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Gabapentin advice

Posted , 19 users are following.

charlotte1824
charlotte1824

I have been prescribed 300mg gabepentin for 3 days then up dose to 600mg then 3 days later up to 900mg and keep increasing until I feel comfortable.

Wow within 2 hours of taking 1 tab I feel stoned, I mean really stoned. It's like I'm not in the same world as everyone else and it's making me fidgety, I think it has already had an effect on the burning pain although pain is still there but pain or no pain I can't function like this daily, how can I up dose? i know side effects are supposed to reduce but how long do I need to be a space cadet until this happens. This feels like a recreational drug not a prescribed drug.

Has anyone experienced this? And did it go away after time?

2 likes, 35 replies

35 Replies

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  • Asteria
    Asteria charlotte1824

    Posted

    This is why I stopped taking them.  I'm working on a master's degree, and couldn't think straight on them.  I don't know of any way to increase the dosage without increasing the fuzzy-headed effect, but I wasn't on them for long.  Maybe it does lessen, in time.  My doctor knows I'm in grad school and have repeatedly refused medications that will make me sleepy or cloud my thinking.  I don't think she listens to me, really.  Good luck!
    • wendy_57912
      wendy_57912 Asteria

      Posted

      Will 300 mg at night make me less intelligent I need to work?
    • Asteria
      Asteria wendy_57912

      Posted

      My experience would lead me to say yes, it will make you less able to think clearly.
  • noelle95924
    noelle95924 charlotte1824

    Posted

    Hi Charlotte. I was prescribed 300mgs 3x/day about 10 years ago and had the same exact reaction.  I took my first dose in the middle of the night and the next morning I could barely stand up at my son's football game and was scared to drive the few blocks home to my house.  I felt stoned, completely out of it, loopy, forgetful, goofy...for a few months.  The worst of the side effects was obviously when I was first prescribed the medication, the stoned feelings did go away and I never felt as bad as I did that first week or so of being on the medication.  The one side effect that stayed around for years was the forgetfulness, sometimes mid sentence I would forget what I was saying.  My mother and I were both taking it for nerve pain and would call these moments "having a neurontin moment" as it affected us both the same way. It gets better, I promise.  It was worth it for me to not be in the pain I was in and I've been on it for 10 years now.
    • jovan72064
      jovan72064 noelle95924

      Posted

      A couple days ago, I couldn't forget both my punch out code number and the code on my computer that pops up that screen. I literally stood confused and increasingly upset that i could remember those 4 digits. I was on my computer for about 5 munites trying to remember the numbers I've punched in thousands of time before. It's the gabapentin I assume. I don't use recreational drugs nor was I on anything that would make me forget something ive done for a long time, not even opiates. The twiching of my hands and heart burn that leaves the taste of rotten eggs donw my throat for a few days is what bothers me the most.
  • duracell_dave
    duracell_dave charlotte1824

    Posted

    Hi,I'd say stick at it for couple of months,I've been on 3600mg etc and my God I fell asleep standing up but my pain reduced dramatically, then after a while you find your limit and maybe reduce,I'm after roughly 15 years on gabapentin on 2100mg daily and can say out loud I love it,my life although I lay down all day apart from 2 x 30 minutes walk with Oscar my dog has been turned from very painfull to walk,sit etc to bearable and I sleep good at night and sleep 1 hour in the afternoon,I found myself adjusting with the drug and not against it,you put on weight so I counteract this with the daily walks,I did try other drugs before and ask the questions you are asking but I had no choice so stuck with it,just talk to your Dr,pain clinic, other half,believe me when at the start your off your face you need someone to talk reason as in not stoned ☺,what ever you do,we are all different but knowing pain as I do I wish you all the best,maybe chat to whoever again on here it helps, I'm going for a nap now,only kidding.😊
  • charlotte1824
    charlotte1824

    Posted

    Thanks everyone for thier replies, I want to stick to it but I feel like I've done street drugs, agitated as in fidgety and keep clenching fists and almost gurning!! I didn't expect this kind of reaction straight away. I have taken lyrica/pregablin before but it just made me a bit dizzy but I felt normal however it gave me restless painful legs and heart palps so I stopped. I can't believe on a baby dose it has this effect. I also took some co cocdomal with it so don't know if that's added to the weirdness. I don't know if this will help with the overall pain as I'm sure it's causing me to tense up more.

