Gabapentin side effects

I have nerve burning in my arms and back

Hi Cassie,

My wife is 52, highly intelligent and working part time as an accountant and has been battling fibromyalgia for at least 20 years or so she thought..... Four weeks ago in July 2016 she had excruciating pain in her back that had intensified over about 2 months. Got so bad she went to a top hospital in Sydney Australia to get it looked at. While there the doctor noticed one of her eyelids was drooping and about one third closed. It had been like this for a while at least 6 months. They decided to scan her head and brain while they were looking at her back. They found a tumor in her head the size of an egg 4.5cm long. It was a Meninginoma and non cancerous.

It was that large that it began to press on the cranial nerve no.3 that controls the left eyelid and eye rotation and likely to have been there for years causing all sorts of issues but simply never picked up. Apparently the tumor had nothing to do with the back pain. Last week she underwent a craniotomy to remove the tumor which was successful but not without complications due to damaged nerve and the back pain is almost gone. She is now convinced that the tumor was in fact the problem and she never had fibromyalgia in her instance. The point is that in some instances one never really knows what is causing certain conditions.

In regards to the Lyrica, I am currently on it for PHN nerve pain following Shingles a few months back. The Lyrica has some effect but I am limited to light daily doses of 225mg due to poor renal function. I'm thinking of switching to Gabapentin and was after an opinion on the side effects? I seem to put on weight with Lyrica going from 80kg to 93kg in about 3 months....

Ken, I'm sorry my last two replies got wiped out just as I was about to finish.

so glad your wife is doing so well since her surgery!

I was diagnosed by my rheumatologist and my lower back is bone on bone. I'm really hoping to have gel instead of a spinal fusion.

Lyrica has its place but not with anyone with kidney disease or poor function.

Try to get off of it sooner than later! Weight gain is a huge side effect!

Gabapentin...If you decide to try that route, please use small amts so it's not so hard to get off of.

it does have side effects but only your Dr. or pharmacist can guide you. If you do switch over ask for the smallest dose. Drs tend to begin patients on larger doses first. With low kidney function just be cautious.

Hi! So sorry for the pain your in. Your post was informative Id like to ask u couple questions. I just started it today. Im om 300 mg. The bottle says take 1 AT NIGHT , then after 3rd day increase by 1 till i get to 3 pills a day which will be 900 mg. Iv got bad neck problems with shooting pain up into my skull. Im hoping this will help.

Question: im assuming when i get to 3 pills a day ill take them spread thruout day. Morning, afternoon, night. Surely its not all 3 at once? Lol.

Iv also been put on Vimovo which not sure why. Iv read its anti inflamatory and had naproxin so its good for your stomach, ulcers, etc. I take it twice a day. It says morning & night. After just 4 days my nerve pain seems to be way better at night when it was the worse, trying to lie down to sleep, (iv not started the G yet) couldnt get neck comfortable w the shooting pain up my skull, besides the neck pain also.

Another question: i also take 3 hydrocodone 10 mg a,day. Do u think i really need this Vimovo with the hydros AND the G? Im not too keen on taking 3 meds for the one problem i have. (Neck bulging disc, bone spurs, degenerative disc disease). Im 53 btw.

Opinions, thoughts, comments?

Thank you!!!

On the gabapentin it is 1 300mg in the morning when you get up.I try to take mind by 8. Second 300mg noon and 3rd 300mg at bedtime .On the other meds I don't know the answer to that .I would ask your doctor or pharmacist .

Hi, just my opinion..but yes I think you need all three...they all do different things for your body so therefore together they should help you very much..I hope 😀 Best wishes!

Hi Kimmi0427,

From what you said in your post; yes 300 mg at bedtime. You will eventually take one at breakfast, lunch and bedtime once your dose is increased. Not in one single dose. It is very important to take your dose with food each time.

I'm not in the USA so have not heard of Vimovo; but if it is for inflammation from Naproxan I'm thinking your dr prescribed for that reason.

If the Naproxan is helping you already you may not need to take Gabapentin with it. You are not supposed to mix any antacids with Gabapentin so if I were you, I'd try the Naproxan before Gabapentin if you haven't started it yet.

As far as the hydrocodone I'm not sure what the answer is to that one. Myself; I'd stay away from it. Cutting your dose slowly down even would be helpful.

I'm not sure why you need the oxy and I'm no Dr but you don't want to mix too many drugs in your system if you don't have to. What if you were to try smaller doses of the oxy to see how your pain level is?

The final decision is yours; if you need to chat I'm here.

Hope this helped some;

Sincerely Linda