gabapentin vs methadone
Side-by-side comparison of gabapentin and methadone. 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: Avoid driving or using heavy machinery until you know how this combination affects you, and watch for slow breathing.
Neurontin, Gralise
Dolophine
Gabapentin is a medicine that can treat nerve pain and seizures. It works by calming overactive nerves in the body.
Methadone Hydrochloride Injection is a strong pain medicine. It is also used to treat opioid dependence temporarily when you cannot take medicine by mouth.
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.
This medicine is used to manage severe, ongoing pain that needs a strong opioid medicine when other pain medicines don't work well enough. It is also used for the short-term treatment of opioid dependence when you cannot take oral medication, such as if you are in the hospital. Injectable methadone is not approved for outpatient treatment of opioid dependence.
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.
Methadone works by attaching to opioid receptors in the brain and body. This changes how your body feels pain. It can also help reduce withdrawal symptoms if you are opioid dependent.
- • Dizziness
- • Sleepiness
- • Swelling in arms and legs
- • Uncoordinated movements
- • Tiredness
- • Lightheadedness
- • Dizziness
- • Sedation
- • 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
- Addiction to the drug 5,614
- Harmful effects from different substances 5,213
- Misuse of the drug 4,797
- Taking too much of the drug 3,841
- Pain 3,669
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.
Methadone Hydrochloride Injection can cause serious and life-threatening risks, including addiction, abuse, and misuse. It can also cause life-threatening breathing problems, especially when you first start taking it or after a dose increase. Using methadone during pregnancy can cause withdrawal symptoms in the newborn. Using methadone with benzodiazepines or other drugs that can cause drowsiness, including alcohol, can cause severe sedation, breathing problems, coma, and death. Methadone can also cause a serious heart problem called QT prolongation.
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.
Using Methadone Hydrochloride Injection during pregnancy can cause withdrawal symptoms in the newborn. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of using this medicine if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if methadone passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor before breastfeeding.
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How to Read This gabapentin vs methadone Comparison
gabapentin is classified in the Anticonvulsant / Nerve Pain Agent drug class, while methadone sits within the Opioid Agonist 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 methadone has 23,134. 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 of these medicines can slow down your brain activity and breathing, which increases the risk of dangerous sleepiness.. 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 methadone - 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.