Gabapentin and Dizziness: What Users Say (Page 4)

• log...
• March 6, 2016

For Pain "I took Gabapentin for 7 months. It did nothing to help the sciatic pain. I kept hoping it would eventually help the pain, but the side effects and getting lost and confused in a familiar place made me quit taking it. I also experienced garbled speech and balance issues. I weaned myself off of it after talking to my doctor. I was having severe memory problems also and hope it gets better."

• Cin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 17, 2020

For Occipital Neuralgia "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 bedtime. 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."

• Mik...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 10, 2015

For Peripheral Neuropathy "At a lower dosage, this worked well for my husband's diabetic foot pain. A higher dosage switch caused him to lose 4 days of memory, during which he was confused, completely off balance, at times delusional, dizzy, as well as talked and walked and ate in his sleep. We will be discussing this with his GP. He went from a 300 mg to an 800 mg."

• Mik...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 10, 2015

For Peripheral Neuropathy "At a lower dosage, this worked well for my husband's diabetic foot pain. A higher dosage switch caused him to lose 4 days of memory, during which he was confused, completely off balance, at times delusional, dizzy, as well as talked and walked and ate in his sleep. We will be discussing this with his GP. He went from a 300 mg to an 800 mg."

• pac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 8, 2013

For Pain "I have Meniere's disease and have had 3 surgeries for it (shunt, VNS (vestibular nerve section), inner ear removal). I have piercing, stabbing pain sporadically throughout the day and constant pain (4-5) most days. It's the cranial nerve X-the vagus nerve that's flaring up or damaged. I've used Demerol (hydrochloride HCL) to control the pain. I asked the pharmacist if there was any way to reach that nerve. He said to ask your doctor about Gabapentin. My doctor immediately knew what it was and thought we should try it. I've been on it for 3 days and haven't had any stabbing yet. It makes me slightly dizzy and headachy. Hence, I don't like taking it unless my ear is over a 5 in pain. I haven't taken Demerol in the past 3 days."

• Mar...
• April 30, 2018

For Hot Flashes "After loving my hormones for hot flashes, I had a little bout with breast cancer last year - very small, low risk, surgery and radiation only. I was very fortunate - so I am dealing with the 5-10 year estrogen-reducing meds and with them. HOT FLASHES TO THE MAX. They came about every 30 minutes, wasn't sleeping, falling asleep on my commute. You know the routine. Was finally prescribed Gabapentin - IT IS A MIRACLE. I have maybe five flashes per DAY and they are definitely less severe. I can live with them. Had a little dizziness and headaches the first week, but they are gone and the Gabapentin started working almost immediately. I wish I had been prescribed this drug when I was complaining to my OB-GYN about hot flashes years ago. BUT, no sense in regretting the past, just enjoying the NOW and looking forward to the future! I am so thankful my oncologist reads up on all the latest alternative uses for medications - I am happy with this new (new to me) alternative."

• Anonymous
• November 9, 2011

For Anxiety "I have been dealing with anxiety, depression, and was diagnosed as bipolar. I have been on Remeron at night to help me sleep and 1 mg of Klonopin 3 times a day. While that did help my depression, my panic attacks and anxiety still were horrible, where I ruined a relationship just a day before I started the gabapentin. Now that I have taken this 3 times a day at 300 mg, I have been able to rationalize and reason much better. I do notice I am a little dizzy at times, but nothing horrible. If I only had this medication earlier, I may not have lost my partner due to my actions."

• Gab...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 30, 2018

For Anxiety "Took 300 mgs of Gabapentin today at 10:29 a.m. Got really dizzy, and my mouth felt a bit puffed up. But, I did not have that much anxiety. My anxiety makes my throat feel like it's going to close, but when I took the gabapentin, I felt a lot better, and now, at 5 p.m., my throat feels fine, my pain is gone, and you know I feel a lot better. Supposed to be taking it three times a day. But, I am VERY scared of taking meds. But, once I found out gabapentin is a neurotransmitter and calms your nervous system, I felt better. Tired too. Maybe might get some sleep finally."

• Fou...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 2, 2020

For Migraine "Suffered from hemiplegic migraines with triggers. If I didn't take medicine immediately after the trigger, I suffered from symptoms that resembled a stroke. Also, had ongoing foggy eyes and vertigo not caused by cataracts nor inner ear. (Al tested.) Prescribed gabapentin after I realized avoiding triggers was not feasible. So, started: 100 mg/night and 100 mg/morning. Took a healthy dose of magnesium & B12 4 hrs after the morning dose to prevent any adverse side effects. My foggy vision and vertigo have disappeared. During the holidays, didn't pack it, the foggy vision appeared with a frontal lobe headache, was able to fix it with Tylenol. (My hemiplegic migraines are typically lower back of head and cannot be cured by any ibuprofen.) Needless to say, it's working. Went back to take medicine and everything cleared up. I am on a gluten-free diet for an autoimmune disorder. Gabapentin helps me lead a normal life without worrying about potential triggers. It works."

