Gabapentin for Fibromyalgia User Reviews (Page 3)

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 28, 2012

"Very good response with pain and stiffness. Added to fibro-fog. This has been very well tolerated with nothing more than a little itching when ready for next dose. A little sleepy late afternoon, I have sensitivities to MANY medicines with weird side effects. I have had nothing but good experience with gabapentin! I would recommend this."

• Spa...
• January 15, 2019

"Initially, I started Lyrica, which made fibromyalgia pain worse. Specifically, the vastus medialis muscles above the kneecap. Ditched Lyrica for gabapentin. Take 600 mg morning and noon, 900 mg at night. The pharmacy supplies 300 mg capsules, which I take 30-60 minutes apart. Raises the bioavailability for major symptom relief. This drug is poorly absorbed at high doses. 3x dose is not equal to 3x more absorbed by the body. Also take baclofen 10 mg X 2/day. This combo relaxes muscles, helps shut down my brain, and induce sleep. Also, migraine frequency is reduced from 10-12/month down to 1-2/month. Miss a dose, and it's so bad. Virtually guaranteed a migraine and certainly fibromyalgia pain increase. Side effects on GABA are brain slowness. Identifying thoughts is like trying to pick up an ice cube with oily fingers. Also, it's hard to get motivated to go do stuff."

• Rca...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 31, 2016

"I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in March. For the past 3 months, I have been experiencing severe hip pain radiating down my leg. If I slept on my side (which is the side I favored), the pain would become so bad it woke me during the night. Consequently, I have not had a good night's sleep in months. I went to my rheumatologist, who suggested I try gabapentin, prescribing 1 pill of 600 mg for four days, then 2 pills of 600 mg per day. I will be starting 3 pills per day. I can honestly say what a huge difference this has made. The pain is almost gone, and I sleep through the night, also with little-known side effects. I will continue with this drug for as long as I need to."

• Jen...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 14, 2016

"I have been on gabapentin for over 15 years. I love this medication for my fibromyalgia. The only reason I didn't give it a 10 is because I do have short-term memory loss. That is one of the side effects. It also has been wonderful for my restless legs at night."

• Sus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 24, 2019

"I’ve been taking gabapentin for roughly 3 months now, and for me, it’s amazing. It took my fibromyalgia pain away almost instantly. I had more energy because I slept better with no pain. For me, my brain worked better, I had no brain fog. I was taking 300 mg at bedtime, and it worked for a while. When I had to increase my dose to 400 mg due to returning pain, my hands and feet swelled up like balloons. This can be a side effect for some, and of course, I’m part of that. This medication, for me, was simply amazing. Currently, I have so much pain my job is now being affected. I guess on to the next one. Fibromyalgia stinks!!!"

• Anonymous
• February 18, 2009

Gabapentin "It has made a huge difference. I've tried everything including Lyrica, Elavil (which made me gain weight). Those were helpful but I get the best results with 600 mg Neurontin 3 x daily and flexeril 10mg 3 x daily or as needed."

• Kak...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 1, 2018

"I am taking gabapentin for about 5 months now for fibromyalgia, and it was working great. This last time I had my prescription filled, they gave me a different manufacturer. I noticed that my hands were starting to hurt, then my feet, and now my back hurts so bad I’m having a hard time walking. So check with your pharmacy and see if another manufacturer can be ordered. Stay away from Actavis. It doesn’t work."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 7, 2012

"I took this medicine yesterday for the very first time and wow! The sharp, shooting pains disappeared! I felt some joint tightness in my neck still, but that was nothing compared to the pain I was in before I took it... Within a couple of hours, I had an enormous amount of energy! I hope it continues to work this way..."

• Hln...
• April 4, 2017

"For all of you that speak of brain fog and dizzy lightheadedness with gabapentin. In my experience, gabapentin depletes B12. I am getting B12 injections monthly. And 3 days after the first injection, all the dizziness and brain fog was gone."

