Gabapentin

[FSP25]

I’m currently taking Gabapentin for Sciatica and have found it to be effective. I’ve taken it in the past for a trapped nerve in my knee which was not quite as successful. My GP rang me to tell me that they had been issued with new guidelines when prescribing Gabapentin and Pregablin. It has been found to be making people ill in other ways, eg breathlessness and confusion. I told him neither of these applied to me and he has let me continue taking it for the time being. Hope this helps.

[Koalajane]

I was given amitriptyline for my sciatica which I believe is not nearly as strong as gabapentin and works for me

[piglette]

I remember reading an article in the BMJ a while back warning about serious breathing problems with gabapentin and pregabalin.

[Grammy80]

I was prescribed Gabapentin in 2020 because of optic neuritis of my right eye; my left eye is sightless, GCA. At first, a visual field showed I picked up about 50% of the flashes. After a year, my visual field increased to 95%. Actually, I have now renewed my license and am taking refresher road driving lessons....I digress.

In spite of having asthma and light COPD, it has not affected my breathing at all. There are so many possible side effects to all medications, which have to be referenced for protective and legal reasons. What about the commercials that tell you 'possible death' is a side-effect!!! I think all of the helpful comments prove it simply depends on each individual. At present, I continue to take 900 mg per day.💞

[Pixix]

Gabapentin & Pregabalin are frequently used in the treatment of fibromyalgia. I tried both of them & suffered severe side effects, they made me very sick. This is copied & pasted from an American technical paper…”It is imperative to screen, identify, and appropriately manage patients with underlying psychiatric disorders prior to initiating pain management with gabapentin. Therefore, it is crucial to raise awareness of gabapentin as a potential cause of depression, aggressive behavior, and suicidal ideation”. I suffered these things, & would issue caution where these drugs are concerned. I did NOT have an underlying psychiatric disorder, but still suffered depression, aggressive behaviour towards my husband, & one day begged him not to go out & leave me as I was frightened by my thoughts of ending it all. I also had dreadful balance problems, & felt I was drunk all the time. This was a low dose, due to titration to higher dose. It all depends on the individual. I only took it for 2 weeks, & I was fine two weeks after the trial. I only found out what was happen8ng by googling ‘Gabapentin & suicide’. At that time no warnings in the info with the pills. Oh, & it didn’t help my sciatica either!!

[random901 in reply to Pixix]

Omg. I think I will put up with this latest FM flare rather than take such dodgy med!

[Pixix in reply to random901]

For some people, it’s an excellent fibromyalgia drug. But I wish I’d been warned beforehand, & that’s the reason I put this on here. It may be a wonder drug for you. However, this is a PMR forum, so not sure it should appear here, really, as it has no reference to PMR or GCA. Try first, don’t think it will happen to you. But be aware of it, that’s all I say!!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to random901]

It isn't a dodgy med - all meds have some side effects and as we frequently say about pred, no-one gets them all and some get none at all. The adverse effects listed on the data sheets are ALL the effects patients report during use, both in clinical trials and post-launch monitoring, that can be shown to be very likely to be associated with the drug. The intention is that IF any such adverse effects appear, the doctors know to stop it.

No doubt you take paracetamol/Tylenol? It can kill you so it is also listed on the data. Doesn't stop people using it though.

[random901 in reply to PMRpro]

Ah, thanks for clarifying.

[S4ndy]

I took Gabapentin for about 6 years prior to my PMR diagnosis. I had no side effects from it apart from some extra tiredness. It worked for my nerve pain at the time.

However, I came off it cold turkey because of some other health issues and the withdrawal was dreadful. I had medical supervision for that but it's not something I would like to repeat. Just remember to come off it slowly when you do need to do so.

[sidra1968]

I take 1800 mg per day for nerve pain in neck from bone spurs even after having a 2 level ACDF surgery, no side effects..but many get them for sure.