User Reviews for Gabapentin to treat Occipital Neuralgia

"I take four 800 mg doses per day. The pain is barely at bay, but anything else I’ve tried had zero effect. I also take flexeril at night I don’t think it does anything. There is a bald spot on the back of my skull where I constantly press down bc of the pain. I do everything with my left hand now bc I can’t keep my right hand off the spot. The pain never goes away. I’ve had facet injections, nerve blocks, massage, 6 weeks of PT. My Occipital Neuralgia has bankrupted my family and is ruining our lives. I fear losing my job- becoming homeless with no health insurance. I also live with Depression and Anxiety disorder which are exacerbated by the ON. I take so many pills every day I can’t imagine what it’s doing to my organs. I’ve tried exercise, yoga, meditation I’ve done everything I was told to try. Gabapentin is the only thing that helps at all. If I were not a mother, I would end my life. The pain is constant and unrelenting. No one should have to live like this."

"After suffering day in and day out for 32 years of my life, I was told I had occipital Neuralgia. And was given a large shot into the base of my skull every month for 3 years. And the shot did nothing. Than I was put on oral Gabapentin and for the first time in my life I have little to nothing for pain based off what I was dealing with. So thankful for it."

"I delivered packages for 32 years. 6 years ago I had such horrible neck pain and the dr did an xray and said bone spurs and take up to 16 ibuprofen a day and stretch. I had physical therapy, accupuncture, chiro, massage, traction and headaches, ear, neck and pain behind the eyes. I retired early because of this, then three weeks ago, slurred speech, dizziness, headache and finally went to a neurologist, he put me on gabapentin, and after 3 days, little pain, I am now on three times a day and ZERO pain pills.....zero for the first time in 6 years!!! The only side effect is a little sleepy but my energy level is way up and I can sleep wonderfully now. God bless the Neurologist and gabapentin. My life has changed for the best."

"Struggled with migraines and behind the ear neck pain for over 10 years. General doc thought migraines and tried various different meds, with no success. OTC analgesics didn't touch it, either. Finally saw a neurologist on the advice of my new general doc after my previous retired. He immediately diagnosed it as textbook occipital neuralgia and put me on Neurotin. I was better within a week. Still had some lingering pain on certain days so he doubled my dose, which was the minimum at the time for an adult. I'm still on a super low dose and have a headache now maybe once every three weeks instead of 5 to 6 times per week."

"Hi everyone. I was just prescribed this medication gabapentin for occipital neuralgia. I have yet to take it but while reading all the comments, I saw a lot of fellow restless leg syndrome sufferers. The only thing that works for me is a combo of magnesium oil sprayed and massaged into the sole of my feet and taking a magnesium supplement before bed. Hope this helps someone out there"

"I was having severe shooting of pain on a daily basis as well as pain episodes that woke me up in the middle of the night. After being prescribed gabapentin my pain stopped immediately, and I have had very few pain episodes since and none so severe. I was pretty sleepy for the first couple days of taking it but other than that I experienced no bad side effects."

"I have chronic vestibular migraine (diagnosed by Neuro) and 8 months ago developed a new, constant pain in the back of my head which starts at the base of my skull and covers the full back of my head. I described my pain to my primary doc and she said it sounded like Occipital Neuralgia, then she looked at Neuro's notes and it said I possibly had Occipital Neuralgia. Primary doc said to add Gabapentin to my migraine meds for the constant headache. She started me on 300mg a day, then upped me to 600mg. I have been on Gabapentin for 6 months. I recently had to increase to 900mg, then 2 weeks later to 1200mg, but I'm dealing with a lot of stress right now. I hope to be able to go back to 600mg. I have learned stress causes neuralgia flare-ups. This med has been great for me. Gave it a 9 not 10 since I had to increase it so much. The only side effects I had were bloating/fluid retention which resolved in the first month, and some sleepiness in the first few days."

"I have suffered from extreme Occipital Neuralgia, Neuropathy and RLS for 15 yrs. I've tried Gabapentin 3 times in hope for some relief. Each time I took it at bed time. Woke up a few hours later from pain (as I always do each night) and each time I was so dizzy and couldn't walk straight and fell down. The last try at Gabapentin, I hit my head on the bed frame when I fell and ended up in the ER. I absolutely cannot tolerate this drug."

"I've been on gabapentin for a little less than 2 months. I was having a headache 5-6 times a week. I'm down to 1 time a week now. It has delayed my period and caused me to be 5 days late but no other side effects."

"I have been suffering from severe neck pain for 3 years andI have tried many painkillers as well as ablations for severe neck pain that goes up into my head that has given me little relief. After seeing many doctors I have most recently been diagnosed with occipital neuralgia and prescribed Gabapentin. It has been the most helpful medication that has helped calm my occipital neuralgia. I take 600 mg 3x a day. I also take one tablet of Meloxicam of 7.5 mg a day. I continue to have some pain, but it is tolerable now."

"I take 2,700 mg of gabapentin a day (900 mg 3x day) for occipital neuralgia. It works for the pain really well at this dose HOWEVER I cannot sleep for the life of me! My depression became worse, I’m sensitive and cry all the time, and I have severe munchies all the time but especially at night when I can’t sleep. I sleep maybe 4-5 hours a night in two hour increments. My depression is so bad that they’ve put me on a higher dose of lithium (I’m bipolar 1) and cycled me through several other medications for that with no help and bad side effects. I have been on gabapentin for over 2 years and have been slowly tapering my dose from 3,600 mg a day so that I may rely on nerve blocks as my insurance doesn’t cover gabapentin alternative Lyrica."

"I am taking Gabapentin 3 times a day at 300mg. I have had Occipital Neuralgia for a year. Injections, nerve block, Botox, nothing worked until I got on this drug. I still get headaches, but over all its been good. I've been on it now for two weeks. Have odd dreams! But am feeling so much better. I'm also working with a nutritionist and am so pleased, he's getting to the root cause of this issue. Take care everyone!"

"I found that gabapentin need to be combined with lorazepam to be effective in controlling occipital neurological pain."

"I have had zero head / neck pain since I started gabapentin (taking 100mg 3x/day)."

"Sciatica pain and related SEVERE knee pain is almost completely gone after two days."

"Reduced frequency of shocks and lessened the intensity of them when I did get them. A bit more tired, but not terrible. Sometimes I feel a bit off balance, but overall, pretty good."

"It instantly turned my Occipital Neuralgia around. I was overwhelmed with happiness that something was working. My pain level went from 6-7 to 2-3. What a relief!"