How does gabapentin affect people?

[Hols15]

I went back to my gp today as following an appointment at the FM clinic was told should change my meds. I have now been put on gabapentin and just wanted to find out how people have been getting on with it. I know everyone is different but I normally have time off work if I'm starting new meds but it's not possible at the moment. X

[Julie63]

When I was on gabapentin, I had really bad side effects - I had really dark thoughts. So dark, I had to see my gp & come off them. I'm on pregabalin now, and am feeling a different person. But you must remember, we are all different, so you may have a completely different experience, I know people have posted on here that they have had the opposite effects than me. Good luck, Julie xxx

[Hols15 in reply to Julie63]

Thank you for replying. So far I have taken my first lot and feel ill this evening. Not sure if it's the tablets or that I have overdone it the last few days x

[Nursemaz in reply to Hols15]

Hi there two weeks ago I was given pregabalin 5omcgs twice a day felt sick and dizzy hanging on to door frames and diahorrea stopped taking them, went to my doctor who asked me to take them again starting on 25mcgs once a day for one week and then the 2nd week take twice a day and then I am seeing her this Tuesday. I did not have any side effects, I am not sure if it will be increased it has not lessened my pain at all and still have to take the co-codymol. It was my very unhelpful rheumatoid doctor that put me on them and thankfully my doctor is referring me to another rheumatoid doctor. Maybe you should start on a low dose like me my doctor said they are powerful drugs and should always be started low. Hope this helps

Maz

[Cookie72]

Hi holls15, I have been on gabapentin for some time now, years to be exact, I find them very good, at first I didn't feel so good, but your soon be o se use to them and they do help the nerve endings, they are the sister family to pregbalin, but you must try them for ourself, give them a good month, then if no good go back to you GP, try the pregbalin, but even they could upset you, but as Julie says no two people are the same, what suits one may not suit another, I have heard that gabapentin are one of the best, they were first bought out for people with epilepsy , then after sone tests found they were good for fibro, I take gabapentin, tramadol, and sertraline all three see to work well for me, I have co-codamol as back up, but don't take them that often as they can affect me...do hope this helps and you find what suits you...sending gentle hugs...Dee xx

[Hols15 in reply to Cookie72]

Thank you Dee. I have only started today and I feel dizzy and waves of sickness but the pain seem better. I will give it sometime to get used to them and see what happen. I take them with tramadol and then 1 other at night don't know how to spell it but I'm sure u know which 1. I've started see a new gp who is very good and supportive. Gentle hugs back xxx

[TheAuthor]

Hi Hols15

I sincerely hope that you are feeling as well as you possibly can be today? I have never taken gabapentin, but my wife has. It didn't really do a lot for her and she has changed to Pregabalin.

I think that we are all unique individuals and therefore we all react differently to both our medications and our illnesses, so it is impossible to say how you would get on with it, I am sorry to say.

Take care

Ken

[Iampain]

I take 1200 mg a day of Gabapentin 400 mg tramadol and oromorph for breakthrough pain, no side effects. I put on a lot of weight when on pregabalin and another I can't remember, taken at night. Its true, we are all different, 8ts a case of try it and find out. Hope you feel better soon.

[tinkz2007]

Hi Hols15, I have been on 600mg of gabapentin 3 x a day for a few years now and have had no side effects, but they really work well for the burning that I get, my husband is on 900mg 3 x a day and he has had no side effects either, the benefits seem to outweigh anything else. As others have said we are all different and what may work for some won't work for others, they do take a while to get into your system properly and you should never stop them without discussing it with your gp. I also have a butrans patch that I wear continuously and take cocodamol 4 x a day, I am also on flueoxtine

[Hols15]

Thank you everyone. It is helping with the pain but I feel more foggy then normal, dizzy and sick but am going 2 give it a go and see how I feel in a few weeks xx

[Durham-Lass]

Gapapentin didn't do me much good so consultant has just changed me to pregabalin, feeling better but see how long the relief lasts. it has less side effects and supposed to be better tolerated which I'd agree with in my case but everyone is different as you say.

