Gabapentin

Interesting to hear the reactions that others have had to this medication.
I shall take my third, single, tablet today, and see how it goes.

When I got out of bed, just now, the pain did appear to have lessened, slightly. But that may be wishful thnking.
Speaking to DD last night, she has had Pregabalin in the past.
I haven't been out of the house since Wed, and am beginning to go stir crazy, but just haven't been able to face it.
Thanks again

For me, when I was taking that B*** medication I found it started giving me large black holes in my memory and I lost words..

I am prescribed Pregabalin which is the same type of drug as Gabapentin.
I take it for a nerve problem in my foot.
For me it works well and keeps on top of the pain.

My DiL is on gabapentin and it seems to work for her.

I was prescribed Gabapentin for a trapped nerve in my shoulder. Started off at 2 tablets per day and was then gradually increased to 14 per day. They did absolutely nothing for me. No affect whatsoever. I declined my GPs offer to increase to 16 tablets a day because it seemed pointless. And it took a long time to slowly cut them down to no tablets at all.

Hope you have a better reaction Auntieflo.

I was put on the lowest dose for inflammed-nerve pain - one, night and morning but told I could (not should) increase if necessary.

If just one or two works for you, there is no need to increase dosage.

It's also used as an anti-seizure medication and one of its side effects can be weight gain. Not something I would happily embrace

It helped me but I was very wary of it, so cut down to one per day, after 2 weeks, to see if the nerve pain was still debilitating.

It had lessened and in fact is still there, but not unberably so. I cut out the final tablet and have had no problems.

DH found it worked very well for dealing with pain from a trapped nerve. He was given amitriptyline but it was ineffective.

GP made it clear that he had to build the dose up and down again when he came off it. He felt a bit woozy on it, but the pain was so bad he couldn't risk driving. He only took it for about a month because he then had steroid injections for the trapped nerve, which worked, so he came off it again.

I think it can be addictive if taken for too long.

It did not work for me because I came out in a rash. It states on the blurb you have to stop taking the drug slowly. My GP did not know that so I did my own thing and did it gradually. I hope it works for you.

Thank you all. I am willing to try anything at the moment, as I feel so miserable with the constant pain.

I tried Gabapentin for a while. Just didn't work for me. The rapid increase in dose surprised me as well but that's the way it's done!

Give it a try. Good luck. It may well work well for you!

My DH takes Amitriptyline for nerve pain and it works in the same way. He had to build it up gradually. It made him very sleepy at first. Yes you do need to come off it gradually.

Think it’s one of those that either works for you or it doesn’t, as you thought you have to gradually reduce just as you gradually increased.