Gabapentin for Restless Legs Syndrome User Reviews (Page 4)

• Laura...
• March 30, 2017

"I've suffered with Restless Legs as long as I can remember. This has been life changing for me. Still get them occasionally but nowhere near as bad. The tablets also do not make me sleepy although I take at bedtime."

• Bano
• November 10, 2018

"Took gabapentin 100 mg, at 5pm and 9 pm and since I started the RLS is so bad . I had tried everything, nothing stopped my legs from jerking, aching, you know how it is. I took 3 scalding hot baths , which finally helped. So my question is , I rarely get RLS and I thought the gabapentin was supposed to stop or help it. It seemed to make mine worse and it actually made me have RLS"

• Help...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 15, 2022

"I'm 76 years old and I have been suffering from RLS for 35 years. The last 10 years were horrible. I couldn’t tolerate all the usual meds that were prescribed. I would go to bed at midnight, lie awake for an hour, doze off, and be awakened by the horrible RLS symptoms, causing me to have to get into a hot bath for 20-30 minutes. Back to bed, dozing on and off until I’d get out of bed around 7:30. I went through this routine EVERY NIGHT. Even when I was dozing, I was thrashing around often. I had a sleep study done and the doctor couldn’t believe I never slept- a frequent occurrence. He put me on 300mg of gabapentin (3 one hundred mg pills). I awoke whoozy in the morning so I cut back to 2 pills after supper. Suddenly, 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep, the 5, then 6–one time even 8! With NO RLS symptoms! I couldn’t believe it. I was so afraid it would wear off or I would need ever increasing dosages. It’s been 14 months with no RLS symptoms."

• Sir...
• October 8, 2017

"I've been on "Gabi" for about 10 years, I'm 52 years old. It was miraculous that my RLS calmed down and became non existant. My Rx is is 2x300 mgs at dinner and the same dose before bed (1200 mgs total) These last few months I've been experiencing break through events. After reading many comments on here I may look at bumping my dose up to 900 mgs before bed and 300 at night. Has anyone here tried to do this and if so did you find it helpful."

• kdv
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 23, 2021

"I hope this helps someone. This is a very dangerous medication if taken for a long period of time that has a withdrawals that will have you on your knees begging for mercy…vision loss, anger outbursts, burning tingling brain skin, suicidal thoughts, inner restlessness that makes you want to crawl out your skin - just to name a few of the fun side effects trying to come off this awful medication. Before you know it you are constantly updosed to get the desired results…it helped for my restless legs though but to what cost? I’m seriously going to need some PTSD treatment after I finish this med taper!!"

• Kirsten
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 24, 2019

"I was prescribed gabapentin for severe sciatica. I'm not sure if it helped with the pain, but after 2 months of taking it, my RLS became the worst it's ever been. Legs thrashing, back spasms, no sleep. Usually magnesium malate helps, but it stopped working. Daytime symptoms, too."

• Mary
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 20, 2019

"I was given gabapentin for RLS. The effects were useless. One night, my entire body was involved with the symptoms. Absolutely no relief at all. So I suffered the entire night and into the next day. "

• Sgroome
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 25, 2018

"Was on robinerol had severe anxiety ended up in hospital put on 600mg gaba. No problems, makes you very sleepy so helps you sleep but be careful if you get up to use bathroom get up slowly. Also drinking Apple Cidar vinegar with honey read it helps RLS."

• Happy...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 10, 2019

"I’m 21 with slowly worsening RLS since my late teens. I have a strong family history of RLS for several generations. Began taking 200mg of Gabapentin every night, this did not help and increased to 400mg. This dose helped for about half a year, however either the RLS is getting worse or I have built up a tolerance to this dose. I’m hoping to increase to 600mg. I like gabapentin, I have not experienced any significant side effects so far! Plus it is covered by my insurance, unlike Lyrica. Although there is a generic Lyrica that just came to market, this drug will probably become a much cheaper option for people soon!"

