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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Stephen | @wsh66 | Apr 10, 2020
In reply to @summertime4 "@rwinney Thank you for your response so quickly. Yes, I have my medical marijuana card. I..." + (show)
@summertime4

@rwinney Thank you for your response so quickly. Yes, I have my medical marijuana card. I have used oil 1:1. It helped some for sleep but no for pain. I go to the dispensary when I can and they no longer carry the same oil I have other products some higher THC. A speak too much THC and I am so anxious I can hardly talk. I have a J as they are called here. I tried several times and lit up, but did nothing but choke. It wasn't that I didn't know how to smoke. I smoked until 8 years ago. I probably need to have one of my nieces over and they can give me a lesson. They certainly are willing. I know THC:CBD can be a life saver. I have not given up and I have several different products. The last time I purchased a spray 1:1. I don't like that at all. It has blueberry flavor and really don't know how much to spray in my mouth. The gabapentin was prescribed for my neuropathy and fibromyalgia. Have others experienced pain that feels like your skin is raw and rubbing against a piece of sandpaper. Yes, ice is good. I will be putting an ice bag on the top of my feet very shortly. I did get some relief earlier after getting up from a flat position. I took the percocet and applied the epsom salt foot gel. The gel actually felt good. My anxiety is returning because night is rolling in. The pain and anxiety makes for a very painful night. I am alone. My husband died 2 years ago and night are the most difficult. I know something has to give. Love you all. Stay safe. I know all that is happening in the World feeds into the anxiety which feeds the pain.

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Have you tried vaping your dope? Spring for a device and tun it on the lowest of the 3 settings. Does your store carry vaping pens? Be careful, theypack a wallop.

REPLY
1 reply
Stephen | @wsh66 | Apr 10, 2020
In reply to @summertime4 "I am having a very hard time right now and have been. I have neuropathy, lymphedema,..." + (show)
@summertime4

I am having a very hard time right now and have been. I have neuropathy, lymphedema, osteoarthritis. You all know, those painful ailments. Also fibromyalgia which I tend to forget until I tell the doctor I am so much pain and he reminds me. What is doing what I don't know. The pain and swelling in both ankles and feet is causing me to cave. Both my ankles and top of my feet feel like all the skin has been rubbed raw and alcohol poured on them. The water in the pool I go to for physical therapy burns them so bad I could cry. There are deep lines in my ankles just from sitting. Proping my legs and feet up does not help. I had been taking 600 mg of Gabapentin before bed. I thought maybe cutting it down to 200mg twice a day may help. No difference and I still don't sleep. I take 50 mg of amitripliline (elavil) at night supposedly for neuropathy pain. I still do not sleep through the night or 2 hours at a time. I take 37.5 Effexor in the morning for depression. Still depressed. I was laying down a while ago, but could not rest. I got up and could barely put my feet on the floor because of the swelling and pain. I just took a percocet which I am perscribed, 3 a day. I usually only take a half, but I just took a whole one. I feel a little relief after taking that and rubbing epsom salt foot gel on my feet and ankles. My sister had sent me a tube of that to see if it helps. This is the first time using it. Can't hurt. She purchased it in the dollar store near her and actually feels cool. My ankles and top of my feet were hot to the touch. The numbness is so bad that when I went to put the gel on I reached to my leg to pull the socks I did not have on, off. Right now my ankles and feet are pulsating and pain again. Any suggestions, recommendations? Not much sense in calling a doctor. They are not seeing patients unless it is very necessary. My doctor is aware of my problems and not sure he will do anymore after talking to me on the computer. I understand where the doctor's are coming from at this time. I needed to share my feelings right now. I thank anyone with any response, recommendation or suggestion. I also take a fluid pill in the morning and potassium.

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You Mention lymphedema. I have lymphedema on my left side. I had 21 lymph nodes in my abdomen removed when I had a tumor removed. I have been wrapping and compressing that leg from toes to crotch for about 4 years now. The leg does not swell as it is compressed 23 and 1/2 hours per day every day. If I didn't compress the leg it would swell and it would burst and I would have horrible wounds. Do you wrap or compress to prevent swelling?

