gabapentin side effects

Posted , 7 users are following.

I started taking gabapentin 300mg a day yesterday for a headache/migraine ive had for over a year and i am already getting really strong side effects such as confusion, my eyes playing tricks on me and bad spatial awareness. does anyone else suffer strong side effects so soon and does it tend to get better? please help!

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Lauren, i'm afraid you just have to ride it out,it will get better then all of a sudden it will be just a part of your life and you won't notice any side affects,how long, mine was about 2 to 3 months but that was 17 years ago so I could be wrong,but I suffer from nerve damage and gabapentin has saved my life,people talk about weight gain so purposely walk 1hour a day or some other exercise if you can, I had no weight gain,oh yes I did but that was due to home cooking, crisp and chocalotes , I'm sure someone will let you know more,and as a daily headache sufferer I hope it works, before you say why do I have headaches and take gabapentin well it's because I had to have so much tramadol over the years and I have rebound headaches,I'm in Germany now and have a hospital appointment in May to sort my headaches out,I will let you know what happened,maybe it will help 😀
    • Posted

      Thank you for the advice Dave. Every response i get is a big help. I just want to see if there are any others out there that are suffering in the same way as myself, I have trouble with my friends and family as they do not understand what its like. But good luck for May, I look forward to hearing from you smile
  • Posted

    Hi Lauren

    I been prescribed Gabapentin and am taking 1800mg per day. I'm not really noticing any side effects. With some other medication, I've suffered some very severe side effects.

    Sometimes what works for others, doesn't work for everybody.

    If you are experiencing these side effects with a low dose so early on, maybe they are just not right for you.

    Maybe things will settle down, but I would have a chat with your doctor.

    Good luck and I hope you find some relief soon.

    Jo x

  • Posted

    Hi Laauren, I have been on Gabapentin 100mg a day for neuropathic pain in my legs. The side effect that bothers me most is at nightime, I have disturbing dreams that seem to go on all night. When I first went on them  6 months ago I found myself feeling tired a lot, but after time that has worn off. I  think its a drug that takes a little time to ajust to but eventually works well. I hope your headaches soon improve.

    Best wishes....George

  • Posted

    Hi Lauren, I started taking Gabapentin a few weeks ago now. First of all I could hardly stay awake. I've noticed a little weight gain, and for an ex-anorexic scared the life out of me. I gave myself a good talking too and decided that being a little heavier was not as important as being relatively pain free. I'm told that the side effects will wear off, I've already noticed a difference. Everybody's body is different and so my GP says, everybody reacts differently but I was assured that the side effects will wear off, and they are. Hope this helps Lauren.
  • Posted

    Lauren,

    I've been taking gabapentin for over two weeks now without any side effects.  I guess it works differently from person to person but I'm sure you will normalize

  • Posted

    I think I had that when I first started it. Its very strong. It should stop after a bit. How is it atm?
    • Posted

      I've been on it for almost a week now. Not quite as bad as before but still a lot worse than other tablets I've had. It just puts me in a very drowsy and confused state and plays with my eyes but I think I was mostly scared because of how quick I had started to get the side effects. It normally takes a week or two for me to feel them so was a bit scary for me but glad it's died down for you
    • Posted

      Ive stopped taking it now. Yeah I remember trying to do a night shift and drive home after whilst taking them. Very scary!

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