Gabapentin

[Retro]

Hi Nonya,

Thanks for that. Neither of my two epileptics seem to have problems with their meds. Ex-hubby is on the old fashioned ones of course and has been for 30 years. Jordan seems to have amazing balance but we'll never know whether that's Autism related and he's incredibly fit (he's just solid muscle) plus his gait is odd anyway because of his twisted legs and feet .

My falls have been getting worse recently, in particular falling to the right for some reason. There are so many other things going on with me at the moment and with my CFS/ME being particularly bad I don't think the docs are that worried about the cause.

Take care,

Lindsey

[Rosie]

Hi everyone

Does anyone have experoience or knowledge of a child being prescribed gabapentin? I know a child of 10 who has been prescribed gaba, and alhough she is not as sick as she was when she first started on it, she is still retching every evening, and vomitting small amounts (into her hand, so not much) on a regular basis.

Thanks

Rosie

[Eloise]

Retching every evening is NOT acceptable at all. If it hasn't settled with in a few weeks of starting gabapentin then something needs doing about it. Either changing onto a different medication, reducing the dose - or if it is needed then an anti-sickness medication to be given at the same time.

Long-term retching will cause problems with the stomach, oesphagous and also dissolving of the teeth - it needs sorting ASAP.

[Rosie]

Thanks Eloise, I will speak to the child's mum tomorrow. To be honest, they have been given the runaround by various Drs and I think they are just glad they they have found something that helps with the pain. She is on other medication so it may not be the gaba that is causing the nausea, or it could be a combination. Thanks for your input.

Rosie

[barkingmad]

Hi Rosie,
They have just added Gabapentin to my concoction of meds...and to be honest I never get usually get unpleasant side effects but this is absolutely awful!!

I feel sick, wobbly, floaty, spaced out, I have fallen more, increased palpitations, breathleness, and my muscle twitches and jerks are definitely worse as is my fatigue...so I am right with that poor kid. I will try and stick it out as the nerve pain I get I have to say seems to be a little easier.

Eloise is def right, she does need to get that retching sorted quite urgently..

Thoughts are with her!

[lil_miffy]

I started with gabapentin yesterday. Im back on the amytriptaline, tramadol and paracetamol.
My gp wants me to build up slower than normal with the gab. but hopes that i can manage to take it 3 times a day.
Im not sure how fast its supposed to work like if it needs a few weeks to build up in your system but yesterday the pain in my legs and arms and back went right down. If it is the gab working already i cant believe that the pain that its helpd was neuropathic and that one simply pill can take it away.

Not had any sideeffects yet but have noticed on the info sheet that it can cause alot of the problems i had with the lithium i was on including problmes with vision so im going to be very careful and if i notice anything side effect wise i will be straight back to my gp.

[AnnaH]

I've been on gabapentin about a year now. Whilst its not perfect, I find the side-effects relatively minor (a bit spaced-out sometimes, I get the nibbles a little too much etc). The benefits however, in terms of pain relief, are tremendous. I don't always realise how tremendous until I have to reduce my dose or go off it for some reason (such as when I was seeing a new doctor and he wanted to know my "baseline"). Without it, I can barely walk, due to injuries to both feet.

I do find a lot of people, including medical people, are extremely negative about the drug, not for any specific reasons (they don't think its dangerous for me or anything), just because "it's not good to rely on pills" etc. Well, I rely on medication for my asthma, which I've had all my life, and no one thinks that's a bad thing! (if they work, which they do). I wonder if this is more a prejudice about chronic pain, and the invisibility of my condition, rather than proper, scientific thinking? Of course, gaba has side-effects. All meds do, but its a cost/benefit analysis. In my case, gaba is helping me get my life back after nearly two years of severe pain and immobility.

[lil_miffy]

I cant believe how good this is for my pain! I didnt realise that the neuropathic pain I get was actualy neuropathic.
Iv had severe dry mouth today which I assume is from the gabapentin. any solutions other than drinking loads?

[jayne]

hi, I hav'nt been posting much lately. I hope everyone is coping ok.

I have been prescribed gabapentin again, I came off it 18 months ago as I was blaming it for my weight gain which I now think was down to my reduced levels of exercise due to an injury.
I had an occipital nerve block in May and it has worn off, I was just going to sit tight and wait for the next one, but the pain came back worse than ever and was making me sick again. I was in so much pain on Friday I was actually scared as it had never been so bad. I could'nt move without being sick, to the point I thought I was going to ring for an ambulance. I managed to get an emergency appt with my GP and he did'nt even question why I wanted to be prescribed something for nerve pain. I think I may have even worried him I was so bad. he rang Prof Birds secretary and they are seeing me next tuesday, so will see what he says.

So far the tablets are working and no unwanted side effects, I have been naughty and upped to doseage faster than he reccomended, (I dont reccomend that anyone else do this!) but the doseage he started me on was a 3rd of what I started on last time. The gabapentin combined with dihydrocodine, paracetamol, ibuprofen and diazepam seems to be working.

[lil_miffy]

Iv been on gabapentin for nearly 3 weeks and had 2 urinary tract infections, tremor, dizziness and drop foot. Obviously stopped taking them and waiting to see gp about next option

[jayne]

I hope that your doc can find you something else. Those sort of side effects are not good .I hav'nt had any side effects that are too bad, i seem to feel tired later in the day and really need to sleep(not good if I am at work). My next option will be Pregabalin(sp) according to the gp, but Prof B told me that one of the side effects is 'joint laxity' which none of us really need increasing .

I do hope they can find sonething that works for you, when we get the North East group sorted we can all have a day out and compare notes .

[AnnaH]

I cant believe how good this is for my pain! I didnt realise that the neuropathic pain I get was actualy neuropathic.
Iv had severe dry mouth today which I assume is from the gabapentin. any solutions other than drinking loads?

Some people find chewing gum helps, but avoid the sugar free if you have IBS type symptoms.

[Deb72]

Has anyone heard of Gabapentin and if so how useful is it? My physio has recommended that this be used along side Amitriptyline for treatment of my shoulder.

Mod edit - post moved here

[Georgie149]

Hi there,

I have jsut been to see the rheumatologist for a review and after telling her that nortryptiline didnt work and just made me sleep, and then made me feel suicidal (i dont ever feel like this!!!) she has given me gabapentin, an anti seizure drug. i looked at the side effects of this and they seem pretty drastic, including one of the top ones - suicidal thoughts... also included are joint pain, drowsiness and difficulty walking....

Well this just scares me!!! And i was wondering if anyone had any experiences with this that they coudl share? Anything woudl be appreciated!

Thanks!
x

[loosebones]

Hi there, we already have an existing thread on Gabapentin [modnote: link removed as post was merged with the existing gabapentin thread] which might give you some answers. Hope this helps