I started taking neurontin about week ago, every night I toss and turn and dont seem to be able to fall asleep, then when I do, I sleep very light and wake up from the pain, all the posts talk about how much it helps a person sleep, I had more sleep without it, now Im really struggling to get asleep. Any ideas or comments would be appreciated, taking it for a bulging disc,sciatica.
Does anyone stay up half the night from taking neurontin?
Question posted by marieinnh on 7 April 2011
Last updated on 15 August 2020 by debrafel
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6 Answers
debrafel
15 Aug 2020
l have fibromyalgia and have problems with medication. Tried Gabapentin as a last chance med for pain and sleep. Took 100mg last night, fell asleep easy then PINGED awake like responding to loud noise, kept happening, last time after waking l had heightened anxiety and was WIDE awake. All in all about 4 hours sleep.
Don't normally have an issue with anxiety. Not impressed.
mammaliz
18 Nov 2019
Yes. I have noticed I sleep lightly and have vivid dreams I feel that I am controlling. I also lay there thinking I am awake only to be told I was snoring. I am believing it has to do with my being adhd and some drugs that make others sleepy will have a paradoxical effect on me and make me hyper. I came here to see if others have experienced this since nothing else in my routine has changed except adding this medication for trigeminal neuralgia. I am going to try taking it earlier in the day now.
Timd6156
16 March 2019
I did. Now I take it @ 4:00pm. I sleep good and no pain from bulging disc
kaffea
8 April 2011
marie,, i also had that and it did finally let me sleep but honestly i dream so real and vivid now it makes me feel like im not sleeping. I jad so much nerve pain in my leg felt like a hot poker and the Neurontin has really helped me with addional meds called cymbalta and i coudnt believe how together thay have hekped me I wish a good nights sleep for you... sleep tight
DzooBaby
7 April 2011
Gabapentin or Neurontin has a side effect of anxiety and agitation. This may or may not go away. It does take time to relieve pain. If the side effects are intolerable, you might ask your Dr to switch you to something else if the above posters suggestion dont work. You may find you do better on Lyrica. Lyrica is more expensive so you might ask if he/she has samples!
sTigerrr
7 April 2011
Hello. I have been taking neurontin since the 19th of March. At what time do you take it? I found at first that it knocked me out! Lucky thing I started taking it at night. If you are finding that it is keeping you awake at night, it may be better to take it in the morning (or vise-versa) if you feel okay to fuction on it. Ask your doctor about switching the time of day that you take it (and start on a weekend or a day that you do not have work or plans until you know how you feel). This sleeplessness might only be a temporary side effect that will pass. Also, give the neurontin some time to help with your pain. I imagine you might have been started at one dose a day (?), and that your doctor plans on slowly increasing the number of daily doses and the strength as your body adjusts to the medication. He or she might even add a supplimentary medication such as Lyrica- I was started on Lyrica and then had neurontin added. I think it is helping.
I have already had both increased and tomorrow I start taking the neurontin 300mg 2x a day, then in another week, up to 3x a day (as well as the Lyrica that I am already taking 75mg 3x a day). Stick with it and feel better, Shannon
sTigerrr
7 April 2011
Also, you can maybe ask you doctor about taking 3mg of melatonin (found in the vitamin section). Taken a few hours before bed, and being in darkness can help aid sleep and melatonin is naturally produced already in your body.
Lisagrace70
19 July 2015
It use to make me feel groggy all day when I took it in the morning. I'm on 800mg/night for Fibromyalgia. It helps with the pain, but I am wondering if it is keeping me up at night, sleeping lightly and/or having trouble getting to sleep.
Related topics
neurontin, pain, sleep disorders, sleep
Further information
- Neurontin uses and safety info
- Neurontin prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Neurontin (detailed)
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