Gabapentin

[pitifulwonder]

I am a 50 yr old male. I was prescribed Gabapentin for neurological pain management by the VAMC in Tampa, Florida.  According to some post I've read, Gabapentin is a med that one must be weened off of.  I've been taking Gabapentin off and on to help with pain so I can sleep.  I don't take it all the time because of the side effects.  Sometimes, but not all the time, I feel like I'm having a bad hangover after the medication wears off.  My body aches all over, I feel nausea, I have bad head aches, and my breathing seems difficult.  Sometimes, I can take Gabapentin and have almost no side effects at all. I am always impotent when I take Gabapentin.  Is it dangerous to take the medication on an occasional basis and risk having the side effects?

[inie888]

been on gabapentin for 3 months 3 pills a day at 300mgs a pill...now be diagnosed with meralgia paresthetica a nerve condition and they are stopping the gabapentin at 300mgs a pill to 100mgs a pill and working me back up to the 300mgs does this make since to anyone because it seems real weird to me....HELP

[Dr Sharma]

Hi there. Gabapentin may help control your condition but won’t cure it. You must continue taking gabapentin even if you feel well. You must not stop taking gabapentin even if you experience side effects like unusual changes in behavior or mood. If you suddenly stop taking gabapentin, you may experience withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, nausea. Your doctor would decrease the dose gradually over at least one week. Certain side effects, are unsteadiness, back or joint pain, nausea, vomiting, headaches, rarely difficulty swallowing or breathing etc. consult your primary care physician for these concerns since you have been on the drug on and off. Take care.

[karolyn58]

NOW, I am scared.  I am on gabapentin also.  600 mg.3 times a day for back pain. I don't sleep and when I do finally get to sleep, I do not want to wake up, get up , nothing!! I can't really tell if it is helping my pain or not but I need to know that. I do know that I can't do without the prednisone I am on for Arthritis. My Back hurts almost All the time. If I stand to long, if I sit to long, If I lay to long, you name it. I have had two back surgery's just this yr. Now my left leg hurts all the time about as bad as the back pain .  I am numb from the knee down. Just now walking good but still have a lot of weakness in my leg.  Gabapentin is doing nothing for this!!!

[meeshmina]

This is the type of question only you can truly answer.  The withdrawl you are experiencing is probably real but at your level of use I would say that you are very sensitive to both the effects and W/D effects of this medication.  That is a good sign that you are at risk of becoming more dependent on it in the future.  Not just it but all drugs of abuse, should be treated with caution.  
  Gabapentin  is on the tame side of the (sedative category) it is less addictive then Benzodiazepams (Valium) but can still be a nasty one to stop.  Always taper, if your doc does know this then I suggest you find a more intelligent one.  
   I myself experience neurological pain and have a co-morbid Heroin Addiction in my past.  I cant believe I would ever suggest a SSRI/SNRI ever to anyone, given my terrible success rate.  I would give Cymbalta a try.  it does come with some terrible side effects and problems of its own...It has helped me tremendously.  I am still taking Suboxone for pain and mood but Cymbalta kind of completed the elixir I use to fight back.  
Good Luck  and talk to your Doc about Douloxetine (Cybalta)

[caregiver222]

I have been prescribed Gabapentin and found the drug  to have serious side effects. It significantly degrades intellectual ability, for one, affects judgement (adversely), and makes driving dangerous. It is also addictive. It also doesn't do much to relieve pain. Under certain circumstances it can precipitate seizures. Then it causes headaches. And difficulty breathing..

I just stopped it cold. I would never take it again.