Does anyone here take Gabapentin for nerve pain?

[gate of the sun]

I have been taking it for a couple of weeks and it helps with the nerve pain. the problem is I feel weird all the time kindof blue, out of sorts, anxious . I'm going back to the Dr. About these symptoms but wondering if anyone else has overtime adapted to the drug? I really want to keep taking it for the pain relieve but I can't go on feeling this way!

[libodem]

1. I was on it for a long time

And was switched to Lyrica. It doesn't metabolize as fast so I can take a lesser dosage, less often, and it seems to dull, the nerve pain that feels like pin pricks or a hot ash falling on your skin, better.

Talking to your Dr is the best idea. Maybe your dose needs adjusted or when you take it? Sometimes it just takes a while to get used to it. It actually does have psychoactive effects. We used a lot of it to reduce behaviors in older adults. It's an anti seizure medication as well so you know it's working on your wiring.

I take my highest does at night and sleep through the side effects.

[Packerowner740]

11. Great answer.

[Warpy]

2. I understand that a lot of people either get used to it

or have the side effects go away after a while.

However, there are better alternatives out there now, second generation "me-too" drugs that are chemically related to gabapentin but lack many of the troublesome side effects.

Talk to your doc, see if your insurance will pay for the drugs on patent.

[arthritisR_US]

3. M husband was on it prior to his passing and one of it's major side effects

is its precipitation of anxiety and depression. They have drugs to counter that but they diminish the pain relief effects and come with their own side effects. It became a never ending circle of side effects of lesser evil. Our neighbour gave us some pot and that was the only thing that helped him and gave him back some quality of life.

[gate of the sun]

4. I have a care coordinator

Who suggested mj for my pain, I think I might give it a try, I already take medication for anxiety. I have pretty much decided not to take this medication,I really feel awful and unlike myself.

[arthritisR_US]

6. It was really awful for him as well. The home

care people couldn't believe the difference the mj made for Robert. He had been in such excruciating pain and *poof* it was gone and he was able to speak, smile and once again put his thoughts together and talk with us. We kept all his other drugs but the gabapentin we did away with. Good luck luv

[freebrew]

15. Remember to ween off gradually...

my daughter was on it for a while. Originally developed for seizure patients, it can cause seizures if stopped too quickly.

[KC]

5. I take

it. I've been on it since Dec. 2011. It does make me a little foggy and sleepy too, but not always because some days are better. My Dr just increased the dose and now I am very sleepy. It's just been a week with the extra dose so I'm hoping that gets better.
Mention to your Dr. the way it makes you feel and maybe he/she will change it to another one.
It is giving me some relief so I'm hesitant to change it.
I've heard you shouldn't just stop taking it but to wean yourself off of it. I'm not sure if you've been on it long enough but I'd ask your Dr first just to be sure.

[pscot]

7. I'm supposed to take it 3 times a day

but I only use it occasionally in the evening as a sleep aid. I smoke weed for nerve pain, which seems to work.

[cali]

8. took it at one point for my Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

I felt out of it and groggy and just not right in my skin. I won't make any suggestions, but I think talking to your doc about it is vital.

[ProfessorGAC]

9. Didn't Do Anything For Me

Started low dose, went up each two weeks, didn't notice any improvement.

Neuro said that he wasn't shocked. Only works for some people.

[Packerowner740]

10. I took it for a while but it eventually stopped working.

Try taking it at about 6pm, that way it will start working just as you are going to bed and most of the hangover type symptoms will occur while sleeping and you'll feel better when you wake up.

[EEO]

12. Both Lyrica and Gabapentin were ineffective for me.

I did get just about every side effect, though (like insane bloating). Still looking for an effective treatment for my unexplained body-wide chronic pain and ridiculous allodynia.

[libodem]

13. I had to look up Allodynia

Interesting search. I went through a period of time a few years ago that I could not stand the clothing tags that touched and rubbed my neck. I still have shirts with the tag cut out. Doesn't bother me as much now. I don't know why.

I have a past medical history of debilitating migraines. I rarely have them these days. I think the lack of hormones, less stress and the Lyrica helps. ( just a theory)

Here is a link from the look up.
. http://chronicfatigue.about.com/od/whyfmscfsarelinked/a/Headaches-and-Migraines-In-Fibromyalgia-and-Chronic-Fatigue-Syndrome.htm

[lululu]

14. Lyrica

Gabapentin made my eyes roll uncontrollably.

I love Lyrica, except for its side effect of constipation.

[catbyte]

16. I've tried to take it & others in the family for Post-Herpetic Neuralgia, but I can't take the side

effects. My hands & feet swell up so bad that I can hardly walk or hold a coffee cup. I also feel just awful. I'd rather have the throbbing, shooting pain than that. I had high hopes for Lyrica, but no dice.

[reflection]

17. I took it for awhile after a back surgery

http://www.democraticunderground.com/11472200

and it worked very well for blocking pain. I didn't experience the emotional side effects you are describing but I always felt a bit off, as if I was always a few inches to the right or left of myself. I'd reach for a coffee cup and although my hand was clearly right at the handle, my brain wanted to say it wasn't in the right place. A little disconcerting. However, I was able to minimize the pain through exercise and I don't take it anymore. I hope you find a way to get off of it - it sounds as if it is unpleasant for you.

[mopinko]

18. took is for a while. did nothing. lyrica helps, tho.

been on it for a while. it helps.

[hedgehog]

19. Another Lyrica user here - low dose at night for fibro that I can mostly ignore

during the day but was keeping me from getting deep sleep at night. I should mention , I've been on an effective regimen of anti-depressants for years now. Ironically, looking back, depression/anxiety may have been an early symptom of my autoimmune disease.

[Chalco]

20. Gabapentin caused me to be suicidal

My doc prescribed Gabapentin for nerve pain and it worked for that but I would wake up in the middle of the night with thoughts of wanting to kill myself. The thoughts were on my mind 24/7 for 6 months. I thought it was because I had retired and was feeling my way through the changes. I knew I wouldn't kill myself, but I still had the thoughts. Finally, I decided to tell the doc. He told me to get off Gabapentin immediately. I thought he would give me an anti-depressant, but no he just told me to get off Gaba. When I got home I did an internet search and discovered that 24/7 suicidal thoughts is a side effect of Gaba and that there was a class action lawsuit against the company because so many people taking it had killed themselves. Within 24 hours of stopping Gaba my suicidal thoughts disappeared.

Be very careful with Gabapentin.