Gabapentin not effective yet.

[Sukiling]

Good morning, I'm taking 3 x 300mg Gabapentin per day as I have a damaged/pinched L5 S1 nerve. How long do they take to act; I've been on them a week and I'm still in pain until I lie flat in bed? Thank you

[Bananas5]

you may begin to feel pain relief within one to two weeks of starting it, depending on your dosage. However, for some people, it can take longer to see benefits.

x

[Sukiling in reply to Bananas5]

Thank you.

[Sukiling]

Thank you. Ibuprofen and paracetamol together don't touch it and neither does high strength co codamol. I'll persevere for another week then try the GP again.

[Suffolklady]

I’ve been on it for years and never had any relief from taking them. On other pain meds too but tbh if I had my time again I’d never had gone on them. Weaning down is a nightmare and it does affect your brain. Unfortunately brain fog shutting down the way you think is one of the side effects. I’m on 900mg got down to 800mg but I don’t think they help but unless I came off them I don’t know. It’s the side effect that has the impact.

[chelsy]

I was on 1800mg a day of gabapentin for years. I been weaned off them onto pregablin and I must say pregablin is helping with my fibro pain much more now.

[Maud-ie]

I titrated over two years' up to 1800 mg per day. Maybe I was just unlucky but it gave no pain relief at all just loads of extra weight. Took months' to titrate to zero and off of it. Hope you have more success.

[moo196]

Osteopath and exercises rather than strong pain killers are my go to things for this sort of thing. I also use acupuncture if needed.

[Emacosta]

hi there

Maybe is not for you can you go back to the doctor and ask him if you can try something else. It does works for me tho.

Take care

[Makie-Uppie]

Hi I take gabapentin (2x300mg x 3 times a day) and co-codomol (2x30/500mg x 3 times a day). It seems to take the two of them. If I leave one of them out I go back to wanting to hack may hands and feet off. Even typing has become a chore. They have become strangely less effective recently, the co-codomol do not taste the same and one day I will need a rethink.

[Sukiling]

Thank you so much everyone. Your comments together with some side effects I got yesterday, have made me decide to ditch them before I become addicted. Major gastric reflux, swollen ankles and memory problems are things that I can do without. As so often happens, trying to ease one condition has triggered three more. Take care.

[Bolognese2022]

Hi Sukiling

I started on your does of gabapentin for a few years and it really helped but it took a while to work. I am now on 3x300mg a day and it takes most of the pain away. The GP's have tried me on various pain medication along with the gabapentin but my stomach just can't take painkillers. I can take a few paracetamol but not constantly.

I would suggest if it is still not working by now go and see your GP.

It's worth looking at alternative treatments to work along side your medication.

I have noticed if I don't take gabapentin with my other evening medication's I sleep better. Not sure why!

I hope your able to sort your pain out their is nothing worse!