Gabapentin for Pain User Reviews (Page 5)

• felin...
• March 11, 2017

"This is my second day of taking 100 mg, 3 times a day. I tell you they've helped me with the pain. I can walk and sit up and sit down, without being in agony. I've had sciatica now for over 2 years in my back, buttocks, and legs. I would go to bed to sleep and wake up and couldn't go back to sleep because of the pain. The pain would stay with me all day. I was taking codamol 30/500, ibuprofen, and also using cream and hot water bottles too. All I ended up with was pain not shifting and a stomach ulcer. This new tablet I'm taking has helped me loads, like I said, it doesn't get rid of all the pain, but it's such a relief that I'm not in agony anymore. The doctor has put me on some anti-sickness tablets, metoclopramide, that helps too."

• Eskal
• August 5, 2016

"I have suffered from pain in both legs related to arthritis in my knees, ankles, and toes. My doctor prescribed gabapentin 300 mg (one capsule daily for one week; then twice daily and thereafter). I got immediate relief from the pain and discomfort. I felt some minor dizziness and sleepiness, but these effects were not lasting. I am keen to know if gabapentin will be permanently added to the list of medications."

• Youph...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 14, 2012

"Dosage: 300mg 3 times a day. So far, this med seems to be very effective in reducing pain in my shoulder and arm, with few side effects. Although it makes me a little tired, I also seem to get good sleep while taking it. An MRI showed a bone spur on my 6th vertebra. A nerve test showed damage at the 5th vertebra. I'm currently scheduled for surgery -- the pain suddenly spiked and had me popping Vicodin all day. I started taking Gabapentin at that point. Over the next two weeks, I was able to phase out all Vicodin except one in the morning. (If I didn't take that one, it just kept barking all day until I gave in.) After two more weeks, I was able to stop taking the Vicodin entirely. I may now postpone the surgery and try physical therapy."

• THE...
• May 26, 2017

"I was prescribed this for nerve pain, but I also have RLS. Gabapentin is a winner in both areas. Unlike some of the other people taking it, I get energy from it. I take 2800 mg a day. I can't say enough good things about it. If I had to only take just one medicine, this would be the one for me."

• Slerr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 22, 2015

"I was prescribed gabapentin for horrible, 24/7 MS pain, 300 mg 3x a day at first. It did nothing for the pain, and I spent the entire month I was on it feeling like I was drunk or on a bad 60s-type acid trip; I was dizzy, staggering, confused, and nauseated. My doctor said to give medications a fair chance to work and the side effects should only last a week or so. She increased the dose to 600 mg 3x a day when I got no relief from the pain. After a month, I couldn't stand the awful side effects anymore and was still in pain, so I just quit taking it."

• jesse...
• September 16, 2009

Neurontin (gabapentin) "After the timing of using this medication is adjusted correctly (activation time for myself takes 2 hours for peak performance), it has helped allow me to sleep and to take away the pain caused by nerve damage. Though it was not meant for it, it has also helped with chronic back pain and pain in my hands. A fairly effective drug. Please understand that my use of this drug is not related to seizures, and so I cannot comment on its effectiveness in that particular field."

• vegas...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 27, 2017

"Gabapentin works really well for my degenerative disc disease and back arthritis without making me sleepy like opiates. It's not addictive as well. The only downside, after taking it for about 3 months, is it seems it's making me gain weight and gives me a lot of gas. And I'm eating less than I did before taking it."

• mama...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 2, 2014

"I am taking a trial of gabapentin for pain in my right shoulder caused by surgery to remove a large lipoma. I have taken it for 3 weeks. I feel nauseous, have vivid dreams, and sleep more deeply than I am used to. It has helped some with the pain, but I think I need to take the medicines more in the evening. Maybe get my doctor to look at when I take it. I only have the pain about 2 a.m. when I am awoken by a stabbing, aching pain where I had the surgery. If I sit up in bed or get up, the pain goes away in about 20 minutes. The problem is that I cannot sleep sitting up and, of course, I can't do without sleep. When I am up and moving around (or even laying down and getting up to do work as I do in the day), it doesn't hurt. It is very frustrating."

• Paul
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 6, 2017

"I have very little memory of my time taking gabapentin - which is part of the problem with the drug. For some people, it's OK, but for me, my memory from that time is like a black hole. I remember starting it, a few flashes while taking it, but I don't remember tapering off the drug. It's like I lost 6 months of my life. I couldn't even tell you if it helped with the pain."

