Gabapentin for Pain User Reviews (Page 3)

• Lovieu
• September 4, 2013

"I experienced a severe herniation on the right side of C6-C7 in June 2012. Since then, I was put on 4 Medrol packs approximately every 3 months, saw a chiropractor initially, then a trainer, and had acupuncture 3 months post-injury for 10 months. Formal physical therapy started 10 months post-injury due to an increase in right shoulder pain with horrible radiculitis. It was good for posture training, but one month in, I was in the worst pain ever. The nurse practitioner put me on an SSRI and Mobic. The SSRI alters pain perception, and I was crying in her office. Mobic worked, but it was short-term. Finally, I went to a pain doctor thinking I was being scheduled for a steroid injection when he said, 'Let's try gabapentin first.' Pain is GONE on 300mg 3x daily. I can't wean off it yet, but it works!"

• Ryan...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 11, 2020

"I use this drug to help with neuropathic pain after fractured spine T4 & T5, so metalwork put in, and it is agony without pain help. Gabapentin cures it 100%. The pain can still be felt, but it is not as mentally crippling as it was before. There are side effects. I take 2700 mg per day over 3 doses. Weight gain from fluid retention, memory loss, motor movements affected, but you adapt. Also, a change in personality, for some, as for me, it simply boosted me as a person as I am not in that dark place anymore. You have to find the right dosage for this drug, and it takes a week or longer to adapt and go through initial side effects. If you need to come off, go very gradually."

• FSU
• May 29, 2017

"I have a combination of Trochanteric Bursitis and/or sciatica nerve pain. My leg was in pain while standing, walking, or lying on the affected side. Also, I am having tingling and nerve pain in the ankle and foot. I spent 3 months on other treatments. Once given Gabapentin, the next day, I didn't have any more pain. I only take 100mg at night, no other time. No side effects, this is the miracle I've been waiting for! What a relief! Still getting an MRI on my back, to finalize what is what. Really worth a try."

• S AZ
• June 1, 2013

"I was prescribed 600 mg approximately 5 years after a foot crush injury, severe nerve damage. All I can say is amazing first day. It got me going and really makes me want to do things again, subdues pain to a manageable level. It's really AMAZING. I really feel good about myself again."

• mamas...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 23, 2016

"I am a 20-year chronic pain survivor. I tried this med years ago after anterior and posterior spinal fusion of L1-S1. It made me dopey, sleepy, and confused. I am writing this review because my mom was recently hospitalized with severe sciatic pain. A week after failed injections, the 'pain specialist' felt this was the best route for her pain. She is 68 years old and sharp as a tack. I watched her all week get more and more short-term memory loss, confusion, loss of words, basically symptoms of early Alzheimer's, which there is no history of. There has been no pain relief to speak of. I am demanding they stop this nightmare tomorrow. I have read several other blogs that people are having the same issues, and they are 30 years younger."

• Nick...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 14, 2019

"I tried gabapentin many years ago when a neurosurgeon put me on it for osteoarthritis in my cervical spine. It does NOTHING for me and seems not to have any effect on my insomnia, for that matter. Doctors have been prescribing this drug for many things now, but I think they’re actually relying on the placebo effect. Since then, I’ve been put on it again after cancer surgery - it still does not work and is just a waste of money. Are doctors so afraid of legislators and administrators that they turn a blind eye to a patient's pain and dole out this stuff."

• Their...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 5, 2016

"I started out at 300mg 3 times a day approximately 1 year ago. I'm up to 900mg 4 times a day. I suffer from horrible nerve pain due to having CRPS. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. So much has been taken from me, but the gabapentin helps so much with the nerve pain that I take the good with the bad. I have an awesome support system beginning with my husband of 36 years. Otherwise, I don't think I could do this. The gabapentin takes away from me certain things, but I take the good with the bad. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of you who suffer and have to take gabapentin."

• drolds
• August 27, 2009

Neurontin (gabapentin) "Couldn't sleep at night because of back pain, doctor gave me these along with regular pain medicines. Besides being a little overweight, I'm as healthy as a horse. These gave me the best night's sleep of my life. I couldn't lift my arms and just felt as relaxed as I have ever been in my life! Didn't feel groggy in the morning, totally awesome! I don't take them every night as prescribed, but after living with this pain for so long, I know when there is going to be a bad night (say, after mowing the lawn). I take one before bedtime and voilà! I have a great night's sleep and still feel awesome in the morning! It's a miracle drug!"

• Kayce...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 16, 2020

"Was given this drug to help with moderate, consistent pain from spinal stenosis and herniated discs. Provided zero relief. No side effects and surprisingly helped me sleep so much better that I am continuing it at 400 mg before bedtime just for that reason."