• Til...
• April 29, 2013

"Only started a week ago for sciatic pain and back pain, the pain eased from severe to moderate - but the pain in my feet supposedly from fibromyalgia has all but disappeared. As I also have side effects from most tablets starting slowly, first 5 days 1 x 100mg, now on 2 x 100mg. Feel nauseous, very tired and occasional giddy bout but hoping that this disappears over next couple of weeks. Will try 3 tablets after 2 weeks and see how this goes. Tiredness is my main problem at the moment."

• gyp...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 19, 2016

"I was taking gabapentin 1x - 300 mg in the am & 2x - 300 mg @ bedtime for about 5 years. It did wonders for my fibromyalgia, however, I still did get breakthrough flare-ups once in a while, but it helped with the pain, took off the edge so I could function. Well, recently it's been crazy because it just stopped working & for 2 months I was in an ongoing flare. So my rheumy doctor said let's try Lyrica and wean you off Gaba - it was a huge mistake. Lyrica was horrible, it did nothing for the pain. I had awful side effects: severe nausea, headaches, stomach upsets, & the worst of these were severe muscle cramping! I'm now getting back on the Gaba, took a break, so maybe it will work again. I prefer gabapentin."

• Flo...
• June 21, 2016

"I have had fibromyalgia for 11 years and had amitriptyline for it. Last week, I started with shingles and left me with neuropathic stabbing ice pick pain in my head/neck. Yesterday, the doctor said to try gabapentin, starting dose 300 mg, but not with amitriptyline. Reluctantly, after reading the side effects, I took a pill as I haven't slept for 6 nights and was at my wit's end. I took it at 9 pm, went to bed at 11 pm, experienced leg jerking for a few minutes, a strange tingling feeling all over, and excessive gas. Then I must have fallen asleep, I had been asleep for 6 hours. No shooting pains every 30 seconds, no restless legs. I'm going to give this a go as first impressions to me on just one dose have been a relief/blessing and worth a try."

• Anonymous
• August 5, 2016

"I started the gabapentin two weeks ago for fibromyalgia discomfort, and this medication has changed my life. My chronic lower leg pain I've suffered with for over five years is gone, and my quality of life has improved a great deal!"

• Mau...
• April 6, 2015

"I started taking the drug with very low expectations and am surprised by how much the fibro has gone away. Just gone. I still have pain, but now instead of overwhelming my doctor with a complaint of 'everything hurts,' I can point to the actual spots in my body where something is structurally wrong. What a blessing. I'm taking 300 mg at night, a dosage that I built up to over the course of a month."

• N19...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 6, 2016

"I had terrible back pain and wasn't diagnosed with fibromyalgia until two months ago. My doctor recommended gabapentin since the fibromyalgia especially took a toll on my mental state. My back has never been better! I feel like I can do things that I haven't been able to do since the onset of my fibromyalgia. This medication is truly life-saving. I have minor side effects, such as gas, but honestly, I'll take that over the pain any day."

• Cry...
• January 20, 2018

"I am on 600 mg, 4-5 times a day. I usually take 3 during the day and 2 at night. It has been a lifesaver. If I miss a dose, the pain comes flooding back in full force. Couldn't survive without it. No side effects besides being tired for about an hour after it kicks in. I can live with that."

• Anonymous
• December 15, 2011

Gabapentin "I was just increased to 1500 mg a day of Neurontin for chronic back pain and fibromyalgia. I can tell that it takes the sharp edge off of the pain. It does help a little, but a little is better than nothing."

