Connect
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!
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Pain Support Group.
Connect
Are you saying 3x600mg, as in 1800mg/day? Just curious.
I am currently titrating my dosage up from 2x300mg/daily, as my doctor states I can. But swear to dog, getting words out of him is like pulling teeth with a banana peel. (Actually, banana peels aren't a slippery as cartoons would have us believe, and pulling a tooth might be Easier with a peel. haha!!) He asked me (we communicated via messaging) three times how mcu gabapentin I'm taking. I answered him each time. I'm like, fella, scroll up. haha.
How were you Dx'd? I may try to switch Neuro's, but I might be getting different insurance soon. :/
Yes 1800 mg per day. I started with 200mg. Then 300 and finally 600mg 3x day. I have complex essential tremors which cause hip swaying and shaking of hands and arms. Other drugs did not work. Now I shop and visit with friends and relatives. I can babysit my grandchildren and basically am happy to be alive. I was very depressed before and am not now.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
4 ReactionsDiagnosed with spindle cell sarcoma. I guess very rare. I never do normal stuff. This is so tough. At 68 makes me wonder if it is really worth all of this. Had two surgeries. Radiation next. I am so worried.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
3 ReactionsI take 200mg. @ bedtime for sleep. Wake up foggy but fine rest of the day. Maria. You are on a very high dose. Maybe you could taper down.
For me 400/5x per day gabapentin and two 10mg Amitiptyline at bedtime. The Amit causes me more fatigue than the Gab. Some days I need an hour nap and other days I don’t.
I took gabapentin for numerous years for my chronic back pain. I was also working at the time. It did make me tired. I was taking 1600 mg. a day. I had to stop it due to the fact that I started to slur my speech and was unable to put a sentence together at times. An acquaintance at my work had to stop taking it for the same reason.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsI started taking 100 mg gabapentin prior to my total hip replacement a week ago. I took it at bedtime to help me sleep through the pain. It really helped me get to sleep all night long. Better than any sleeping pill. At that dose daytime sleepiness was not a problem.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
4 ReactionsI take 2400 mg a day. I have Sensory Ganglionopathy and the neuropathy with it is horrible. So I take 600 mg in the morning, 600 mg around 2:00 p.m., and 1200 mg at night. It only takes the edge off. I am always tired always tired and gained a lot of weight. I am partially bed ridden.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionGood afternoon@debduhll, and thank you for sharing your experience with Gabapentin. I would like to know how you stopped the Gabapentin totally. Did you replace it with another medication for your chronic back pain?
And another question......other than being a bit mumbly jumbly did you have any stumbles or falls? And did you find yourself forgetting appointments or returning calls, etc.?
Oops.....one more question. Did your medical professional advise you about the options?
Thanks so much. I am now down from 3600 mg per day to 200 mg per day. My PCP doesn't want me to stop altogether. I have substituted medical cannabis. That takes some planning.
Hope you are enjoying Connect.
May you be free of suffering and the causes of suffering,
Chris
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
3 ReactionsAgreed. I take 300 mg x3 (900 mg total) by 8 pm and sleep well, pain is better with no residual issues. Gabapentin was originally developed for treatment of seizures. It slows down your your brain function to prevent a seizure. It does the same for pain mgmt. I can’t take it during the day and higher doses make me drop things without warning. A pharmacist recommended taking all 3 cap at bedtime instead of throughout the day. Ask your MD if pm Gabapentin can work for you.