Lower back pain after starting Gabapentin less than one month

I am on Gabapentin 500 mg 3 X a day for about 5 months now and I am having several side effects that I want to ween myself off of it. I am having memory loss, loss of balance, changing my vision, fatigue, weight gain plus more. The side effects outweigh the good. I am just so tired of being in pain. I have scoliosis, spinal stenosis, arthritis and sciatica. Besides having Chiari malformation type one. I need to find a medication that can help me through all of this.

Hello @pathickson and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I can imagine you must be feeling desperate to rid yourself of your side effects.

This information may be helpful as it relates to the side effects of the drug, and more specifically your changing vision:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/peripheral-neuropathy-vs-erythromelalgia/?pg=1#comment-337431
This discussion on Gabapentin Side Effects may also be helpful: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/gabapentin-side-effects/

Members who have recently shared about side effects from gabapentin include @drolker @sundance6 @lioness71 and @jakedduck1. They may have additional information they can share with you.

Have you consulted your neurologist on your intention to ween off the drug?

@marenew
Back pain can be a potential side effect of Gabapentin. If your back pain is related, it may decrease in severity or go away entirely within 1-3 months, on average. Gabapentin is usually well tolerated. I took the maximum dose for seizures (3,600mg) although the dosage is regulated more by side effects. I knew someone on 7,000mg for Neuropathy without side effects. My brother also takes 3,600mg and doesn't experience any side effects. It never helped my seizures or Neuropathy but helps my brother tremendously.
Jake

pathickson, I know many people recommend Gabapentin, but others of us did not do so well! I had horrible headaches, fatigue, muscle pain, and more things I don't even remember. I was able to ween myself off of it, because of the large dosage I had moved up to. Took about three weeks for me!
But we are all different! Many of us with certain autoimmune problems have a tough time with a lot of regular medications.
I'm having that issue right now with the COVID-19 vaccine. You read on an article that was on the GoodRX website that people were having issues with the Two shot regime, then you see where certain states are seeing side effects from the single dose.
Then I talk to my 40-year-old daughter who suffered for a week with the single dose, J &J then my 74-year-old wife who has underlying conditions, from and infection and a stroke, and she had no trouble with the two vaccine!
Makes me want to hide in a cave!
Good Luck!
From The Land of Enchantment!

I have also been on 300 mg Gabapentin for about one month (for sleep) and suddenly have developed lower back pain. I have never had an issue with back pain. Extra Strength Tylenol has minimal effect upon the discomfort.
I am wondering if the individual who posted on April 11, 2021 continued to have lower back pain while using Gabapentin or if by discontinuing the medication, the pain resolved? Thank you!

On 100mg daily and entire body aches/ fatigue yet hard to tell if ibs or rx

Took Gabapentin for 2 years for restless leg syndrome, it almost crippled me to the point I could not move my body for hours. It felt like I was paralyzed. It was awful!!!
My PCP ordered me to stop taking it immediately. She was not the one who prescribed it....never again.

I must be the fortunate one. I’m in 900mg, 300mg x 3 and I don’t have any issues with that.
Remember that with neuropathy you get a barrage of different pain symptoms. I call my disease the gift that keeps on giving. It’s like on Saturday Night Live back when Gilda Radner was on and played a character who would always end her skit saying “ if it ain’t one thing is another”! That what neuropathy is.
Gabapentin does help a lot for me. But probably not for everyone.

Gabapentin is saving my life! I take 2400 mg a day for axonal sensory neuropathy with no side effects.

We all have to try medicines until we find the ones that work in our body the best.

Cannibis made me so sick I thought I was dying but some people say it works for them.

Peggy

I use to walk a mile almost every day with no side effects, I was prescribed 300mg of gabapentin twice a day for Anxiety and after 2 months my walking was greatly affected. I felt a lot of weakness in my legs just trying to walk.