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Gabapentin side effects?
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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Lyrica ( pregabalin) 100 mg has allowed me get completely off of Elavil ( amitriptyline) 100 mg. This sounds crazy but I have been taking it for 50 years and have gotten sick every time I have tried to taper off.
I do get fatigued and sleepy on lyrica. I found an article that indicates that adding Provigil (modafinil ) can help that problem. It’s said to be somewhat similar to Adderall but much less strong. I’m going to run this by my doctor. Thanks and good luck to both of us.
That’s so great that you were able to finally get off the Elavil. Wow! What a long journey with it, huh? I was not able to take it due to side effects. May be a good thing. 🤷🏻♀️ It sounds like the Lyrica is working well for you. Thanks for the tip on the Provigil. I may look into that, too, if my fatigue continues. I second your comment…..good luck to us both! Take care!
Hello @ranta and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Thank you for joining this discussion and sharing what has worked for you to transition off of Elavil. I commend you for searching for ways to deal with the fatigue from Lyrica and for advocating for yourself with your doctor.
Will you please come back and update members as to what you find out?
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1 ReactionI will certainly do that.
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1 ReactionI take gabapentin 800mg 3 times a day for about 15 years. For nuerothpy in my feet. I don't think I've had any side effects and it took the pain and burning away
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1 ReactionYes, several times,. I even had manipulation with a female therspist
Update… I was started on Modafinil 100 mg. X 2. I have been on pregabalin 100mg x 2. My sense of fatigue is so improved that my doctor has reduced the Pregabalin to 100mg . I was started on the Pregabalin initially to treat prurittis ,a malady presenting itself with severe itching on the right lower leg. Treating the skin is useless because the neuropathy is coming from the low back. A side effect of Pregabalin was total ability to discontinue Elavil. My depression is minimal and I feel the best I have in 50 years.
Did you put on weight with pregabalin I tried gabapentine which didn’t work for my knee which I had replaced 22 months ago and still got burning pain. I was offered pregabalin but worried about the weight on my knee so on duloxotine if that doesn’t work I think I can have pain patches. Glad it worked for you
Took gabapentin for almost a year and had no therapeutic results. Was prescribed Lyrica, but it gave sever side affects.
I have taken 1200 mg of Gabapentin for almost 30 yrs. Ive been sick for years with what they called an unknown autoimmune disease. Now they say its not autoimmune. I have tons of symptoms but some that started this year is purpura that started in january and myopathy in the proximal muscles. If I squat I cant get up without putting my hands on the floor in front of me. It takes several attempts to get back up. This started in march. Swelling, pain, severe insomnia and vision problems are present. Is there a safer alternative to Gabapentin? Is it worth it to do a biopsy for muscle toxicity to know for sure or just taper off? Ive spent tons of time and money trying to figure this out and I need answers or my 27 yr career is going to end.