Gabapentin and oxycodone are drugs that belong to different classes—anticonvulsant and opioid, respectively—but both can be used for pain management. While oxycodone can be prescribed for different types of moderate-to-severe pain, such as that experienced after surgery, gabapentin is used for nerve pain.
In some cases, these medications can be prescribed together, though combining them is generally very dangerous. You should never mix these drugs unless your doctor instructs you otherwise.
Keep reading to learn more about gabapentin and oxycodone, including the effects and dangers of this drug combination.
What Is Gabapentin, and What Is It Used For?
Gabapentin is a type of anticonvulsant medication known as a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) analog. While it can be used to treat seizures, such as those occurring in people with epilepsy, it is also FDA-approved for the treatment of nerve pain. Most often, it is prescribed for neuropathic pain caused by diabetic neuropathy, postherpetic neuralgia, and similar conditions.
Available in immediate- and extended-release forms, gabapentin comes as a tablet, oral solution, or a capsule. Some brand names under which it is marketed include Neurontin® and Horizant®. It is also sold as a generic drug.
Gabapentin works by changing the way nerves send messages to the brain. Besides providing relief from seizures and nerve pain, it can also cause adverse effects. Some of its common side effects include dizziness, drowsiness, and headache. It can also cause serious reactions that require emergency care, such as suicidal ideation and respiratory depression.
Although gabapentin is not a federally controlled substance in the United States, it can only be obtained by prescription. In some states, such as Michigan, it is treated as a Schedule V controlled substance. You should always take it as instructed, as misusing it increases the risk of dependence, addiction, and overdose.
What Is Oxycodone, and How Does It Work?
Oxycodone is an opioid medication prescribed for moderate-to-severe pain when non-opioid painkillers aren’t tolerated or effective enough.
Derived from thebaine, an opium alkaloid that occurs naturally in the opium poppy, oxycodone is a semi-synthetic opioid. It is available in an immediate- or extended-release formulation. Marketed under OxyContin®, OxyNorm®, Roxicodone®, and other brand names, this medication comes as a tablet, capsule, oral liquid, or injectable solution.
Oxycodone works by attaching to the opioid receptors in the central nervous system (CNS), thereby preventing pain signals from reaching the brain. It also causes sudden dopamine release, inducing rewarding effects like euphoria and deep relaxation that enhance the risk of oxycodone abuse. It can also cause various adverse effects ranging from mild to severe.
The most common side effects of oxycodone include:
- Confusion
- Headache
- Dry mouth
- Drowsiness
- Constipation
- Stomach ache
- Lightheadedness
- Nausea and vomiting
In 2022, over 11.3 million prescriptions for this drug were issued to almost 4.8 million Americans, making oxycodone the second most prescribed opioid in the United States. It is also commonly used as a combination product containing acetaminophen (Percocet®, Roxicet®, Endocet®).
Importantly, it is a Schedule II controlled substance due to the high risk of abuse, dependence, and opioid addiction. Prolonged use of this medication amplifies these risks. Therefore, you should take it for a minimum time at the lowest doses possible.
Follow your doctor’s instructions carefully while taking this medication. Opioid abuse (i.e., taking oxycodone in ways other than prescribed, such as increased doses) considerably increases the likelihood of dependence, addiction, and life-threatening opioid overdose.
Now that we’ve discussed the basics, it’s time to find out if you can take gabapentin with oxycodone, and what happens if you do.
Can You Take Gabapentin and Oxycodone Together?
You can take gabapentin and oxycodone together, but only if this drug combination is prescribed to you by a doctor. Mixing these drugs without medical supervision is a dangerous form of polysubstance abuse. Therefore, you should never combine them unless your doctor determines this treatment is right for you.
The combination of gabapentin and oxycodone may be used to treat certain types of pain that cannot be alleviated with either of these medications alone.
Researchers from Shaoxing People’s Hospital found that extended-release oxycodone combined with gabapentin can effectively manage severe pain caused by cancer. Additionally, this drug combination can decrease oxycodone doses and the costs of cancer pain relief. It also reduces the incidence of nausea, vomiting, and constipation and increases the quality of life.
Similarly, a study by Denmark Hill Campus researchers suggests that the co-administration of prolonged-release oxycodone and gabapentin has a clinically meaningful effect in treating neuropathic pain. This drug combination is also more effective for managing painful diabetic neuropathy than gabapentin alone.
However, this drug combination requires close monitoring and should always be taken strictly as prescribed. As previously mentioned, you should never attempt to self-medicate by mixing these medications; the interaction of gabapentin and oxycodone can be dangerous and even deadly.
Risks and Dangers of Mixing Gabapentin and Oxycodone
The main risks and dangers of mixing gabapentin and oxycodone are the increased risks of side effects, respiratory depression, and overdose.
Let’s examine the key dangers of this drug combination in greater detail:
Side Effects
Like all medications, gabapentin and oxycodone can cause various side effects. Since these drugs have synergistic effects—in other words, they enhance one another’s effects—mixing them increases the risk of adverse effects. Some of these can be severe and require immediate medical attention.
Since drowsiness and dizziness are among the most common side effects of gabapentin and oxycodone, it’s in your best interest to avoid driving until you know how these drugs affect you. Inform your doctor about any unwanted effects you experience after taking this drug combination.
Respiratory Depression
Respiratory depression is a potentially life-threatening condition characterized by slow, shallow, ineffective breathing. Both gabapentin and oxycodone have depressant-like effects and may dangerously suppress your breathing, especially if taken in high doses or misused in other ways. Taking them together considerably amplifies this risk.
Seek emergency help if you struggle to breathe normally after mixing gabapentin and oxycodone. Untreated respiratory depression can result in respiratory or cardiac arrest, irreversible brain damage, coma, and death.
