Gabapentin potency over time

There was a recent thread on Gabapentin that didn't go too much into this particular aspect of it. Does your body get used to it at a certain dose and you're essentially forced to take higher doses over time to get the same result from it? I know this is true for quite a few psychotropic drugs so wondering if the neurotropic drugs function the same way?

I'm asking because when I started this medication I was doing really well at first and even after doubling it its like I never took it as my symptoms are back with a vengeance. Thanks.

I know someone who was on Lyrica (different, but similar)...and she titrated up...and the stayed...and it continued to work for a couple years...I'm not in touch with her anymore...so not sure now.

Yes you can habituate to gabapentin or Lycra. Some people have maxed out on gabapentin after 5 years (3600mg) and had to switch to Lycra. But these are people with serious cases of full body neuropathy and it doesn't happen to everyone.

I have a pretty bad case of neuropathy myself. I'm a full body burner and I've been on gabapentin for 3 years and have been holding tight at 2400mg. But also doing things to reduce inflammation, which helps as well.

Post Edited (madisongrrl) : 3/20/2017 8:48:48 PM (GMT-6)

I've been told by my pharmacist not to take magnesium and calcium supplents/food within 2 hrs of taking gabapentin as it binds to the drug reducing its efficacy. (I also found out pregnenolone effects it too)

I have been on the same dose for 3 years and have not needed to increase it when I follow the above.

And as Girlie said, you may not be at your optimum dose yet.

i'm on 300mg AM and 300mg PM. i take my magnesium a good 4-5 hours away from the gaba. i can go to 2x this amount and probably will just wondering if i'm chasing my tail with losing its effectiveness after a short amount of time.

by the way i hate being on this stuff. heck i hate being on any of these nasty meds but its necessary as we all know.

was wondering also whether 2x or 3x a day makes any difference. i don't take this for sleep (sleep has always been good except when i get sharp chest pains but that's seldom these days). i need it to get through the day. i also notice it starts to wear off around 2 hours before my PM dose.

so 300mg 3x/day or 600mg AM, 300mg PM and see how i do? decisions decisions ;o)

Girlie said...
madisongrrl - is that 1200 mg 3X daily...is that how you take it...or 1800 2X daily?


So, how does someone know when they can go off it...just try it and see if the nerve pain comes back?

I guess you titrate down, as well?

Sorry, I fixed my post above (typo). Some people I know take 3600mg (not me, not yet)....

I used to take 3200 mg, now I take 2400 mg. I space out 3 doses of 800 mg tablets per day.

You can slowly titrate down on gaba....most likely you will get an uptick of symptoms initially. But then you hang on for a little while and see how you feel. The key point is to titrate up or down SLOWLY....

I was told 900mg is a mouse dose for chronic illness. I think most Lyme doctors have a game plan of going up in dosage over time so I would speak to your doctor. You have to absolutely find the right dose for you. There are other neurological pain killers that your doctor can combine alongside the gabapentin when you are at maximum dosage. For some people gabapentin is enough (once at the right dose) for others effectiveness wears off and you can combine meds or swap.

I have been on 400 mg of Gabapentin for about 12 years. Unfortunately, instead of trying to figure out why I had neuropathy in my mid-forties they just covered up the symptoms.

I've probably had Lyme Disease for quite some time. When my Lyme Disease reared it's ugly head again three years ago I had to increase the dosage. Right now I am up to 1800 mg and if it doesn't help I add one more 800 mg. There are times when I can reduce the amount. I am using a rife machine and I think when one of the frequencies hits something it will flare up my neuropathy.

I also have medical marijuana which I use when the pain is over the top and nothing else helps. I hate to use it because it really doesn't take my pain away, it just relaxes me and then I fall asleep. I also have kratom which is legal in our state. It stopped working after about a year. It tastes awful but did help for awhile so it could be another option.

My doctor wanted to switch me to Lyrica but I declined. I know it causes weight gain and I have enough trouble with that as it is.

So it does help me, I really can't recall if worked better when I first started taking it or not since it's been so long. I just pray I can stop taking it all together one day.