Gabapentin and Headaches: What Users Say

• chu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 26, 2020

For Insomnia "I have been taking 200mg Gabapentin for 2 weeks to help with sleep and anxiety. The first week, I had my concerns. Dry mouth, headache, and dizzy. But I stuck with it and continued to take it since it was helping with my sleep. Now after 2 weeks, I am having no side effects and sleep well. I go to sleep easily and stay asleep for 7-8 hours. I am feeling calmer during the day, my anxiety is much better. For me, I'd have to grade this med a 10."

• som...
• May 18, 2013

Gabapentin for Pain "I've been on Neurontin for almost 4 months, and it has given me relief for chronic pelvic pain. 300mg at night and 100mg mid-day was the initial dose, and at present, I'm on 300mg at night only. It has made the pain bearable, however, the side effects have been lethargy, headaches, aching eyes, and dreaming so vivid it leaves me hung over. I'm hoping this will improve with time. It has helped with the pain."

• Ltb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 24, 2020

For Pain "NOT happy. Was given this to take at night only for nerve pain. Have bulging disc and pinched nerve. Did absolutely nothing positively, but am having horrible side effects and am going to stop it. Memory loss, grogginess throughout the day, fuzzy thinking, headache, eye pain."

• Dr ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 16, 2014

For Pain "I have had ruptured discs in the middle of my back as well as two ruptured in the lower spine around the hip area. Had severe pain for years with therapy, and many medications. I have been on Norco 10/325 four to six times daily for about 5 years now and it has become very minor help now. I think I'm getting immune to it after so many years. I started the Gabapentin and now am up to 600mg three times daily. I have some side effects such as dizziness, sweating, confusion, and headaches, but it is beginning to reduce the pain level to almost tolerable. I've only been on it for a couple of weeks but hope it will increase the pain management where I can reduce the Norco to once or twice a day. Thanks for the reviews above. They have helped me."

• Sma...
• July 12, 2016

For Fibromyalgia "People often feel inclined to share negative experiences, so I thought I would add my positive one in case anybody feels encouraged. I have Fibro, POTs, scoliosis, complex regional pain syndrome, and a few other minor issues. I work part-time and am a single mum (not all partners wish to hang around once you get poorly lol). I spent many years struggling with my symptoms, but a new doctor invited me to try Gabapentin. I worked up to a dose of 900mg twice a day and 1200mg at night. I have to say I would not be without it. Gone are the restless legs which kept me awake at night, gone is the interminable insomnia, irritable bladder, IBS flares... My pains are dulled. I didn't get headaches, I don't feel dizzy beyond my normal POTs symptoms. I rate it!"

• Joh...
• July 3, 2015

For Anxiety "Following surgery for prostate cancer and 3 months later, the possibility of duodenal cancer (biopsy tested negative), however, surgery was recommended. I was having severe anxiety and panic attacks. This lasted 3 1/2 years, during which I tried numerous SSRIs and SNRIs, all with no effect. In fact, it made it worse, for example, suicidal ideation, greater bouts of anxiety, headaches, diarrhea. Ativan did help significantly, but all the negativity started to raise my anxiety just taking it. I finally just took it despite all this negativity. Thankfully, my pDoc continued my prescription, and I was able to live a better quality of life. I was then asked to try an 'off-label' medication, Gabapentin. After 2 weeks, it did wonders!! Highly recommend!!"

• Smu...
• November 8, 2013

For Fibromyalgia "I have tried just about everything to manage my Fibromyalgia pain, and taking Percocet 24/7 was the only thing keeping me functional. The doctor put me on Gabapentin in an effort to wean me off the Percocet. So far, it's working, and I'm taking much less of the Percocet. I have 400mg/3x a day for typical days, and she prescribed 600 mg for my bad days. However, the 600 mg makes me feel very spacey and unable to focus, slightly headachey. It does help with the pain though. The pain is not gone completely, but I can function. Best I can hope for, I guess."

