Anticonvulsants
Gabapentin
Gabapentin (generic Neurontin) is prescribed for nerve pain and as an add-on for seizures, and is used off-label for many other conditions. It is a low-cost generic, but the branded extended-release versions Gralise and Horizant are different products that cannot be substituted.
This page is general information about a medication and how cash prices for it are set. It is not medical advice and does not replace the label, your prescriber or your pharmacist. How we handle medical information
Capsules, tablets and solution are generic. Gralise and Horizant are brand extended-release products.
About Gabapentin
Gabapentin was designed to resemble the neurotransmitter GABA but actually works by binding a calcium channel subunit on nerve cells, which reduces the release of excitatory signals. It is approved for postherpetic neuralgia (nerve pain after shingles) and as an add-on treatment for partial seizures. It is widely prescribed off-label for diabetic nerve pain, sciatica, restless legs, anxiety, alcohol withdrawal and hot flushes, with varying evidence.
Absorption is limited and becomes less efficient at higher doses, which is why it is taken two or three times a day and doses are increased gradually. Drowsiness, dizziness, unsteadiness and fluid retention are the common side effects, and the risk of respiratory depression is higher when it is combined with opioids or other sedatives. Several states have made gabapentin a scheduled controlled substance or require it to be reported to prescription monitoring programmes, which affects how it can be prescribed and transferred.
Gralise and Horizant are once-daily extended-release products with different dosing; Horizant is a different molecule (a prodrug) approved for restless legs and postherpetic neuralgia. Neither is interchangeable with generic gabapentin.
Why the cash price for Gabapentin differs from pharmacy to pharmacy
Generic gabapentin capsules are inexpensive, but the number of capsules per month can be large because doses are spread across the day. The dispensing fee is a small share and the per-capsule mark-up matters more than for once-daily drugs, so the spread between pharmacies grows with the dose.
The 600 and 800 mg tablets cost pharmacies more per milligram than capsules at some suppliers and less at others. A prescription for two 300 mg capsules three times a day and one for one 600 mg tablet three times a day deliver the same drug but can be priced very differently. In states where gabapentin is scheduled, transfers between pharmacies are also restricted, which reduces your ability to shop around after the first fill.
Ways to pay less for Gabapentin without insurance
- Ask the pharmacy to quote your daily dose as capsules and as tablets, and ask the prescriber to write whichever is cheaper if clinically the same.
- Ask for a ninety-day prescription where your state’s rules allow it.
- If Gralise or Horizant has been prescribed, ask the prescriber whether plain gabapentin would work for you; the cost difference is large.
- Check whether your state treats gabapentin as a controlled substance, because that affects transfers and refills.
- Upload your prescription to Script Unlock so licensed pharmacies can quote their cash price for the exact form and quantity. You pay the pharmacy directly.
How Script Unlock gets you a cash price for Gabapentin
Prices on this site come from pharmacies responding to a real prescription. We do not publish estimated, average or "typical" prices, because none of those would be your price.
- 1You upload your prescription
A photo of your Gabapentin prescription is enough. Nothing is sold on the site; you are asking pharmacies to quote.
- 2Licensed pharmacies respond
Pharmacies that Script Unlock has verified see the request and each can reply with its own cash price for your exact drug, strength and quantity.
- 3You choose and pay the pharmacy
You compare the responses, pick a pharmacy, and pay that pharmacy directly when you collect. Script Unlock never takes a patient payment and never sets the price.
Questions to ask your pharmacist about Gabapentin
- 1.Is this generic gabapentin or one of the extended-release brands?
- 2.How should I space the doses through the day?
- 3.Is it safe with my other medicines, especially opioids, sleep aids or alcohol?
- 4.What should I do if I miss a dose?
- 5.How should it be tapered if I stop?
Related medications
Sources
Script Unlock is a marketplace that lets licensed pharmacies quote a cash price on your prescription. It does not prescribe, dispense or sell medication, does not process patient payments, and does not give medical advice. Always follow the instructions of your prescriber and pharmacist and read the medication guide supplied with your medicine.