Hello everyone, hope you are all keeping reasonably well. Sorry don't get on here much at moment.
Has anyone had any experiences with Gabapentin for nerve pain. I started just under 4 weeks ago.
I am taking 300mg morning and afternoon and 600mg at night.
Take care everyone and keep safe xxxx
Hi - yes, I had gabapentin for disabling hip/back pain - xrays showed no prob but I certainly felt it.( Prob sciatica sd Dr. Sciatic nerve squeezed, sd Pro) Had low dose Of gabapentin at first, with no effect and Dr gradually raised the dose till I was taking the dose u are. Pain at last responded, which was so wonderful to be able to move again. But within two weeks of new dose, I developed full-body hives - everywhere except my face! It was like torture! Took a long time to recover but I stopped the gabapentin at once - the pain was more bearable than the incessant nettle-sting burning - and continued my dsns steroid reduction - which now has largely dealt with the hip/back pain. I’m mobile tho not much stamina.
Apparently many people take gabapentin for a long time with no side effects at all and find it - as I did- an effective nerve painkiller -
But watch out if u start to get a red rash! Good luck, hope all goes smoothly with it. Carrie
hi, many thanks for your reply. sorry you got a bad reaction to the gabapentin. especially when it helped your pain. i will certainly keep an eye out for a rash. xxx
I took Gabapentin for about 4 years. It did help my nerve pain. However when I started taking Prednisolone I came off them altogether. I didn't get side effects from them except a bit of indigestion. I haven't needed them since taking Pred.
The one thing I will say is that I came off of them cold turkey which gave me bad withdrawal symptoms. It's probably better to come off them slowly. I got really bad gastritis when I started prednisolone and my GP wanted me to come off them quickly at the time along with several other meds I was taking
Hope they work for you.
thanks for reply. i am glad it worked for your nerve pain. i take prednisolone for my polymyalgia but it had no effect on the nerve pain. we are all so different. yes i have heard if you want to come off them then do it slowly. take care x
I was prescribed Gabapentin for terrible Shingles pain back in 2003. It was the only thing that worked but I remember that it did make me extremely sleepy. I took it for about 3 months. Wishing you all the best.
hi, thanks for reply. yes i have heard it is really good for shingle, because shingles affects the nerve endings. glad it helped you, i have heard shingles is very painful and can affect you for a long time x
I had Gabapentin when I had Trigeminal Neuralgia. Only side effects were weight gain and nodding off at the drop of a hat. Often used to wake up at night with my head on my laptop keyboard with QWERTY across my forehead 😂😂
thanks for reply, yes i seem to be gaining a bit off weight after just 4 weeks, did your weight come off after stopping the gabapentin x
I had Gaberpentin for the weird head sensations that GCA has left me with. I found I got a bit high on it so changed to pregabalin which I get on better with. After I got osteoporotic fractures the pain clinic also prescribed it so I have 2 specialists on the same track! I also have morphine for my back and paracetamol. All these help with the back pain provided I don't do too much. The head pain is well dealt with!
oh gosh you sound like your in a lot of pain with all your problems. take care and keep safe x
Hi
I’ve been on Gabapentin a few years now for nerve pain causes osteoarthritis in my neck . It’s worked well for me. The nerve pain was nauseating , no painkillers would touch it and Gabapentin’s certainly sorted it. I’m on 300 mg morning and night. The only side effect for me was feeling very mellow, I could handle that!
We’re all different, no-one can predict how your body will react to it so I guess my advice would be try it and see?
Good luck and hope you feel better soon
hi, thanks for reply, i would say it makes me feel very calm, did you put weight on with this medication, i'm doing weightwatchers although not lost much with steroids and other meds, i have kept steady. over last approx 4 weeks i have gained 3 pound. i am glad the gabapentin is working for you. x
I've been taking Gabapentin for about 6 months now. Shortly before the covid-19 pandemic went into high gear I started dealing with two worn out vertebrae that pinched nerves for my right arm, yielding almost total numbness and intense pain. About the time of the diagnosis, surgeries were not an option so my rheumy put me on 600 mg before bed. It took a week or two to get the maximum effectiveness but it's worked great for me, plus now I can sleep the whole night instead of the arm keeping me awake all night. Some day the Gabapentin won't be enough and i'll need surgery but in the meantime it's been a life saver. My rheumy doesn't want me taking it during the day only because I still work full time and at times do a lot of delivery truck driving. Doesn't want me dozing off at the wheel!
It's always good to read a success story and I'm so pleased it's working for you. I can understand re the dozing off. Hope gabapentin continues to work for you. xx
My husband was on it for foot numbness, it didn't really help and affected his ability to sit in a chair without leaning all the way over. We didn't really notice until driving he was aiming for the ditch, went off of it quickly and he was fine.
oh dear that's not good, i have noticed some balance issues. fortunately I don't drive, thanks for your reply, hope your husband got something for his foot numbness x
I have taken Gabapentin for fibro, oa and spondylitis for at least 8 years.
It has worked for me, you can be totally pain free but zombified.
So I reduced till I found a lot less pain but capable of normal function.
I also took it with prednisone when diagnosed with PMR, and amitriptyline which helps me sleep.
If pain is bad I take codeine and paracetamol or naproxen on top.
Whatever combo works I suppose.
thanks, so glad this medicine works for you. do you think you will have to take it for life. what dose do you take and how long before it took effect. i was on amitriptyline for few years but just recently had to stop it because it was giving me irregular heartbeat. so i am keeping my fingers crossed this will work xx
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