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About to start out on Gabapentin

Posted , 4 users are following.

Meganpooch
Meganpooch

Hello all

I have been taking Fluoxetine (Prozac) for nearly 7 years and will shortly be taking Gabapentin capsules (opened cos i cannot swallow capsules) for 2 weeks at 300mg (once a day), then 2 weeks at 600mg (twice a day) and then 900mg (3 times a day). My nervous system is shot meaning that my body produces too many chemicals making the slightest nerve pain excrutiating. Also have a trapped nerve in my foot which means exercise is limited. Is it best to start taking these in the morning? By week 5 i will be taking them 3 times a day. Is it advisable to take them at roughly the same time of day?

I don't work fortunately so if i get any bad reactions i can deal with them at home. Any advice would be useful. Thanks

 

1 like, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • sadie1980
    sadie1980 Meganpooch

    Posted

    Hi

    I have fibromyalgia and was put in these I to was on same side as you but the first tab I took in morning I was of my trolley felt like I was on dif planet unfortunately I work and have three kids whom are 1 11 and 15 I had to stop straight away as I couldn't fiction !! I would advise to take around 6/7 pm at least u can sleep if it's a bit much X but lots of people are fine on them so try see how u get on.

    • Meganpooch
      Meganpooch sadie1980

      Posted

      Hi Sadie

      Sorry it's taken a while to reply. I took your advice and took my 1st one at around 7pm last Sunday. As for side effects so far i'm pleasantly surprised. A little lightheadedness and flatulence are the only things that have hit so far. I double the dose in just over a week so will see if things change then. Thanks for replying to my post.

  • duracell_dave
    duracell_dave Meganpooch

    Posted

    Hi Megan,I 've got serious nerve pain in both legs started on alsorts amitriptyline, pregablin and so on but ended up on the best thing ever for me, gabapentin, all the way to 3600mg daily plus 400 mg slow release tramadol,17 years later ,I also have not worked for that time , laying down is least pain etc everything else was a a nightmare but I had spinal cord stimulation operation (wireless 9 year battery in butt and cables in spine etc, great) and reduced to 200mg tramadol and 1800mg gabapentin,long story but read a little of what I've said before if you want and any questions that could help I'd be very glad to answer,nerve pain is truly hell but with gabapentin it's controllable. ☺
  • duracell_dave
    duracell_dave Meganpooch

    Posted

    Hi Megan,I 've got serious nerve pain in both legs started on alsorts amitriptyline, pregablin and so on but ended up on the best thing ever for me, gabapentin, all the way to 3600mg daily plus 400 mg slow release tramadol,17 years later ,I also have not worked for that time , laying down is least pain etc everything else was a a nightmare but I had spinal cord stimulation operation (wireless 9 year battery in butt and cables in spine etc, great) and reduced to 200mg tramadol and 1800mg gabapentin,long story but read a little of what I've said before if you want and any questions that could help I'd be very glad to answer,nerve pain is truly hell but with gabapentin it's controllable. ☺
  • brian57421
    brian57421 Meganpooch

    Posted

    i've been on gabapentin at 400mg split 200 mg at bedtime and 200 mg in the morning. Past 2 months at 600 mg at bedtime, 600 mg with breakfast and 600 mg at 4:30 pm. Good splits. If you do the reading that's available you'll best splits are close to what I'm doing. maanaging side effects ok. I stopped at 1800 mg per day because the literature indicates that higher doses are not more effective, notably 2400 and 3600 mg per day.
    • Meganpooch
      Meganpooch brian57421

      Posted

      Hi Brian

      Thank you for your reply to my request. Another respondant suggested starting out taking Gabapentin in the evening in case i had any bad side effects. This i have done and so far i haven't had any nasty problems. 

      In 8 days i move up to twice a day so i will space the dose out accordingly. It will be interesting when i go to 3 times a day as mornings are a hit and miss affair for me as i don't sleep well and i don't have breakfast.

      Thank you for your input, it's much appreciated. The more information i can get from actual users the better. Side effects have been minimal so far which has surprised me as when i went on Prozac i virtually got the lot!

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