Cogentin vs. Neurontin

• Are Cogentin and Neurontin the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Cogentin?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Neurontin?
• What Is Cogentin?
• What Is Neurontin?
• What drugs interact with Cogentin?
• What drugs interact with Neurontin?
• How Should Cogentin Be Taken?
• How Should Neurontin Be Taken?

Cogentin (benztropine mesylate) and Neurontin (gabapentin) both affect the nerves and are prescribed to treat tremors caused by different conditions.

Cogentin is used to treat symptoms of Parkinson's disease and related drug-induced side effects.

Neurontin is used alone or in combination with other medications to treat seizures caused by epilepsy in adults and children who are at least 12 years old. Neurontin is also used to treat nerve pain caused by shingles (herpes zoster).

Cogentin and Neurontin belong to different drug classes. Cogentin is an anti-Parkinson's agent and anticholinergic agent and Neurontin is an anti-epileptic medication.

Side effects of Cogentin and Neurontin that are similar include drowsiness, dizziness, vision changes/double vision, depression, or memory problems.

Side effects of Cogentin that are different from Neurontin include headache, loss of appetite, nausea, stomach upset, sleeplessness, trembling of the hands, numbness in your fingers, nervousness, excitability, dry mouth, or increased sensitivity to light.

Side effects of Neurontin that are different from Cogentin include unsteadiness, lack of coordination, difficulty speaking, viral infections, tremors, fever, unusual eye movements, jerky movements, mood or behavior changes, or anxiety.

Both Cogentin and Neurontin may interact with alcohol or other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold or allergy medicines, sedatives, narcotics, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicines for seizures, depression, or anxiety).

Cogentin may also interact with amantadine, glycopyrrolate, mepenzolate, diuretics (water pills), potassium supplements, antidepressants, atropine, belladonna, dimenhydrinate, meclizine, methscopolamine, scopolamine, bladder or urinary medications, bronchodilators, irritable bowel medications, medicines to treat Alzheimer's dementia, or medicines to treat psychiatric disorders.

Neurontin may also interact with antacids.

Side effects of Cogentin include:

• drowsiness,
• dizziness,
• headache,
• loss of appetite,
• nausea,
• stomach upset,
• vision changes,
• sleeplessness,
• trembling of the hands,
• numbness in your fingers,
• depression,
• memory problems,
• nervousness,
• excitability,
• dry mouth,
• double vision, or
• increased sensitivity to light.

Common side effects of Neurontin include:

• dizziness,
• drowsiness,
• unsteadiness,
• memory loss,
• lack of coordination,
• difficulty speaking,
• viral infections,
• tremors,
• double vision,
• fever,
• unusual eye movements, and
• jerky movements.

Cogentin (benztropine mesylate) is an anti-Parkinson's agent and anticholinergic agent prescribed for treating the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and related drug-induced side effects.

Neurontin is a prescription medicine used to treat:

• Pain from damaged nerves (postherpetic pain) that follows healing of shingles (a painful rash that comes after a herpes zoster infection) in adults.
• Partial seizures when taken together with other medicines in adults and children 3 years of age and older with seizures.

Cogentin may interact with alcohol, other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold or allergy medicine, sedatives, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety), amantadine, glycopyrrolate, mepenzolate, diuretics (water pills), potassium supplements, antidepressants, atropine, belladonna, dimenhydrinate, meclizine, methscopolamine, scopolamine, bladder or urinary medications, bronchodilators, irritable bowel medications, medicines to treat Alzheimer's dementia, or medicines to treat psychiatric disorders. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using Cogentin; it is unknown if it will harm a fetus. It is unknown if Cogentin passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Do Not take Neurontin if you are allergic to gabapentin or any of the other ingredients in Neurontin. See the end of this Medication Guide for a complete list of ingredients in Neurontin.

Do not drink alcohol or take other medicines that make you sleepy or dizzy while taking Neurontin without first talking with your healthcare provider. Taking Neurontin with alcohol or drugs that cause sleepiness or dizziness may make your sleepiness or dizziness worse. Do not drive, operate heavy machinery, or do other dangerous activities until you know how Neurontin affects you. Neurontin can slow your thinking and motor skills.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Taking Neurontin with certain other medicines can cause side effects or affect how well they work. Do not start or stop other medicines without talking to your healthcare provider.

Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

Cogentin usual adult dose ranges from 0.5 - 6 mg/day in 1-2 divided doses.

Take Neurontin exactly as prescribed. Your healthcare provider will tell you how much Neurontin to take.

Do not change your dose of Neurontin without talking to your healthcare provider.

If you take Neurontin tablets and break a tablet in half, the unused half of the tablet should be taken at your next scheduled dose. Half tablets not used within 28 days of breaking should be thrown away. Take Neurontin capsules with water.

Neurontin tablets can be taken with or without food. If you take an antacid containing aluminum and magnesium, such as Maalox®, Mylanta®, Gelusil®, Gaviscon®, or Di-Gel®, you should wait at least 2 hours before taking your next dose of Neurontin.

If you take too much Neurontin, call your healthcare provider or your local Poison Control Center right away at 1-800-222-1222.

Pamelor is administered orally in the form of capsules or liquid. Lower than usual dosages are recommended for elderly patients and adolescents.