Gabapentin Side Effect

My mood must really be improving.

A lady came in my store about 10 minutes ago. She had quit smoking for months, gone on some medication that was making her nervous and wanted a smoke. She was 48, worked out allot and in real good physical health. We got to talking about why people had such a hard time quiting. She stated its all in the head and they were weak. I pointed out the fact that people with major depression disorders, major chronic pain problems and so on had higher rates of smoking and a much harder time quitting. She stated that they had these problems also because they were mentaly weak. All of their problems were in their head and fixable.

Two weeks ago, before starting that Gabapentin, I probably would have told her she was living in a complete state of ignorance and really ticked her off. This time I just smiled, still in a good mood and told her. "Well, if your going to let a drug you started on that is making you nervous, make you go back to smoking, then I guess by your analogy, that must mean your weak also."

She started it. I finished it. Still in a good mood.

So far its having a opposite effect on me. The first day I took it, it definitely knocked me out, but I was taking it with my usual medications, and I was taking a starting dose that was double the normal starting dose. Second day was less. I have been on it about a week and the last couple of days its reversing where I am getting up clear headed and slowly going down hill all day, which I do anyhow. Main things I have noticed is no pain when not moving, easier breathing because my chest does not feel tight and now when I go to sleep, I am not just passing out like I was before. But I am lite sleeping all night instead of just half the night. This is not a good thing since healing needs deep sleep. But Gabapentin is supposed to have a anti-depressant effect and many anti-depressants mess with your sleep at first, so I am hoping this is a temporary side effect.

Memory loss would be bad for sure. But I find that memory loss and mental acuity tend to go hand in hand, and both of these has been so bad on me for so long, I will wait and see where this is a few more weeks. For right now though, its better, but its only been a week also.

I have been told a number of times by different Doctors that it depends on the person what the drug will do. What is a downer for some people is a upper for others and vice versa. Klonopin, that should put me to sleep, I can take a high dose of it at 5 am, lay there and watch TV wide awake till 7 am, then get up totaly clear headed. So the Gabapentin is probably doing something very similiar, its a upper to me. And coffee is pretty much a downer. I don't even relax in the morning until I have had coffee and after a couple of cups I am about ready to go back to sleep.

I believe they call that having reversed nervous system.

To be honest, memory loss can be just memory loss. I have have more with the fibro. Also a combo of drugs can cause various side effects. I have been taking it for awhile. It is not the best drug but it helps. But my problem I started with 300 mg. Stopped working about 2 pm. Now I take 600 mg. Stops working about 6 pm. It will vary from person to person. Will not take lyrica because I am fat already from the Depo which I need to change.

depo lawsuit ?

I only had one shot and gained like 30 pounds ! and lost my mind - it was horrible

 

Well, I am finding out Gabapentin is not a wonder drug. It only really seems to seriously help me when I have stopped moving for the day. Which is actually a blessing if it just accomplishes that. At least I can lay down and not ache and feel like my breathing is all messed up.

But most definitely not in a good mood today. Depressed, aching everywhere, chest, ribs, back, digestion messed up, gerd or esophogeal spasm pain. Unfocused, unbalanced. Feel like I am going to just faint standing in the line at the supermarket. Heads going to explode and then I gotta clean that up. Finally got home. Took a Percocet, half a muscle relaxer, 600 milligrams of Gabapentin and 3 Ibuprofen. I figure this will either kill some of this mess and I will wake up and watch that new movie The day the earth stood still, or I will pass out and wake up latter and watch it.

Sorry, just been ticked all day at how erratic this condition is, so that's my vent. You can do the exact same thing everyday, take the exact same drugs and get a whole different response. Somedays its lower then your ability to focus past it, and somedays it just overwhelms it. Today was a OMG, and I have to move 9 hours from here next week and I am having a problem driving the 2 miles to the store and back.

I know the only way I am going to pull this off is take absolutely no drugs the night before for that drive other then Ibuprofen, drink coffee, use Nicotene lozenges to focus, so I can drive safely, and just suck it up and take two days to drive there.

Oh, I guess that is my vent being done now.