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Gabapentin anyone?

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Posted 11/3/2013 12:10 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all

The doc wants to try me on a new med and slowly wean off amitriptyline, as it appears to be losing its effectiveness. Im supposed to cross them over and gradually come off amis...problem is, im too scared to take gabapentin because of all the side effects listed!

I hate meds and hate the fact If i start them i may never come off either of them!!

Whats peoples experiences on Gabapentin? She said it can help my restless legs and twitching, which is one of my most troublesome symptoms

Also - I can't take any more time off work at the moment and im frightened if i start them, i may be sick with side effects :o(
Posted 11/3/2013 12:26 PM (GMT 0)
I take gabapentin 3 times a day and it has worked wonders for me. Especially for me feet which were one of my biggest problems. I have high blood pressure and it did raise it slightly and cause water retention but eventually it did even out and I have no problems now at all. I did start out with only 1 a day and worked my way up to 3 a day.
Posted 11/3/2013 12:41 PM (GMT 0)
thanks - did you get any other side effects? I have low blood pressure, so a raise might help with my dizziness...
Does it make you sleepy / lethargic?
I should probably bite the bullet and take one, problem is I have work in morning and have to drive...so worried about how it will affect me :o(
Posted 11/3/2013 3:59 PM (GMT 0)
I started taking it after my disc rupture, over a year and a half ago. It (with Hydrocodone) made the difference between not coping and being able to cope with the nerve pain. I pretty quickly got up to the 900 mg I still take in the evening, and then added 300 at noon.

It doesn't really make me sleepy or lethargic per se...I still have the same drive, still have to beat myself over the head to get into bed at night...though it has made me even spacier than I was, which is saying something. But I'll take it over that searing pain!

Actually, I do remember that in the beginning, I'd be falling asleep, and get sudden body jerks (which is ironic, considering it's supposed to help restless legs!) but that went away.

As for possible side effects, I'd wait until the weekend to try it, because you never know how it will affect you. I drive on it just fine, but there are meds I've taken that would keep me from stepping out of the house.

Debbie
Posted 11/3/2013 4:48 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Debbie

I will wait till weekend I think...Im already really spacey anyway, so have to see how it affects me on that

I notice also you have tachycardia - do you take Beta Blockers for this? I get this and its really affecting me recently...Think back to the docs on that one :o(
Posted 11/3/2013 7:59 PM (GMT 0)
I take 300mg of gabapentin at bedtime for tender toes.
I don't know how it effects me because I'm asleep during it.
Posted 11/4/2013 5:25 AM (GMT 0)
Wackers, no, I don't take beta blockers...do you think they're helping you?  My tachycardia doesn't happen real often, and they did finally get an EKG (?) when it was happening and determined it was a benign type (something to do with the particular chamber of the heart where it was occurring) so I worry less now..but I still hate it.  It wears you out!  I had a friend who had it happen every day, and evenually had to have an electrical device placed in her heart to regulate it.  She's much better now.

Joyce - "tender toes" - - I have those too, on my left foot. That's a good way of describing them. If something lands on them (like my dog) - yeeow!

Debbie

Posted 11/4/2013 1:16 PM (GMT 0)
Eh, didn't help me. But it did 'cure' insomnia. There was no chance in heck that I could stay up while on it. I would have continued but it made me really depressed after a week or two. Next up is Lyrica and I am not looking forward to that. /-:
Posted 11/4/2013 3:50 PM (GMT 0)
A friend of mine has taken this but she also takes it at night. So she can't really give me answer on how well it works for her. I checked a site that I go to for side effects. I saw they had information on samples and possible coupons. If someone is thinking of trying gabepentin they might want to see about getting a sample or something. I am all for saving money when I can, even if it's on a co-pay. I have switched medications so often and have had to throw so many away. You can check here if you would like for more info - http://www.pharmacydrugguide.com/Gabapentin_Coupons
Posted 11/4/2013 5:45 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Junnie

Im in England, so we have NHS here...meds are a set price to buy currently around £7 ish...not too much.