• 1fig
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 19, 2012

"This is amazing medication. It works! It will take around 4-6 weeks (for me it was 4.5 weeks) and then you will notice the pain is greatly reduced. I've read some reviews here that say they are pain-free. I didn't believe it when I first started this medicine, but I sure do now! I take Tramadol with the Gabapentin. I purposely didn't state the doses because everyone is different, so it's not important. I tend to be somewhere about average. Yes, there are side effects, this is a powerful medicine, so it's to be expected. Not much else I can say except it has changed my life. I literally felt like someone gave me a new lease on life!"

• Anonymous
• December 28, 2008

Neurontin (gabapentin) "I live with chronic back and neck pain from an accident. I have been on every narcotic available and now use fentanyl patches. The patches work for everything except the nerve pain in my neck, shoulder, and left arm. I couldn't get any relief from the pain, especially at night trying to sleep. My doctor put me on Neurontin about 2 weeks ago, and what a relief. Amazing that Neurontin took away that pain."

• tasha
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 30, 2017

"Pros: I actually feel the complete opposite from the side effects. Instead of depression or suicidal thoughts, I actually feel relieved and more energetic with motivation. Once the medicine kicked in and took the pain away in my spine, I felt so much relief, and I was able to get up and start cleaning my house and doing things I had trouble doing before. I think this is a great medicine. Cons: I have noticed some weight gain, I have been feeling like I can't get full, I feel like I am always hungry. So I eat, and then I am going to go get out and hike more or something to help with that issue. I have noticed some slight memory loss or forgetfulness. Gingko maybe? Lastly, I have noticed I have constipation and need to use a stool softener."

• Andtora
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 28, 2020

"I have just started using gabapentin for sciatica. I have the usual mix of slipped disks and degenerative spinal issues. This is my first experience of acute sciatica, and it has been horrendous. I cannot stand for more than a minute, and walking is agony. I am a recovering alcoholic (10 years), and opioids worry me a little. The gabapentin is clearly affecting me but doing nothing for the pain. I am getting scared that this could last a long time. It is completely debilitating."

• Mary
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 30, 2020

"I took gabapentin 100 mg dose for pain in my leg for seventeen days. During this time I only took it at night when the pain was worse. After about 11 days, I felt really strange. A couple of days later, I woke in the night, put a jacket on, and had the feeling I was going to jump in a nearby canal. Going outside in the cold air made me aware again. Since then, I have run up to a man thinking he was my dead husband and felt very depressed. I also take lamotrigine for the last six years as I had two unexplained seizures in 2013. Since coming off gabapentin, I have returned to normal."

• lmricci
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 6, 2012

"I was dealing with chronic back pain in my L3 to L5 due to arthritis. I tried different therapies. When my doctor and I found out I'm limited on the type of therapy I can do (long, different story), we discussed pain therapy. I take 900mg of this per day along with 10 mg of Oxycontin twice a day and I am back to my regular routine. I still wake up with minimal back pain but that soon goes away after I'm up and moving around. The added benefit is I also have restless leg syndrome, so I kill two birds at once. And I didn't even know it helped the Restless Legs Syndrome when my doctor prescribed it. I truly hope my good fortune with this medicine continues for a long time."

• Pete
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 13, 2019

"My back problems started 20 years ago. I have been on painkillers for 20 years for back problems. I was told by a spine surgeon that there was no cure for my lower disks that are destroyed. Three months ago, I agreed to try to get pain relief by inserting call jacks, they are inserted between disks to raise them and relieve pain. Two were done on lower disks. I got some relief, and then a month later, my doctor put me on Gabapentin 300 mg twice a day. Bad reaction two nights, then on the third, I just got sleepy. I continued them for a month. I saw my doctor, and I told him I still have pain, and he recommended a spinal cord stimulator. I declined because I had some relief, and I wanted to wait to see if my pain would reduce. Two weeks now, and my pain has reduced a lot. I contribute it to the Gabapentin, my pain medication I still take, but I am going off of it with no effect, I can go 12 hours in-between doses. I hope this continues."

• gotho...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 4, 2017

"Take it from me that has chronic pain for over 35 years and will try anything to get out of pain. My doctor gave me a prescription for gabapentin and wow, what a nightmare after years of taking it!! You will lose your memory!! Please take some advice, get off it as soon as you can. This will ruin your life or memory, that is for sure. Just remember you have been warned. It does not work for pain or nerves like they say!! It's a shame it took me so many years to get away from that junk!"

