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Gabapentin side effects?

Chronic Pain | Last Active: Jun 19 12:40pm | Replies (795)

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@jakedduck1

@sundance6
Hi there,
Well, it’s nothing to write home about but here it is.
I took Neurontin / Gabapentin soon after it came on the market about 25 years ago.
This is an Anticonvulsant or an AntiEpilepsyDrug (AED.) All AED’s that I’m familiar with cause drowsiness, possible headache, dizziness & coordination issues. This like other symptoms can go away after taking it for awhile. Although I was hospitalized with Ataxia while on it. I was trying to visit a friend but kept veering off to the left. I had to yell for help since I was getting farther & farther away. Quite an interesting experience actually.
Gabapentin is a nonlinear drug used for Focal Aware & Focal Impaired and bilateral Tonic Clonic Seizures. It’s probably now more often used for various nerve pain than seizures, just a guess really. Is it helping your problem? I took the max dose of 3600mg. It never helped my seizures or Polyneuropathy. I knew one man on 7,000mg.
NEVER stop any AED abruptly, it can cause a severe seizure, Convulsive Status Epilepticus.
Your tiredness may go away anytime, then again, you might end up like me (Awful thought, I know.) o I’ve been on AED’s for 52 years and I’m still tired. You may want to ask your doctor and pharmacist of the chance of developing peripheral neuropathy from taking this medication.
Hopefully it will go completely away soon, I wouldn’t be surprised if it got better but be prepared either way. I have known an untold number of people on these meds and many did get over the tiredness.
Blessings,
Jake

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Replies to "@sundance6 Hi there, Well, it’s nothing to write home about but here it is. I took..."

I too was prescribed Gabapentin. After doing a little reading, I decided against taking. The side effect scared me away. I’ll try anything to not be on so many prescription drugs. I don’t wanta feel tired and lethargic.

I am taking it for rectal pain and dysfunction caused by a surgery that went bad. The surgeon never addressed my now 24 hour pain and frozen sphincter in ani. I can only drink food, no solids or stool cannot slip out.
I have been taking gabapentin for 4 months, got to 1800 a day. I then was told to go up to 2700, since pain was breaking through. I am basically home and bed bound. I slowly moved up to the first day of 2700. Horrible feelings in addition to my other side effects. I thought I may have serotonin syndrome .I had it previously from a medicine change. I looked up if gabapentin could cause SS. Yes it is an neurotransmitter. Add that to my antidepressants and yes, SS. The twitching of muscles, the speaking effect, no memory, the shaky feelings inside, the stiff walking, dizziness, difficulty thinking in a linear way, more depression. . I had more nerve pain in my neuropathy and now in my shoulder and arm. It can also effect your gastrointestinal system. Who knows that if you are on antidepressants and take gabapentin you will have this potentially life threatening medicine reaction.
I cant say I had tiredness, because I lost 35 lb in 1 month and lost all my bodybuilding muscles. I am weak. I can’t stop taking the gabapentin, but will stay at 1800, the pain is worse that the SS.
Most doctors are not going to catch this reaction some may give more antidepressants. Look at your meds and do some serotonin research. That may be your problem with the gabapentin.