@myrrh739 I have severe Polyneuropathy so I started gabapentin 2 weeks ago. I’m on a very low dose because my body is sensitive to most medications. Right now I take 200 mg total a day. It seems to help with the pain but it makes me sleepy and dizzy.
@leigh17 wow! You are the total opposite of me. It’s amazing how different we all are.
Even regular Tylenol makes me sleepy! My mom would tell me that about herself when I was younger. I thought she was crazy!
I’m now 74 and I understand.
I quit altogether. I was unstable on my feet - literally bouncing off the walls when walking down my home hallway.
Also, I live only one mile from work. While driving home one afternoon, with 1/4-mile left to go, I was fighting sleep so hard that I pulled over onto a quiet street and fell asleep instantly. I quit taking gabapentin after that episode! I’d never reacted to a med in that way before or since.
Thanks for your reply, we all react differently to medications, it’s good for me, apparently works better for Neuropathy, I hope you all will feel better soon.
@myrrh739 I have severe Polyneuropathy so I started gabapentin 2 weeks ago. I’m on a very low dose because my body is sensitive to most medications. Right now I take 200 mg total a day. It seems to help with the pain but it makes me sleepy and dizzy.
Gabapentin comes in an oral liquid, which can allow you to take 50 mg at a time if 100 mg capsules feel too strong. It would work better with a lower dose more frequently, like 50mg 3-4 times a day. Many people get used to it and then can increase the dose without side effects. I had to do that as I am sensitive to the sedative effects like you.
I have major back issues and neuropathy in feet and thighs will get numb from hip to knees if I stand in one place for too long. That's one reason I had to go on disability 3 years ago. I'm a hairstylist and standing is mandatory. I also have internal vibrations. I take 400mg of gabapentin once a day and haven't had vibrations for over a month. Maybe once at a level 1 or 2, very mild. I have no side affects from it so far. I took it years ago with my pain medication because of the tingling and burning but really couldn't tell any difference. When I started having the vibrations, my neurologist thought it stemmed from a central nervous system issue originating from the brain and prescribed Fycompa with little explanation of what kind of drug it was. I read up on it and decided not to take it because of the potential side affects. It was my pain management doctor that told me Fycompa was similar to gabapentin and Lyrica so I decided to take the gabapentin since I was familiar with it. Maybe the ones having problems with it could try taking it at night before bed. Maybe that will work. Good luck.
Hello! I too have had weird internal vibrations for years…they happen in my front torso and when a full neurological work up was done, it was determined they were my first symptom of MS. We went on to further testing and that’s when gabapentin was prescribed. The vibrations now come and go.
I also have neuropathy in my feet and it extends up the outside of my legs (worse on left) to the knee; I describe it as feeling like I am wearing a shin guard at it’s worse and a compression stocking per usual.
There is not much to do about the neuropathy, but medication may help…
Gabapentin comes in an oral liquid, which can allow you to take 50 mg at a time if 100 mg capsules feel too strong. It would work better with a lower dose more frequently, like 50mg 3-4 times a day. Many people get used to it and then can increase the dose without side effects. I had to do that as I am sensitive to the sedative effects like you.
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I stopped taking during the day because of the sleep and dizzy issues
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4 ReactionsI am now getting off of 900 mg of the gabapetine, because it appears to have limited or none therapeutic effect.
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2 ReactionsThks 2400 mg a day, no side effects .
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5 Reactions@leigh17 wow! You are the total opposite of me. It’s amazing how different we all are.
Even regular Tylenol makes me sleepy! My mom would tell me that about herself when I was younger. I thought she was crazy!
I’m now 74 and I understand.
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2 ReactionsI agree, we all handle drugs differently. I would prefer obviously not to take anything but have chronic pain. Good luck to you !
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2 ReactionsI quit altogether. I was unstable on my feet - literally bouncing off the walls when walking down my home hallway.
Also, I live only one mile from work. While driving home one afternoon, with 1/4-mile left to go, I was fighting sleep so hard that I pulled over onto a quiet street and fell asleep instantly. I quit taking gabapentin after that episode! I’d never reacted to a med in that way before or since.
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1 ReactionThanks for your reply, we all react differently to medications, it’s good for me, apparently works better for Neuropathy, I hope you all will feel better soon.
Gabapentin comes in an oral liquid, which can allow you to take 50 mg at a time if 100 mg capsules feel too strong. It would work better with a lower dose more frequently, like 50mg 3-4 times a day. Many people get used to it and then can increase the dose without side effects. I had to do that as I am sensitive to the sedative effects like you.
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1 ReactionHello! I too have had weird internal vibrations for years…they happen in my front torso and when a full neurological work up was done, it was determined they were my first symptom of MS. We went on to further testing and that’s when gabapentin was prescribed. The vibrations now come and go.
I also have neuropathy in my feet and it extends up the outside of my legs (worse on left) to the knee; I describe it as feeling like I am wearing a shin guard at it’s worse and a compression stocking per usual.
There is not much to do about the neuropathy, but medication may help…
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1 Reaction@SusanEllen66, thank you for your comment it’s very helpful for people who have different reactions.
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