1. < Digestive Health

Constipation from Gabapentin (Neurotin)

Posted by busylady @busylady, Jun 6 9:08am

Has anyone found that Gabapentin causes constipation? I have taken Gabapentin for 30 years and have been suffering from constipation for just as long. I take Metamucil every day to try to combat this and I also try to incorporate prebiotics in my diet from food such as fermented sauerkraut, pickles and olives. All of this does help but the Metamucil “gasses me up” so much that it is difficult to be around people because of uncontrolled gas!
I take MiraLAX when needed. I was once on Linzess but that didnt really work any better than MiraLAX, and it was an “out of pocket” expense.
Any input is appreciated. I am grateful to belong to this group where we can all share our “GI issues” and many times get helpful tips in return.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Digestive Health Support Group.

Mentor
Janell, Volunteer Mentor | @jlharsh | Jun 6 9:04pm

Hi @busylady, you pose a great question! I am sorry you live needing to manage constipation, and now for 30 years.

I have this thought as you wait for others having first-hand experience with Gabapentin, coming off of listening to what I thought was an insightful pharmacist’s perspective of backing out and periodically reevaluating. You may just benefit taking a fresh look at everything you are taking, reviewing with your doctor or pharmacist.
- One, it’s easy to miss that the reasons a drug/supplement was initially started may not apply today.
- Also, I had never thought that as my age changes, my body changes, and how drugs work in my body change, our anilments accumulate.
- Then, you bring up another of his thoughts about taking one thing to counteract something else, taking Metamucil to combat the Gabapentin. What need does that create?
At some point, the smart thing to do may be to sit down and re-evaluate from scratch. Maybe there are newer drugs you haven’t considered because the Gabapentin has been working good enough. I am happy to find the article if you want to read/listen. Just let me know.

Do you take other medications? Is it possible, worth working with your doctor to taper down the Gabapentin to see if your constipation improves? Would tweaking your diet help, what other type of foods do you eat regularly?

REPLY
2 replies
catherine1290 | @catherine1290 | Jun 7 5:52am
In reply to @jlharsh "Hi @busylady, you pose a great question! I am sorry you live needing to manage constipation,..." + (show)
@jlharsh

Hi @busylady, you pose a great question! I am sorry you live needing to manage constipation, and now for 30 years.

I have this thought as you wait for others having first-hand experience with Gabapentin, coming off of listening to what I thought was an insightful pharmacist’s perspective of backing out and periodically reevaluating. You may just benefit taking a fresh look at everything you are taking, reviewing with your doctor or pharmacist.
- One, it’s easy to miss that the reasons a drug/supplement was initially started may not apply today.
- Also, I had never thought that as my age changes, my body changes, and how drugs work in my body change, our anilments accumulate.
- Then, you bring up another of his thoughts about taking one thing to counteract something else, taking Metamucil to combat the Gabapentin. What need does that create?
At some point, the smart thing to do may be to sit down and re-evaluate from scratch. Maybe there are newer drugs you haven’t considered because the Gabapentin has been working good enough. I am happy to find the article if you want to read/listen. Just let me know.

Do you take other medications? Is it possible, worth working with your doctor to taper down the Gabapentin to see if your constipation improves? Would tweaking your diet help, what other type of foods do you eat regularly?

Jump to this post

You didn't mention the reason you take Gabapentin. It was originally approved for seizures and later given off label for neuropathy and pain.

REPLY
1 reply
dlydailyhope | @dlydailyhope | Jun 7 7:12am

@busylady
What do you take the gabapentin for? Have you ever tried to come off of it or lower your dosage?
https://www.healthline.com/health/epilepsy/gabapentin-side-effects

REPLY
busylady | @busylady | Jun 8 7:26am
In reply to @catherine1290 "You didn't mention the reason you take Gabapentin. It was originally approved for seizures and later..." + (show)
@catherine1290

You didn't mention the reason you take Gabapentin. It was originally approved for seizures and later given off label for neuropathy and pain.

Jump to this post

I take it for chronic headaches. I’ve taken it for nearly 32 years. But as i got on in my years, I developed spine disease and have undergone 2 lumbar and 1 cervical fusion. I developed neuropathy in the left leg and foot from the 1st lumbar surgery so I know that the Gabapentin is helping with that also. And also the “zingies” down the arms.

