What is the Standard Neurontin® Dosage?

For the most part, it’s difficult to answer what the standard Neurontin® dosage is, since it may vary based on the condition it is treating and on the age of the person taking the drug. There are some general guidelines to follow, but each person should know that their condition might be unique and different dosage levels may apply. A medical professional can best determine the appropriate levels for each patient.

Neurontin® or gabapentin can be used to treat things like chronic pain from conditions such as postherpetic neuralgia, or it is used in the treatment of epilepsy. Its role in the treatment of psychiatric conditions is now highly questionable, and initial studies by the manufacturers were shown to have greatly exaggerated its mood stabilizing effects. When used for psychiatric purpose, doses ran from 900 to 1,200 milligrams to as much as 3,000 milligrams a day, but this is now not as common.

In the treatment of epilepsy or seizures, standard Neurontin® dosage may be begin with 900 milligrams a day, usually split into three daily doses. This would be the first recommendation for anyone 12 years old or older. The dose may be doubled as needed, and go up to 1,800 milligrams a day. Children under 12 years old receive a smaller dose that is calculated by body weight. Typically, 2.20 pounds (1 kg) translates to 10 or 15 milligrams of gabapentin. As such, child who is slightly over 40 pounds (20 kg) would receive a 200 to 300 mg dose, and this would usually be split into three equal doses.

The standard dosage may be approximately the same for those people with postherpetic neuralgia. Doses could begin as low as 300 mg for adults, and climb to about 1,800 milligrams, but dosing may be higher for people suffering from conditions like fibromyalgia, and adults might take a maximum dose of 2,400 mg per day. There are even some records of doses as high 3,600 mg a day to treat certain pain conditions, and these doses have been well tolerated in some patients.

Different recommendations exist for standard Neurontin® dosage if a patient has renal impairment, since gabapentin clears through the kidneys. In these cases, doses may be much lower and dose range might be as low as 100 to 300 milligrams per day with severe kidney impairment. It’s not verifiable in all cases that such a low dose would be worth administering.

People who take this medication are advised to remember that the dosage of this medication is highly individual, and charts or averages don’t determine single patient response. Patients should neither increase nor decrease this medication without guidance from a medical professional.