Is anyone on Gabapentin?

Posted by myrrh739 @myrrh739, Sep 11, 2023

I was diagnosed with chronic pain and Neuropathy, they gave me Gabapentin 300 mg
4 times a day, it’s helpful,
Is anyone on Gabapentin?

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I've been on a low dose gabapentin for just 2+ months and Pain Dr wants to jack it way up. BUT I did that yesterday and. woke up with huge tremors in my hands. Pain is head/neck. for the past 14 years. Contributed to early retirement when I was mid-50s....PT helps, along with dry needling, but never lasts. Yes everyone responds differently but some days (too many!) the pain is disabling. I'm 78, and living single is a challenge b/c pain.
Really thanks. for all your comments--I am not alone! Today is the worst and do wonder if I will get used to the gabapentin at higher doses. So glad I found this website.....

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@melinkay
How much was you Gabapentin increased. Was it done incrementally?
Jake

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Just started today. One 100 3xday for 5 days. Increase your 2 for 5 days, then 3 and then see my Dr again.

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Profile picture for Jake @jakedduck1

@melinkay
How much was you Gabapentin increased. Was it done incrementally?
Jake

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@jakedduck1 Yes, incrementally. But I'm far from reaching the dosage Dr. aims for.
So 300 mg was the max I reached, for one dosage.
Can you share what your experience has been?
thank you
Melin

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Profile picture for melinkay @melinkay

@jakedduck1 Yes, incrementally. But I'm far from reaching the dosage Dr. aims for.
So 300 mg was the max I reached, for one dosage.
Can you share what your experience has been?
thank you
Melin

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@melinkay
I couldn’t even handle 100mg. About 3 hours after I took it I would be so dizzy and stumbling, but I don’t tolerate any medications well.

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Profile picture for melinkay @melinkay

@jakedduck1 Yes, incrementally. But I'm far from reaching the dosage Dr. aims for.
So 300 mg was the max I reached, for one dosage.
Can you share what your experience has been?
thank you
Melin

Jump to this post

@melinkay
I first took Gabapentin titrating up to 3,600.
But since it didn't help my neuropathy or seizures I stopped taking it.
I never had problems starting or stopping meds.
Later I was put on 900 mg for another problem but it didn't help either so I stopped again. And years later once again (1200 & 1800 mg) but again it was unsuccessful. I once read Gabapentin is helpful only about 30-50% of the time. I also took Lyrica since it's supposed to be more effective. But it never worked for me either.
Take care,
Jake

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Profile picture for Jake @jakedduck1

@melinkay
I first took Gabapentin titrating up to 3,600.
But since it didn't help my neuropathy or seizures I stopped taking it.
I never had problems starting or stopping meds.
Later I was put on 900 mg for another problem but it didn't help either so I stopped again. And years later once again (1200 & 1800 mg) but again it was unsuccessful. I once read Gabapentin is helpful only about 30-50% of the time. I also took Lyrica since it's supposed to be more effective. But it never worked for me either.
Take care,
Jake

Jump to this post

@jakedduck1

Actually I just remembered being told a few weeks ago, by a friend-Dr. that one reason Gabapentin is prescribed is that, as a non-opioid, there is no fear of addiction or worse.
I get that but Drs. do seem. to really push Gabapentin too much. Yes, I have also read that it does not help for so many patients.

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Profile picture for msr2323 @msr2323

I have been on gabapentin since my MS dx in 2015…I now take 600mg 3’x/day and I can’t tell you at this point what difference it makes! I would have to go off of it to see what results there would be. My MS is stable and I have very little disability & although I have a pretty significant neuropathy in my feet and the outside of my shins to the knee (not painful, just a very strange tightness and some numbness, but on neuro exam all sensory nerves intact) I am not in pain. My neurologist says I can increase my dose, but I prefer to stay where I am since I don’t feel awful on gabapentin…You must get through the initial adjustment to this med which can take longer than the 2 weeks you have been on the medication.

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msjoy it takes a while to adjust. I take 300mg 3xday.

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Yes, many people with chronic pain and Peripheral Neuropathy take Gabapentin, and a dose of 300 mg four times a day is a fairly common regimen because it helps calm overactive nerve signals that cause burning, tingling, shooting pain and discomfort, with many users reporting noticeable relief and improved sleep, although experiences vary and some people also deal with side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, fatigue, swelling or brain fog especially when first starting the medication or increasing the dose so it’s encouraging that it’s helping you, as finding a medication that provides even partial relief with neuropathic pain can sometimes take a lot of trial and adjustment.

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