Gabapentin side effects?

Posted by Sundance(RB) @sundance6, Apr 13, 2019

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!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Pain Support Group.

I take more Gabapentin than you do and yes, I am so tired much of the time.
I don't know if that is the reason since I have an illness and fatigue is part of it, but I have periods of time when I have to (and I mean have to) sleep for a day and a night and part of another day before I am mentally sharp again. I want to know if it affects others. I would like to hear from you what you get from the comments.

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@mikem75
All seizure medications have the potential to cause drowsiness but I took the maximum dose as did my brother and it didn't bother us. I no longer take it because it didn't help my neuropathy or my seizures. My brother still takes it.
Starting dose is often 300 mg a day and in a week or so increased another 300 mg.
Starting with 50-100 mg and titrating up 50-100 mg a week and waiting longer to increase next dose may decrease side effects as can taking the time-release version, however, that is quite costly.
Good luck if you choose to try it.
Jake

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I have been on Lyrica so long that I don’t even know if it helps. Yesterday, I saw my pain doctor for the first time in a year. I had had a hip replacement which really solved a lot of my pain problems. I was just checking in because she does prescribe the Lyrica.
She asked me about my Tramadol. I said that I didn’t take Tramadol. She showed me on her computer screen where the State list of everyone’s medications shows me picking up Tramadol monthly At Walgreens. I told her the Tramadol was my dog’s prescription. (True). She looked askance at me. I said,”I guess it’s a good thing you had me pee in a cup.”
She was going to switch me to Gabapentin and did call it in.
Anyone who is looking for serious pain medication will not get it from a pain doctor. I suppose that they are under such intense scrutiny that they won’t prescribe narcotics. I want to say here that I have never asked for narcotics and have chosen Motrin instead.
I was irritated that this doctor-who has witnessed me do anything to relieve pain - could suspect me of having a secret Tramadol prescription. And, by anything I mean injections into hip and eventually hip replacement.
I don’t plan to take the Gabapentin.

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I intentionally join this forum to share my experience . I am on Gabapentin for over a year going from 100 mg a day going up to 700 mg . Each time with a 200 mg raise, my right leg neuropathy pain subsides for a short time and come back with a vengeance.
Somehow, I stumbled on a supplement called Alpha Lipoic Acid . After further research, with nothing to lose , I tried using it, taking 2 600 mg capsules a day. It's only less than $25 for 4 months supply ( Amazon , Ebay or many other supplement sites ) . It's almost 2 months now so far, I notice my leg pain is much better. Even I still feel the pain during the day and more noticeable at night, but it is fairly mild and not having to take Motrin or Tylenol at bedtime. I even test to lower my Gabapentin dose to 600 mg . It is still early to tell, but not having to go back to the doctor to increase my dosage is a very good sign and give me hope for better result and may be able to keep lowering my Gabapentin dosage.
I hope this help

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@myggle1950

Hello, I’m new here and happy to have discovered it. I am on my first week without Gabapentin. I have slowly reduced what I was taking until now. It did cut back some pain in my legs . However, I am so sensitive to meds. This one made me lose track of time, swelling in hands and legs, and started having some difficulty when speaking. While not really listed as a side effect, my hair started falling out. I said enough . I do not do well on Lyrica or Cymbalta. I’m currently starting to explore other things for the pain. This was my experience, but I hope it helps you.

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Very glad you vented about those rx's.what alternatives?? Mike

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@susanfalcon52

I have been on Lyrica so long that I don’t even know if it helps. Yesterday, I saw my pain doctor for the first time in a year. I had had a hip replacement which really solved a lot of my pain problems. I was just checking in because she does prescribe the Lyrica.
She asked me about my Tramadol. I said that I didn’t take Tramadol. She showed me on her computer screen where the State list of everyone’s medications shows me picking up Tramadol monthly At Walgreens. I told her the Tramadol was my dog’s prescription. (True). She looked askance at me. I said,”I guess it’s a good thing you had me pee in a cup.”
She was going to switch me to Gabapentin and did call it in.
Anyone who is looking for serious pain medication will not get it from a pain doctor. I suppose that they are under such intense scrutiny that they won’t prescribe narcotics. I want to say here that I have never asked for narcotics and have chosen Motrin instead.
I was irritated that this doctor-who has witnessed me do anything to relieve pain - could suspect me of having a secret Tramadol prescription. And, by anything I mean injections into hip and eventually hip replacement.
I don’t plan to take the Gabapentin.

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This is so true..similar w/knee replacement,they wanted me to sign my 2nd + 4th Amendment rights away and pee in a cup. I'm 75,veteran. I walked oout....mike

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@mikem75

My Dr. Wants me on gabapentin,I said no because of side effects (75 yrs.old) 3 weeks I,ve got another appt. Don't want to be a Zombie . X rays tomorrow to see if lumbar, cervical might be to blame?

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You could try the lowest dosage of Gabapentin and take it at bedtime.

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@johnbluffside

True but if you ever read the rx insert of possible side effects you probably wouldn’t ever take another rx again

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TRUE!!!RB

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Yes I was tired all the time 5 years ago! But I was taking it for Lyme Disease! So it's hard to say which one was causing it. I just know that it didn't help!
RB

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Ive been taking it for pain for years, maximun dose. Then in August the tremors began. Extreme tremors now. Reduced Gabapenion but also taking prednisone and meloxicam and Baclofen.

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