1. < Chronic Pain

Can gabapentin cause muscle pain and cramps in arms & legs?

Posted by sadeyes @sadeyes, Jan 28, 2020

Has anyone ever had the experience of Gabapentin causing severe muscle cramps in arms and legs and muscular pain and feeling of weakness? I know it is supposed to basically do the opposite and help with muscular problems......but this has happened twice to me as soon as I started the gaba and it was very severe,

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Pain Support Group.

severah | @severah | Jan 27 8:50am
In reply to @choosejoy "While gabapentin may have been a “terrible” drug for you there are many others of us..." + (show)
@choosejoy

While gabapentin may have been a “terrible” drug for you there are many others of us that do well on it. It helps manage my pain from permanent nerve damage in my leg. My pain doc has had me on it for 5 years. I am considering having a spinal stimulator implanted but will do the trial first. It would be nice to get off of gabapentin and the drowsiness I feel after taking it. But in the meantime gaba controls the tingling, burning and nerve zaps I get without it.

I am glad Lyrica helped you. When I tried it for a month or so I had too many side effects to continue. Obviously we are all different and there is no one size fits all treatment.

Jump to this post

I get excruciating leg cramps! I mean leg cramps inside my UPPER parts of leg or i should say inside thigh. It is a cramp that makes me scream and feels as if i am being cut open with a wooden knife!!
One B12 pill or one Tramadol is only thing that takes pain away in less than 2 long minutes!!
NOTHING else works on me..i mean NOTHING ELSE, no matter what people tell me to try!
Anything with steroids will immediately give me the inner thigh leg cramps!
I have gotten those cramps on both legs at same time that make me fall and have bad knees now due to the falls!!

REPLY
2 replies
Sebi99 | @sebi99 | Jan 27 9:09am

So I have leg cramps they are severe twisting I will walk around this happened in morning every morning pain. I take 900 mg lyrica b 12 magnizum
I have nerve damage from 2 strokes. This was 2010 then polynuropothy
At first gabepentin two a day then 3 then 4 then 5. Now lyrica 3 a day.
Lived in Minnesota then moved to Colombia SA.so
Ringing in my ears since stroke
More tired lethargic wake up tired this is not a good life blurred vision uncoordinated.
This sucks

REPLY
choosejoy | @choosejoy | Jan 27 9:15am
In reply to @bazzinga1234 "You are right.... we all have a different body chemistry. I have permanent nerve damage to..." + (show)
@bazzinga1234

You are right.... we all have a different body chemistry. I have permanent nerve damage to my leg too from a pinched nerve in my lumbar.
Would you mind telling me what caused your nerve damage. Is it from neuropathy?
I don’t do well with prescription drugs.
Excedrin XStrength is the only med that gives me a little relief. J

Jump to this post

My nerve damage came from a herniated disc impinging on a nerve. I was injured at work and sent to a workmen’s comp doctor. They kept trying non invasive treatments even though an Orthodoc and neurosurgeon recommended surgery to release the impingement. Long story short there were too many months in between and it wasn’t until the pain was excruciating and I had foot drop before seeking surgery through my own doc. I’m stuck with permanent nerve damage so just had a spinal cord stimulator implanted. So far so good with the relief it offers. I’ve been able to go on with my days pain med free and significantly reduced gabapentin. My Gastrointestinal issues don’t allow me to use exceeding or ibuprofen unfortunately.

REPLY
lauracox12 | @lauracox12 | Jan 28 12:46pm
In reply to @severah "I get excruciating leg cramps! I mean leg cramps inside my UPPER parts of leg or..." + (show)
@severah

I get excruciating leg cramps! I mean leg cramps inside my UPPER parts of leg or i should say inside thigh. It is a cramp that makes me scream and feels as if i am being cut open with a wooden knife!!
One B12 pill or one Tramadol is only thing that takes pain away in less than 2 long minutes!!
NOTHING else works on me..i mean NOTHING ELSE, no matter what people tell me to try!
Anything with steroids will immediately give me the inner thigh leg cramps!
I have gotten those cramps on both legs at same time that make me fall and have bad knees now due to the falls!!

Jump to this post

I have cramps in my legs, calves primarily. Hip pain.
Have you had a CT with contrast on your lumbar spine?

REPLY
1 reply
Sebi99 | @sebi99 | Jan 28 3:08pm
In reply to @severah "I get excruciating leg cramps! I mean leg cramps inside my UPPER parts of leg or..." + (show)
@severah

I get excruciating leg cramps! I mean leg cramps inside my UPPER parts of leg or i should say inside thigh. It is a cramp that makes me scream and feels as if i am being cut open with a wooden knife!!
One B12 pill or one Tramadol is only thing that takes pain away in less than 2 long minutes!!
NOTHING else works on me..i mean NOTHING ELSE, no matter what people tell me to try!
Anything with steroids will immediately give me the inner thigh leg cramps!
I have gotten those cramps on both legs at same time that make me fall and have bad knees now due to the falls!!

Jump to this post

Steroids are bad try lyrica and if you need something for pain cut a Percocet in four.

REPLY
Sebi99 | @sebi99 | Jan 28 3:12pm
In reply to @smigal "I do take tramadol durning the day but am incompatible with gabapentan and lyrica. Back to..." + (show)
@smigal

I do take tramadol durning the day but am incompatible with gabapentan and lyrica. Back to the drawing board. So might have to try venaflaxine or extended release tramadol. Gapapentan will relieve my nerve pain but give me worse pain in the morning.

Jump to this post

Try cutting a Percocet in four equal parts take that

REPLY
1 reply
danny67 | @danny5 | Jan 28 3:42pm

i take 1800mg of Gabapentin. for foot neuropathy. i've been on this dosage for over 7 months. and i've never had this problem. how much are you taking?

REPLY
rashida | @rashida | Jan 29 12:10am

Is Gabapentin a steroid?? I didn’t know that!

REPLY
3 replies
minijohn | @minijohn | Jan 29 10:32am

About a week after taking a low dose I had weak and sore legs and cramps in my legs at night. I tapered down immediately.

REPLY
danny67 | @danny5 | Jan 29 6:04pm
In reply to @rashida "Is Gabapentin a steroid?? I didn’t know that!" + (show)
@rashida

Is Gabapentin a steroid?? I didn’t know that!

Jump to this post

not that i know nor heard it connected to steroids. i use Gabapentin. try Googling it. i'm going to myself.

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.