• squ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 27, 2016

For Fibromyalgia "I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia back in the mid-90s but didn't treat it till I started to feel so bad in 2000, and I had to work, so I was on Prox-y-propanate for several years till it was pulled from the market. I was then on Vicodin 4 times a day, and it worked great. However, many people have abused it or died from mixing it with other drugs, so my doctor pulled me off and put me on Tizanidine, which gave me headaches and heartburn. After that, I was switched to Clonidine, which made me tired and gave me a terrible dry cough. Finally, I was prescribed Gabapentin, which has been awesome. I also take Duloxetine, and together they have me feeling great. I can go to my exercise classes every day, and the energy is amazing. Remember to try everything, don't give up!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 25, 2016

For Fibromyalgia "I'm a 45-year-old female, diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome since 2000. I have been on many different medications to ease my pain. About 3 months ago, I started taking gabapentin and can honestly say that I feel so much better. I take 300mg during the day and 600mg at bedtime. I sleep well, and my pain has decreased tremendously. It does give me headaches, but I take 1000mg of extra strength Tylenol, and the headache is gone. Plus, it helps the gabapentin work longer, so I'm grateful. I haven't gained any weight, but I sometimes experience pain in my fingers, they get stiff. Overall, I'm thankful for this medication and will continue to take it as long as it works for my body."

• Ric...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 15, 2015

For Peripheral Neuropathy "Extreme peripheral neuropathy in both legs from knee down. Without drug I have extreme burning sensation and muscle cramps in those areas. I had been on 60 mg. Methadone for about 20 years for joint and muscle pain. When I first took Gabapentin, I got side effects of extreme nausea, headaches, and general around not feeling well so I stopped taking the Gabapentin. A new doctor insisted I stopped taking the Methadone pending an electric neural stimulator insertion to my spine. I detoxed from the Methadone at 5 mg. a week and after twelve weeks, I was off it. When I started taking the Gabapentin, it worked superbly, problems reduced about 90-95%. Shift to 40-50 mg. Percocet per day took care of joint/muscle pain about as well as Methadone."

• ESt...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 25, 2020

For Migraine "I was given gabapentin to help with neuropathy in my foot. As a migraine sufferer, this had severe side effects. It actually caused me the worst migraine I've ever had. It caused me to go to the ER for treatment. Side effects were severe headache with nausea, vomiting, and light sensitivity. I will never, ever take this medicine again for any reason."

• 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."

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

For Fibromyalgia "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."

• Dis...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 28, 2021

For Pain "Not only did this medication (600 mg once a day, not before bed) not help my pain as much as hoped, but it actually caused other problems, like burning eyes, burning skin on my arms, legs, and face, blue fingernails, swollen hands and legs, pain on washing and drying hands and wearing clothes that I have worn for years, and waking up with and spending all day with an intractable headache so bad I thought I was having a mini-stroke, plus brain fog, walking instability, memory loss, feeling super cold. I finally realized that gabapentin must be behind all this and tapered to half on the advice of my provider. Been only 2 days of tapering and many of the side effects, e.g., burning eyes, handwashing pain, dizziness, and headache have gone, plus my brain is so clear, something I haven't felt in the 2.5 months on this medication. Was told to do a week to 10 days on 300 mg and then stop, which I will definitely do. WILL NEVER TAKE THIS MEDICATION AGAIN!"

• Van...
• September 6, 2014

For Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy "I was put on this for diabetic nerve pain. The starting dose was 300 mg twice a day. On the starting dose, I found I was slightly moody, had some stomach problems, and the nerve pain was just as bad as ever, if not continuing to get worse. My doctor raised the dose to 600 twice a day, and I became someone I did not even know. I was extremely moody, angry, difficult to be around. Horrid! It also affected my stomach more. I would eat, even just a small amount, and have stomach pain, vomiting, and so on. It got so bad I simply stopped eating. I simply lost the desire to eat, despite feeling hungry. Started having trouble with vision and intense headaches as well. There has to be another option. I can't live like this."

