Gabapentin and Drowsiness: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Esk...
• August 5, 2016

For Pain "I have suffered from pain in both legs related to arthritis in my knees, ankles, and toes. My doctor prescribed gabapentin 300 mg (one capsule daily for one week; then twice daily and thereafter). I got immediate relief from the pain and discomfort. I felt some minor dizziness and sleepiness, but these effects were not lasting. I am keen to know if gabapentin will be permanently added to the list of medications."

• Mar...
• July 22, 2016

For Insomnia "I'm going to echo what most of the other posters here have said and say that Gabapentin can be effective for insomnia, but with a few caveats. I was prescribed 300 mg/night by my doctor to help with insomnia induced by opiate withdrawals after recovering from surgery, and on the first few nights, it seemed to work reasonably well. However, I did notice that my tolerance to its sedating effects built up rapidly, and by night 4 on 300 mg, my insomnia reared its stubborn head again. By night 6, I was determined to sleep well, so I upped my dose to 600 mg. The result was the first solid 8-hour block of sleep I've had in over a month, but after only two nights of quality rest, I woke up at 2:30 am again today. So, beware of tolerance build-up!"

• Mum...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 9, 2019

For Pain "I have been suffering with chronic pain due to tendinitis in various joints in my body. I have rheumatoid arthritis (I’m 48). I have been taking co-codamol and naproxen. The flare-ups have been constant. I also take methotrexate. I started taking 100 mg of gabapentin once a day for three days, then one twice a day. The pain was gone after 3 days! I don’t think I need to be on 2 a day. The side effects for me are a little strange. Very bad, violent nightmares that feel so real, leaving me in tears and feeling off all day. Fatigue, sedation, foggy brain, and slurred speech, almost like being drunk but not in a good way. The side effects apparently lessen as you go on. I’m seeing my GP soon and will discuss dosage. If 100 mg works for me, then I’ll stick to that. Oh, headaches and a cardboard feeling in my mouth. The tiredness is overwhelming. I want it to work as I don’t want to be in pain anymore. Good luck, everyone."

• meg...
• July 8, 2014

For Restless Legs Syndrome "I've been taking 1800 mg of gabapentin for restless legs since April of this year. It has been wonderful. Plus, I get a tad drowsy, but, alas, there is a problem: weight gain. I've been on a 1200 calorie diet and I continue to gain weight. 15 lbs since the end of April. What to do?"

• Lay...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 29, 2022

For Anxiety "After ten years of trying out three SSRIs, it turns out I'm genetically treatment-resistant to them? Had discontinuation syndrome from Lexapro, even with a slow taper, and that triggered me into a week-long panic attack and two trips to the ER. I had no interest in opening the Pandora's box that is benzos to manage, not that those are even easy to get prescribed, but NOTHING was quieting my mind, and things were starting to feel dire. My psychiatrist prescribed me 300 mg doses of gabapentin to manage, and I can't believe how effective this medication has been for me. It quiets my mind within an hour of taking it and peps me up, which is VERY useful for someone with ADHD. It also never made me drowsy, even the first dose. I hope it doesn't stop working like so many other meds have."

• WBa...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 15, 2019

For Migraine "I have struggled with migraines since the early '90s. Aleve always helped (and still does for headaches). But starting in 2009, my migraines were accompanied by vertigo with violent episodes of vomiting that were completely debilitating. Very little warning, less than 30 minutes, and I had to lay flat, not move, or I would be sick. Barometric changes seem to bring them on, but not always. I went to an ENT doctor who diagnosed them as vestibular migraines since I had ear ringing and fullness as a prelude to the vertigo. I had several episodes a year for 6 years until in 2015 I was getting them every 2 weeks or so. I was referred to a neurologist who specializes in migraines, and she prescribed Gabapentin. I started out on 300 mg and now I take 1200 mg every day. I take the pills at night because they make me drowsy. I take them 2 hours before bedtime because that is when the drowsiness kicks in. I have not had any of the violent episodes since being on Gabapentin nor any migraines."

• gma...
• October 16, 2009

For Anxiety "I have just started taking Gabapentin and it has been very effective in leveling me out so I can better handle daily life stress and crisis. It doesn't seem to have any conflicts with several other medicines I take. It may make you drowsy, but I'm very impressed with the results so far. I take three 300 mg capsules per day. I'm very glad my doctor prescribed this drug."

• ski...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 28, 2012

For Pain "I have a herniated disc at C6 and a pinched nerve that shoots pain down my left arm. I started taking Neurontin 300 mg once a day for a week, then two a day the 2nd week, and now 3 a day. I'm a local truck driver, so reading your reviews had me worried. When I started this medicine, my doc also started me on Robaxin. Everything was okay until the 2nd week. I got the high feeling for about that whole day. Then the third week, same thing. I stopped taking the Robaxin cause it leaves me groggy and unfocused. I have ALMOST no pain in my arm after 3 weeks on Neurontin, even after I stopped taking the Robaxin. This medicine is awesome. I had doubts about its effectiveness until reading your comments. Thank you everyone. It doesn't affect my driving ability after I stopped the Robaxin."