• ecm...
• April 9, 2009

"When it comes to treating fibromyalgia, this medicine is the greatest. In the beginning, it was prescribed to me for my Sciatica pain that runs from my low back down both legs, and a few months ago when I went to my Pain Management doctor for an epidural, he wanted me to come off the Neurontin for a month or a few so as to see if the epi's were working and if so, how much. I politely argued with him quite a bit because I knew how much Sciatica pain I'd be in without the drug but had NO IDEA it even was helping my fibromyalgia. So I relented and came off the medicine. By the 2nd week, my fibromyalgia was SO BAD that I was bedridden and pretty much stayed that way until my next appointment 2 1/2 weeks later. It was quite literally a month from hell. Neurontin Works."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 10, 2012

"I have fibromyalgia and severe arthritis. This medicine is the only thing I have taken that relieves some of the pain and makes life tolerable. I take 300mg, three times a day and will be increasing to six times daily shortly. The drowsiness side effect is somewhat bothersome but doable. My main complaint about it is that I have what I call drifting thoughts and they are very abstract thoughts. I have learned to somewhat manage them but am worried that they will increase with the increased dosage as will the drowsiness."

• Fib...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 2, 2021

"I just started gabapentin, 400 mg 3x/day for fibromyalgia, and this drug is like a miracle. My pain was excruciating, and even something as simple as getting up from the couch hurt like anything, and walking was torturous due to the pain and stiffness in my upper, middle, and lower back. I was a slave to my heating pad and ice packs and was taking Tylenol and ibuprofen daily. It was hard to shower, clean, do laundry, or cook. This medication has brought my pain down from 8 to a 3! Side effects were tolerable. I was very loopy and mentally foggy the first few days, but that resolved quickly. This medication cost me a whopping 94 cents for a 30-day supply! I hope and pray that this medication keeps working!"

• kci...
• January 11, 2010

Gabapentin "Neurontin helps my fibromyalgia pain by loosening muscle fascia and giving me more energy. It also relieves my mild scoliosis/ ankylosing spondylitis pain. I usually take 800 mg in the morning then 1600 around 4 pm. Aside from an occasional very slight slurring of speech, I couldn't be happier. The only downside is you have to take a day off at least one day a week or it loses its effectiveness. My doctor advised me to do so because you get tolerance. This is not the same as an addiction."

• Sue...
• February 4, 2016

"Gabapentin is the only med that has worked for me. I have had Fibro for 15 years. I had to quit work because of Fibro. Doctors have put me on all the other approved meds for Fibro, and no way! I take 100 mg twice a day and 800 mg at bedtime. I still feel tired and can't do what I want to do, but I'm much, much better than I was before Gabapentin. My worst problem is trigger points nearly all over my body. I have to go to get deep tissue massages for that problem. REALLY helps. Good luck to all of you!"

• One...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 6, 2017

"I started 2/17 for recently diagnosed fibromyalgia. (I take 25 mg of Zoloft for depression.) I am taking 400 mg of gabapentin in applesauce at night (had gastric bypass). My body and pain are WAY more calm than before. My pain went from a 9 to a 2, and I've stayed there since. Through all kinds of weather ups and downs, NO flare-ups these last couple of months. SIDE EFFECTS for me: 1. Eating! I wake up wanting to eat as many carbs and pastries as possible. I've never been like that before. (I've gained 5 lb in 6 weeks.) 2. VERTIGO! After I take it, I have to be careful making my way to bed so I don't fall. 3. Memory issues, but not worse than fibro fog. To me, the calm body and reduction in pain are worth it!"

• sho...
• April 10, 2011

"Gabapentin is the best drug I've tried in the last 10 years after being diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I have taken Amitriptyline, Cymbalta, and Savella. These drugs have made me tired, depressed, and even gave me heart palpitations. I take 1500mg at bedtime along with 100 mg trazodone. When I wake up, I'm alert, have energy, and I'm excited about starting my day. Something that I haven't felt in years. No side effects so far. When I first started Gabapentin, I got violently sick... threw up, but after my body got used to it, it's WONDERFUL."

• Fee...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 20, 2017

"I was having severe, excruciating pain in my leg. It was tender to the touch, and even putting on pants was such a struggle. I had an appointment with my doctor, and from what I explained, he told me I have fibromyalgia and put me on gabapentin 300 mg 3x daily. Ever since, I very rarely have flare-ups. I have been extremely stressed and have minimal to no pain. I still have a little pain, but it's not as severe as before I was diagnosed. So it works for me."