,395
- Feeling sick to your stomach 21,942
- Aches and discomfort 20,748
- Loose or watery stools 17,456
- Pain in your head 17,287
- Allergic reaction to the drug 3,248
- Pain 1,250
- Feeling sick to your stomach 1,133
- Excessive sweating 821
- Skin rash 775
This medicine can cause a severe allergic reaction with fever, rash, and organ problems. Stop taking gabapentin and get medical help right away if you have trouble breathing or swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how gabapentin affects you. Do not stop taking gabapentin suddenly, as this may increase seizures. Gabapentin may cause suicidal thoughts or actions. Watch for changes in mood or behavior. Using gabapentin with opioid medicines can cause very slow breathing, sedation, and death. Children ages 3 to 12 may have new or worsening behavior problems.
Meperidine has a boxed warning. This means it has serious risks. These risks include: Medication errors that can cause overdose, addiction, abuse, and misuse, life-threatening respiratory depression, accidental ingestion (especially by children) can cause a fatal overdose, dangerous effects when taken with benzodiazepines or other CNS depressants, and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome. Make sure you read the Medication Guide.
Gabapentin may cause harm to an unborn baby based on animal studies. If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, talk to your doctor. Gabapentin passes into breast milk. The effects on a nursing baby are not known.
Taking meperidine for a long time during pregnancy can cause withdrawal symptoms in the newborn. Meperidine is not recommended during or right before labor because it can cause breathing problems in the baby.
Also Compare, Nearby Drugs
Compare gabapentin with
Compare meperidine with
How to Read This gabapentin vs meperidine Comparison
gabapentin is classified in the Anticonvulsant / Nerve Pain Agent drug class, while meperidine sits within the Opioid Analgesic class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, gabapentin has 101,828 submissions while meperidine has 7,227. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to both drugs slow down the central nervous system. this can lead to increased sleepiness, dizziness, or breathing difficulties.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between gabapentin and meperidine - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.