I have been on this medication on and off for around eight years. I came off of it for a little over a year in 2015/2016, and started losing weight, which I needed to do. I had to go back on it in 2017 and have gained almost 20 lbs. since. When I went back on it in 2017, my doctor had me up to 3200mg per day. That was such a high dosage that it suppressed all the nerve feeling in me that (I’m so embarrassed) I started wetting the bed occasionally. I asked my doctor about it and she said it was not the medication. I didn’t agree with her, so I reduced my dosage to 900mg per day and the bed wetting never happened again. It definitely helps my nerve pain, but it causes me to be in a brain fog, have memory issues and I’m sure it’s the reason for my weight gain. I only take it when my nerve pain flares up, and once it settles, I come off of it immediately. I’ve never had any kind of withdrawal symptoms or problems stopping the drug immediately, even after taking it every day for two years.
Gabapentin only works on my feet. I was taking oxycodone that worked excellent but as soon as all the overdose's happened. That was it no more doctors got scared giving it to people. So now my life has went downhill haven't been out of my home over a year. Missed Xmas with my grandchildren. Nothing seems to work. And what does they won't prescribe it. Hopefully a miracle drug will come but it may be to late for us seniors
I was prescribed this for sleep and night-time anxiety. I only took it for a few days, right before bed. I stopped taking it because it made me so groggy the next day that I could barely function, I could not concentrate, I suffered extreme vertigo (felt almost drunk), and felt completely dulled. I'm glad this medication works for so many people. Although it helped me sleep, I could not handle all of the side effects.
I was prescribed this medication two years ago as a poor treatment for sleep after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I was on such a high dose that over the course of two years I got addicted to it and had to go to rehab to taper off of it because the side effects of withdrawal were so severe such as depression, suicidal thoughts, and constant agitation. Even on it I felt like I was in a constant mental fog, couldn't focus, and had jerky movements. It was almost as if I was drunk.
This medicine did not help with the pain. It also stiffened my muscles so paid I was all hunched over when I walked. Had to stop taking this after only a few months
I have MS. I am receiving treatment by infusion every 6 months. I have relapse-remittance MS. As the MS progresses, I have had extreme pain. It felt like I was beat up by 10 people. It felt like I was hit by a bus, manly in my spinal cord and hips. I was at the point were I couldn’t sleep. I was also working a full time job. I couldn’t thin ok anything but the pain. I would dredge having to move, or go down stairs. I didn’t even want my husband to rub my back, that hurt so much. I was emotional, b****y - just plain miserable. This medication made a HUGE difference. It’s allowing me to carry on.
The withdrawal symptoms if you have ever run out of this medication are terrible and really scary. It should be have a warning similar to narcotics. I have taken both so I can easily relate to the discomfort felt over withdrawals. Your brain literally feels underwater, you feel sick, muscle pain, sweating, fever and chills. Gabapentin is dangerous and not a catch all alternative to see if it works. Doctors please quit prescribing this med without checking in on side effects and the potential it has to addict a person for long term. I have taken it for ten years and feel it has ruined my life. Creating memory problems for a young 30 something is not acceptable. Nor is trying to stop taking the medication without success. I have tried for years to wean off this medication and can’t. Which is saying something when it feels worse than a narcotic withdrawal!
I had back surgery in 2009 it was due to an accident and it was called an ALIF abd they fused L5 &S1 all was going well until I lost my balance and fell and messed it up someway. I went to a Pain Management and the doctor put me on Methadone worked up to 30mg 3x a day and Roxicodone 30mg 4x a day so yea I was pretty doped up I guess you could say all though it helped my pain. That brings us to present day I have a new Pain doctor who is wonderful. Due to new FDA guidelines I had to decrease my meds I was equal to 2100 mg of Morphine a day. After I was about half way to our goal he put me on Neurontin have been slowly increased to 900mg 3x a day and this has helped my pain quit a bit. I’ve been a type 2 diabetic for since around 2005 and I’m still having a hard time controlling my blood sugar levels. In the past year 2020 to present I have been diagnosed with diabetic neuropathy and PAD. The Neurontin has helped me so much with all of this I don’t know what I would be feeling pain wise with out it. Now on to the side effect I do have trouble with with my vision and tremors where I shake but I’d take these over the pain in my back and legs any day of the week.