• Mia...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 31, 2013

For Migraine "My 11-year-old was prescribed gabapentin for chronic headaches, but several days of this medication seemed to exacerbate his problem. He had many more headaches and rated them as very painful on this medication. We had to stop taking it after about a week because he had so many headaches."

• 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."

• Lol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 22, 2017

For Insomnia "Gabapentin is the best medication for insomnia, in my opinion. If you want a solid 9-10 hour deep, refreshing sleep, I recommend combining it with Tegretol (carbamazepine). However, Gabapentin on its own is great for insomnia. I have sleep maintenance problems. I go off to sleep without any trouble, it is staying asleep that is the problem. Waking up after 2-3 hours, I go to work feeling like a zombie. I also suffer from tension headaches, it's horrible. Gabapentin is great for both going to sleep and staying asleep for several hours. I seem to nod off to sleep and then dream constantly, but Gabapentin has stopped that in its tracks. Some people say they have vivid dreams, not me. Gabapentin helps me to have a great, deep sleep."

• Anonymous
• December 13, 2010

For Fibromyalgia "I was started on 300 mg at night for a week, then 600 mg, up to 1800 mg at night. I loved it in the first week and a half (it erased most of my pain and my anxiety!), but then I got headaches from the 600 mg dosage. I stopped for a week, then began again with 100 mg in the morning, 100 mg in the afternoon, and sometimes 100 mg at night. It works! A lot less pain, a lot less anxiety, and my negative thoughts seemed to have mostly disappeared. I exercise, work, and live like normal. I recommend this medicine highly, but start slow. I like taking it midday when my pain starts to kick in, taking a huge dosage at night makes me groggy in the morning."

• Ran...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 4, 2019

For Neuropathic Pain "I began gabapentin 100 mg nightly for nerve symptoms in my middle back after spine surgery. I was hopeful it would help me sleep and end the twitching. The first week I slept but had a headache. The second week I seemed to be adjusting. No more headaches and sleeping well. By the end of the third week my mouth was parched and I was starving in the middle of the night, so I stopped taking it. My appetite returned to normal, and my mouth was no longer dried out. A short time later I experienced sciatica in my right leg, so I tried gabapentin again. It helped the pain in my leg, but after just three days on it, I experienced horrific lumbar pain like I had been hit with a shovel. I discontinued use of gabapentin again. I could only take it as needed at bedtime, 100-200 mg, for sciatica. Taking it during the day was not good for me as it caused me to become anxious after the med left my body. I took gabapentin sporadically for five months."

• 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."

• DBG...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 1, 2019

For Anxiety "At first, I thought gabapentin was great; it seemed like it was helping with my anxiety, and I had zero urge to drink alcohol for the first time in forever. Only problem is that after a few months, I turned into a ZOMBIE! I felt foggy all the time. I had trouble waking up in the morning and always felt like I had this nasty headache. It got hard for me to remember things; I could have a conversation with someone and not remember what it was about an hour later. I had to stop taking it because it was affecting my work; I was constantly spacing things and forgetting to, y'know, do my job. The withdrawal was BAD. I experienced increased anxiety and a creepy-crawly sensation on my skin for several days. Wish it worked out better for me because the original effects were great."

• jan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 15, 2018

For Pain "A useless pain killer. I am on 1500 mg a day with no pain relief. I have had spine surgery and been on this drug before and after, with no relief. It has given me headaches, no appetite, thinking, and now also depressed. Also, I am tired all the time, my vision has really gotten bad. I am going to get off this rotten drug and try to stand the 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."

• tca...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 23, 2016

For Hot Flashes "After surgical menopause a year ago, I had the hot flashes from hell, at least every 20-30 minutes, plus night sweats and no sleep because of night sweats, so I started taking estradiol, and that eliminated all of it. But I was getting really bad headaches, and I gained some lbs, so I stopped that and read up on other medications that could reduce or eliminate hot flashes and came upon gabapentin. It helps a lot, I still get hot flashes but only a couple times a day and no more night sweats. The only thing is I'm afraid of weight gain, but sometimes you have to take the lesser of the two evils. I take 200 mg at night, and that seems to do the job. Love it!"