1. < Chronic Pain

Gabapentin side effects?

Posted by Sundance(RB) @sundance6, Apr 13, 2019

I am a regular on the Mayo Board! I don't know what I would do without it! Our doctors don't want to discuss openly the things about illnesses and side effets of drugs and other things. Anyway, my question to all of you is Gabapentin and it's side effects. I have been on it now for 6 months. My doctor raised me from 100mg. to now I am on 400mg. three times a day.
The problem is my tiredness! I happen to be in a friends office yesterday and she was taking some medicine. She said she was taking Gabapentin. I asked why and she said she had, had shingles back when and it still helped with the pain. I know the drug is percribed for many things that is why I take it for my issues.
I told her I had been taking it for about 6 months. She asked if I had been tired all the time, just out of the Blue. OF COURSE I SAID YES! She said it took her a year before she got out of the tiredness.
Let me know if any of you have experienced the same thing. Also let me know at what dosage you may be on? I know this is all confidential!
Again Thanks to The Mayo Clinic and Everyone who is kind enough to be open with their lives!
Sundance!

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iceblue | @iceblue | Feb 8, 2020
In reply to @vklittle61 "I made an error it’s 2400 and I guess about a year I don’t see any..." + (show)
@vklittle61

I made an error it’s 2400 and I guess about a year I don’t see any improvements but doc says to keep taking it I’m Still in excruciating pain while taking it so what’s the point side effects I believe are I feel like my joints are getting weaker

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@vklittle61 - My heart goes out to you! Chronic pain is such a burden 🙁 I'm wondering if you have an advocate or supportive other that you can take to your medical appointments with you. I would want to know WHY my doctor is urging me to stay on a specific medication that is not beneficial - while my pain is negatively impacting the quality of my life.

My own experience is that when I am really sick and unable to process information very well, I benefit from having my husband with me at medical appointments so he can ask questions, respond to explanations, etc. on my behalf - as necessary. And to be honest, once or twice over the years I have taken him with me because I did not feel like my doctor was listening to me or taking me seriously, and it can really make a big difference to have a second party in the room at times like that.

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4 replies
lioness | @lioness | Feb 8, 2020
In reply to @spondi64 "My Dr prescribed Gabapentin 300mg caps last Friday. I took one at bedtime & woke up..." + (show)
@spondi64

<p>My Dr prescribed Gabapentin 300mg caps last Friday. I took one at bedtime & woke up at 3:30a.m. in horrible pain. Has anyone else experenced anything like this?</p>

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@rwinney My nerve pain bothers me more at night I can tolerate it during the day I take 1200 @night then i can sleep for 7hrs ,during day when I'm up I use Epsom salts and peanut oil not the kind over the counter but through Base.com it has more nutrition in it Same for my back and knees I swear this combination has really helped me Have a blessed day Linda

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2 replies
Mentor
Rachel, Volunteer Mentor | @rwinney | Feb 8, 2020
In reply to @iceblue "@vklittle61 - My heart goes out to you! Chronic pain is such a burden :( I'm..." + (show)
@iceblue

@vklittle61 - My heart goes out to you! Chronic pain is such a burden 🙁 I'm wondering if you have an advocate or supportive other that you can take to your medical appointments with you. I would want to know WHY my doctor is urging me to stay on a specific medication that is not beneficial - while my pain is negatively impacting the quality of my life.

My own experience is that when I am really sick and unable to process information very well, I benefit from having my husband with me at medical appointments so he can ask questions, respond to explanations, etc. on my behalf - as necessary. And to be honest, once or twice over the years I have taken him with me because I did not feel like my doctor was listening to me or taking me seriously, and it can really make a big difference to have a second party in the room at times like that.

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Touche! Great advice. What a game changer it was for me having my husband. Other relatives have gone as well when I felt it was needed because I was so overwhelmed. A friend or advocate is also a good idea.

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Mentor
Rachel, Volunteer Mentor | @rwinney | Feb 8, 2020
In reply to @lioness "@rwinney My nerve pain bothers me more at night I can tolerate it during the day..." + (show)
@lioness

@rwinney My nerve pain bothers me more at night I can tolerate it during the day I take 1200 @night then i can sleep for 7hrs ,during day when I'm up I use Epsom salts and peanut oil not the kind over the counter but through Base.com it has more nutrition in it Same for my back and knees I swear this combination has really helped me Have a blessed day Linda

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Thanks Linda! You as well. ⚘

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lioness | @lioness | Feb 8, 2020
In reply to @lioness "@rwinney My nerve pain bothers me more at night I can tolerate it during the day..." + (show)
@lioness

@rwinney My nerve pain bothers me more at night I can tolerate it during the day I take 1200 @night then i can sleep for 7hrs ,during day when I'm up I use Epsom salts and peanut oil not the kind over the counter but through Base.com it has more nutrition in it Same for my back and knees I swear this combination has really helped me Have a blessed day Linda

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@rwinney It's Baar.com not base

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1 reply
primghar | @primghar | Feb 8, 2020
In reply to @wsh66 "You are taking a seizure med. It doesn't work for pain. Been there twice. They give..." + (show)
@wsh66

You are taking a seizure med. It doesn't work for pain. Been there twice. They give it to you because they don't want tongive uou the onlybthing thst does work, narcotics. Welcome to the new medical reality. Pain isn't a real ptoblem. You are the problem. Leave it alone. Find a real pain clinic.

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I sort of agree. I was taking 2700 a day of the stuff and the effects were minimal. I’ve done all of the half measures. It was not until I got an unafraid doctor that things changed. Still, I don’t recall the stuff causing pain.

