Gabapentin

[Chance15]

Does any one know for sure if gabapentin damages the thyroid. I'm on 600 mg two three times daily as well as co-coda op 500mg two three times a day plus others one of the ladies on here mentioned it to me..it's ok I'm subclinicle thydroidism I'm due to get my bloods results this monday😀.

[Clutter]

Buma, Some medicines can affect thyroid, including Gabapentin.

Endocrine side effects including hyperthyroid, hypothyroid, swollen testicle, goiter, hypoestrogenism, ovarian failure, epididymitis, and cushingoid appearance have been reported rarely. Endocrine side effects reported postmarketing have included breast enlargement.

drugs.com/sfx/gabapentin-si...

[Chance15 in reply to Clutter]

Clutter many thanks for ur reply. Do you think I shud see doctor and ask for anorturnative. I also take Antitripylen 75mg plus inhalers. Excuse my bad spelling it wasn't my best subject at school lol😀.

[Clutter in reply to Chance15]

Buma, If you are prescribed thyroid medication your GP should be aware of any interactions but it may be sensible to request a follow up thyroid test in a few weeks in case the Gabapentin affects absorption and uptake.

[Chance15 in reply to Clutter]

Clutter I will get my blood test for thyroid tomorrow (Monday) I will put them on many thanks.

[greygoose in reply to Chance15]

Bad spelling is a hypo symptom. Seriously.

[Rush2112]

This thread has me quite worried stupid número I went to see the other day see my last post changed me from amitriptlin to gabapentin

I had already lost faith in him but I'm now worried about side effects

I have grVes do you think I should not take it until I have seen endo

[Chancery]

Hi. Allegedly, Gabapentin doesn't actually disrupt the thyroid, per se, but it can give "dysfunctional thyroid test results". Anti-convulsants all mess thyroid about, but some are worse than others. Carbamazepine is a known thyroid disruptor, but it is actually rare - again, allegedly. That said, I was on Carbamazepine and Gabapentin and now have subclinical hypothyroidism. However, it is debatable as to whether I had that before medication or not; I may well have done, and certainly suspect I was hypothyroid beforehand. What I wasn't beforehand is as bad as I am now, so I suspect the anti-convulsants (taken for around a year now) have made it worse.

I no longer take Gabapentin and am due to have my thyroid retested, so I can let you know if it has improved the situation or not, but that may be too long for you

to wait!

If forced to give my expert (!) opinion, I'd say, no, Gabapentin does not disrupt the thyroid, but it will mess with your test results, IF you already have the condition. However, Carbamazepine and some other anti-convulsants may make your hypothyroidism worse, or be enough to push you into subclinical hypothyroidism if you already have the tendency or are otherwise suceptible.

[Merrylongwalker in reply to Chancery]

Chancery, did your thyroid levels return to normal eventually, after stopping Gabapentin?

[Chancery in reply to Merrylongwalker]

Yes, Merry, it did. That was a few years ago, now, I think - at least a couple - and my thyroid was retested fairly recently (last year) and as far as I know, was normal - so yes, Gabapentin (and Carbamazepine) gave false test results. I've not used either drug for a few years now.

[Merrylongwalker in reply to Chancery]

Thanks, this is good to hear. My husband was on a high dose of Gabapentin for a few months for nerve pain resulting from a shingles infection. He may have gotten off the drug too quickly. His first bloodwork about a month later showed he was hyperthyroid with a very low TSH count, although he had previously had no thyroid trouble. Now , maybe 2 months later, the TSH count went the other way and is 3x the normal count, indicating hypothyroidism. We are hopeful that it will go back to normal, without any intervention, once his body has time to get back in balance.

[Chancery in reply to Merrylongwalker]

That sounds EXACTLY like a typical anti-convulsant drug reaction. I had a lot of those (drug-induced lupus, ultimately), all of which cleared up completely after stopping the drugs. I wouldn't put too much store on either test result; it's just the usual drug nonsense - they are very powerful drugs with a high incidence of side effects. I think you can relax!

[Merrylongwalker in reply to Chancery]

Hope so. Thanks again.

[mr1001nights in reply to Chancery]

I took a single dose of gabapentin and it drove my TSH from 3.11 to 4.54. Just one capsule! Made me super fatigued. Three weeks later, I'm still feeling somnolence. I'm hoping i'll get back to normal like you did

[Chancery in reply to mr1001nights]

Yeah, they are SUPER powerful. About a year ago I was getting rid of a lot of old drugs and took them to a pharmacy. They made me wait to see a pharmacist and fill in a form. When I asked why (I was disposing of about 3 different anticonvulsants) they said it was because Gabapentin was considered a class A drug, meaning people took it recreationally to get 'high'. I couldn't believe that. Unlike diazepam and the like, which are quite pleasant, as long as you don't want to think or function much, there is nothing pleasant about anti-convulsants, and the side effects are horrendous. I couldn't believe anyone took it for fun. Kind of sorry I didn't sell them all as street drugs though!

[faith63]

Why are you on those drugs? Pain, even Nueropathies can be due to Hypothyroidism.

[Kandahar]

Have been hypo for many years and now on 70mcg t3 a day and feeling much better. Fro Sept 2019 have been on high doses of Gabapentin because of dislocation and breakage of ball with very painful nerve Damage, particularly in hand. Mostly taking 900mg three times a day! Prescribed by shoulder specialist who doesn’t know I’m hypo. Still feeling fine with no dizziness nor brain fog!

[Lichfieldsc1]

Hi I’ve just been diagnosed with low thyroid levels and on medication I’m in so much pain with my back and need some relief , I took gabapentin for a few months for it , it was brilliant !but stopped as having side effects . I need to take again as pains in back are to much to bear again . Was looking to see if there was interaction with thyroid meds as doctors closed today .

Now I’m reluctant to reading this . Aarrgghh . What can I take does anyone have any recommendations . Thankyou

Becky