Gabapentin?? side effects?

[Wobbly]

Hi there, the MS specialist wants me to up the dose of gabapentin, I'm not taking much right now, only 1 pill 300 mg at night as it really tires me out.

She wants me to take 100 mg twice a day in the daytime, but I'm taking amantadine twice a day to help with fatigue.  Now the gabapentine twice a day makes me tired?  

does gabapentin have a side effect that effects you mouth...my teeth, gums.. etc..get so sore everyday for the past few days, not sure why.  I though maybe one tooth, but the other parts of my mouth get sore as well?

plus I'm so out of it, that I can't go outside... I'm so tired and can't seem to sit for long.  

I don't know if its the meds...cause the amount isn't that high... if not the meds...why is this happening?

I'm not sure what to do about it..

take care
wobbly
dx

[meg321]

So far I have had no sgnificant side effects from the Gabapentin, my headaches are a bit better, but I have been feeling better anyway, but it's most likely not the Gabapentin since I only started it about a week ago.

I thought it was making me sleepy but that was only the first day after I took it the previous night.

hugs, meg

[Wobbly]

I went to the specialist and was told to "play with the meds limit as well" ... first stop what I'm taking which was only 500mg a day..for a few days...then start up again slowing and play with it... keep the Dr informed as how I'm feeling..

he gave me his email and want's me to stay in touch with him that way unless I'm feeling worse then before.. I'm hoping it helps with some of the pain.  and not have side effects too bad.

I have stopped the day time dose...still take the 300mg at bedtime because when I stopped the bedtime med I couldn't sleep...now I didn't give it much time..I started the 300 mg as it helps me sleep and stops the leg pains in bed.

I feel better not taking it in the daytime.. I'm not as constipated as I was..but I was taking Amantadine as well as Gabapentin, so I'm not sure which one made me constipated.  My leg pains through the day are alot worse since I stopped the med in the daytime, so I'm thinking of starting it again...without the Amantadine to see if it helps.. 100mg once a day then twice a day..

like he said I'll play with it.. but not take the Amantadine unless I get horrible fatigue again.  

take care and good luck with this med
wobbly
dx

[Eyesnlegs]

I have recently built up my does to 3 x 100 mg a day and it is helping with the parathesia but does not help me sleep. My MS Nurse said that her intention with it for me is that if it gets rid of some pain and parathesia then sleep will follow.

I returned to see my GP this week as she wanted to see me after I had reached this dose and she has now told me to take 200mg at night and 2x 100mg during the day. She is happy for me to build to 200mg x 3 times s day. Her actual words were 'play with it until you are happy'. I then have to see her again before I take anymore. 300mg a day is the minimum dose and doesn't always work because it is such a low dose. I find supplementing it with analgesic helps.

It has not made me tired, although it is hard to tell the difference some days as I suffer with fatigue too in a random fashion. However, my GP would like to see me without pain for at least 50% of the time and that is the reason for it.

Reading the health page that Quix did on pain management in MS is enlightening and educational, it certainly helped me.

Pat x

[FrankieT]

I am not dx MS, but I took Gabapentin for a wrist issue where I couldn't use my wrist for a month with no explanation. I was out of it, made really bad decisions (decided to remodel the entire office with a 60 day deadline - oops) was tired and my wrist still hurt. So then when I tried to get off it, that's when the problems really started. I do not have depression, I am not suffering from a chemical imbalance, I do not have hopeless thoughts, but when I tried to stop taking Gabapentin I did not want to move, breathe or enter the next day. It was confusing and scary. Do your research on this drug just so you can be prepared and don't get sideblinded like I did.

[meg321]

Hi,
I started mine last night and I was really sleepy this afternoon not sure if its a side effect or not. My fatigue really doesnt make me sleepy..

Time will tell I guess.  But someone said it can make you sleepy, but the next day?

we will see what happens tomorrow...

hugs, meg

[SickMomma_PDX]

Meg:

We should totally keep in touch about it! I just started last night 300 mg pills 1x/day for three days, then 2x per day for 3 days and then 3x/day. I took my first pill at bedtime and was actually disappointed that it didn't seem to help me fall asleep. But maybe that's the reason for my having a bad fatigue day today? Time will tell. Definitely not helping with my headaches yet.

(And I hope everyone understood I meant I'd been prescribed gabapentin rather than diagnosed! I hate it when my brain farts and I use an incorrect word even though I know the right one. Happens a lot more in speech than in writing -- I think this was the first time I'd done it in writing ... at least that I've noticed!)

--SM