How long does gabapentin take to work
Posted , 33 users are following.
Been given gabapentin a week ago any idea how long it takes to work thanks
3 likes, 46 replies
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Notes on How long does gabapentin take to work
pamela25756 karen00354
Posted
Does gabapentin have psychological effects? I feel so great and I only took my first dose last night. My legs felt really heavy all night but since the pins and needles on my skin stopped it felt great. My lower back hips and elbows are still incredibly sore but I feel good for the first time in ages. I have an MRI on Thursday after two months of taking hydrocodone. After xray and a ct scan I really hope this helps. I had severe edema from my high blood pressure and after I lost 20 lbs of fluid I now have incredible arthritis problems. I couldn't step up my five inch front stoop and have fallen four times and couldn't get up at all. I am only 33 and about 200lbs so this has been terrifying. I am so glad this has worked so quickly but I wonder if it is the gabapentin making me feel so much better or just the relief from the pain.
willyo pamela25756
Posted
Today is my first day taking gabapentin. I took 200 mgs at 4 pm. It's almost midnight. I could scream! No relief. I have RLS.
Buckobusa karen00354
Posted
Hi
Right im on gabapentin 3x300mg 3 times a day
Been on them now 3 weeks for sciatica pain unbearable I'm not happy being on them as spoke to my doctor about my concerns and had the feeling he gets a percentage or back hander for issuing them out as he prescient another 148 tablets now my concerns are once you have sciatica is this the only option! !!!
I have a heriated disc pain down leg but not happy taking these long term as they are primary a anti epilepsy drug ?
heather24427 Buckobusa
Posted
I creased the dose, with discussion with my Dr, to 300mg 4 times per day and they did take several weeks to have a good effect. Once they worked, my life changed. No more pain. Bliss. I have now had operation to fix my herniated disc so I'm slowly easing off the Gabapentin. Hope your pain eases, I know exactly what you are going through. Luckily I had no side effects from the Gabapentin.
jimbourg8 Buckobusa
Posted
Lots of caution on the use of Gaba. Some seem to do ok on it. (but very few in my observation) My own experience was that it does not do that much good for chronic pain (or even acute pain). I've read that statiscially only about 18% of people find relief on using it. When I took it, at first it seemed to help and I felt good pschologically and it did somewhat dull the neuopathic pain (associated with RLS). But.....after a while I noticed the host of adverse side effects , and there are many of them(do a search). I took a dose of about 900 to 1200 daily for about 4 years......finally was able to completed free myself of the terrible side effects after a 4 month gradual taper.....now I feel so much better...............one has to wonder what good most medications do in the long run.......unless you can not live without them, it is always best to avoid completely. Of course only in the case of acute pain......but I dont think gaba. is that effective in that case. nauturally the higher the dose the greater effect BUT really what it is doing is "numbing" your brain which means everything else is suffering as a result.....cognitive, coordination.....well....the list goes on........good luck
lindsay528 karen00354
Posted
I was told by my doctor to give it a good 8 weeks before forming an opinion. I am in my 5th week of 300 mg 3x a day and it is doing nothing but making me feel horrible. I am evil grouchy, brain fogged, my vision is blurred, and I am still in pain. (Pelvic nerve pain) I was supposed to see my doctor yesterday to discuss whether we should increase it or wean off, but they had to reschedule my appointment for next Friday. I am actually afraid to go up any more. If a higher dose works, but puts me in a coma, what good is it??? The only reason I am on it and not Lyrica is that my insurance refuses to cover Lyrica.
And, I am still having to take 150-200 mg of Tramadol per day on my worst days. I started the gaba so that I wouldn't have to take tramadol, but so far, no luck. 
*sigh* Nerve pain is no joke.
tt24403 karen00354
Posted
Hi,
I was on Gabapentin since 2008; started at 900mg a day and at one point was up to 3600mg a day. I also tried the extended release (Gralise) from 2010-2011.
Here is what I can tell you all from my nearly 10 years of use...
1.) Everyone is different. Dosage needed, when to take it, IR vs. ER
2.) On average, it takes about 2 weeks to fully kick in
3.) The side effects you read aren't nearly as bad as what happens if you ramp up slow and ramp down slow when you choose to stop taking it.
For me, after nearly 10 years on it and at 3600mg a day with my docs wanting to up me at that point to 4200mg, I decided it didn't help enough to justify taking that much. I started decreasing my dose every week by 300mg only; my doc said I could go faster, but I too was afraid of all I read about stopping gabapentin. Long story short, by May I was off of it and experienced zero withdrawal symptoms or seizures and am kicking myself for staying on it as long as I did as I can't tell much of a difference.
My advice... if it doesn't work within a month for you. Talk to your doctor about discontinuing it cause it likely won't work for you no matter how high of a dose you get to. I do know others it's worked fabulous for though.
Good luck everyone!
Lushlana karen00354
Posted
I've been on pre gabapentine for a while now 200mg x 2 daily. They work quicker if you open the capsules then swallow. But I will add I suffered withdrawal symptoms which were as bad as Heroine withdrawals! I know that due to been a recovering addict due to many many years of heroin abuse. 2 years clean . Symptoms are yawning feeling cold eyes watering and can't sit still. So now I make sure my prescription is on time.
mylighthouse karen00354
Posted
Lee711 mylighthouse
Posted
Speaking to doctors, it sounds like gabapentin is a hit or miss drug.
Speak to your GP first but gabapentin can be increased UP TO 900mg at a time (yes, 900!)
I'm taking it for a back issue and have increased it to 500mg and I think it makes a difference - doesn't take the pain away but makes it manageable.
mylighthouse Lee711
Posted
kiaikid karen00354
Posted
karl91946 karen00354
Posted
I have read a lot but no one mentions side effects. I am taking oxycontin, hydroxoline, ativan, and meperdine, and don't need a whole lot of more sideeffect.