[solowheelie]

I have been on gabapentin for several years. The key is starting at 100mg and gradually titrating to the level that stops the pain, working this way i found although when increasing the dose initially i was a bit fuzzy for a few days my body quickly got used to it - i have recently increased from 2100mg per day to 2500mg and really just been a bit tired. I would suggest you wait a couple of weeks until the initial fuzziness wears off.

[cupcake1986]

Hi I'm on gabapentin and I don't really have many side effects. I do now only take 600mg at night tho and have cut out my morning and lunch dose. I should probably try and spread them across the day more tho as having recent problems with fatigue and exhaustion! They do keep the pain at bay tho and work well for me. Maybe try a low dose spread across the day first. My dr was surprised they don't make me sleepy. Hope this helps!

[Hols15]

Thank you! They are making me feel sick and dizzy. I also could also sleep for England LOL! I was working till 3 yesterday got home and went straight to sleep then woke up to cook dinner and eat it then went back to sleep till 10 then straight to bed. I have a months worth so think I will take them and see how it goes. x

[skippy1958]

Hi hols ive been on gabapentin now for 1 year, at first they made me so dizzy and sick I went back to my rheumy and he gave me betahistine for the dizziness and sickness and ive been ok since, I spread my gabapentine over the day I take 100mg 3x and 300mg at night , what is your dose? hope you find them ok for you cos everyone is different , gentle hugs sue xx

[Hols15 in reply to skippy1958]

Hi sue. I take 100mg 3 x a day and 50mg 3 x a day of tramadol and 25mg of amitripyline at night. They are helping with the pain I'm just feeling crap on them might go back and ask for something for the sickness and dizziness. I feel so bad couldn't even face dinner this evening. Gentle hugs hols xx

[releasethemagic]

Gabapentin is an older and well tolerated drug that costs the NHS very little to supply. It is NICE's suggested first medication for nerve pain. Weight gain is a common side effect - caused by an increased appetite so watch out if you find yourself eating more inbetween meals. It does not of itself cause weight gain -it is the extra calorie intake that causes it. Fatigue is another often reported side effect so taking them a few hours before you go to bed might help with a better night's sleep.

Pregabalin is prescribed to people who cannot tolerate Gabapentin or where Gabapentin is having no impact. Pregabalin is a more advanced and recent drug. It costs the NHS a fortune with each dose typically costing £2.00 irrespective of its size. This is why Gabapentin is tried first. Usually a hospital specialist prescribes Pregabalin due to its cost.

One of its advantages over gabapentin is a lower dose produces the same pain relief. This is better for the liver and liver function so in liver function impaired patients, Pregabalin is the drug of choice.

[Mightysore]

It made me have suicidal thoughts. I was then put onto Pregabalin, and after just 2 weeks on it, I was admitted into hospital following a suicide attempt. I am very angry that Rheumatology and then my GP prescribed me with these drugs, as I have had very severe depression for more than 25 years, and I have had several suicide attempt s in the past. It states quite clearly in the prescribing regulations that both these medications can lead to suicidal thoughts in those suffering from severe depression. Those at particular risk are people who have attempted suicide in the past.

Why then was I prescribed these medications? My mental health history is well documented in my case notes and I am on medication long term for depression. The only conclusion that I can reach is that doctors these days do not even check to see what medical conditions patients have before they prescribe totally inappropriate medication. Before I retired, I was a Nurse prescriber, and the first thing I did before prescribing any medication to my patients, was to check their medical history and their current medications. All this information is available to doctors at the touch of a button on their computer. If I was able to carry out proper checks before prescribing, then why can't they. The average pay of a GP or Hospital Consultant is in excess of £100,000. What I was paid was less than a third of this?

Negligent or just plain lazy? You decide!

[BLANCHE5]

i have been taken them for a long time i have not had any probs with them