REPLY
catherine1290 | @catherine1290 | Jun 8 8:37am

It may be time to move on to a different medication. Ask your doctor what he thinks about Lyrica ( Pregabalin) for your neuropathy.

REPLY
busylady | @busylady | Jun 8 9:44am
In reply to @jlharsh "Hi @busylady, you pose a great question! I am sorry you live needing to manage constipation,..." + (show)
@jlharsh

Hi @busylady, you pose a great question! I am sorry you live needing to manage constipation, and now for 30 years.

I have this thought as you wait for others having first-hand experience with Gabapentin, coming off of listening to what I thought was an insightful pharmacist’s perspective of backing out and periodically reevaluating. You may just benefit taking a fresh look at everything you are taking, reviewing with your doctor or pharmacist.
- One, it’s easy to miss that the reasons a drug/supplement was initially started may not apply today.
- Also, I had never thought that as my age changes, my body changes, and how drugs work in my body change, our anilments accumulate.
- Then, you bring up another of his thoughts about taking one thing to counteract something else, taking Metamucil to combat the Gabapentin. What need does that create?
At some point, the smart thing to do may be to sit down and re-evaluate from scratch. Maybe there are newer drugs you haven’t considered because the Gabapentin has been working good enough. I am happy to find the article if you want to read/listen. Just let me know.

Do you take other medications? Is it possible, worth working with your doctor to taper down the Gabapentin to see if your constipation improves? Would tweaking your diet help, what other type of foods do you eat regularly?

Jump to this post

Thank you for your input. I am open to listening/ reading any article that’s may prove to have some insight for me. If you can find it, i would be much obliged.
If my memory serves me correctly, my constipation started before the Gabapentin. I should have mentioned that previously. At the time of the onset of my constipation, i had one parent that had been extremely ill and passed away, the other parent in cancer treatment, my only sibling in cancer treatment, I was marrying for the 2nd time and helping to raise my husband’s two children in addition to my own two. With so much going on in my life, and being split so many different ways, I attributed my constipation to stress!
The only other prescription medication that I take is Levothyroxine. I also take over the counter Calcium, a multivitamin and B complex.
You can see my other post here where. I elaborated on how I feel the Gabapentin helps with my neuropathy.
I eat a plant based diet most of the time and hardly any processed food. No dairy, very little meat. Some fish, but mostly bean dishes, such as curries, bean burgers, bean soups, etc.

REPLY
2 replies
ltarashuk | @ltarashuk | Jun 8 12:16pm
In reply to @busylady "Thank you for your input. I am open to listening/ reading any article that’s may prove..." + (show)
@busylady

Thank you for your input. I am open to listening/ reading any article that’s may prove to have some insight for me. If you can find it, i would be much obliged.
If my memory serves me correctly, my constipation started before the Gabapentin. I should have mentioned that previously. At the time of the onset of my constipation, i had one parent that had been extremely ill and passed away, the other parent in cancer treatment, my only sibling in cancer treatment, I was marrying for the 2nd time and helping to raise my husband’s two children in addition to my own two. With so much going on in my life, and being split so many different ways, I attributed my constipation to stress!
The only other prescription medication that I take is Levothyroxine. I also take over the counter Calcium, a multivitamin and B complex.
You can see my other post here where. I elaborated on how I feel the Gabapentin helps with my neuropathy.
I eat a plant based diet most of the time and hardly any processed food. No dairy, very little meat. Some fish, but mostly bean dishes, such as curries, bean burgers, bean soups, etc.

Jump to this post

Hi I have slow transit constipation and take MiraLAX and magnesium. I am taking 200 mg of gabapentin for migraines but now also for nerve damage after a fall where I broke two vines in my leg and surgery resulting in nerve damage. I never thought about gabapentin contributing to constipation. I am so many other migraine preventative medicine that also add to constipation.

