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Just started neurotnin?
My pain management dr. just started me on neurotnin. I've only been taking it a few days. So far, no pain relief. I just feel like I'm a bit drunk all the time. Can anyone tell me the pros and cons of this medication? Thanks Deb
No I didnt gain weight and actually have lost over 50 lbs while using it.I had tried the Lyrica twice before but it didnt do a thing for me.Dont give up try it for a couple months.
Thank you all for your input. I suppose I should give it a few weeks and see if I can get some relief. Did everyone gain weight on this medication? I'm afraid gaining weight will just make my spine issues worse. Will keep you updated...Deb
I take neurontin and effexor. I also deal with the negative side effects, but must comment that they both have contributed to a better quality of life.
I will give a different view than the others, I have been on neurontin for 8 years and do suffer some of the mentioned side effects, however it has been a God send and I can't imagine my life without it. I now take it every 8 hrs and if I am even an hour over I sure know it...the nerve pain becomes unbearable.
I started with a low dose(300mg) 8 years ago, I am now up to 600mg. 3x a day...its not working as it once did and I did try (2700mg) but got no further relief, my next option is Lyrica but I am really so afraid to go off the neurontin to even try another drug...so I will remain with the lower control until I absolutely need to change.
It did take a few weeks initially to be effective and the side effects (some of them) did lessen. I gained 20lbs initially but that has only increased by another 10 in 8 years.
I don't want the extra weight but I would do it again for the relief it has given me.
At least give it the full 3-4 weeks to properly trial before making up your own mind everyone is different with every med.
good luck
I started with a low dose(300mg) 8 years ago, I am now up to 600mg. 3x a day...its not working as it once did and I did try (2700mg) but got no further relief, my next option is Lyrica but I am really so afraid to go off the neurontin to even try another drug...so I will remain with the lower control until I absolutely need to change.
It did take a few weeks initially to be effective and the side effects (some of them) did lessen. I gained 20lbs initially but that has only increased by another 10 in 8 years.
I don't want the extra weight but I would do it again for the relief it has given me.
At least give it the full 3-4 weeks to properly trial before making up your own mind everyone is different with every med.
good luck
I have taken Neurontin many times. It has never worked fo me. I just started it again this past week and the Dr has told me to try again for 2 weeks then call him. They said you should know if it will work by the end of 2 weeks. They also understand that it has not worked for me in the past, but since my insurance company denied Lyrica after the week's free sample I took, I am forced to take the Neurontin again. Lyrica worked well and almost immediately for my nerve pain. Although I only took Lyrica for a week, I had no side effects until I stopped - then severe stomach cramps and diarrhea (I know, sorry for the thought..). Neither drug made me feel loopy - it's just Neurontin is like taking a sugar pill for me - no pain relief at all! If I sound cranky in any of my posts today.. it's just from the pain. Levels are pretty high right now, even while resting.
Good luck to you - give it a little time and hope it works for you. Please let us know if it does!!
Good luck to you - give it a little time and hope it works for you. Please let us know if it does!!
I wanted to add, I forgot things also all the time, I would go to do something and then forget what I was doing or what I was getting. Also be very careful, when I was on high doses of it I would fall asleep driving, it got really bad for me. I was so swelling I had trouble walking without being in so much pain.
Like I said it works great for some and don't for others.
Jamie
Like I said it works great for some and don't for others.
Jamie
Once your body gets use to the drug you should feel better and not feel drunk all the time. I know when I first started I also felt that way.
It didn't do anything for my pain. I had really bad side effects, weight gain, swelling, falling down the stairs, and I was tired all the time and I was so hungry, when I took my dose I was eating right after that is why I gained 30 lbs on it.
Some people is a life saver with this med and some like me it don't do anything for the pain. It just depends on the person. It might also take some time to kick in before you feel the benfits of it. I never did.
Jamie
It didn't do anything for my pain. I had really bad side effects, weight gain, swelling, falling down the stairs, and I was tired all the time and I was so hungry, when I took my dose I was eating right after that is why I gained 30 lbs on it.
