Gabapentin and Memory Loss: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Chr...
• February 22, 2017

For Pain "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."

• Mdd...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 22, 2017

For Insomnia "I also have been prescribed gabapentin for neuropathy and most recently for 2 herniated discs in my lower back causing sciatica. The first month was fine, and the only side effect was blurred vision and dizziness. Going on month 6 and having horrible insomnia, memory loss, lack of coordination, pain, depression, anxiety. Affecting my job, cannot stand more than 5 minutes, 2-4 hours of sleep max per night. I'm miserable."

• Bri...
• December 17, 2015

For Peripheral Neuropathy "I've been on Neurontin for over 2 years now, 3200 mg daily / 800 mg four times daily. It is the only medication that effectively controls the idiopathic neuropathy in my feet. Lyrica was totally ineffective. I experienced serious 'brain fog,' fatigue, and short-term memory problems when I started Neurontin, but these side effects are now manageable. Neurontin has restored my quality of life to near normal."

• She...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 31, 2018

For Pain "I was first given gabapentin for back pain. I increased the dose too quickly, though, and had some side effects. Dizziness, memory issues, and the like. However, I did increase from 200 mg X 4 daily and eventually got to 400 mg X 4 daily. Increasing by 100 mg at a time. Let me tell you, it did ZIP for pain. But my mood? What a difference. I have suffered from depression and anxiety as long as I can remember. Can't tell you how many drugs and combinations I tried. I had no idea how 'bleah' I still was until suddenly, I wasn't. What a difference, I can't tell you. As far as I know, I am NOT bipolar. Just your garden variety depression and horrible anxiety. Give it a try. Finally, I feel at age 62 that I am truly peaceful and content!"

• 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!"

• MJa...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 12, 2020

For Peripheral Neuropathy "I'm taking 900 mg 5 to 6 times a day. If I forget to take it, the pain is so bad. It takes about an hour to recover. I have been taking it for 12 years. I have recently been losing my balance and my memory. Speech has been a challenge too."

• 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."

• 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."

• One...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 6, 2017

For Fibromyalgia "I started 2/17 for recently diagnosed fibromyalgia. (I take 25 mg of Zoloft for depression.) I am taking 400 mg of gabapentin in applesauce at night (had gastric bypass). My body and pain are WAY more calm than before. My pain went from a 9 to a 2, and I've stayed there since. Through all kinds of weather ups and downs, NO flare-ups these last couple of months. SIDE EFFECTS for me: 1. Eating! I wake up wanting to eat as many carbs and pastries as possible. I've never been like that before. (I've gained 5 lb in 6 weeks.) 2. VERTIGO! After I take it, I have to be careful making my way to bed so I don't fall. 3. Memory issues, but not worse than fibro fog. To me, the calm body and reduction in pain are worth it!"

• Luc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 29, 2017

For Peripheral Neuropathy "I was prescribed gabapentin for mild peripheral neuropathy. Doc had me build up from 100 mg week 1, 200 mg week 2, then 100 mg 3 times per day thereafter. Severe side effects even with this low dose! Losing balance, dizzy, memory problems, coordination problems, foggy. I hate it, and weaning down, I take it twice a day now and will go down to once a day for a week, then stop."

• 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."

• Mag...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 31, 2019

For Anxiety "I’d been on Gabapentin a few times in the past for anxiety. This time they gave it to me for bipolar?!! I’m struggling with this, taking 2400 mg (top dose) mg/day. My memory is gone. Long-term memory fine, short-term gone. I can’t sit and watch TV without extreme anxiety, getting up every 10 min, crossing and uncrossing legs, squirming. I had to get an excuse from jury duty saying I was unfit. All I can do is wager this time against the last times and remember how hard it was for me to even cook a meal, how it would take me 3 hours. Now I don’t cook at all. I’m too exhausted all the time. But coming off of it, I feel extremely depressed (lay in bed ALL day), unable to sleep, etc. This drug also causes pancreatic cancer, which my father-in-law died from. Help me get off this mess!!!! I’m trapped."

• Jud...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 31, 2017

For Peripheral Neuropathy "This was prescribed for peripheral neuropathic pain from Lovastatin. It seemed to help with the pain but did not realize how it was affecting my memory and that it actually caused more pain that disappeared when I quit it. It was developed for seizures, not approved by FDA for off-label use like pain. Known since 2009, interferes with the brain making new synapses and can shrink the brain. It interferes with memory, recall of words/names was repeating myself and balance impaired. Drained energy. Causes mental fog. It damages mitochondria and is now considered one of the most deadly drugs. I feel so much better. I hope my brain will recover. Relative Lyrica has the same risks."

• 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."

• 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."