• 25...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 21, 2017

"This drug has multiple uses. I was prescribed it for social anxiety, as a replacement for the clonazepam (Klonopin) I had been taking for several years. It has very mild but noticeable effects. It sort of grounds you and keeps you calm, but not in a drugged-out way. It also helps you sleep soundly. And for me, it gives my lower back a break of sorts from the constant spectrum of pain and discomfort. This is a kind of miracle drug in a way. I would suggest not drinking more than one alcoholic beverage if taking more than 300 mg at a time, because you might get a little loopy. But it won't make you dizzy and want to vomit like oxycontin or percocet. The potential for abuse exists in my opinion, so talk with your doctor about a treatment regimen."

• Chris
• February 22, 2017

"I've been on this for 2 months. Sometimes the pain in my legs is so bad I want to chop them off. Gabapentin does nothing. I started to have memory issues about a month ago and was never warned about it. Why can they just give me my one Percocet a day and I can go back to work, be pain-free and get my life back? This is awful."

• Suzyi...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 17, 2017

"I have degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, horrible arthritis. I was in the kind of pain that really made me want to end it all. I went to a neurologist and was prescribed gabapentin. It took about a week to get the dose right, but when it kicked in, it was like a miracle! I now function as if I have no physical problems. I can exercise, work, and live my life normally. I know it works differently for different people, but I have no side effects. It works for me."

• Mbs
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 21, 2015

"Took it for Inguinal Hernia (Post-op Pain). Wow. Wow. Wow. That's all I can say. This medicine finally, finally let me have my life back. Back in Oct 2014, I was diagnosed with an inguinal hernia. It really hurt, it felt like someone was always tugging at my testicle (I know, great right?) and groin pain, and I couldn't work out, and it was terrible. Anyway, I had surgery in early Dec 2014, and I definitely felt better, but the testicle pain NEVER went away. I went to the surgeon for 3-4 follow-ups, and some days the pain was better and others worse, but it never went away. Long story short, Gabapentin finally took away 95-99% of the pain. I started the first month on 300mg, 3x a day. Now, after 2 months, I'm going to 600mg 3x a day. It's not perfect, but I'm getting close!"

• Maril...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 4, 2016

"My doctor started me on gabapentin about 4 months ago now for pain from osteoarthritis, and fibromyalgia, and bad knee pain. She had me take 100mg, 3 times a day. Or she said, I could take 1 tablet in the morning and 2 tablets at night, or all 3 tablets at night and nothing else during the day, whatever works for me. Each tablet is 100mg. The medication definitely slows my system down and makes me relaxed and sleepy, so when the pain from my diseases starts to act up, I take my pills according to how I feel and they seem to work for me really well taken that way. No side effects at all from the meds. I told my doctor I did not want any narcotics at all for my pain, as they are addictive and I did not want to be addicted to any pain med."

• Peg
• September 2, 2019

"I started having sciatica months ago and was in a lot of pain in my lower back shooting down to my left calf. Morning was the worst, and my husband had to lift me up from the floor. I was maxing out my Advil and Tylenol at that time. Tramacet worked, but my job requires a lot of driving, and I was too drowsy from Tramacet. My GP decided to put me on Gabapentin 100 mg at night and told me to move it up to 300 mg. It didn’t work on me for the first 3 nights for pain, but put me to sleep very well. I also noticed I was extremely relaxed. Then, at around a week, I noticed a big difference in my sciatic pain. It was down to just 50% of the pain. I was elated. After 2 weeks of taking Gabapentin, my sciatic pain was almost all gone, except with some occasional tingling and numbness in my left foot. I am on 300 mg at night and naproxen 250 mg twice a day. I didn’t get the side effects like other people did and feel very calm and relaxed all the time. Gabapentin works perfectly for me."

• Longn...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 2, 2016

"I've been on it for 1 week now suffering from bad sciatic pain caused by a herniated disc L5-S1. I was taking 6-8 ibuprofen a day and was still in pain. With only the entry dose of 300 mg a day and 2 ibuprofen a day, I can function almost normally until this disc heals... absolutely amazing medication. I don't plan to ramp up to 900 mg a day, getting great results with the 300. I was a little fuzzy the first day, but fine after that."

• Wagren
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 21, 2013

"I've had 5 surgeries on lower back which causes nerve damage and pain and been this way since my first surgery in 1992 or 93 lose count. My Dr. suggested Gabapentin 300 mg 3 times a day. Now I'm not steady on my feet, when walking, I have to hold on to things because of fear of falling. I can't function at the workplace. I have to be alert at all times. I have a lot of drowsiness and dizziness, and this medicine puts me to sleep at all hours. But on a high note, I'm drinking a lot of water, which is a good thing due to cotton mouth. I don't think this is for me."