Gabapentin causing AF?

[wendy6]

hi there,

I haven't had any AF since my successful Ablation in 2016. I do get odd runs of Ectopics but infrequently and not bothersome. I recently started new meditation for My Trigeminal Neuralgia...its Gabapentin started it 12 July.

yesterday suddenly started getting AF just walking up stairs or making any physical moment set it off. Just short runs of AF. Went on all night couldnt sleep at all. went to A&E at 7am.all day but each time I got taken into room for ECG it was normal. I could feel it was normal told them. But being left in a hard chair in waiting room for hours in-between blood tests even just walking up corridor to loo sent me into AF. But they were so busy I couldn't catch nurse at right time.so all tests normal sent home after 10 hours.just walking to car put me in AF at home had 2really bad aggressive 15 minute runs. Lying down feeling scared exhausted . dont know to do. The thought of going back to A&E horrific. But scared of another night no sleep.

Has anyone had experience Gabapentin causing AF.

[Flutterbird]

I have taken gabapentin for years for nerve pain since before I was diagnosed with paroxysmal AF in 2017. I was having about one episode a month last year but at the end of the year I swapped gabapentin for pregabalin and that has put me into persistent AF so swapped back to gabapentin. i do not feel gabapentin effected me but I would discuss it with your GP or EP and see what they think. The pregabalin which is a similar drug didn't do me any good.

[wendy6 in reply to Flutterbird]

Thank you for your reply. I so hope Gabapentin isn't the cause as its actually working on controlling my TN after 8 months on Carbamazepine which hasn't worked.Just trying to figure out why AF has returned.

[Gillybean123]

I have been on Gabapentin for I think at least three years now. It doesn’t start my AF off at all. Hope you feel better soon. I always hated going to A&E as well. Now I sit it out at home till it goes away.

[wendy6 in reply to Gillybean123]

Thank you for reply. Is reassuring to know its unlikely to be Gabapentin. My mission now is to get evidence of the AF so GP will give me medication. I slept well but did wake up early and heart was still irregular monitor stating "possible arrythmia . Due to go abroard on holiday in 3 weeks and worried about that now.

[Cat04]

I have been on gabapentin for years but my ablation in 2018 stopped any AF until April this year when I caught covid which kicked me back into afib/aflutter. Gabapentin doesn't seem to be a factor in causing my Af.

[wendy6 in reply to Cat04]

Thank you, is reassuring that Gabapentin unlikely to be the cause. I woke up with heart still irregular. Just need to get proof for GP.

[Cat04 in reply to wendy6]

Ask your gp to organise a Holter monitor. You can wear it for a week or so to record your heart rate/rhythms all the time. Good luck, catching PAF is so difficult & you end up thinking no-one believes you. xx

[wendy6 in reply to Cat04]

Thankyou yes, doctor at A&E yesterday has requested in report yo GP holter monitor and Echo be referred. GP has to request it.

[wilsond in reply to wendy6]

I suggest you buy a kardia device. About 100.00, you download kardia app,place device on phone and it records ecg. You can send it to GP etc on email or take phone as evidence( it keeps the tracing on record)Try calling 111 instead of A and E. They can send paramedics who can do ecg and check you over.

[wendy6 in reply to wilsond]

Thank you I've got EMAY monitor which can download ECG readings in a file on laptop. Then can sent by email or print.

[SuziElley]

Talk to your GO but I’ve been on gabapentin for years and had no bad effects from it. I’m on 900mg three times a day and no heart problems from it at all.

[wendy6 in reply to SuziElley]

Thankyou...I will discuss with GP ASAP. I'm only on 300mg Gabapentin as just started. But have transitioned from Carbamazepine coming of slowly over 4 weeks. But Sunday when AF started was first day on nil Carbamazepine. I wondered if this is cause but surely would only cause few palpitations not days of AF???

[SuziElley]

Don’t really know. You need to talk to your doctor about this and get it sorted. All the best x

[DaveBr]

I was prescribed it for server lower back pain. All it did for me was to make me sleep

[wendy6 in reply to DaveBr]

Yes its great for sleep, Ive never slept so deeply before, great dreams too.

[Tiburon]

Hi Wendy — I was prescribed Gabepentin last fall. Shortly after starting it, I had three AFib events within a month. I have paroxysmal AFib and would have no more than one event per year up until then. I read a report of a study that found Gabepentin can trigger AFib, particularly in seniors. My cardiologist said the same. Since I stopped taking the drug last October, I’ve had only two AFib events. Both lasted no more than 3 or 4 hours. I was 71 at the time I started Gabepentin. If your physician agrees, I would stop the Gabepentin for a couple of weeks and evaluate.

[wendy6 in reply to Tiburon]

Hi there, thank you for your reply. I think I read the same report earlier today! I saw my GP this afternoon to discuss what happened at hospital yesterday and ask if she could give me some Rythym Control meds but she said no only Cardiologist can give. She will refer me + holter monitor. Problem is Im going on holiday in 3 weeks abroad so very worried about this now. I emtioned the study about senior people taking Gabapentin and she said it is unlikely as Ive been taking it for 4 weeks now it would have happened sooner??? How long were you on it for. To complicate matters...a make a dilemma the drug is working stopping my TN attacks were are terrible. If I stop Gabapentin only my consultant Neurologist can change my meds and chances of getting see him before holiday are very low. So its catch 22....terrible pain episodes or horrible AF...both very debilitating.

[Tiburon in reply to wendy6]

Ectopics seem to increase within a day after starting the drug. The first AFib event after starting the drug was two and a half weeks later. The second was 3 days later, After the second event, I stopped taking the drug and didn’t have another AFib event until two and a half months later. What is TN?

[wendy6]

Thats interesting. On reflection I might have had increase in Ectopics early on after starting it. Had been taking it for 4 weeks when AF started on Sunday. TN is Trigeminal Neuralgia, its terrible electric shock and burning nerve pain in face. I get it in teeth and lower jaw. On a pain scale (1-10) its a 12 compared to be worse than having limbs removed, without anesethtic !!! Ive always described mine as like having your teeth drilled without any anesethic injection, imagine that going on for 15 minutes non stop. Younger generation don't understand this as not been through the injections and filling of teeth. The Gabapentim calms the nerves and helps with pain. Its so sad as Id been on another drug for 8 months which hadn't worked, after a week of taking Gabapentin Ive been pain free for first time in 8 months 😭

[Mightnot]

Hi

I’ve had several cardioversions and am not currently in AF, though I’ve been in it frequently in the past.

I have been put on gabapentin for a pain issues

I take bisoprolol, flecainide, rivaroxaban for my heart, and allopurinol for gout.

I’ve recently had 4 weeks of pain in my jaw and teeth, which has been diagnosed as general neuralgia and is not related to my teeth.

Any comments on using gabapentin with heart issues or any other related experiences would be much appreciated. From this thread it seems it may not cause AF - that was the jist as I scanned it