It is not established whether Gralise is successful and safe in patients with epilepsy problems. It is also not proven whether gralise is operational and safe in children below the age of 18 years with postherpetic pain. Gralise is not an alternative for gabapentin products.
How Effective is Gralise?
Gralise is an effective drug prescribed for people over 18 years of age for alleviating pain resulting from destroyed nerves (neuropathic pain) that trails healing of a painful rash caused by herpes zoster infection (shingles).
Patients who are allergic to gabapentin should not use gralise or other products with gralise ingredients.
Before Using Gralise
Inform your doctor if you have:
- Convulsions
- Kidney problems
- On dialysis
- Mood swings, suicidal behaviors or thoughts, have or had depression
- When pregnant or planning to get pregnant.
It is not confirmed whether gralise can harm unborn child. Inform your physician immediately if you are planning to conceive or if you are already pregnant while using Gralise. Your doctor will decide and advise whether you can use this medicine while pregnant.
If you get pregnant while using Gralise, ask your doctor on registering with North American Antiepileptic Drug (NAAED) pregnancy list. The main reason for this registry is to gather information about the safety of antiepileptic medicines as well as gabapentin, lively gralise ingredients, during prenatal period. You can enroll by contacting 1-888582-233-2334.
Gralise can mix with breast milk. Inform your doctor if you are breastfeeding, and the doctor will advise on how you can feed your child while on Gralise treatment.
Inform your doctor of all the medicines you are using including herbal supplements, vitamins and prescribed or non-prescribed medications. Using gralise concurrently with other drugs may cause side effects or interact with it. Do not stop or start using other medications before consulting with your doctor. Keep a list of all the drugs you are taking and always show it to your physician or pharmacist when receiving new medications.
Precautions Regarding Use of Gralise
You should not use or stop Gralise dose before consulting your doctor. Abrupt stoppage of gralise use may lead to severe complications.
Just like other antiepileptic medicines such as Gabapentin, Gralise may result in suicidal thoughts or behaviors in a small fraction of people, of about 1 in 500 people.
However it is not clear whether Gralise can help in treating people with epilepsy. Hence, gralise must not be used to replace other gabapentin products.
Contact your doctor immediately in case you suffer these signs, particularly if they are worse or new:
- Suicidal thoughts or attempting to commit suicide.
- New or escalating depression
- New or escalating anxiety
- Feeling impatient or agitated
- Panicking
- Problems with sleeping (insomnia)
- New or worsening irritability
- Being angry, violent or aggressive.
- Performing on risky impulses
- Thrilling upsurge in talking and activity (mania)
- Unfamiliar fluctuations in mood or behavior.
How Will I Realize That I Have Early Signs Of Suicidal Behavior And Thoughts?
- Be keen with sudden changes in mood, thoughts, behavior or feelings.
- Strictly follow all your scheduled meetings with your doctor.
- Contact your doctor if you have any worrying signs that you are experiencing.
- You should not stop using gralise before consulting your doctor. Sudden halting of gralise dose may lead to severe problems and complications.
What are the Side Effects of Gralise?
Dizziness is the commonly reported side effect of Gralise. Notify your doctor of any side effects that inconveniences you or that which exists for a long time.
Gralise have other possible side effects apart from these. Request your doctor or pharmacist to give you detailed information.