I take 300 mg twice a day and that keeps the severe pain I experience with my neuropathy in my feet in check. Extremely affective
I have had terrible Sleep with this drug. Hypnotic jerks and Muscle Twitching.
I was diagnosed with nerve pain due to “accessive” alcohol use. I was experiencing pain, burning, and discomfort in my legs. This drug was like a miracle.
Being a Diabetic this medication has made my diabetes get out of control. I have started to take insulin. Something I didn't want to take. I do get sleepy after taking the meds.
Works great no adverse side effects for me, some drowsiness helps sleep good. otherwise no other side effects. Helps with burning in legs and feet. I am not diabetic, so cause for neuropathy is unknown.
I am finally pain-free and sleep good 300 mg twice a day. Unknown cause for burning sensation in my legs and feet. i am not diabetic so the cause is not known the doctor may do further tests. I am so grateful for gabapentin and not being in pain!
I am six weeks into a severe sciatica flareup. During the first four weeks I was on able to put more than one hour per night of sleep together. The pain was unbearable and I was ready to jump in front of a truck. My doctor finally, after trying me out on handfuls of like it in which did not work at all, put me on gabapentin. The very first night I slept six hours. The severity of the flares that I was getting 10 to 15 times a day were cut by 80%. I felt a little goofy the first couple of days but I am now free of any noticeable side effects. I am not even taking any over-the-counter pain medications. 300 mg twice or three times per day.
My vision is very double from this med. This is the second time i have taken it. Was prescribed by derm for sleeplessness due to extreme itching from Lichen Planus. This med stopped the extreme discomfort from LP for me, but I will only take it when I know I can lie down.
While miracles to some it hasnt been great for me. It does help a bit with anxiety but it also comes with many side effects like double vision, binge eating, unbalance, head rush when standing up, dizziness,
Neurontin. Be very wary of this drug. It was intended for people with seizures. Docs use it off-label, however, to treat other issues such as nerve pain - which is how I came to use it. Yes, it worked in taking nerve pain away initially -- but only by practically knocking me out. I prompted reduced the dose by 50% & was only taking 150mg - but the side effects were ultimately too troubling for me to continue & I took myself off the drug after 3 months. The worst of those side effects were: 1) makes you loopy, unable to organize, unable to organize thoughts & express yourself normally; makes you seem really stupid 2) joint pain — even after discontinuing the drug. I experienced joint pain in 2 extremities that was so significant I had to have cortisone injections. I don’t have arthritis. But now — I have this side effect to contend with. Will the cortisone knock out the pain forever? Probably not. After my experience, I met a young woman who had been prescribed by her neurologist 1200 mg/day to manage her migraines. At that dosage — I’m surprised she was even awake. She was overweight & lethargic & had no idea that the drug might be causing her these side effects. I also recall that my own father had been prescribed this drug. Upon reflection, that was likely inappropriate. He had some short term memory loss, but was not diagnosed by his docs as Alzheimers. But this drug can certainly make a person seem demented - even when they are not. So — beware. Being mislabeled medically can have serious consequences. In the wrong hands, medical misinformation can be used to challenge a patient’s competence & result in a patient losing rights. Think long & hard before you take this drug.
Having been diagnosed w/Rheumatoid arthritis, In Feb 2024, I was prescribed Neurotin (100mg) 100-300mg every 8 hrs for pain; can take up to 300mg. I have been taking 3 pills every 8 hrs, but with minimal difference. My 3 fingers still spasm thru out the day.