Annabanana I like the idea of it helping insomnia - this is something I have big time...I will let you know how i get on at weekend and try it then :o)
Posted 11/4/2013 10:50 PM (GMT 0)
I have taken it for years. It definitely helps with restless legs. i started on it because of arm pain, ( probably from my neck), it it helps with that also.
I have slowly built up dosage, split over 3 times a day. I don't find that it makes me overly sleepy.
I hope it works for you too!
Posted 11/4/2013 11:02 PM (GMT 0)
My wife has always had trouble sleeping due to restless legs and feet, hot flashes and sciatic pain. Now sleeping great thanks to 300 mg gabapentin taken aroung 8 PM. Bedtime at 10:00. Sometimes she's a little groggy in the mornings but it doesn't last long. A coffee helps to clear the head :)
Posted 11/5/2013 8:00 PM (GMT 0)
I had to get off of it, caused irrational hostility in me. It was the weirdest thing I have ever experienced in my life. I'm fine now, just my regular irrational self.
Posted 11/5/2013 8:13 PM (GMT 0)
I take a low dose of gabapentin (usually 300 mg) and it helps my nerve pain, especially in my feet.

I do get a bit tired/woozy, even on that amount and discussed that with my doctor. He suggested with my next refill, getting a lower mg, so I got a refill with 100 mg capsules. I like that, because it allows me to hit that 'medium' point which will take the edge off, but not make me overly tired. So, I now take two 100 mg capsules at a time; sometimes (though rarely), even 100 mg helps.

I do seem sensitive to meds, however, and I would never attempt to drive after I've taken anything, even after taking 100 mg. I just want to be fully alert while on the road!

Maybe you could discuss with your doctor taking something small like 200 mg of gabapentin and see how things go? Hope things turn out well! :)
Posted 11/6/2013 11:42 PM (GMT 0)
I am on 1500 mg. a day.. and sometimes they cause drowsiness..but usually just when I am already tired. If I am not, then they are ok. But I do take them at bedtime with my cyclobenzoprine. And I take that with my amitriptylne so I can get some sleep. If I don't take these, I average 3 hours a night.
Hope this helps!!
Posted 11/9/2013 6:04 PM (GMT 0)
so I took the step last night and took my first gabapentin, 300 mg tablet...Dare I say, today no side effects, have felt great all day, even have more energy! Maybe its a one off or just a coincidence...Il let you know in a week :o)
Posted 11/10/2013 3:39 PM (GMT 0)
Be aware that some gain weight while on gabapentin as well as lyrica. Gaba works well for my leg nerve pain, 300 mg as needed. Some days one or two capsules, good days none. Other than the increased appetite, and perhaps some sleepyness, I have no bad side effects. I cannot say the same about Lyrica which I started with but had to discontinue since even low doses (100 mg) caused very troubling dreams. Waking up screaming is not my idea of a good night sleep.

May your increased energy continue with lowered pain levels!
Posted 11/11/2013 3:55 AM (GMT 0)
I tried it. Friday was the first and only day I will take it. I hope it helps you because it left me with a headache that is just barely going away. Saturday my head hurt, my teeth hurt, and I felt somewhat sick to my stomach.

I'll see what the doctor has to day. Because Neurontin did nothing for my fibromyalgia symptoms. Felt better taking nothing.
Posted 11/11/2013 7:37 AM (GMT 0)
I take gabapentin for nerve pain, so maybe it will help with the legs? I have no side effects from it, and I have been on it since 2008. Mind you, everyone's body is different! I am not sure. But I take amatripyline (grr never can spell that without the bottle of it with me) and T3 for my fibro. For my autoimmune disease treated with chemo I take percocet and morphine, as needed.
Posted 11/15/2013 1:59 AM (GMT 0)
I'm on gaba-gabapentin as well for nerve pain. Maybe it is just me, but I'm just confused all day when I take it. My Doc gave it to me for night time work at first (600 mg), but then told me to start taking them in the day for pain. I'm up to 1500 mg now (2/1/2) but I really think that I need something different for daytime. I worry about the safety of driving on them sometimes, and I do have serious memory issues during the day. My experience may not be typical though.
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