Is anyone on Gabapentin?

@14theiceman 5 to 6 pills a day? I have to take 12 capsules of gabapentin every day, 3600mg. My doctor told me years ago that it wasn't a cure, because there isn't one, and that all it would do is to help dull the pain. It's definitely better than nothing.

@mrmacabre I have tried Gabapentin for muscle pain, it doesn’t help at all!

@scain I was on it for a short time but soon found out that I had every bad side effect there was. I had swollen feet and legs from neuropathy to begin with and one side effect is that it causes swollen feet and legs so I ballooned up!! I was exhausted and my vision was very much changed immediately, to name a few.

@judyingenes I’m 72 and have had minimal ‘doable’ side effects.

My brother has been on it for 7 years and my mother was on it for several years as well!

Because of my age I don’t have much time left and I want as good of a quality of life as possible!

It has taken my sciatica pain completely away!

At my age, quality of life is all that matters.

My doctor suggested a back MRI, to find the ‘cause’ of my sciatic pain, and I told her that, at my age, I was NOT getting back surgery whatsoever!

@mrmacabre have you tried taking Lyrica? It is also used for nerve pain. Gabapentin is the first line medication but there are other options.

@mrmacabre have you tried taking Lyrica or Cymbalta? It is also used for nerve pain. Gabapentin is the first line medication but there are other options.

@blowerk1216 I'm sorry to hear that.

@14theiceman I have been on gabapentin for years for neck nerve pain from arthritis. It does not take away all the pain but if I miss a dose, I feel more pain. I was on a herbal pain med which helped but the company could not source all the ingredients and the new pills did not work. I would love to get the name of the alternative med you are taking. I have tried all kinds of supplements/ herbal alternatives to no avail. Everyone is different but I hope you can help me!

@14theiceman This is a support group. You should not be nervous about being ridiculed. I'm sure many ppl would love to know what it is! At worst, the moderators might flag it for naming a brand or something but I doubt even that!

@scain Gabapentin was added to Hydrocodone, because that wasn't enough for my pain. I had tried a few other pain medications before as well, and nothing really helped. They are telling me there are no other options that I haven't tried for Neuropathy (I am 86) and the side effects of Gabapentin are way more than I am willing to put up with. Yes, the pain is horrible and unbearable SOME of the time. But being on a regular full scale regimen of Gaba and feeling dizzy, eyes blurry, legs and feet very, very swollen etc., etc., ALL of the time and never being able to function to enjoy anything.....well, that wasn't a tough decision.

My pain is the worst at night most of the time. And while I live alone (and like it that way) I have a wonderful family with a new great-grandbaby to keep track of during the day! My grandsons provide me with "Special" gummies that also can take the edge off.