• Chr...
• July 31, 2011

For Anxiety "I was prescribed gabapentin when I got diagnosed with bipolar disorder. It was for my panic attacks and anxiety. I went crazy with it the first couple of weeks, taking way more than prescribed, but that was the only way it worked for me. My doctor then upped my dose when I told him about it. He just started me off with the small dose to see how my body reacts to it. I love this medicine! Not to the point of addiction, but because it calms me down and makes me think clearer whenever I freak out. There are no side effects at all for me. No dizziness, no grogginess, no sleepiness. I function normally, I can even drive, work, and study. It has helped me a lot. The dose that works best for me is 1500mg, I don't take it every day anymore, just as needed."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 18, 2012

For Peripheral Neuropathy "Started with 300 mg at night with no significant improvement in symptoms. Second week 300 mg night, 300 mg day. The daytime dose knocked me out, feeling drowsy, dizzy, and fuzzy thinking. Cut back the daytime dose to approximately 150 mg - same results. On top of that, the burning and tingling got worse. Doc had me stop all medicines. Glad that many get wonderful results, but not me. (By the way, I'm not diabetic, no thyroid problems, and no alcohol use)."

• Ter...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 19, 2019

For Anxiety "I started taking gabapentin, 300 mg 3 times a day, about a month ago. At first, it did a lot for my anxiety, although I experienced a lot of side effects: dizziness, bloating, weight gain. I was able to cut way back on my Ativan use. However, the last week, my anxiety has shot through the roof, and I have had to take gabapentin about every two hours instead of four. The side effects have subsided, though. I am going to ask my therapist this Friday whether I should increase my dose or try to get off this drug."

• Ter...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 19, 2018

For Insomnia "I have not been able to sleep on this medication! I couldn't figure out what had changed all of a sudden to make me have insomnia so bad!! I have just started gabapentin for pinched nerve pain, and it's wonderful for that, but I can NOT sleep. I am going to try and just take it in the morning because I don't want it interfering with my trazodone and remeron. I have been miserable for the last week, since starting this. It also causes dizziness. BEWARE! I got up after taking it in the middle of the night and fell over, knocking a bunch of stuff around. I am not on anything else for pain, and my doctor is very reluctant to try anything else. I am at a loss because I wake up in such bad hip pain."

• No ...
• April 6, 2015

For Pain "I am up to 400 mg of Gabapentin, it is effective for my restless legs, but my doctor wants to increase it to see if it will help my severe low back and sciatica pain. My right leg is dragging right now, so there is a lot of inflammation involved. My side effects are severe dry mouth, which is bad as I already have dental problems. I also am dizzy to the point of falling, which reinjures my back, and sleep anywhere, including on the toilet if I get up to use it at night. I want off this pill because I also have a nasty headache."

• Mol...
• October 3, 2019

For Pain "I experienced an extensive DVT in my left leg 10 yrs ago. It caused permanent nerve damage. As full feeling returned to my leg, it also increased my pain level. Doctor started my Gabapentin. Started low with 300 mg capsules at night. Over the years, it has increased to 3-4 times per day. The colder weather causes more pain. The first year I had the light-headed feeling, unsteadiness, blurry eyes, sluggish at times, but the pain was tolerable... it was a blessing. I now take them and no funny feelings."

• yar...
• August 20, 2016

For Pain "I typically have a severe flare-up of sacroiliac joint pain with attending sciatica once a year or so. Mornings are truly the worst; I gave birth med-free to three babies, with 'back labor' each time. That pain is about 2/3 of what this sacroiliac/sciatic pain can be, particularly when standing, walking, and sitting in the morning. Debilitating, searing pain. I'm a nurse, and I also avoid pharmaceuticals in general. The MD suggested gabapentin for sciatica; I am also doing PT. So far, this has given me a good night's sleep with less rotisserie-like spinning. I felt groggy upon rising, kind of fuzzy. The morning dose was taken-- it left me very uncoordinated, blurry, kind of 'spinny'. I won't continue the med. I need a clear mind; also, no real pain relief."

• Ric...
• June 3, 2016

For Insomnia "Zolpidem (Ambien) plus melatonin didn't work very well. I had pain from various conditions, and 5-10 mg of hydrocodone (Norco) helped with the pain, but I don't want to be on narcotics the rest of my life. I tried GABA to help out, at the advice of my sleep doctor. At 600 mg each night, the GABA had no effect at all, so I discontinued usage. Now, however, another doctor has said maybe my dose should be higher, so I've taken 1200 mg each night. Very strong effect at that level, and I slept 9 1/2 hours! However, it took a while before it had any effect, and it left me groggy and dizzy the next morning. Next, I'm going to take 1200 mg at 7 pm instead of 9 pm. I suspect that after a few weeks at this dosage, I'm going to become accustomed to it."

