Gabapentin and Insomnia: What Users Say (Page 2)

• mjg...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 22, 2025

For Bipolar Disorder "I've been on gabapentin for 10 years now. It helps tremendously with my mood, anxiety, and also my pain in my knee. What I didn't know is if I didn't have it, I would go through severe withdrawal. And when I say severe, I couldn't sleep for 3 days. I sweated tremendously, every muscle and bone in my body hurt. No one told me this when I first was prescribed this, so now I have to take it every day. If I miss one day, the withdrawals hit right away. That's the only complaint I have about gabapentin."

• pul...
• May 23, 2015

For Insomnia "Great medication. I acquired RLS from abrupt discontinuation of benzodiazepines, and this has been the only thing that helps. Ambien on its own doesn't put me to sleep, but 5 mg in conjunction with 400 mg of Neurontin helps me so much. I've had insomnia almost every night for the past 2 months, and I am so glad my doctor prescribed me this!!!"

• Imp...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 11, 2016

For Hot Flashes "After surgical menopause kicked in, I experienced severe and debilitating hot flashes. Upon speaking to my PCM, I was prescribed gabapentin. I took it at night, so I had a restful night's sleep. I no longer had the hot flashes during the day either, so happy! However, I saw my GYN to discuss other possibilities; estrodial was the choice at that time. Unfortunately, the hot flashes started back up as soon as I stopped taking the gabapentin. I tried to stay with the hormone, but after a month of sleepless nights and severe hot flashes, I gave up! My choice most definitely is the gabapentin, no question about it!!!!"

• 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."

• Esk...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 28, 2015

For Fibromyalgia "I have been taking gabapentin for relief of fibromyalgia for two and a half years. At first, the medication worked tremendously well. However, in the beginning, it relieved my migraines, but now my migraines are back so badly and are so much worse than ever before. I also have horrible vision now, cannot sleep, and my depression is severe. I go back to my neurologist on May the 11th, and I am going to insist that he change my medication and get me off this gabapentin as it is not effective anymore. I believe from experience long-term use is not a great idea!"

• Los...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 19, 2016

For Anxiety "Gabapentin has been working wonders for my anxiety and fibromyalgia, or maybe it's just because I can't stay awake long enough to feel a damn thing. I hate the living hell out of this pill. I have been trying to taper off of it for weeks now, and I'm in hell. Extreme abdominal pain. Can't actually sleep longer than 2 hours at a time, and when I'm awake, I feel like death. I can't focus or remember anything at all. This is truly hell."

• Red...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 27, 2018

For Fibromyalgia "I’ve been using gabapentin for 15 years. I was on 1200 mg, all I did was sleep and lived in a brain fog. I am on 900 mg now, and I can’t sleep. Of course, still brain fog and in pain. Not quite sure what medication is good for fibromyalgia. I have tried several other medications, for me, nothing has really helped - unless I want to sleep all the time, in which case the gabapentin is fantastic."

• Dot...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 5, 2020

For Hot Flashes "I started taking 300 mg just in the evening, but was still having hot flashes and insomnia. My doctor raised it to 600 mg just at bedtime. No more hot flashes. Taking 600 mg once a day stops my hot flashes for 24 hours. Amazing medicine!"

• GMF...
• September 23, 2016

For Insomnia "Originally, I was prescribed this and meloxicam as a two-pronged approach for pain, and it has reduced my opioid dosages. Let's say my pain management doctor had me on levels greater than those given to cancer patients. When my PM increased it to that level, my primary took over. First, I was taking gabapentin 200 mg 3x. However, I was still having sleep issues. She sent me to a neurologist, and she changed how I take it, keeping the dosage. Now, I take 200 mg at noon and 400 mg two hours before I go to sleep. What a difference it made. And it still helps with pain management as it was originally prescribed. Due soon for an increase. It helped reduce my opioid dosage."

• con...
• November 30, 2016

For Neuropathic Pain "My husband has been taking 3600 mg of gabapentin for about 4 or 5 months now. He has been on a lower dose (1800 mg) in the past. It has helped lessen his nerve damage pain but still in pain. I have noticed severe behavior and mood changes. He has become very irritable, aggressive, moody, depressed (confused, numb, lost), lower back pain (as if his back doesn't decompress when he lays down), trouble sleeping, suspicious, and distrust. This medication may help nerve pain but is a huge relationship killer."

• 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."

• Clo...
• January 14, 2013

For Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy "The medicine was prescribed for diabetic neuropathy of the feet, it worked in alleviating the pain in my feet. I gained weight while taking it but did not know why. About 3 months ago, I stopped it, and since then I have lost 25 lbs not trying to lose weight. I do have a little problem of insomnia since stopping, but not enough to take a sleeping pill. I wish I had known about the weight loss from stopping the medicine before now, as I thought there was really something wrong with me while dropping the weight."

• Nac...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 17, 2016

For Fibromyalgia "It honestly helps a lot for my nerve pain. I get it super bad in my arms, and it helps so much. I only notice the pain if I don't take it. I take right now 900 mg. I would be in so much more pain without this. It's a blessing. Also, I, for some reason, never get tired from this. I never get tired or anything and can take it in the morning if I forget. It does nothing for my insomnia. Idk if I have a rare reaction to it or what, but my doctor finds it funny. Ha ha."

