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Gabapentin

(12 Posts)
Auntieflo Fri 11-Oct-19 17:33:06

Hello all, I have been bleating on now for several days about pain in my hip/back.
Had a phone call from the Dr, and to cut a long story short, I have been prescribed Gabapentin.
I took one yesterday, and one today after lunch, and one to be taken tomorrow

I fell asleep and woke up when DH came home.

After that I have to take two tablets, twice a day, for three days

Then, it is three times a day. That seems a lot.

It would appear the effects are accumulative, and I presume that stopping them is gradual as well. I haven't got that far yet, as I have to ring the Dr to talk again.

Any advice from users of this drug would be welcome.

midgey Fri 11-Oct-19 18:03:42

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.

dragonfly46 Fri 11-Oct-19 18:13:23

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.

Oopsminty Fri 11-Oct-19 18:17:47

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!

Auntieflo Fri 11-Oct-19 18:41:47

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

Charleygirl5 Fri 11-Oct-19 19:01:35

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.

M0nica Fri 11-Oct-19 19:48:18

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.

BradfordLass72 Fri 11-Oct-19 21:19:50

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 smile

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.

Chewbacca Fri 11-Oct-19 21:27:49

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.

Cherrytree59 Fri 11-Oct-19 21:50:19

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.

Resurgam123 Sat 12-Oct-19 08:13:47

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..

Auntieflo Sat 12-Oct-19 08:48:34

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