The combination of having neuropathy resulting from my chemotherapy and having to compress because of lymphedema can cause great pain. I receive palliative care as a post cancer patient in the form of an intrathecal pain pump surgically implanted in my abdomen with a catheter running up my spine dumping tiny amounts of narcotics directly into my spinal fluid. Drugs delivered in this fashion are something like 100 to 300 times more effective than drugs taken orally. I receive 4 ml mg Dilaudid per 24 hours. I don't have the side effects that you would have taking 200 to 300 mg of Narcotics orally. I do have to return to the doctor every 9 to 12 weeks so he can remove the old medication which becomes ineffective and replace it with fresh medication via a needle inserted into a nipple on the pump through my skin. A person cannot abuse drugs delivered in this manner. You have no access to these drugs except via a small remote called a bolus which allows you to deliver 10 small doses over 24 hours when pain gets worse. That allows me another 9/10 of a milligram of Dilaudid every day.

If you have lymphedema I don't think there is an alternative to wrapping or compression. I was taught how to rap and how to get the right garments by a series of physical therapists. I began by wrapping with five layers of different materials until the leg was reduced to normal size. Then I started wearing a compression garment made by the Jodst company. During the time that I am not compressed I have to perform massage for my toes all the way up to my collarbone to encourage the lymphatic fluid to make the journey that it can't make because of the missing lymph nodes. This takes 10 to 15 minutes with my wife handling the toes to the waist and I handling the waste of the collarbone. Unfortunately Medicare and my extra insurance cover none of these garments or bandages. Many insurance companies do and mine did before I went on Medicare.

If you are going to purchase these garments don't allow your clinic where the PT Works to measure your leg and order your garments for you unless insurance pays for them. You have to find an independent fitter to measure you and then you go online to a company called Compression Guru and order your garments there. The difference is paying about $1,000 or paying $374 for a garment which should last at least 6 months.

People get lymphedema for many different reasons. Whatever the cause, compression is the answer. If you develop brown spots on your lower leg, that also requires compression and I have that condition and any number of doctors saw these spots and said nothing. It was a physical therapist who said, "You need to compress that leg as well, you have deep vein thrombosis". All in all if your legs feet or ankles swell you need to find out why and you need to prevent that from happening or it can lead too much more serious consequences. I hope this is helpful and I hope you can find a good PT. Love & blessings.

REPLY
lorirenee1 | @lorirenee1 | Apr 10, 2020
In reply to @summertime4 "@rwinney Thank you for your response so quickly. Yes, I have my medical marijuana card. I..." + (show)
@summertime4

@rwinney Thank you for your response so quickly. Yes, I have my medical marijuana card. I have used oil 1:1. It helped some for sleep but no for pain. I go to the dispensary when I can and they no longer carry the same oil I have other products some higher THC. A speak too much THC and I am so anxious I can hardly talk. I have a J as they are called here. I tried several times and lit up, but did nothing but choke. It wasn't that I didn't know how to smoke. I smoked until 8 years ago. I probably need to have one of my nieces over and they can give me a lesson. They certainly are willing. I know THC:CBD can be a life saver. I have not given up and I have several different products. The last time I purchased a spray 1:1. I don't like that at all. It has blueberry flavor and really don't know how much to spray in my mouth. The gabapentin was prescribed for my neuropathy and fibromyalgia. Have others experienced pain that feels like your skin is raw and rubbing against a piece of sandpaper. Yes, ice is good. I will be putting an ice bag on the top of my feet very shortly. I did get some relief earlier after getting up from a flat position. I took the percocet and applied the epsom salt foot gel. The gel actually felt good. My anxiety is returning because night is rolling in. The pain and anxiety makes for a very painful night. I am alone. My husband died 2 years ago and night are the most difficult. I know something has to give. Love you all. Stay safe. I know all that is happening in the World feeds into the anxiety which feeds the pain.

Jump to this post

TO ALL IN PAIN; All of your stories are truly breaking my heart. Why do us human beings have to go thru this? Life has enough challenges, much less having a body that is in a state of chronic pain. I can barely read your posts today, it gets so sad. May everyone's day have a pain level that you can tolerate. My heart feels broken for everyone. May God give you peace...I do not even know what to say.....Lori R.

REPLY
3 replies
Mentor
Rachel, Volunteer Mentor | @rwinney | Apr 10, 2020
In reply to @lorirenee1 "TO ALL IN PAIN; All of your stories are truly breaking my heart. Why do us..." + (show)
@lorirenee1

TO ALL IN PAIN; All of your stories are truly breaking my heart. Why do us human beings have to go thru this? Life has enough challenges, much less having a body that is in a state of chronic pain. I can barely read your posts today, it gets so sad. May everyone's day have a pain level that you can tolerate. My heart feels broken for everyone. May God give you peace...I do not even know what to say.....Lori R.