Some people is a life saver with this med and some like me it don't do anything for the pain. It just depends on the person. It might also take some time to kick in before you feel the benfits of it. I never did.
Jamie
I've tried both Neurontin and Lyrica in the past for nerve pain. I had the same side effects as you. I did find it gave me some pain relief, though. I stayed on it for a month, but I just couldn't stand that "drunk" feeling. I also felt really disconnected. I could be in the middle of a conversation and I'd just stop talking and then not remember what the conversation was about. I stopped taking it as I felt like my quality of life was worse with it than without it.
With the Lyrica, I didn't have as good relief from the pain. It gave me some of the same side effects of the Neurontin, though to a much lesser degree. But it caused me to gain 15 pounds in 2 weeks with no change in my eating habits. (And at the time I was going to gym 4 to 6 times a week.) I couldn't stand the weight gain and was worried I'd keep gaining. I had worked hard to get some weight off and I was afraid I'd keep gaining. So I went off that as well. (And the 15 pounds came off in about a month.)
I do know some people get relief from these medications and often the side effects go away with time or with dosage adjustments.
Good luck.
With the Lyrica, I didn't have as good relief from the pain. It gave me some of the same side effects of the Neurontin, though to a much lesser degree. But it caused me to gain 15 pounds in 2 weeks with no change in my eating habits. (And at the time I was going to gym 4 to 6 times a week.) I couldn't stand the weight gain and was worried I'd keep gaining. I had worked hard to get some weight off and I was afraid I'd keep gaining. So I went off that as well. (And the 15 pounds came off in about a month.)
I do know some people get relief from these medications and often the side effects go away with time or with dosage adjustments.
Good luck.
Hello Oompah,
Neurontin (Gabapentin) can take up to a week or even ten days before the effectiveness of it can be measured. Sometimes the dose has to be raised. usually your physician will begin on a smaller dose and adjust it as needed.
The "drunk" feeling should subside as your system adjusts to the medication. It may take a few more days or even weeks. The pros are obviously that it should ease your neuropathic pain. The cons are the side effects that you are experiencing, the disconnect feeling. But as I said it should subside in time.
My mother had Ulnar Nerve entrapment and was prescribed Neurontin. It took several weeks before it became effective and her dose had to be increased twice. So hang in there it can take some time before you'll know the results. I know several other ppl that have found it very beneficial.
If it doesn't work well in your system their are other similar medications that can be prescribed that may be more effective for you. Unfortunately I don't think there is a medication on the market that doesn't produce some side effects. We have to make an informed decisions if the side effects (or risks) out weight the benefits.
Please let us know how you are doing. I sincerely hope that your physician will find something that helps with your pain.
Take Care,
~Tuck
Neurontin (Gabapentin) can take up to a week or even ten days before the effectiveness of it can be measured. Sometimes the dose has to be raised. usually your physician will begin on a smaller dose and adjust it as needed.
The "drunk" feeling should subside as your system adjusts to the medication. It may take a few more days or even weeks. The pros are obviously that it should ease your neuropathic pain. The cons are the side effects that you are experiencing, the disconnect feeling. But as I said it should subside in time.
My mother had Ulnar Nerve entrapment and was prescribed Neurontin. It took several weeks before it became effective and her dose had to be increased twice. So hang in there it can take some time before you'll know the results. I know several other ppl that have found it very beneficial.
If it doesn't work well in your system their are other similar medications that can be prescribed that may be more effective for you. Unfortunately I don't think there is a medication on the market that doesn't produce some side effects. We have to make an informed decisions if the side effects (or risks) out weight the benefits.
Please let us know how you are doing. I sincerely hope that your physician will find something that helps with your pain.
Take Care,
~Tuck
You mean Neurontin, right?
Weight gain, cloudy-head, forgetting words/things/places/people/names/etc... didn't really work for my pain.
We're trying Efexor now, as Neurontin didn't really work after taking it for 3-4 weeks.
Weight gain, cloudy-head, forgetting words/things/places/people/names/etc... didn't really work for my pain.
We're trying Efexor now, as Neurontin didn't really work after taking it for 3-4 weeks.
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