Sometimes, a person may be responsibly using a prescription drug and will need to take a drug test for employment or security reasons. False positives may occur in these situations, depending on the drug that someone is using. In some cases, tests may be designed specifically to look for prescription drugs. One drug that one may not expect to find on a drug test is Gabapentin.
What Is Gabapentin?
Gabapentin is a prescription anticonvulsant medication that is used to treat epileptic seizures, shingles pain, diabetes nerve pain, and even withdrawal. Brand names for Gabapentin include Neurontin, Gralise, and Horizant. This medication is most often taken in pill form and is not considered a controlled substance. However, this prescription still comes with some monumental risks.
Side Effects & Risks of Gabapentin
Side effects of Gabapentin may vary based on someone’s condition, age, dosage, and other factors. But there are still some common symptoms that may occur. Effects of Gabapentin may include dizziness, incoordination, drowsiness, weight gain, and withdrawal in some rare cases. When children take Gabapentin, they are at a higher risk for behavioral problems and anxiety.
Will Gabapentin Make You Fail a Drug Test?
Since this prescription is not a controlled substance, most drug screenings are not designed to test for Gabapentin. Therefore, it usually can’t be detected. But if the instructions of a drug test are to specifically look for Gabapentin, there is a chance that this substance could be detected.
Whether or not Gabapentin can be detected and how long it may be recognized for depends on the type of drug test that is administered. Different types of drug screenings include saliva, urine, and hair tests. Gabapentin is undetectable in saliva tests, but can be more easily found in urine tests. In fact, urine screenings are the most common type of test used to look for Gabapentin. Gabapentin can be found in urine for anywhere from 1 to 3 days. Hair tests are unlikely to detect Gabapentin, but may be able to find it for anywhere up to 90 days.
Overall, Gabapentin will usually not make you fail a drug test. But if you are specifically being tested for Gabapentin use, you should talk to your doctor before stopping a prescription.
Using Gabapentin Responsibly
Gabapentin is typically safe for consumption as long as it is used responsibly. That is one of the reasons that it is extremely rare for employers or legal authority to screen for this prescription. Individuals should only use Gabapentin if they are prescribed this drug by a doctor. If a child is prescribed Gabapentin, a parent or caregiver should always monitor use.
Gabapentin should only be used according to dosage and can be taken with or without food. People with a prescription for this drug should stay hydrated regularly. It does not have any known interactions, but you should still tell a doctor if you or your child take any other medications in addition to Gabapentin.
To learn more about the effects and risks of addiction to Gabapentin, contact our team of addiction specialists by calling us at 267.719.8528.