REPLY
Mentor
Janell, Volunteer Mentor | @jlharsh | Jun 8 1:53pm
In reply to @busylady "Thank you for your input. I am open to listening/ reading any article that’s may prove..." + (show)
@busylady

Thank you for your input. I am open to listening/ reading any article that’s may prove to have some insight for me. If you can find it, i would be much obliged.
If my memory serves me correctly, my constipation started before the Gabapentin. I should have mentioned that previously. At the time of the onset of my constipation, i had one parent that had been extremely ill and passed away, the other parent in cancer treatment, my only sibling in cancer treatment, I was marrying for the 2nd time and helping to raise my husband’s two children in addition to my own two. With so much going on in my life, and being split so many different ways, I attributed my constipation to stress!
The only other prescription medication that I take is Levothyroxine. I also take over the counter Calcium, a multivitamin and B complex.
You can see my other post here where. I elaborated on how I feel the Gabapentin helps with my neuropathy.
I eat a plant based diet most of the time and hardly any processed food. No dairy, very little meat. Some fish, but mostly bean dishes, such as curries, bean burgers, bean soups, etc.

Jump to this post

Now I know where you get your name @busylady. I am sad with you thinking about how cancer has impacted your family. It sounds like you are ready for a reset. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Now, on to make the best of it! I want to join…😀

I found the article, plus a podcast I listened to this morning that is a timely compliment for approaching supplements. I am excited for you to read/listen and report back if they spur anything with you.
- The article I talked about is actually an episode of Mayo Clinic’s “Aging Forward”. The description says clinical pharmacist Tim Habermann talks about supplements, high costs of medication, and proactive approaches to medication management. You can click the little earphones if you’d rather listen instead of read. https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/healthy-aging/meds-meds-meds-managing-your-medications/
- You haven’t mentioned any cardiovascular problems (and I know this discussion is about constipation), but in my world I am realizing every stinkin’ thing is connected. I listened to a good, short podcast this morning about supplements from a cardiology prevention perspective. I like it because a) who doesn’t want to prevent a cardiovascular crisis, and b) understanding what providers are learning about supplements helps me learn AND know how to talk the them. You’ll want to scroll down to “Supplements for Cardiovascular Prevention”.
https://cveducation.mayo.edu/store/pages/podcasts
Your diet sounds awesome! Do you make your bean burgers?

REPLY
1 reply
creondave | @creondave | Jun 9 9:26am

I struggled with that when I took it for an injury. I went through a variety of drugs, including Lyrica, but had to stop due to side effects. On a side note, there was some controversy over the research on developing Lyrica; to the best of my recollection, the doctor went to prison. (plead guilty, I think) for falsifying the research. Kinda weird, but I tried it anyway. Did more harm than good, as I had some very odd reactions relating to memory. It cleared up when I stopped taking it, and returned when I went back on it. Then again, everyone is different, and I have a friend who swears by Lyrica for back pain.

REPLY
busylady | @busylady | Jun 10 10:24am
In reply to @jlharsh "Now I know where you get your name @busylady. I am sad with you thinking about..." + (show)
@jlharsh

Now I know where you get your name @busylady. I am sad with you thinking about how cancer has impacted your family. It sounds like you are ready for a reset. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Now, on to make the best of it! I want to join…😀

I found the article, plus a podcast I listened to this morning that is a timely compliment for approaching supplements. I am excited for you to read/listen and report back if they spur anything with you.
- The article I talked about is actually an episode of Mayo Clinic’s “Aging Forward”. The description says clinical pharmacist Tim Habermann talks about supplements, high costs of medication, and proactive approaches to medication management. You can click the little earphones if you’d rather listen instead of read. https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/healthy-aging/meds-meds-meds-managing-your-medications/
- You haven’t mentioned any cardiovascular problems (and I know this discussion is about constipation), but in my world I am realizing every stinkin’ thing is connected. I listened to a good, short podcast this morning about supplements from a cardiology prevention perspective. I like it because a) who doesn’t want to prevent a cardiovascular crisis, and b) understanding what providers are learning about supplements helps me learn AND know how to talk the them. You’ll want to scroll down to “Supplements for Cardiovascular Prevention”.
https://cveducation.mayo.edu/store/pages/podcasts
Your diet sounds awesome! Do you make your bean burgers?

Jump to this post

Janell, thank you for passing on that article. I did read it in length and it is quite informative! The fact that our prescribed medications that we have taken for years, can act so differently in us as we age. Something to consider for sure and ask my PCP at the next visit.
I do not have any cardiovascular problems or lung issues. Since I am limited to what i can do for exercise with so much spine disease, i try to be very aware of what I’m eating, to be healthy in that respect. Yes, I make my own bean burgers and hardly ever eat any processed food. Everything is made from scratch.
Thank you once again for all the info you have passed on.

REPLY
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