Gabapentin anyone?

Hi everyone,not been on here for a long time.(I pad problems )
Saw a thread a few days ago referring to how many gransnetters are taking medication for headaches.
For at least 3 years I am woken up with a headache mostly its around 5'oclock,but sometimes it's 3'oclock.
Have been had all tests, was told to cut coffee out,drink more water.
Did all that made no difference its at least 5 out of 7 days a week.
The pain is like a migraine,and goes after I get up and have a drink. Tried all well know painkillers to know avail.Soes anyone else have this.

I haven't had a bad headache since I retired 16 years ago - and doesn't that speak volumes! But plenty of aches and pains in other areas- joints and muscles - at present myofascial pain which is making it difficult to walk. I asked my personal physician - aka my sister - about gabapentin and she said it was used principally for nerve pain and wouldn't do me any good. That sounds about right for migraine so I perhaps you could give it a try Lucky and if it does make you feel bad, ask for another solution.

I was prescribed Gabapentin for chronic nerve pain following a total knee replacement. I was only on the drug a few days when a rash broke out on my body, mainly my chest. From memory this is a drug which cannot be stopped immediately so it took a few days but the rash took a couple of weeks to vanish.

Luckgirl my DiL takes Gabapentin for severe headaches and anxiety
She says it helps with both.
And as yet has had no untoward problems from taking it.

Warning. Once on Gabapentin you can only stop taking it with help from GP.

My DD refused to take it when she had Carpal Tunnel in her hands as at the time was breast feeding and looking after a small baby.

I asked GP about situation with stopping it, and she said you just tail it off like any other drug.

That is the way to do it but my GP did not know that. I had been told to do this if necessary when it was prescribed by a doc at a hospital.

I take pregablin which is a similar drug to Gabapentin for a nerve problem in my foot.
It works well.
A good side effect is that it reduces my anxiety which in turn means it is very rare that I suffer a headache
I used to get a severe migraine at least 3 or 4 times a year.

Perhaps you could discuss with your concern with the GP

My daughter has been taking gaba for a while now - it helps the chronic pain experienced with fibromyalgia - mostly it works for her! When it isn't enough for her - she has other medication to take short-term until the painful phase passes

She did feel grim to begin with but persevered and it improved - I hope you find some relief luckygirl

My DH was prescribed Gabapentin after struggling for 3 months with severe nerve pain in his arm and hand after hand surgery. Diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. He couldn't move his fingers and they were very swollen. It took a few weeks before he felt it was helping, but now he has been on it for 3 months and he now has very little pain, hand looks back to normal. This week he has an appointment with doctor and I expect the doctor will begin to decrease the dosage to gradually wean him off.

DH was prescribed it for a trapped nerve in his arm, caused by erosion of spinal vertibrae. He had been almost comatose with pain and had to stop driving for over 2 months because all the GP would recommend was paracetamol. In the end we paid for a private referral to a specialist, who immediately put him on gabapentin. Her did feel a bit spaced out on it, but it zapped the pain.

My DH suffered from very bad migraines for years. He went on a very strict elimination diet about 3 years ago and discovered that bananas seemed to trigger his. Now no bananas means no more medication.

Elenkalubleton this may have no bearing at all but here goes it's my own experience
For months I was waking up feeling quite unwell, flulike but not achy just really weak and I used to hear myself say 'oh I do feel poorly' After about 10 minutes I would feel normal ( whatever that is )
Anyway I was staying at one of my daughters for a few days and noticed I woke up feeling fine big puzzle what was different I could only think of two things different I listen to my radio by my bedside for big chunks of the night at home but didn't at hers and I slept on 3 pillows at home whereas at my daughters I had one pancake I decided to go down to one pillow as an experiment after I got home and guess what I have never woken up feeling poorly since So can only conclude it was something to to with the angle of my neck or blood flowing or something I know not what but it has completely solved the problem

Thanks for all your feedback on this. I am still undecided as to what to do, as I know that my response to drugs tends to be OTT, so I need to tread carefully as I do not want to make the situation worse than it already is. I may start on the tiniest bit and see what happens.

I have beeen taking Gabapentin for about 6 years, first for peripheral nerve pain, but now also for newly diagnosed epilepsy. I am pleased to say that it has caused me no ill side effects and seems to work as it should! So give it a go

I had similar waking up headaches for about a year, having thought migraines gone for good with menopause. Since having Shiatsu treatment for my back , the headaches have gone.

BluBelle,that is interesting about staying at your daughters, because normally stay about once a week,although I drink wine at home,I drink a lot more when I go there.
I also eat a lot more, as I try to watch my diet at home.I also have a pancake pillow!
I will try with one pillow tonight.

I was prescribed Gabapentin 2 years ago after a scan and biopsy ruled out arterial arteritis. I tolerated it for approx 3 months but the side effects were impacting to greatly on my quality of life. I was walking around like a zombie and the dizziness was making me feel nauseous.

I ended up managing on prescription pain killers. All fine now.

You may be absolutely fine as everyone reacts differently. If they don't agree with you I would think your GP will prescribe another drug. Good luck, hope they work for you.

Luckygirl, I take Pregabalin (similar to Gabapentin) for residue pain after spinal surgery.

I am unsure if you have actually started this drug or not but if you are unsure my experience may help.

I became almost comatose because of the sedating effect of the drug so rang my GP and asked if I could try reducing it. The reply was, yes, slowly, to a level that you are comfortable with, so I gradually reduced the dose from three, to one a day which gives enough relief to me.

However, if I take this drug late in the evening, I wake the following morning with a stonking headache/tight band around my forehead and it takes a couple of hours until it disappears.

I have now learnt to juggle the timing of this pill so that I can stay awake after taking it (as it makes me sleepy approximately two to three hours later and sometimes I still want to be up late in the evening) and wake better the next morning. It's all in the timing.

Can ask your GP if it is appropriate for you to reduce the dose (and time it so you can have a good evening and wake without feeling hungover the next morning)? You could still have the pain relief you need without unwanted side effects. The drug itself seems very beneficial.

I hope you feel better soon.

I was prescribed gabapentin following my third spinal surgery, I was in my 12 week recovery period, not able to get around much, not able to do anything around the house, apart from creep! I built up the dosage gradually as advised, after a few weeks I realised I wasn't functioning, my husband would come home to check on me and I'd be sat in the same position as when he left, I don't know where the time went. It took over my life completely I was totally spaced out, I was living in a total haze and hadn't realised. Very scary! It took weeks with my GP's help to wean myself off the drug.

But what is in it? Gabapentin is just its name. What is it composed of? Against anxiety? maybe contains Valium, that needs tailing off.

It is basically an anti-seizure drug for people with epilepsy. Sometimes it is used for nerve pain or migraine prevention.

It's a popular drug for misuse with the biggest problem in the UK being in prisons, where a doctor friend tells me people present with the most accurate descriptions of neuropathic pain symptoms ...

www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jan/15/upsurge-prescription-drug-abuse-uk-pregabalin-gabapentin

Grannyknot, I have just read the Guardian article and am confused. The drug does have a sedating effect on me but I don't take any depressants.

It certainly helps my nerve pain and at my low-dosage I hope I'll be OK.........! (According to the article, I could obviously make my fortune by selling some to prisoners!).

I'm sure you could!

Not sure about the sedating effect ...