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vklittle61 | @vklittle61 | Feb 8, 2020
In reply to @iceblue "@vklittle61 - My heart goes out to you! Chronic pain is such a burden :( I'm..." + (show)
@iceblue

@vklittle61 - My heart goes out to you! Chronic pain is such a burden 🙁 I'm wondering if you have an advocate or supportive other that you can take to your medical appointments with you. I would want to know WHY my doctor is urging me to stay on a specific medication that is not beneficial - while my pain is negatively impacting the quality of my life.

My own experience is that when I am really sick and unable to process information very well, I benefit from having my husband with me at medical appointments so he can ask questions, respond to explanations, etc. on my behalf - as necessary. And to be honest, once or twice over the years I have taken him with me because I did not feel like my doctor was listening to me or taking me seriously, and it can really make a big difference to have a second party in the room at times like that.

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Yes I agree 100% I am taking him with me on my next appt

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mesmerizing1 | @mesmerizing1 | Feb 9, 2020
In reply to @wsh66 "I am appalled that he was given those drugs for cancer pain. I was given Lyrica..." + (show)
@wsh66

I am appalled that he was given those drugs for cancer pain. I was given Lyrica for the tingling in my feet caused by large doses of chemo. I was in a very compromised situation when this happened, not thinking clearly and definitely experiencing "chemo brain". Lyrica is really expensive and they know damn well it doesn't do much for pain. Lyrica is no better than gabapentin but costs much more. What is really insidious about the scam is that if you take 25 mgs. per day and I take 1200 mgs. per day, which was my actual dose,m we both pay the same price. There is no relationship between how much you use and what you pay. You pay for the privilege of using the drug. Lyrica was instrumental in inspiring the now common term among honest Doctors and Pharmacists, "There are no new drugs, just new names. The thing with pain is that it can really vary in intensity from day to day based on your activity, your mood and the amount of stress you are experiencing due to Medical personnel treating you like a drug addict. It's one thing to pull this smoke and mirrors game on someone with a bad back but to do it to someone with cancer is absolutely unconscionable. Most things like off label uses for drugs that don't work for pain, CBD oil, stretching, meditation, back braces and all forms of electrical stimulation are mostly snake oil and lies that at best will trigger a placebo effect, which can be very helpful but there are better, more effective and cheaper ways to use the placebo effect to improve your health. I am treated for chronic and persistent pain resulting from cancer by one of this countries most respected authorities on pain treatment and deep brain stimulation. According to him, implanted stimulation works for some people with back pain, the rest of it is a bunch of b.s. I saw him yesterday to have my intrathecal pain pump refilled. A little ritual we repeat every 12 weeks. I get the miniscule dose of 3.5 mgs. per day of hydromorphone. It has the effect of about 1000 mgs. taken orally. It has the side effects of 3.5 mgs. or no side effects at all. No sleepiness, no constipation and certainly doesn't get me high. The patient is beyond the suspicion of half assed doctors and nurses who think anyone on pain meds is a drug abuser. That's the best part right there. The availability of these pumps is increasing and just about all insurance and medicare pay for them. I don't think the availability will continue to increase as the number of Medical students pursuing the field of pain management is dropping. When the truth is known about the opioid crisis it will be revealed that the manufacturers were selling these drugs out the back door to organized crime and that well meaning doctors were not the cause. That's what we learned about Quaaludes in the 1970's. If you don't use opioids to get high, you don't experience the euphoria they can create and you do not get addicted. Truth, Love and Blessings

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Wow...succinct, passionate with a lot of truth. I'm a psych RN and Hypnotist. Be careful about your put down of alternative treatments. They deserve to be a choice for clients/ patients. Hypnosis is a way to "re-process" how we experience pain and can be very powerful ( as our minds are powerful) it is not a be all, end all cure but can help. As a nurse who worked with many clients with pain, I never pre-judged that they were drug seeking addicts. But I know people with chronic pain are often mistreated. Thank you for your strong post. My best friend, my mom, has experienced a great deal of pain. It has been a journey to find relief for her. She uses hypnosis as well. ( I am about to create general hypnosis audios for pain mgmt) we all know we'd take a "placebo" every day if it helps. Also, addressing anxiety/ grief/ anticipation of pain/ anger/ stressors etc can help with the actual pain. Best, Jan

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1 reply
mesmerizing1 | @mesmerizing1 | Feb 9, 2020
In reply to @iceblue "@vklittle61 - My heart goes out to you! Chronic pain is such a burden :( I'm..." + (show)
@iceblue

@vklittle61 - My heart goes out to you! Chronic pain is such a burden 🙁 I'm wondering if you have an advocate or supportive other that you can take to your medical appointments with you. I would want to know WHY my doctor is urging me to stay on a specific medication that is not beneficial - while my pain is negatively impacting the quality of my life.

My own experience is that when I am really sick and unable to process information very well, I benefit from having my husband with me at medical appointments so he can ask questions, respond to explanations, etc. on my behalf - as necessary. And to be honest, once or twice over the years I have taken him with me because I did not feel like my doctor was listening to me or taking me seriously, and it can really make a big difference to have a second party in the room at times like that.

Jump to this post

Excellent. We all need an advocate ( relative, friend, nurse we trust) to be there for medical appt. Some docs are poor w pain mgmt ( no doc should continue w med that is not working / causing awful sid effects) and some don't listen. Review your docs. I'm a nurse and hypnotist ( Hypnosis can help w chronic pain) and I'm with my mom for her appts etc. I'm her best buddy and her advocate..Peace.....

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