my mom takes gabapentin twice a day for pain due to shingles. i have notice scince the past 6 months or so that her short term memory is consistantly getting worse. could this be due to gabapentin ? i think she has been taking it for about 12 months
Gabapentin side effects?
Question posted by gram gram on 15 April 2012
Last updated on 22 April 2021
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Answers Page 2
bumblebee90
15 April 2012
Dear gram gram,
I'm sorry about your mother. I took it for several months and had to quit due to swelling of my feet. I agree with Pledge on the other. I will say a prayer for you and you're mother. Best wishes to you both. Your friend, Ruth
Inactive
15 April 2012
You also Ruthie and enjoy. Have a good, no great day.
Inactive
15 April 2012
Hello gram gram. Very possibibly yes. Memory loss is a common side effect to taking Gabapentin. In clinical studies/trials amnesia and memory loss occured from 1% and up to 7% of people using the drug. Regards, pledge
bumblebee90
15 April 2012
Top of the morning to you my friend. Having my cup of joe and looking forward to another beautiful day. I hope you have a great Sunday. Ruthie
lambda5555m
3 May 2013
It certainly does affect short-term memory, but can also interfere with focus and concentration. I have all three of them very bad, but can live with it, and couldn't live with the sciatic nerve pain I would have to endure if I wasn't taking the gabapentin. Because of the memory, focus and concentration problems, I had to take a disability retirement from the Federal Government cause I can't do strategic planning anymore, so while it may cause me these side effects, I have had the most brutal sciatic nerve pain and know that I can live with the side affects better than the nerve pain, cause I have been there and done that so many times. Hope this helps. Take care, lambda5555m
KGNewman83
26 Feb 2017
Hello, I am on my way to 6000 mg my doctor says its safe. I took 3900 mg and was still getting sciatic nerve pain. He wouldn't put the Lyrica up past 300 mg when I changed. He seems to think its fine but in the two years Ive been taking ut I don't remember anything.
Related topics
pain, persisting pain, shingles, herpes zoster, gabapentin, side effect
Further information
- Gabapentin uses and safety info
- Gabapentin prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Gabapentin (detailed)
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