• Elly
• February 24, 2021

"On my first two weeks of 300 mg Neurontin for restless leg syndrome I noticed an immediate effect. My legs stopped wanting to urgently move around in the middle of the night. The symptoms currently are not all gone, I still want to pace sometimes, but it is vastly improved. It helped with my pins and needles too. The dose got raised to 400 mg and I'm experiencing greater symptom relief. In the beginning I didn't think it was great for insomnia, but with the higher dose I'm experiencing more ease getting to sleep. I'm still waking up in the middle of the night. However, I'm willing to try higher doses to see if I can fall asleep, stay asleep and sleep longer. I have tried Trazadone and it did nothing for me, mixtures of melatonin, Banophen and cold medicine. I had Klonopin and Ativan for emergencies but the doctor won't prescribe it. The doctor has no trouble prescribing Neurontin. I also experience no side effects, so I am hoping time with further treatment will help."

• Lisa
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 19, 2023

"I've had RLS since the age of 12, and I'm 62 now. My mom has it, and one of my daughters does too. Most of the time, mine occurs at night, but every now and then I get it during the day. I started on ropinirole 0.25 once a day and increased to 0.50. With that dose, I had to take it with food because it made me nauseous. I started researching Gabapentin and asked my PCP to prescribe 300 milligrams. I've been on it for one week, and my sleep has improved significantly. I've had two nights with slight RLS, but it subsided. I'll keep taking it to see how I progress. I'm curious to see if it keeps my RLS at bay during the day as well."

• Ann
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 12, 2023

"I suffered from RLS starting in my 40s and am now 77. It got progressively worse. Nothing worked well or for long. I'd be lucky to get 3 hours of sleep a night. My sleep doctor prescribed gabapentin 3 years ago, 300 mg. a few hours before bed. My RLS was gone immediately, and I slept 7 hours! The only problem was that I was a little groggy in the morning, so I cut down to 200 mg, and that's been fine. I have had serious thyroid issues, chronic kidney disease, kidney stones, long-haul COVID, and cancer. None of those negatively affected my quality of life as much as RLS did. I often wondered how I functioned at all. I worry about the day I might have to go off of it for whatever reason. Nothing else worked. I don't ever want to go back to RLS."

• Kasp
• November 24, 2017

"I've been on Gabapentin for a couple years at bedtime. When it 1st started (8 yrs ago) I only got restless leg syndrome while sleeping. It would wake me up. For the past 5 years I get it mainly once I sit down for the night. Now as long as I can get up & walk or sway for a few minutes it usually goes away. I'm not really sure if it's working or not. I still usually get it at least once/every other day. Just glad it goes away once I get up now."

• Stevana
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 4, 2022

"I have been on Pramipexol for almost 7 years now for RLS. Due to augmentation, GP suggested taking gabapentin in parallel while reducing the Pramipexol dose. I have reached 300mg of gabapentin and cut back on Pramipexol only by a quarter. Planning to continue increasing gabapentin dose."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 5, 2022

"For almost a year I suffered from lack of sleep because every night I had the incessant need to stretch my legs and it literally kept me awake until I fell asleep from sheer exhaustion. My Dr put me on gabapentin and it worked great, I could finally sleep like a normal person. It's been a lifesaver for me. My new Dr doesn't want to give it to me because she says it's considered a controlled substance. I don't know what I'm going to do."

• Karen
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 26, 2023

"Gabapentin has been a lifesaver for RLS and sleep in general (insomnia). I try to keep my dose as low as possible while still taking as needed. I have 100 mg pills I can take to tweak the dose up and down without having to add or drop 300mg at once. I wish I could know why it flares so badly at times, but I have been unable to really know. It seems that low magnesium plays a role and adding that can certainly help, but once my body's magnesium levels are replenished, I get loose stools so, I also go up and down and even completely off magnesium. It is quite an effort to manage this difficult body of mine! Recently, I added skullcap tincture at night which has helped significantly. With the addition of the skullcap, I have been able to half my gabapentin dose."

