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Gabapentin

Posted , 8 users are following.

Shandon
Shandon

I have just started on gabapentin and after one 100mg my leg pain was better and my anxiety/depression better too. Is this unusual?

1 like, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • Holly1974
    Holly1974 Shandon

    Posted

    I never experienced anything like that I have to say ! It's not unusual if you have been in a lot of pain to feel your depression/anxiety lift when that improves, but I have to say one tablet is surprising.

    I don;t know what dose you are being put on, but worth reading all the info. on here about this medication if you are going to be taking it long term.

  • Deki
    Deki Shandon

    Posted

    No, it shuts down your brain synapses in communications (prevents new synapses from forming) however I would suggest MMJ over this drug. I feel like my brain is dying after 10 years at 4500mg
    • Holly1974
      Holly1974 Deki

      Posted

      Hi Deki,

      Are you seriously on 4500mg a day ??! Crikey, if that is the case.

      I took this drug for around 5 years, and was on a dose of 1800mg a day ( 600mg tds )....and I gradually came off this medication as I started noticing profound problems with my short term memory, couldn't remeber names, places etc, would get half way through a sentence and forget what I was talking about, my pain drs didn;t appear to take me seriously enough ( considering I have a 2i in Pharmacology I assure you I know what I am talking about and felt like my brain was like that of someone with Alzheimers ! )...I watched the film Still Alice ( I also read the book by Lisa Genova ) and that was it, I decided I was going to see if I could get off it. I have been off it 2 years and as far as I am concerned there is permananet damage to my brain function, I only wish that people are informed when taking this medication of the pros and cons, s I feel like I wasn't informed about the side effects, not even when I complained at consultant level, and now I fear it is too late for me, and I am only early 40s.

    • davidCa
      davidCa Holly1974

      Posted

      Hi Holly

      i have bulging cervical disc, had it for 4-5 yrs, i have been taking Gabipenton for 3 yrs, i'm now up to 4-5 doses of 300mg a day, that about 1500mg a day i havent noticed any worse memory, than i had before, as i have allways had short and ong term memory issues, names, etc.  since you have been off the meds how are you controlling your pain levels, i have almost daily migrane headache with out the Gabapenton 

    • Barbed
      Barbed Deki

      Posted

      Would love MMJ  - in UK?  Using CBD but not strong enough - though massive improvement.    Was skeptikal but impressed at how well it works.  
    • Barbed
      Barbed Holly1974

      Posted

      Holly

      I had similar problem with speech and language - it did get better but I wasn't on it for long and on a low dose. I ended up having brain MRI as they thought it was my cancer metastising - so that was fun.  

      I have nervously returned to it today having had serious pain and then sleeping issues.  

      I shall remember your advice and be very vigilant this time. 

      It stopped the pain and I was desperate.  

       

  • susie95034
    susie95034 Shandon

    Posted

    It is good to read some positive discussions on Gabapentim.  I have been on and off this drug for spinal cord pain for years but side effects were not to my liking.  Although I am sure if I heard about more positive reports on this drug it would help immensley as I am prone to see the negative side of stuff and would dearly like to hear of some more positive  reviews like yours Shandon.
    • elizabeth20203
      elizabeth20203 susie95034

      Posted

      I take Gaberpentin for nerve pain and arthritis and it's the only drug that as helped the nerve pain and kept it under control. 

  • davidCa
    davidCa Shandon

    Posted

    Shandon, 

     i was taking 300 mg at night  then 2 a day, when i first started taking Gabapentin after a yr i thought it wasnt doing me any good, so i stopped, and quickly realized my headaches came bac, so i went to my dr, and my almose migranes were gone, i have noticed i end up needing to go up a pill agout on a yearly time line, i am taking 4 now, and experementing with the 5th a day, of course i will need to contact my dr soon so idont run out of meds. but i do notice the effect when i miss my dose.  

  • Barbed
    Barbed Shandon

    Posted

    I found this too and was hoping that I would not have to take the full dose. 

    As below - I had severe side effects when on this before - impaired cognitive ability - really bad speech and communication problems - not being able to read and write properly all of which became distressing so I came off them.  I could barely speak.  

    I have returned to them today out of desperation from spine problems in my neck which is causing ridiculous neuropathy.  

    Nothing else has worked - other than CBD - but not strong enough. 

    I'd rather keep tpo a small dose if it works but I'm told the lowest dose is 900mg

    • Sheliab
      Sheliab Barbed

      Posted

      What is TPO and CBD. I started Gab 3/4 weeks ago. Does help with nerve pain. Well it makes it tolerable. If there is an over the counter med that works please advise.
    • Barbed
      Barbed Sheliab

      Posted

      Apologies Sheliab,

      The TPO is my bad typo... 

      CBD - is via the Medipen which can be bought online. (I am in no way connected to them - this is not an advert but my expereince in the past few weeks.)   I had read various reports of these - not all good.   I was really in two minds as to try it.  I was so desperate from lack of sleep and pain issues that when I heard it was going to be trailed by the NHS - I thought I'd risk it - though it is very pricey.   

      The first time - I thought it was awful (I got an unflavoured one) and hated the vaping.  I perservered and within 2/3 days my pain had significantly reduced and I was able to sleep most of the night for the first time in about 9 months.  I would estimate - conservatively it has helped reduce my pain issues by about 70%.  It doesn't happen immediately - it's subtle - but after a few days I found that I was sleeping better and my PT excercises that I struggled to do - I can now do. 

      I hadn't ordered refills in time and I really noticed when the effects wore off and my pain returned. 

      I only wish we could get them via the NHS.   

       

    • Barbed
      Barbed Sheliab

      Posted

      PS 

      I had very bad expereinces with gabapentin - hence my reluctance to go back to it.  

      I took it for just one day this week - my CBD had only just arrived and I was still in a lot of pain.   

      I didn't take Gabapentin yesterday and soemthing had happened to annoy me - BUt I noticed that I was in a really bad mood - more than I should be.   

      I'm glad now that my nerve pain is supressed and so I'm not going to risk the gabapentin.  

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