Gabapentin - anyone take it?

Hi guys, I have lower back pain from degenerated discs and the pain is more or less constant. The doc prescribed Gabapentin for me and I wondered if anyone else has tried it?

I am going back on Monday to the docs but I think I might say I wish to come off them. Started on 300mg a day now on 900mg (300mg three times a day) the side effects are mad. I can only describe it as the sort of feeling you have when your drunk and you do things and don't care!! Detached might cover it!

Would love to know if anyone else uses them

Catherine

I don't use them but have heard it is very effective against neuralgia, most likely why the doc prescribed it for your degenerated discs.

As with any drug it has side effects, the most common ones being dizziness, drowsiness, and peripheral edema - depending on the dosage and age. Perhaps a lower dosage might get rid of some of the side effects but relieve some pain?

It can also cause renal problems if you've ever had kidney problems and the manufacturers are seeing whether the connection of higher suicide rates was contributed by the drug. It works well against pain, but does nothing as a mood-stabiliser, like it's opiod counterparts and long term pain can contribute to depression and mood swings.

It is a very strong drug and you shouldn't stop taking it cold turkey. It would be similar to alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawal.

Hope that gives you some idea, but I'm sure you know most of that.

**DISCLAIMER** I am not a doctor. Whilst I am a Medical student (hence the groovy company name), I am not in any way a qualified medical professional and any such advice or questions should be directed to your GP.

I had an fractured spine when I was about 16 - 17 fell off a high diving board, hitting the side of the pool. I was prescribed norgesic which made me feel  constantly unwell took them for 2 days & gave up & got used to the pain,(with a bit of help from my good friend alchol), personally I would look at some of the gentle "alternative healing" stuff out there like Bowen, Reki or the like rather than taking any medication at least as a first step, my daughter had brilliant results with back pain that the medics couldn't help with, using Bowen.

Just my feelings. hope it goes well with whatever you do. 

About 2 or 3 times a year my neck will totally lock up and its agony. The doctors have done all the scans and tests and their is nothing obvious going wrong, they just asume something like a nerve or a muscle is getting trapped.

So its not serious but its bloody agony when it happens. The only thing that touches it is codeine which has a similar effect. It feels like some one has bubble wrapped your head and held in place with hundreds of elastic bands. It kills the pain dead but I'm useless to anyone for a few days

Hi all,

I've been taking Gabapentin for the last 10 months due to spinal issues (damaged nerves in the joint) that have been going on for 5 years now. I have found it very good at numbing some of the excessive pain, but it doesn't complete the job. And you do need to slowly get used to some of the side effects that do lessen overtime.

I was referred to the pain management clinic at my local hospital (following further tests, MRI etc) earlier this year; result being I had an epidural focussed on the disc joint that's at the route of the problem. So it is worth going back to see your GP to ensure they continue to monitor the situation and offer alternative possible solutions.

Best,
Duncan

 

I've got a nerve injury that causes a Neuropathic Pain Disorder (Neuraliga, RSD or whatever you want to name it) and I tried Gabapentin since it was difficult to find anything else that would have an effect. I'm also epileptic, so Gabapentin was suppose to work both ways.

However, before I managed to get the dose on the level it was suppose to be, I developed severe headaches and in the end I had to stop taking them since the headaches turned into migrain attacks. I also gained a lot of weight and started to retain water.
They didn't do much good for the sake of the pain itself, sorry to say. I've got a very high skin sensitivity and that was still the same no matter the tablets. Maybe they would have been effective in a bigger dose, but as I said, the headache simply got worse and worse.

Keep an eye on the side effects and get in touch with your doctor if you start to get heart palpitations, headaches or similar. Sometimes the doctors are a bit too anxious to increase the dose and that can make side effects more severe. So the slower the increase of the dose is, the more time your body will have to adapt.

I hope they will help you with your pain.

Hi guys thanks for the replies. I upped the dose to 900mg a day but the side effects where awful I just didn't feel myself. They did help some what with the pain and I slept like a baby on them.

I stopped taking them by reducing the dose to 600 then 300mg then stopped a little too quick I think as at the moment I feel sick all the time and can't sleep.

I too held water and seemed to have gained some more weight, I found my fingers where stiff as though I needed to keep cracking them.

Went back to the docs yesterday she said try 100mg in the morning then 200mg at night. But I wonder at such a low dose is it even worth it? I also have cocodamol to take as I didn't wan tramadol. I worry about the long term use of Gabapentin though.... My back is only going to get worse so not sure what I can do long term. At the moment I just wish I didn't feel sick and I could sleep. Should have taken the lower dose for a week or so instead of just stopping them.

Catherine

Codeine (or it's derivative Cocodamol), Tramadol and Gabapentin are all fairly addictive and have long-term problems on patients. Perhaps you might find hypnosis or an alternative (but still real!) medicine.

Catherine - unless your doctor is planning on upper your dose after a couple of weeks or so it's probably not worth it. The doses for Gabapentin are usually quite high to have any effect at all, especially for pain management.

Like Jon mentioned, hypnosis might be successful for you. I'm using a "safe place" myself when the pain becomes unbarable and that actually works. It's simple and to begin with it only takes a bit of focus to learn. But it's quite easy to get the hand on. Let me know if you want more info and I can explain how it's done. And no, I'm not trying to sell you anything

Just PM me if you are interested.