• the...
• August 2, 2017

For Anxiety "After a 4-day hospitalization for anxiety and to reduce prescription drug usage, I was disturbed by the zombifying drugs I was prescribed (Trazodone, Abilify, Lithium). I'd been having a very hard time leaving my house and answering the phone. I was eventually prescribed gabapentin while I continued to titrate off of Xanax. While I've started craving sweets and drinking sodas (I ate an entire cake in 24 hours), I am feeling much better. It does not, however, help me sleep. I try to take my last dose before 6 pm. I experimented last night and took it right before bed and I woke up every couple of hours. I have unusual reactions to meds and adjust my expectations and understanding of side effects. This is a helpful drug for anxiety."

• Inc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 19, 2014

For Insomnia "I've had insomnia for 30 years. Started taking gabapentin. Well, I'm up at 3:00, and I will never fall asleep. It has made my insomnia worse. Racing heartbeat, skipping beats, tongue is swollen, facial skin has a rash. Plus, red, itching eyes and stomach noise feels uncomfortable. I'm really very disappointed with these side effects so soon. I would be doing myself so much harm to continue this medication. I'm glad it works for people who are saved from this awful plight of acute insomnia."

• pan...
• November 8, 2016

For Fibromyalgia "I have fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome for 30 yrs. I have, like most, tried every drug under the sun, and none have really worked. Even at very high doses, pain meds do nothing for my pain. I decided to try gabapentin because I read it would help with the insomnia and hopefully stop some of the pain. I stopped all pain meds and started at 100 mg at night. Yes, I have slept, yes, it has relieved some of the pain, yes, I am like a zombie during the day, no, I will not continue it. But I feel it is worth a shot for everyone with FMS or CFS, as I see it has helped many."

• Jav...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 6, 2015

For Pain "Knocked me out to sleep the first 2-3 nights I took it, at 300 mg. As the weeks increased, so did my dosage of 300 mg up per week until I reached 1,800 mg. 2 in the morning, 4 at bedtime... No way could I sleep. My mind constantly racing. Can't be having that..."

• Kim...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 14, 2016

For Insomnia "I take phentermine 37.5, and a side effect is horrible insomnia. I went almost a solid two weeks before I called my doctor to help me find something that would keep me sleeping through the night. She gave me GABA. I take it 30 minutes prior to when I want to get to sleep with my 75 mg of topiramate and my spironolactone, and within the hour, I'm out. I'm very sensitive to medication also. But I woke up feeling refreshed and not at all zombie-like. I woke up at 2 a.m. to give my son a bottle and a diaper change, with no problem waking up and going back to sleep. I've only taken this medicine for four nights, but I'm very happy with it so far! As I said, I am very sensitive to medication, so finding one that doesn't make me have lingering side effects is great!"

• Gyp...
• June 9, 2016

For Fibromyalgia "I have a love-hate relationship with this drug! I have been on and off this medicine multiple times in the past 5 years. At the beginning, I saw tremendous relief in my FM symptoms that only lasted about 3 years. It was up and down with changing the dosage because, for me, weight gain on this pill is ridiculous, so my doctor kept me on the lowest dose until I needed a little more. So my dosage was anywhere from 300 mg x 2 or x 3 daily. All this changed in year 4 when I went into a horrible flare-up during winter, and not even gabapentin could fix it. I noticed that it just stopped working for me. P.S. Withdrawals are horrible: anxiety, insomnia, hot/cold spells, stomach issues, fatigue, nausea, muscle cramps. Best wishes to all withdrawing, hang in there, it gets better!"

• Guy...
• December 16, 2020

For Alcohol Withdrawal "I have had alcohol problems for 40 years and was never able to stop for more than a few weeks. I have been taking gabapentin 100 mg, 3 times a day, and 15 mg of mirtazapine at bedtime. Gabapentin is amazing. I can finally sleep and think before I drink, like my mind is not running all the time at 100 miles an hour. It's been 6 months now, and I can finally say I have a life."

• Myb...
• July 11, 2016

For Benign Essential Tremor "I've had ET since my late 30s and am in my early 60s now. My doctor put me on gabapentin for neuralgia following shingles. We saw it just about stopped my tremors. I've been on 300 mg since then, but after the first year, it's getting worse where the present dosage is no longer helping. I'm not sure going up a dose will work. It took me 6 months where I wasn't sleeping constantly. The tremors are in my hands, and my left is worse, but thankfully I'm right-handed. It keeps me from doing fine knitting and needlework, and sewing takes me so much longer now. Frustrating!"

• Ms ...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 12, 2019

For Pain "Have been taking gabapentin for 3 years now for degenerative disc disease/anxiety. I was taking 2400 mgs per day and found my pain and especially anxiety symptoms relieved. The only problem was there were days where gabapentin did not allow me to sleep if taken too close to bedtime. I had absolutely no problem reducing my dosage eventually to 1600 mgs per day and just as effective."

• Noo...
• February 26, 2019

For Insomnia "I am taking gabapentin for about one month, 300 mg for insomnia. It is a good medication for insomnia, but two nights I have had difficulty sleeping. Maybe I need to increase the dose, I will contact my doctor."

• 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)."

• Ang...
• November 20, 2015

For Fibromyalgia "I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia a little over a month ago. I originally went in to see my rheumatologist to check up on my RA. My doctor prescribed me the 100 mg gabapentin. At first, I had absolutely no problems with taking it besides the fact that it didn't help with any pain or muscle/joint tenderness/weakness. Now, after a little over a month of taking it, I have been experiencing a lot of chest pain/tenderness and pressure, like it's tight. It makes it feel so hard to breathe, making the tightness worse. I have gained about 5-6 pounds, and my stomach has never felt so bloated and ridiculously uncomfortable. I've also been staying up all hours of the night because when I take this medicine, I can't sleep."