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gabapentin and fatigue
I have been taking 200 mg gabapentin to sleep for about one year. If I try to back off to 100 mg, I have insomnia, which I try to avoid because insomnia lowers my seizure threshold. To complicate matters, I had an extremely bad case of shingles that lasted 7 weeks; in February and March. Lately I have been extremely fatigued and uncoordinated in the morning. I'm trying to figure out if this is a long lasting side effect of shingles or gabapentin. Any insights out there?
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@chemist1
The gabapentin causes drowsiness like most all seizure meds.
if your seizures aren't fully control, maybe the gabapentin will help with that too.
What seizure medicine are you on?
I used to take a walk awhile before bed. It helped me sleep.
Take care,
Jake
I am on Brivict, 125 mg, AM and PM. A pretty hefty dose!
I find I do sleep better if I exercise during the day.
Thanks!
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Do you take any other medications for epilepsy and insomnia? Have you ever been tested for sleep apnea?
I cannot take gabapentin or Lyrica because it makes me too tired and dizzy in the morning where I cannot function.
Have you tried taking melatonin at night to help you sleep? Have you ever taken aloha Lipoic acid, acetylene l carnitine and magnesium supplements at night which can help calm down your nerves? I take them for small fiber neuropathy nerve pain and they help me. There is also the Calm magnesium supplement you can try which is in powder form and you mix with warm water to activate and then can add more warm or cold water depending on your preference.
Been taking PreGabalin for several years now, but I'm thinking that if drowsiness is like other side effects it should wane with time. I don't really notice much of anything after my am or late afternoon doses. It makes it hard to take other meds with it however. For me the benefits outweigh any side effects and I'll like be on it forever or until I expire; whichever comes first.