    I will stick with for a week or 2 and see if the mental ness calms down as I need proper pain relief just can't believe how wired I feel and can't imagine upping dose.

    I'm glad to see it's helped your pains and that it's been tolerated for years with some of you. I keep my fingers crossed. It's Defo already taken away my arm burning pain and replaced it with a wierd buzzing!

    Sorry, I'm probably rambling lol,

  • Tabstoyou
    Tabstoyou charlotte1824

    Posted

    Thats not very long to be taking the lower strength before going up to the higher one!  It will be a shock to your system rolleyes  900 x 3 is the maximum dose I believe?  I remember being a bit spacey, but it stopped after a while.  However,  I am still trying to wean myself off of it after nearly 3 weeks....
    • charlotte1824
      charlotte1824 Tabstoyou

      Posted

      Why are you weaning off? Has ur pain reduced? Is weaning off hard? I read you have to taper but thier is no withdrawal medically speaking however users seem to say thier is withdrawal symptoms? I'd like to know if this medication can change ur nervous system permanently not to feel pain, Or whether it only controls whilst taking it.
    • duracell_dave
      duracell_dave Tabstoyou

      Posted

      Hi,so every one knows the max is 3600 daily as anything after is rejected by your body,and 3600mg is go to sleep all day time,I was on that dose for many years including 400mg tramadol,then years after I began to take control and i am after 17 years on 2100mg gabapentin,150mg tramadol and I walk 2x 30 minutes max and sleep a little,lay down all day,sleep at night well,what's not to like,the bad thing is you have get to your limit first which takes time and getting there you must adjust your life with the meds,you can get there I did.☺
    • charlotte1824
      charlotte1824 duracell_dave

      Posted

      Hi Dave, I have a 6yr old and am self employed so unfortunately I can't lay down much. I don't do any excercise as I'm in pain too much so every Chance I get to sit or specifically lay down I take, I should do excercise as it would probably help although I'm always fearful of making the pain worse so refrain. I've wanted a dog for such a long time but due to the pain I've not as I know I will need to walk and clean up after it and was worried some days I wouldn't be able to which wouldnt of been fair. I was hoping these meds would get me to a fairly pain free point that I don't have to factor it in to every desision!!! What dog do you have? What pain do you suffer from?
    • duracell_dave
      duracell_dave charlotte1824

      Posted

      Hi Charlotte, I have nerve damage is both legs,I have reduced because I now live in Germany and they gave me a spinal cord surgery,one wire in the spine for each leg,and a battery a big bigger but slimmer than a match box in the cheek of my butt lol,it's a very powerful tens machine and some people I met in the hospital that had it had gone from taking 100mg tramadol,1200mg gabapentin daily to zero meds just the machine on all day it's aldo has a memory, so I sit it sends electric pulses to each leg,different voltage,I walk it goes up or down,I lay down it go off its also done in the UK but you never here,if you'd like to know more it's by medtronics,my dog is a lovely 7 year old white golden retriever who doesn't bark,chew or cause me stress,give high 5s to everyone rolls over and generally shows off,you'd think he wads on gabapentin as he sleeps all day.take care.☺
    • charlotte1824
      charlotte1824 duracell_dave

      Posted

      He sounds lovely, I love dogs so much, always grew up with them. I will get one at some point! I'm glad the machine has helped you somewhat, I'm sorry it hasn't reduced you to zero pain. Our bodies suck sometimes! Maybe one day they will come up with something that works 100% permanently and doesn't have any side effects.
    • Tabstoyou
      Tabstoyou charlotte1824

      Posted

      Hi I am weaning off because I was taking such a lot of it plus Tramadol and still getting pain and insomnia plus other symptoms I didnt have before. I have actually stopped a lot of my meds. Gone down from 14 pills a day to 2. I want to re assess how I feel and what I need. I am working part time cleaning, doing pilates, yoga, swimming. I meditate and use Capsaisin heat cream, Tens machine and Have just started Alexandra technique. I dont feel pain free but i dont feel any worse thamthan when I was full of pills. Only downside is I cant sleep!. Ps. I have 4 dogs too and 4 cats.
    • jovan72064
      jovan72064 Tabstoyou

      Posted

      I'm at 6000mg prescribed but often take about 7600mg just to reduce pain and even then, more often than not I'm unable to get up in the morning, let alone work everyday.
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