How long does gabapentin last?

In this article:

• How long does gabapentin last?
• Is it safe to take expired gabapentin?
• How do you dispose of expired gabapentin?

In this article

• How long does gabapentin last?
• Is it safe to take expired gabapentin?
• How do you dispose of expired gabapentin?

Gabapentin is a prescription medication with multiple uses. It’s an anticonvulsant often given to people with epilepsy or seizure disorders, but it’s also a nerve pain medication that helps decrease symptoms of common disorders like shingles and restless legs syndrome as well as treat chronic pain from nerve damage. 

With so many uses, gabapentin is prescribed frequently by healthcare providers—you may even have a bottle of it in your medicine cabinet right now from a prior illness or injury. But how long does gabapentin last, and what should you do if you have an expired prescription at home? Here’s what to know.

How long does gabapentin last?

According to Joanna Lewis, Pharm.D., founder of The Pharmacist’s Guide, the shelf life of any given medication is unique to each drug, and the expiration is set as the last date the manufacturer guarantees its quality. Dr. Lewis says that once you pick up a prescription from your pharmacy, you can typically expect the medication to be good for one year (but you should always check the expiration date listed on your prescription after it’s been dispensed to be sure).

“The shelf life of gabapentin differs based on its formulation and storage conditions,” says Allison Hinkle, Pharm.D., clinical pharmacy manager at HCA Florida Highlands Hospital. Gabapentin is available as extended-release and immediate-release tablets, an oral solution, a topical cream, and a few other formulations, all of which impact the drug’s shelf life.

Per Dr. Hinkle, the average shelf life of gabapentin is as follows:

• Extended-release tablets: Two years (when stored at 68°F to 77°F)
• Immediate-release tablets: Two to three years from the date of manufacture unless broken in half, at which point they should be used within 28 days
• Immediate-release capsules: Two to three years from date of manufacture
• Oral solution: 2 years from date of manufacture when unopened, one to two months after opening
• Topical (compounded creams and gels): 30–90 days from compounded date
• Orally disintegrating tablets: Two years from date of manufacture

Is it safe to take expired gabapentin?

Drugs like gabapentin typically become less effective over time. Dr. Hinkle says all forms of gabapentin may lose potency after their expiration dates, and non-oral forms of the drug (like liquid solutions and compounded creams or gels) may also become contaminated with bacteria if you use them after their expiration date or haven’t stored them according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. 

Some drugs actually become dangerous to use after their expiration date. While there’s nothing downright dangerous about expired gabapentin, you still should avoid taking an expired dose.

“The biggest risk of using an expired medication is that [its] diminished potency may result in treatment failure, or essentially the drug not doing what it’s supposed to do,” Dr. Lewis says. “You likely won’t experience any dangerous side effects, but you may not be getting the full effect of the medication.”

This might not seem like a serious problem, but keep in mind that you’ve been prescribed gabapentin for a reason. People using it to treat seizure disorders, especially, should be concerned about the medication not working properly or providing the intended treatment or therapy.

How do you dispose of expired gabapentin?

You shouldn’t keep expired drugs in your home. They could be accidentally or intentionally ingested by children, pets, or other people with access to your medications, putting them at risk of illness or overdose. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has specific rules for disposing of unused medication.

There are several options for getting rid of expired medications, including gabapentin. The FDA advises consumers to dispose of certain drugs—including ones that carry a high risk of addiction, abuse, or fatality, like opioid painkillers—by flushing them down the toilet. However, gabapentin isn’t on the FDA’s flush list, so your options for disposing of it include:

• Bringing it to a drug take-back location, such as a local pharmacy with a drug disposal box, participating in a national drug take-back event hosted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), or obtaining a drug mail-back envelope and sending your medication to the included address.
• Throwing it away with your regular trash after following the FDA’s list of steps for drugs on the “non-flush list.”

If you aren’t sure when or how to dispose of gabapentin, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider. They can advise you whether or not to continue taking the medication you have, and if you should no longer use it, they can share instructions for the correct disposal of the drug.