• Walnutt
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 15, 2017

"Gabapentin is the best medication I have ever taken. I was put on gabapentin because I've had unexplained upper back pain for two years. It's accompanied by a really annoying tingling sensation under my shoulder blades. I was prescribed 300 mg three times a day. By day two, the pain was 80% better. Day three, it was gone. It was a lifesaver. I've never been happier. And then I had a weird day after a week on it. I have mild depression and anxiety, but I've never had a suicidal thought in my life. There was this sensation that I've never felt before. I called into work. I couldn't move and kept having the thought of downing my pain meds with my bottle of whiskey. I immediately cut out the gabapentin, and that feeling disappeared."

• Pj1121
• August 26, 2016

"I have had chronic SI L5 pain and sciatica for 6 years. This has been a wonder drug for me, but I can only take it at night when I go to bed. It lets me have a good night's sleep. I cannot take it during the day, it wears me down and I am very groggy."

• ShellyB
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 31, 2018

"I was first given gabapentin for back pain. I increased the dose too quickly, though, and had some side effects. Dizziness, memory issues, and the like. However, I did increase from 200 mg X 4 daily and eventually got to 400 mg X 4 daily. Increasing by 100 mg at a time. Let me tell you, it did ZIP for pain. But my mood? What a difference. I have suffered from depression and anxiety as long as I can remember. Can't tell you how many drugs and combinations I tried. I had no idea how 'bleah' I still was until suddenly, I wasn't. What a difference, I can't tell you. As far as I know, I am NOT bipolar. Just your garden variety depression and horrible anxiety. Give it a try. Finally, I feel at age 62 that I am truly peaceful and content!"

• jules
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 14, 2016

"I was taking gabapentin for about 4 months, and it really helped with the side effects and pain from stenosis in my lower back, which is trapping my sciatic nerve. However, due to my ankles swelling and weight gain, my doctor has switched me to Lyrica, and OMG, I'm only on day 3, and I want off it. I have decided to return to taking gabapentin, as the side effects are nothing like I am experiencing now."

• Mummy...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 30, 2016

"I have been taking gabapentin for about 6 years now. I have 2 collapsed discs in my sacroid spine, which have been causing chronic pain for 9 years. I take 500 mg 3 times a day but can increase it when the pain becomes unbearable. On the higher doses, I do get drowsy, but in my normal dose, it doesn't affect me. It just helps reduce the nerve pain. The only side effect I get is a dry mouth. At the moment, I am suffering from shingles, and it is a godsend. I have had shingles previously and wasn't taking gabapentin at the time, and the neuropathy pain was awful. I also find it helps a bit with my fibromyalgia."

• Happy...
• December 22, 2016

"Severe burning nerve pain from shingles on the side of my face and scalp. Pain was so severe it broke me down. Standard pain medications (Tylenol, etc.) were not strong enough to take even the edge off my pain. Doctor prescribed this. Took two days to fully work. Now I'm approx. 90% pain-free. Taking 300 mg three times a day. When I first started taking it, it right away made me very drowsy--enough to overshadow the pain to get a bit of sleep. I was grateful for at least that. This drug also has a nice relaxing effect. It still makes me drowsy. I'm okay with that as it is helping me rest so I can recover. I know drugs don't work for everyone, but I'm grateful it is working for me. Winter 2016."

• skidl...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 28, 2012

"I have a herniated disc at C6 and a pinched nerve that shoots pain down my left arm. I started taking Neurontin 300 mg once a day for a week, then two a day the 2nd week, and now 3 a day. I'm a local truck driver, so reading your reviews had me worried. When I started this medicine, my doc also started me on Robaxin. Everything was okay until the 2nd week. I got the high feeling for about that whole day. Then the third week, same thing. I stopped taking the Robaxin cause it leaves me groggy and unfocused. I have ALMOST no pain in my arm after 3 weeks on Neurontin, even after I stopped taking the Robaxin. This medicine is awesome. I had doubts about its effectiveness until reading your comments. Thank you everyone. It doesn't affect my driving ability after I stopped the Robaxin."