• spi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 2, 2015

Gabapentin for Restless Legs Syndrome "My restless leg syndrome results in cramp-like pains that nothing seems to help. Until I took 300 mg of Gabapentin. It definitely took care of the pain, but it left me feeling drunk the next morning! I was staggering when I walked and had great difficulty waking up. This lasted for several hours after I woke up. Thankfully, this only happened the first couple of times that I took Gabapentin. Unfortunately, it was only effective at 300 mg for about two weeks. I was supposed to move up to two capsules (600 mg total) after the first week, but I hadn't out of fear of the side effects and at first it seemed unnecessary. Once the pain came back, I added the 2nd capsule and the tired, groggy feeling lasted all day! I'm not going to keep taking it."

• Anonymous
• February 29, 2012

Gabapentin for Peripheral Neuropathy "At first I slept for about a week and every time I would increase the dosage, same effect. I've been taking it for over four years and the side effects are less severe than some other medicines. It does not rid the pain but makes it manageable."

• Kic...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 5, 2016

For Restless Legs Syndrome "A must-try for RLS. Had RLS for 7 years and was always told it was in my head. After that long leaving my RLS, it was getting worse, and I was showing signs of depression, so I booked myself in with the docs (thought I would be put on antidepressants). I was offered to try gabapentin first to get rid of the cause of depression symptoms. They made me feel drowsy, tired, and clumsy for about 2 weeks, and I started getting used to them. But I slowly noticed my legs weren't driving me insane! They were relaxing for once. When my mind was relaxed, my legs were too! I have been on them a few months now, and it feels great to be able to sleep and not kick around all the time. I feel happier in myself and great to have my legs and brain communicating properly."

• Hap...
• December 22, 2016

For Pain "Severe burning nerve pain from shingles on the side of my face and scalp. Pain was so severe it broke me down. Standard pain medications (Tylenol, etc.) were not strong enough to take even the edge off my pain. Doctor prescribed this. Took two days to fully work. Now I'm approx. 90% pain-free. Taking 300 mg three times a day. When I first started taking it, it right away made me very drowsy--enough to overshadow the pain to get a bit of sleep. I was grateful for at least that. This drug also has a nice relaxing effect. It still makes me drowsy. I'm okay with that as it is helping me rest so I can recover. I know drugs don't work for everyone, but I'm grateful it is working for me. Winter 2016."

• Ton...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 22, 2019

For Migraine "Diagnosed with migraines 20+ years ago and have been practically crippled by it, but now Gabapentin is working well for me, finally. Initially, I was advised to take 800 mg of ibuprofen at the onset, which kind of worked if I took it in this tiny window of time. Before Gabapentin, I found out on my own that using cannabis was helpful. . . I don't have any problem with anyone smoking weed but don't like feeling trapped into smoking it constantly myself. Made me kind of weird socially, also forgetful and lazy. Also, obviously, weed wasn't legal anywhere in the U.S. for all of those two decades. Recently, Gabapentin has allowed me to stop using daily cannabis to prevent/treat migraines. I feel a little dopey but not nearly as much as when I constantly smoked weed. Nothing else ever helped at all, including Topamax, which was a nightmare. I'm not paid by anyone or have any agenda with this, only hoping to help others in my same situation."

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

For Fibromyalgia "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."

• Gra...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 21, 2016

For Peripheral Neuropathy "I have been on Neurontin for over ten years. I suffered nerve damage following a knee replacement. I have pain in the knee and pain that radiates down the leg into my foot. I take 600 mg 5 times a day. I have bad days and not so bad days, but the pain is NEVER gone. I could not live without this medicine as it at least curbs the pain. The only side effect I can speak of is sleepiness. But it is not bad, and on a busy day, I can rise above it."

• Mea...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 1, 2019

For Pain "I have very painful non-essential neuropathy of the feet. (No good reason) Neurontin helps my foot pain a lot, but I seem to still have plenty of pain to go around. I’m on 600 mg at bedtime 10:30, and it also helps me sleep! It helps me sleep so well that I can’t drive in the mornings or early afternoon (on the highways) because I fall asleep behind the wheel. My prescription continues to say I am to take 3 per day. I would nap my life away. Also, I’ve noticed the longer I’ve been on it, the more I notice my memory isn’t as sharp, which is hopefully just because I’m tired. But it works better than Lyrica, and hopefully, it isn’t addictive. It does help, though."

• cap...
• October 9, 2009

Gabapentin for Pain "I have a herniated disc as well as severe arthritis in my shoulders and arms. I have had many days of severe pain and restless nights, very painful mornings while being on many different narcotics that didn't help very much. After starting Neurontin, the pain has almost completely gone. I am still on Roxicodone, but the Neurontin has made all the difference in the world. I can raise my arms above my head, something I haven't done in months. It does make me a little sleepy, but I am sure that will go away, I have only been taking it for a week now. My opinion is to take it at night, everyone needs a good night's sleep anyway. It is great for me."

