Wake up Doctors to the dangers of Gabapentin

Pretty sure thats not gonna happen. Don't think they make money by taking it themselves.

G Alyn, I would like to see that too. You spoke of discontinuing the opiates at first thinking it was Them causing the problems. I also started doing the same thing. After starting gabapentin My pain became so excruitiating that My pain meds had to be increased to extremely high amounts. One back Specialist claimed if He were to take that much it would kill him. He couldn't breath. Well I agree but when your bent over all day and night and your spine is in a permenantly bent position it's going to start staying that way. I tried everything and have kept getting sicker. The stress so high on my body that My adrenal glands stopped producing hormones putting Me on steroids and an auto immune disease Addison's. Please I would rather have nerve pain than watch My body at 54 stop working. I was healthy except for chronic back pain. 5 years was all it took to make Me a old lady!  I was under weight when starting this med and now I'm obese at 177 pounds. That's what My Doctor informed Me but He still doesn't tie the gabapentin into any problems I have!

Hi my name is Sylvia. I just want to say I'm in a Gabapentin nightmare. I had back surgery in 2001. I had L4 L5 S1 fused. The surgery up botched. I'm bent forward I walked like an old lady as you said. I'm in so much pain I can't do anything I was on Methadone for pain because MS Contin made me itch.. I have now on gabapentin 800 mg 5 times a day sometimes more doctors aren't prescribing me pain meds they just keep upping the Gabapentin. I'm going to a new pain doctor hopefully I will get help then being on all this Gabapentin has made my face muscles tight my eye muscles tight I can barely walk because all my muscles hurt and tight is horrible I need somebody to help me get off of Gabapentin it's a nasty nasty drug there's nothing wrong with opiates especially after being on gabapentin I have no side effects like I'm having and I have more pain that I've ever had my muscles are so stiff I feel so much pain in my feet nerve pain which I never had before Gabapentin causing horrible horrible side effects if anyone needs to be prescribed this do not take it don't even start it

John. R e n e r is absolutely right this is the most dangerous horrible drug on the market don't ever start it and you'll never get off once you start

My guess is you must be a Dr who prescribed this crap ! If you TRUELY are not a Dr., and gabapentin works for you, WAIT ! Wait for the time when it NO LONGER works, and you have to stop using this crap, and begin another type of CRAP ! I've met several VETS who were on this sh!t for a couple yrs, and when they got off they thought their lives were over ! Brain fog, forgetfulness, leg pain, anxiety, depression, and that's just the beginning! OF course every "BODY" is different, and you may not experience any of this however, I think you're pretty arrogant to speak for "MOST" people on gabapentin.... I don't wish these terrible issues upon you, however, if, and when you should experience any of this please come back to this group, and tell your story.... Good luck .....

Have to take gabapentin???? Is there some sort of law I am not familiar with? Taking any drug is a choice..... I chose to take gabapentin for nerve pain due to pain caused from my past job of construction laborer. I also chose to STOP using this crap. I'm a vet, and was prescribed gabapentin at the VA hospital.... Now that I am no longer taking that stuff I've chosen pain management classes taught at VA... I especially use mindfulness meditation to deal with the pain... Again. It was a choice...

I too had a injury through work to my back. I found the only drug to help me was gabapentin and still is. When you are suffering with lots of pain you look to find anything legal that will help you.

I have been on gabapentin for 8 years and found that it is the only drug that helps ease the pain,

Dear Sherri,

A kindred spirit.  As some have suggested gabapentin is helpful for nerve pain, but others have experienced serious problems.

I thought about a year and a half ago that the opioids I was taking were increasing my pain.  I had been extrememly miserable for at least 20 years.  First I stopped one opioid and a few weeks later the second one I was taking on a daily basis.  I had a few problems on the medication but I felt all medications come with side effects.

When I first started discontinuing medications for find out the problem (physician supervised), I had no intention of discontinuing gabapentin.  I felt it was the only medication I was not willing to give up.  If you are late for a dose you feel terrible.  It must be working--right?

Wrong!  IMO it is a vicious cycle.  With the short half-life you are stuck in a never ending nightmare.  Going off gabapentin was one of the best decisions of my life.  Frankly, discontinuing the drug was an afterthought since going off the opioids did not help.  I still felt terrible.  Discontinuing gabapentin was a last resort move.

Doing so was miserable (painful).    Over time my foggy head cleared up, I lost a ton of fluid weight, I no longer need to search for words, my nerve pain has decreased (and I believe will get better), I am more steady on my feet and beginning to sleep better.

While this may be a good medication for some, it is a nightmare for others and until you have tried to go off of gabapentin you may not be sure of all the problems associated with it.  For instance, my physician said I was "just fat", but I lost 30 pounds of fluid weight in one month.  He also disagreed with me going off gabapentin.  He said it was "a good drug".  He now is saying it is "over prescribed".

I appreciated this thread sherri.  It is good to know there are others who understand.

To those who are still singing the praises of gabapentin, remember I was once one of them, since I unfortunately took the drug for 20 years and mistakenly thought it was helping me.

Will never get off.I have muscle pain.pinching of my nerves so bad it feels as if a clothes pin is pinching them.my eye muscles are being pinched I see double it feels as if sand is in my eyes daily.my face is so tight feeling I can barley talk..my hair has fallen out and I am so very depressed..

I took 600mg for 3 years. That was several years ago. I stopped because it did absolutely nothing for my nerve pain. Didn't have any withdrawals though. I was 60 when I quit. Well , my new doc wanted me to try again. So I did. He upped the dose to 600mg. Still , no change. So instead of letting him up the dose again , I just quit , again. Been lucky , I think. Been off for 2 months with mo side effects. The thing it did change though was my blood work numbers. Not for the good though. I have a lot of nerve damage , but I've had it since 2004. I'm now 71 and I will just live with this instead of letting it cause more problems than I already have. After reading about so many people with horrendous side effects , I agree , it should be tested on doctors before it gets approved.

Jessie, I've heard a lot about the terrible effects on blood work plus have experienced it myself. Every month I go to the Doctors and get blood work. It is always terrible. My Doctor will then call in a new prescription for the new side effect that I have and that new prescription comes with its own long list of side effects. I've decided no more new prescriptions unless it is vital. When every system in your body has major problems then it's time for major change. What I don't understand is My Doctor sees the same reports that I do and still doesn't get it!  The only drug I didn't expect gabapentin has been the problem. If just one Doctor or

Specialist had even suggested it I would've gotten off gabapentin along time ago. 

Ann, that's what I came to realize!  I thought it's for bipolar but I'm not bipolar. It's for everything it seems!  A miracle drug!  Lol!  I wish this would be investigated!  these are very powerful meds. I once was like it's only gabapentin. I had it everywhere. It's handed out like candy and I'm surprised insurance companies aren't questioning it more. I've spent more time in the hospital mostly ICU because of side effects from gabapentin. I can't be the only one! Sherri