• Meano
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 1, 2019

"I have very painful non-essential neuropathy of the feet. (No good reason) Neurontin helps my foot pain a lot, but I seem to still have plenty of pain to go around. I’m on 600 mg at bedtime 10:30, and it also helps me sleep! It helps me sleep so well that I can’t drive in the mornings or early afternoon (on the highways) because I fall asleep behind the wheel. My prescription continues to say I am to take 3 per day. I would nap my life away. Also, I’ve noticed the longer I’ve been on it, the more I notice my memory isn’t as sharp, which is hopefully just because I’m tired. But it works better than Lyrica, and hopefully, it isn’t addictive. It does help, though."

• Court
• February 27, 2012

"I normally take narcotic pain pills. I have, usually moderate, pain in my joints and especially in my back. I decided to try Gabapentin. It did really help for the pain, and I also had a very relaxed feeling. A couple of things I did not like were: 1) I was very clumsy and disoriented. I couldn't walk right and almost fell over several times. 2) I laid down to watch a movie, since I was stumbling around my house, and I ended up passing out for hours... from about 3 to almost 7 today. Now the 'sleep aid' isn't necessarily a bad thing, but maybe this medication is best only taken at night for some people, including myself."

• Kenyth
• June 10, 2016

"Was taking 2x 5 mg Norco per day. They gave some relief for my sciatica. Muscle relaxers did nothing but make me tired. This stuff did wonders! I felt noticeable relief from the first 300 mg pill! I take three a day and take a single 5 mg Norco if I know I am going to do something that will irritate it. I can now take long walks, garden, and exercise normally. Doesn't make it go away completely, but makes it bearable with an occasional back stretch. Hopefully, I can now lose weight easier. I am a big guy. I'm 6'2", used to weigh 250 and bench 360. Now I am overweight and weigh 350 and bench 250. I hope to lose 80-100 lbs and see how the old spinal disks do then. On the downside, it makes you feel a little weird, especially at first."

• Dave
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 2, 2019

"I have been on gabapentin for four months now, and the difference in my pain is amazing but still not one hundred percent. I started off with 300 mg daily for three days, then 600 mg daily for three days, then 900 mg for three months. Next time into the doctor, I asked if it could get increased as I was still dragging my knuckles on the ground, so to speak. I got put up to 1200 mg per day, and I am now at least able to walk with two canes around the house and short distances outside. I said a ten because if the right dose is found, I know that it will work well."

• nimuex
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 18, 2014

"Prescribed 360 mg for intense pain in feet caused by Morton's neuromas and inflammation of the brain. Have taken only 100 mg at night. Experiencing increasing eye pain. Resolved to stop taking and seek urgent referral to neuro-ophthalmologist."

• nburkey
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 29, 2017

"I have stenosis, scoliosis, arthritis, bone spurs, and degenerative spinal disease. Most of my back discs are showing damage of some type. Gabapentin is the ONLY thing that has helped me after years of trying different doctors' advice. I have only been on it for 8 weeks, and although far from pain-free, I can function each day. I occasionally will have a bad day or up to several, but that was caused by something I did physically. I started with one pill a day, adding another each week, so the effects were mild. Except for some tiredness, I have no other side effects. This is a lifesaver for me."

• G9ano
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 28, 2015

"Took one 300mg pill 1 hour before bed last night (around 10 pm) and have been regretting it ever since. Did not sleep due to vivid dreams (3D Alice in Wonderland type). Extremely irritable, mood swings every 5 minutes, groggy, eating non-stop since last night. To top it all off, my pain is still here. Dr. prescribed this to me for pain in my knees, legs, feet (can barely walk without holding on to something), arms, wrists, and hands (hurt so much I'm unable to grasp anything with my right hand). Been taking Norco 5/325 2x a day for the past 2 years for left shoulder pain due to a car accident, which worked well for that, but like any other medication you take for a long period of time, it stopped working. I will not try this again. Best of luck."

• Doug
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 12, 2022

"I've been experiencing some pretty severe nerve pain in my ribcage resulting from a spine issue (still waiting for an MRI). My doctor prescribed 300 mg three times a day of gabapentin for the pain starting two weeks ago. I've had no effect from it whatsoever and it's done absolutely nothing to help with the pain. I'm reading some reviews here claiming it takes up to two months to finally work! I can't wait that long. What kind of a doctor prescribes a pain medication that keeps the patient in pain for eight weeks before it finally takes effect???"

• diamo...
• November 1, 2011

Neurontin (gabapentin) "I was on all kinds of pain medicines, naproxen, and Flexeril, and still had pain until I went to a new doctor, and he gave me this medicine. I don't understand why other doctors don't prescribe this medicine. It has helped my pain so much."