• She...
• January 27, 2016

For Restless Legs Syndrome "I first started experiencing restless leg when I was 17. I'm 23 now. I immediately went to the doctor as I was wanting to literally claw my face off and stab my leg multiple times. I was put on ropinirole 0.5, then 1, then 2. It began making me very anxious at night to the point I was extremely agitated. It increased my anxiety tremendously right before I was prescribed gabapentin. I have dexter scoliosis and osteoarthritis in my back affecting my sciatic nerve. It sucks for my nerve pain but works WONDERS for my restless leg. I love it. I currently take 600 mg in the AM and 900 mg in the PM. The drowsiness is more at night vs. in the AM, but it still makes me quite drowsy. I don't care. As long as the RLS is gone!!"

• Hyp...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 2, 2017

For Insomnia "Gabapentin gives me a nice sleep with good dreams. Some dreams are vivid even. If I do wake up, I'm in a decent to good mood. 200-300 mg per night. Morning fog and grogginess is not bad at all. Best sleep aid I know of. I've also tried Trazodone, which is a bit too heavy and gives poor dream quality. I'll stick with gabapentin until I find a better one. Daytime meds are levothyroxine and Concerta."

• G9a...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 28, 2015

For Pain "Took one 300mg pill 1 hour before bed last night (around 10 pm) and have been regretting it ever since. Did not sleep due to vivid dreams (3D Alice in Wonderland type). Extremely irritable, mood swings every 5 minutes, groggy, eating non-stop since last night. To top it all off, my pain is still here. Dr. prescribed this to me for pain in my knees, legs, feet (can barely walk without holding on to something), arms, wrists, and hands (hurt so much I'm unable to grasp anything with my right hand). Been taking Norco 5/325 2x a day for the past 2 years for left shoulder pain due to a car accident, which worked well for that, but like any other medication you take for a long period of time, it stopped working. I will not try this again. Best of luck."

• jan...
• July 15, 2009

For Restless Legs Syndrome "I take 200mg of generic gabapentin in the early evening and have had my restless leg syndrome symptoms greatly reduced. I sleep through the night now, something I have not done in years. Side effects have been sleepiness, dizziness, and memory loss, but are minor compared with the benefits."

• Woo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 19, 2018

For Pain "I had knee replacement surgery 5 years ago... pain ever since, along with nerve pain down to the toes. 5 years of T3's and now a new smart doctor thought gabapentin might work in the right dose. Gradually went from 100 mg 3x a day, then 200 mg 3x a day, then 300 mg, etc. Found I was getting a bit sleepy, but still no effect on the pain. That is, until I started taking 400 mg 3x daily. Drowsiness went, and pain went. Things aren't perfect, there's been 5 years of limping, back and hip pain (from limping), but the back and hip now are without pain, because I can now walk without the pain and limping. I've got to build strength back in my leg, but yippee! I can do that. Maybe it's just a matter of getting to the right dose and I guess each person may need different doses. But the 1,200 mg per day works for me... and I had thought nothing would."

• Woo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 19, 2018

For Pain "I had knee replacement surgery 5 years ago... pain ever since, along with nerve pain down to the toes. 5 years of T3's and now a new smart doctor thought gabapentin might work in the right dose. Gradually went from 100 mg 3x a day, then 200 mg 3x a day, then 300 mg, etc. Found I was getting a bit sleepy, but still no effect on the pain. That is, until I started taking 400 mg 3x daily. Drowsiness went, and pain went. Things aren't perfect, there's been 5 years of limping, back and hip pain (from limping), but the back and hip now are without pain, because I can now walk without the pain and limping. I've got to build strength back in my leg, but yippee! I can do that. Maybe it's just a matter of getting to the right dose and I guess each person may need different doses. But the 1,200 mg per day works for me... and I had thought nothing would."

• Myk...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 18, 2015

For Fibromyalgia "I am on 100 mg of gabapentin. When I read on the drug info that it may cause drowsiness, I took it before bedtime. Well, it was four hours before I could fall asleep! So I skipped a day and started taking it in the morning, much better! It has topped my tingling in my toes and fingers, as well as the aching in my legs. I do notice it comes back late afternoon, so I will have to start to take a second pull then also. This medication has my stamp of approval so far."

• Nig...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 25, 2017

For Hot Flashes "Continuous hot flashes at least one an hour during the day and at least 5 to 6 during the night, waking me up, over the last year. Was required to stop estrogen patch after breast cancer scare one year ago, and cold turkey on the hormones sent hot flashes, sleeplessness, and irritability off the charts. Gabapentin was prescribed and was an immediate success at stopping the night sweats and hot flashes. I took it at night and it worked wonders... I finally switched to a PPO insurance plan so I could choose my own OBGYN. (Was previously on an HMO and no doctors would provide any help or relief from hormone issues.) Gabapentin stopped hot flashes and insomnia within 2 days."