• sea...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 22, 2020

For Migraine "Helps with migraine and anxiety. I was on 600 mg at night. I quit taking it because of side effects. Unfortunately, my headaches and anxiety have come back since I quit. I'm going to see if my doctor can give me a lower dose this time, maybe the side effects won't be so bad. Side effects were dry mouth, blurry vision, eye pain, memory issues, dizziness, and weight gain."

• Wre...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 5, 2020

For Pain "I was prescribed Gabapentin for the burning type pain (I have all types of pain). Gabapentin wasn't prescribed for anxiety. It didn't improve my anxiety or make it worse. Same for insomnia of 25 years. The dose was to be titrated from 100 mg 3x a day to a goal of 1,800 mg a day. After the first 1,200 mg total, all my limbs, face, and internally very swollen. I was in so much pain, it was as if I hadn't taken my other pain meds. I stopped taking it. My doctor and I later decided to go up to 900 mg per day max since I tolerated it, and it really helped neuropathy. Warning - if I forgot to take a dose, about 5-7 hours later I experienced super nausea, dizziness, extreme faintness, weakness, and passing out from standing. My 'addictive' prescriptions never did that to me. If this helps for a while then stops, talk to your doctor about the dosage. Might be time to increase. Gabapentin needs titration up to an optimal dose for you. Titration off is necessary."

• cjo...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 6, 2015

For Anxiety "I started taking gabapentin in treatment as a mood stabilizer. It was extremely effective at first! However, after about a year, it started making me feel dizzy, disoriented, and lightheaded at only 600 mg, so I started to use it for sleep. Now, I take 300 mg paired with my Adderall XR twice a day, and 600 mg at night."

• Joh...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 21, 2019

For Pain "I have two bulging discs in my lower back and have been having pain and numbness in both legs and feet, and even some knee pain, which may not be related to my back pain. I am taking 600 mg at bedtime. It really helps me sleep and relieves my back pain pretty well. It can make you dizzy, but I haven't experienced too much of that. As far as not being able to sleep, it hasn't been my experience. As with any drug, there may be several factors contributing to those feelings and not necessarily the drug itself. Best bet is to always consult your doctor and make sure they know all medications you are taking so as not to take drugs that don't go well with each other."

• Emi...
• February 15, 2011

For Fibromyalgia "I was prescribed gabapentin at 300 mg three times a day. After one week, I'm feeling some relief from my fibromyalgia pain. My upper arms, for example, used to hurt just raising them to brush my hair. That pain is gone. It does still hurt, though, to be pinched in one of the key areas for fibromyalgia pain, like near the elbow. I've only been on the medicine for 10 days and will stick with it to see if in time, all or more of the fibro pain disappears. As to side effects, dizziness and drowsiness are all I've experienced, and those symptoms are annoying, but I can live with them as long as the pain is gone. I've come to accept that to get rid of the pain, I'll have to deal with a couple of inconveniences."

• MiN...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 16, 2016

For Pain "Works okay for my degenerative back joint disease. Only problem I have is headaches, but ibuprofen takes care of that. Slight manageable dizziness and blurred vision. I take about 1800 mg per day. Eat a lot too!!!"

• TJa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 14, 2017

For Peripheral Neuropathy "I have arthritis in my neck, which causes severe nerve pain. I am not a fan of medications. I normally use only alternative medicine. I am taking 300 mg at night. The first night I was knocked out. When I opened my eyes, my first thought was no pain. I got up, and everything started spinning. The dizziness lasted until 3:00 pm. I was glad it was Saturday. I hated the feeling! I thought, okay, I give it a couple of days... During the day, the constant pain was almost not persistent. It started hurting only in certain movements. Overall, pain was a 3. I was able to do all my exercises. 2nd day, dizziness reduced, pain level 3. Still not comparable. Mood is better without the severe pain. I was given an anti-inflammatory, celecoxib 200 mg."

• min...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 2, 2019

For Pain "Very effective on nerve pain in my leg due to having 28 surgeries. It does not affect the other pains present in my leg (i.e., muscle, tendon, ligaments, numbness), but I noticed a huge impact on my nerve pain. I do not think it will help you much for pain unless your pain is nerve-related. My only negative long-lasting effects were weight gain and slow metabolism. The other negative effects went away after 6 months (i.e., blurry vision, dizziness, brain fog, difficulty waking up)."