• bub...
• July 31, 2017

For Pain "I have severe spine damage. T7, T8, and the disc in between are basically gone, nerve pain unbelievable. I tried Lyrica in a large dose and no relief. Then one doctor said some meds don't work on some but do on others, you just have to get the correct one. So I tried gabapentin, and to me, it was a lifesaver. Within three days, the pain was gone or close to gone. 1800 mg a day (6x300 mg) plus 40 mg of OxyNeo (4x10 mg), which is oxycodone time-release formula. The pain specialist says maybe more dose is needed, but I can't function properly. That is my minimum dose, even dropping one pill out of those amounts, I can feel the difference in pain. The side effects to me are tiredness, constipation, memory issues, blurred vision, moodiness. It seems, on hot and humid days, if outside, I get really disoriented, so I stay inside."

• Anonymous
• January 6, 2010

Gabapentin for Migraine "I started Neurontin 3 weeks ago for my migraines. I started at 400 mg per day and now I'm at 1200 mg per day. I'm supposed to go up to 1600 mg next week. These are taken in divided doses. At first, I didn't notice anything, but today I woke up and I didn't have a headache (I've had daily headaches along with frequent severe migraines for the past 3 straight months). A mild one came and went a few times today, but I feel better. I'm a bit sleepy and I've been having some trouble remembering things (words, what I've done, etc.), and I've noticed that I've been a little more moody (not by much), but overall, I'm happy that my headaches have improved. They were ruining my life."

• Nat...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 12, 2019

For Anxiety "I was prescribed 100 mg 4x per day for anxiety, and it worked at first. Then needed higher dosages, then came the side effects of loss of memory, confusion, suicidal ideations, and physical dependency. I lost my job because I can't keep up with the pace of work and the increased depression. The withdrawals trying to taper off it are horrible. If there is another option rather than gabapentin, I would consider it."

• Bip...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 29, 2019

For Fibromyalgia "Gabapentin is a wonderful drug. I have restless legs, joint pains, pain pains, stingy pain, etc., and it really helped. Oh! and anxiety! Gabapentin helped with all of that. The only problem I had with Gabapentin is it made me hypomanic (then I heard stuff that wasn't there, got angry all the time, etc.) before the drug went about destroying my memory and making my hands swell. So, uh, be careful taking this if you have BPD or bipolar."

• fog...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 10, 2021

For Neuropathic Pain "Worse medicine ever. Nine years ago, went to the ER with symmetrical, extreme burning pain going from both elbows to middle fingertips. MRI revealed a bulging disk between C5-C6. Doctor discharged me the next day with 30 days' worth of gabapentin. RUINED MY LIFE. It did nothing for the pain; I could only sleep 3-4 hours per night in 1-2 hour spurts; extreme confusion, forgetfulness, and 'brain fog' during all waking hours; and brought on extreme depression and anxiety. It was so bad I had to drop out of college my senior year because my mind was not functioning (I had a very demanding degree). Here it is 9 years later, and I am still dealing with issues and the fallout. Only 30 days on this 'medicine' 9 years ago... Stay away from this chemical. P.S. Lyrica is not much better."

• Anonymous
• May 28, 2008

For Peripheral Neuropathy "I have taken gabapentin for about 10 years for peripheral neuropathy. For several years, I took the maximum dosage per day. I found my memory slipping and becoming more severe as time passed. I finally quit for about two months, only to return to 300 mg four times daily. This stopped almost all of the memory problems, and the lighter dosage keeps the pain down to a low roar. Gabapentin is the best I have found for the pain."

• 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."

• Jen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 30, 2016

For Fibromyalgia "I took gabapentin for 1 month. My Dr started me at 100mg X 2 @ bedtime. I slept great but had excess daytime sleepiness. The first week I felt really calm but had no pain relief. The next week, my mood began to go downhill and still no pain relief. Week 3, my mood became depressed, I began having increased anxiety, increased blood pressure to the point of pre-hypertension, hot flashes, memory problems, and feeling disoriented, still with no pain relief. Week 4, I got hit hard with a flare. I couldn't tell the difference between whether things had happened yesterday or last week, I was getting unusually angry, and I started having horrid back-to-back panic attacks. I discontinued without tapering down, and interestingly, my flare reduced in intensity."

• Kat...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 2, 2013

For Anxiety "600 mg three times a day. I was taking Gabapentin for 3 years, but I stopped it because it has too many side effects, including numbness on my whole body, weight gain is a major fact, more headaches than usual, sleepy, tired, active but with a tingling sensation on my tongue, and so on, depression when I didn't take it, intolerable, anxiety, sweats, withdrawal symptoms, but it does help with pain and many things, but the consequences of it are horrible. Memory loss is another fact, definitely, it is a very dangerous medication."

• Ana...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 15, 2018

For Anxiety "My psychiatrist put me on it to help me sleep. I have severe depression, anxiety, OCD, and PTSD. I am a veteran. I have been on it for almost three months now, and I could not figure out what was wrong with me. I do have occasional bouts of anger, but my anger issues have gotten out of control. I find myself screaming and yelling at strangers, not to mention flipping drivers off. In addition, I am having memory loss that is worse than before, and it does not help me sleep at all. My depression is also 10 times worse. I am just waiting to be assigned to a new VA (I just moved) and get off this stuff safely. I take 900 mg a day (300 mg x 3 at night) for insomnia."