Overdose
Drug overdose is the most significant risk of mixing gabapentin and oxycodone; it may be fatal if not treated promptly. Although there is no antidote for gabapentin poisoning, a case study by Evgenii Vladislav suggests that naloxone may reverse a gabapentin and oxycodone overdose. Therefore, it is vitally important to seek medical help in case of an overdose.
Similarly, a study by Tara Gomes et al. found that concomitant exposure to gabapentin and opioids like oxycodone increases the risk of opioid overdose mortality by 49%. The researchers suggest that clinicians should be cautious when combining these drugs; they should closely monitor patients and adjust their doses to reduce the risk of drug overdose.
Signs and Symptoms of Gabapentin and Oxycodone Overdose
Call 911 immediately if you or someone around you is displaying the following signs and symptoms of a gabapentin and oxycodone overdose:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Choking sounds
- Constricted pupils
- Cold, clammy skin
- Difficulty breathing
- Unresponsiveness
- Profound confusion
- Extreme drowsiness
- Reduced pulse and heart rate
- Skin, lip, or fingernail discoloration
If you must take these drugs, follow these guidelines to reduce the overdose risk:
- Carefully follow your doctor’s instructions. Do not take these medications at higher doses, for a longer time, or more frequently than prescribed.
- Work closely with your doctor. Inform them about any unusual reactions or side effects you experience while taking your medication.
- Keep track of your drug intake. If you miss a dose, skip it and take the next one as usual; never take double doses.
- Avoid polysubstance abuse. Do not drink alcohol or mix these drugs with other substances without your doctor’s approval.
Those with opioid dependence or opioid use disorder (OUD)—commonly known as opioid addiction—are more likely to misuse gabapentin or oxycodone, increasing the overdose risk. Because of this, seeking opioid addiction treatment is of paramount importance.
If this is you, know that it’s not your fault—anyone taking opioids for a prolonged time can become dependent, as this drug alters your body’s chemistry. Eventually, you will need higher doses to achieve the same effects as before. And if you stop taking your medication, you will experience uncomfortable oxycodone withdrawal symptoms.
While tolerance and opioid withdrawals indicate physical dependence, it can turn into an addiction if left untreated, affecting your ability to control opioid use.
If you’re struggling with oxycodone dependence or addiction, know it is not your fault. Professional oxycodone addiction treatment can help you reclaim the life you deserve safely and effectively, regardless of how long you’ve been fighting this battle.
ANR Treatment for Oxycodone Dependence
Accelerated Neuro-Regulation (ANR) is a groundbreaking opioid dependence treatment developed by Dr. Andre Waismann.
While most traditional methods stop at opioid detox and opioid withdrawal management, ANR attacks the deep-rooted neurobiological causes of opioid dependence. Therefore, it outshines other approaches in terms of effectiveness.
ANR works by re-regulating the endorphin-receptor system imbalance caused by prolonged opioid use. In other words, it reverses the opioid-induced changes in the brain. Since it is performed under sedation, this treatment allows you to conquer opioid dependence without the pain and discomfort of actively experiencing opioid withdrawals.
Once ANR treatment is completed, you won’t have to take opioid-replacement drugs or attend counseling; this innovative approach eliminates withdrawal symptoms, including cravings, by bringing the nervous system to its pre-dependence state. By attacking opioid dependence at its core, ANR can help you safely and quickly return to a life of normalcy.
Benefits of Undergoing ANR Treatment
Some major benefits of undergoing ANR treatment include the following:
- Lasting results. ANR addresses the root of opioid dependence, thereby negating the risk of persistent withdrawal symptoms and relapse. As the only treatment that rebalances the endorphin-receptor system, it has an extremely high success rate; ANR has helped over 25,000 people worldwide beat opioid dependence once and for all.
- High safety standards. ANR treatment is carried out in an ICU setting of fully accredited state-of-the-art hospitals by highly experienced board-certified medical professionals. Since it is tailored to each patient individually, this treatment can be safely performed on most individuals, even those with co-occurring health conditions.
- Brief duration of hospitalization. Due to its comprehensive approach, ANR can help you break free from opioid dependence in just a matter of days.
Take the first step toward an opioid-free life today by reaching out to us and scheduling a free consultation with no obligation. We ensure 100% confidentiality.
Key Takeaways
Mixing gabapentin and oxycodone is not safe, as these drugs may interact. Therefore, patients prescribed this drug combination should be carefully monitored and follow their doctor’s instructions to a T to minimize the risk of adverse treatment outcomes.
Before you leave, let’s reiterate the key points we covered:
- Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant drug that can be used to control neuropathic pain, whereas oxycodone is an opioid used for moderate-to-severe pain.
- Taking gabapentin and oxycodone together without medical supervision is extremely dangerous due to the risk of respiratory depression, drug overdose, and death.
- ANR is a safe and highly effective opioid dependence treatment that can help you return to an opioid-free life within days by restoring normal brain function.
Gabapentin and Oxycodone FAQ
Gabapentin interacts with oxycodone synergistically. In simple terms, these medications amplify each other’s effects, such as pain relief and sedation. Never mix these drugs without medical supervision, as this significantly increases the risk of adverse effects, respiratory depression, and overdose.
Your doctor can help you determine what is better for pain—oxycodone or gabapentin—as it largely depends on the type of pain you’re suffering from. Gabapentin is typically used for nerve pain, whereas oxycodone is prescribed for acute moderate-to-severe pain that cannot be controlled with milder pain relievers.
It is not safe to take gabapentin if you’re already using oxycodone for pain. You should only take gabapentin and oxycodone together if your doctor prescribes this drug combination. Co-administration of these drugs requires close monitoring due to the risk of potentially fatal adverse events, including overdose.