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@lorirenee1 This is just for you Lori Renee because you're right ...things do get heavy and very sad. Hope it makes you laugh!! Goofy me 🤣
REPLY
1 reply
lorirenee1 | @lorirenee1 | Apr 10, 2020
In reply to @rwinney "@lorirenee1 This is just for you Lori Renee because you're right ...things do get heavy and..." + (show)
@rwinney

@lorirenee1 This is just for you Lori Renee because you're right ...things do get heavy and very sad. Hope it makes you laugh!! Goofy me 🤣

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@rwinney Rachel, You are so damn cute and funny! I have mustard all over my feet, as we speak, and it ain't doin' anything. Maybe I should try horseradish. Is it possible to love strangers? Cause I love you. I think about you. My heart gets heavy from all our pain. Made me cry today. It's just not fair. I took 9 pills of Kratom already today, so the day is a bad one. Maybe we all need CURSE therapy. You just CURSE your pain away. Post another giant picture of you. So darn cute.....I wish you a day you can cope with. D@MN!!!!! Lori Renee

REPLY
2 replies
lorirenee1 | @lorirenee1 | Apr 10, 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 Hi again, Rachel....another thing I do when pain is very bad, is go to youtube, and watch the old comedians; Buddy Hackett, Milton Berle, Don Rickles, Rodney Dangerfield, Andrew Dice Clay (who has a bit about watching stag films with his teenage son. You could pee in your pants, its so inappropriate.) But comedy does help me, a lot. Oh the agony, oh the ecstasy!!! SH%T!!!! Lori R.

REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
Rachel, Volunteer Mentor | @rwinney | Apr 10, 2020
In reply to @lorirenee1 "@rwinney Rachel, You are so damn cute and funny! I have mustard all over my feet,..." + (show)
@lorirenee1

@rwinney Rachel, You are so damn cute and funny! I have mustard all over my feet, as we speak, and it ain't doin' anything. Maybe I should try horseradish. Is it possible to love strangers? Cause I love you. I think about you. My heart gets heavy from all our pain. Made me cry today. It's just not fair. I took 9 pills of Kratom already today, so the day is a bad one. Maybe we all need CURSE therapy. You just CURSE your pain away. Post another giant picture of you. So darn cute.....I wish you a day you can cope with. D@MN!!!!! Lori Renee

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@lorirenee1 Hang tough there lady. We're all in it together. Glad I made you smile! 💕

Be careful with that kratom quantity. Days like these are when gratitude must surface some how, some where. The world is dying yet, we are alive. 🌈

REPLY
Mentor
Rachel, Volunteer Mentor | @rwinney | Apr 10, 2020
In reply to @lorirenee1 "@rwinney Hi again, Rachel....another thing I do when pain is very bad, is go to youtube,..." + (show)
@lorirenee1

@rwinney Hi again, Rachel....another thing I do when pain is very bad, is go to youtube, and watch the old comedians; Buddy Hackett, Milton Berle, Don Rickles, Rodney Dangerfield, Andrew Dice Clay (who has a bit about watching stag films with his teenage son. You could pee in your pants, its so inappropriate.) But comedy does help me, a lot. Oh the agony, oh the ecstasy!!! SH%T!!!! Lori R.

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There you go...find a distraction.

REPLY
lorirenee1 | @lorirenee1 | Apr 10, 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>

Jump to this post

@rwinney Hi, again, Ms. Rachel....Just thanks for everything. By the way, 9 Kratom pills, in theory, are about 2 and 1 half grams of Kratom. I think I will weigh them, next time. Keep forgetting. So, if they are that much, it is not a lot. Seems like a lot of pills, to only weigh what they say it does. But that is what I need for pain, and today, I used CBD tincture with them. Pain is subsiding, but I am sleepy.....time for a nap??? Maybe.....zzzzzzzz……..Lori Renee

REPLY
bill54321 | @bill54321 | Apr 10, 2020
In reply to @wsh66 "Have you tried vaping your dope? Spring for a device and tun it on the lowest..." + (show)
@wsh66

Have you tried vaping your dope? Spring for a device and tun it on the lowest of the 3 settings. Does your store carry vaping pens? Be careful, theypack a wallop.

Jump to this post

Vaping is being outlawed along with dope.

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