• shrim...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 27, 2023

"I have noticed that this medication keeps me awake but also makes Latuda, another medication I take, much more tolerable. Latuda is the only medication that has been effective for me, so I am grateful that I can endure the unpleasant episodes of akathisia and restless legs that occasionally arise from it. Strangely, I feel well enough to begin tidying up and looking after the house."

• Kerryn
• June 28, 2017

"I've had restless leg since I was 15 but doctors couldn't do anything till I was 21 when u stop growing I'm now 44 and lived with it for so long and tried differ meds and nothing helps I've now just started gabapentin yesterday so only on 100my at night for 2-3 days then go to taking in the morning and night for 2-3days then morning dinner and night for a month then go back doctors I am in l pain all day and night a specially when the weather is poor I also get in my arms"

• ula
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 5, 2021

"For approximately 6-months I was suffering from severe RLS. I tried every remedy, to include Epsom baths, a calf-compression wrap which I would plug in and it would *squeeze* my calves , then release, repeatedly for 20- minutes. (it's a wonderful treatment for tired legs in general too.) I bought various expensive *creams* which contained magnesium and other ingredients. Took supplements ...on and on. Sometimes I would pound my thighs, they ached so badly, other times I would take a walk around block, even at 2am! I was prescribed 1/300mg. Gabapentin to take an hour or so before attempting to sleep. After a few days, I have not had ONE episode of RLS. It's been about 2-months and I can't believe it. So now, what do I do with my big box filled w *remedies*?!"

• AlyCat
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 23, 2022

"I have had RLS and subsequent insomnia for 20+ years. I had no idea I struggled this long in vain; all I can say is I wish someone would have told me about this 20 years ago! RLS affects your quality of life, because you can’t sleep. I remember walking the hallways in tears at 3am…. So exhausted but my legs wouldn’t let me sleep. I did hot baths, stretching (so much stretching) supplements, nothing brought relief. I feel like I have stumbled upon a miracle. I have been taking 300mg before bed, and not only are my legs relaxed as jello, my mind is calm. I used to have night sweats and agitated sleep and those are gone too! I cannot express how HAPPY I am to have found this medication. There is nothing greater or more valuable in this world than a good nights sleep!"

• jojo
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 28, 2022

"I was prescribed gabapentin for a couple problems. Didn't help anything. Dr kept upping the dosage, and I wasn't able to remember basic things. I was a waitress, and couldn't figure out simple math problems. I would forget what orders, what went to what table. I forgot how to use the cash register. And so much more."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 19, 2022

"My RLS (which I've had for years) had been getting increasingly worse, and I realized that the sertraline I was taking was affecting it so my doctor prescribed gabapentin as a supplement to it. I've been on it at 300mg at night for a month now, and there is no difference. My RLS is just as debilitating as before. I'm so disappointed (and exhausted). I need to keep taking the sertraline (which I am now at a reduced dose), so I'm kind of stuck right now."

• MsPer...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 28, 2022

"About 8 years ago, my husband said my tossing and turning and scratching and twitching in my sleep were getting out of hand. Had a sleep study for Sleep Apnea, but the results showed RLS. Been on Gabapentin since. Have had to go without it a few nights here and there and man, I sure could tell!!! It is hell trying to fall asleep and even stay asleep with RLS. It is a miracle drug for me!! Still on 600mg/night"

• MD Sh...
• December 10, 2011

Neurontin (gabapentin) "Neurontin 800mg is the best medication I have ever taken for any kind of nerve pain, and it especially works for back pain and restless leg syndrome."

• Anonymous
• November 27, 2011

"Works VERY well for restless legs syndrome and trust me, I have tried them ALL! Good luck, I know this is a wretched thing to have."