Gabapentin (Generic Neurontin ) was developed to treat epilepsy, but it is now used to treat various forms of chronic pain. It works by reducing the number of signals sent through the nerves. If the signals are reduced then the pain will be reduced. Research has shown that Gabapentin can help in treating various types of nerve pain.
Some Research Team performed searches to look for clinical trials where gabapentin was used to treat neuropathic pain or fibromyalgia. They found that 5633 participants had been involved in 37 studies of reasonable quality. They tested gabapentin against placebo for four weeks or more. Studies lasting only one or two weeks are unhelpful when pain can last for years.
Neuropathic pain is pain coming from damaged nerves. It differs from pain messages carried along healthy nerves from damaged tissue (a fall, cut, or arthritic knee). Neuropathic pain is treated by different medicines than pain from damaged tissue.
Medicines like paracetamol or ibuprofen are not effective in neuropathic pain, while medicines that are sometimes used to treat depression or epilepsy can be very effective in some people with neuropathic pain. Our understanding of fibromyalgia (a condition of persistent, widespread pain and tenderness, sleep problems, and fatigue) is poor, but fibromyalgia can respond to the same medicines as neuropathic pain.
Gabapentin is helpful for some people with chronic neuropathic pain or fibromyalgia. Gabapentin comes as a capsule, tablet, or solution. You take it by mouth. Gabapentin is available as the brand-name drugs Neurontin, Gralise, and Horizant. It’s also available as a generic drug.
It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits, especially in the first few months if you have epilepsy. This will allow your doctor to see if the medicine is working properly and to decide if you should continue to take it.
These may be cause serious allergic reactions that may involve multiple organs, such as your liver or kidneys. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have more than one of the following symptoms: fever, rash, swollen, painful, or tender lymph glands in the neck, armpit, or groin, unusual bleeding or bruising, or yellow eyes or skin.
Gabapentin may cause vision changes, clumsiness, unsteadiness, dizziness, drowsiness, sleepiness, or trouble with thinking. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are not alert, well-coordinated, or able to think or see well. If these side effects are especially bothersome, check with your doctor.
This medicine may cause some people to be agitated, irritable, or display other abnormal behaviors, such as feeling sad or hopeless, getting upset easily, or feeling nervous, restless, or hostile. It may also cause some people to have suicidal thoughts and tendencies or to become more depressed. If you, your child, or your caregiver notice any of these side effects, tell your doctor right away.
This medicine will add to the effects of alcohol and other CNS depressants (medicines that make you drowsy or less alert). Some examples of CNS depressants are antihistamines or medicine for hay fever, allergies, or colds, sedatives, tranquilizers, or sleeping medicines, prescription pain medicine or narcotics, other medicines for seizures (eg, barbiturates), muscle relaxants, or anesthetics, including some dental anesthetics. Check with your medical doctor or dentist before taking any of the above while you or your child are using gabapentin.
Do not stop using gabapentin without checking with your doctor. Stopping the medicine suddenly may cause seizures. Your doctor may want you or your child to gradually reduce the amount you are taking before stopping it completely.
Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you are using this medicine. This medicine may affect the results of certain medical tests.
Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.
Gabapentin is used with other medications to prevent and control seizures. It is also used to relieve nerve pain following shingles (a painful rash due to herpes zoster infection) in adults.
But Gabapentin is most used for off label uses. I have been use Gabapentin for migraine headache.
I’ve suffered with chronic pain and headaches/migraines for 20 yrs as many probably know after long term narcotic use for pain it eventually stops working (Happy to have found a non narcotic solution!).
went to the hospital with a migraine so bad, nothing worked for 7 hours at home and 4 hrs at the hospital with several injections of goodness knows what even in my stomach.
They gave me this capsule less than an hour later my migraine was so much better, dull enough to finally get some rest.
My pain management Dr ended up prescribing them for the nerve damage I have as well as a daily basis med to control my headaches/migraines that occurred.
For 7 yrs Gabapentin has helped me to live without headaches/migraines on a daily basis. I still get one every once in a great while nothing compared to 5 of 7 day’s I did prior.
I didn’t honestly have or notice any side effects the 1st time I had it as I was given many thing’s the first time but no side effects once it became apart of my daily medication.
I have Fibromyalgia plus all the side symptoms that come with it. The 1st dose I took was 300mg during a flare up and I noticed a difference in widespread pain and sensitivity and anxiety.
It took an hour to feel any relief. Its not a pain pill. I am SO glad I made sure I had no driving to do that day. Scary but kind of nice for me when a migraine flare comes and you can’t sleep.
First time in YEARS I didn’t get any sort of headache.
In disbelief I only took it as needed for bad headache days or flares 300-600mg as needed once a day and its not a coincidence!
Despite the side effects the first few times taking it it is the best decision I made!
The side effects weren’t that bad, first dose was a bit harsh after that it was manageable and went away.
2 pills was way too much so I take 1 at a time.
Rarely take any pain meds it works that well.
Highly recommend this to those who skeptics like I was. None of the ugly effects after taking for a while have surfaced either and I hope they don’t.
Been suffering with daily migraines for so long I can’t remember when they started – decades.
I’ve tried everything in terms of meds and preventatives. This has been the best preventative so far.
It has reduced my migraines by about 90% in terms of frequency – hope it lasts – I’m on 300 mg three times daily
I haven’t been taking this medication for long but it’s helped so much.
Neuro started me off on 300mg at night and now I’m at 600mg at night. It doesn’t make me sleepy or drowsy.
Before starting gabapentin, I was having migraines just about every day.
I started having aphasia and vision changes with my migraines, so I decided to take action.
I’ve only been on it for almost 2 weeks but I’ve been migraine free and my triggers are no longer triggers at this point, which is fantastic.
I should note it has reduced my appetite but this is not a negative thing
Had to start with 50 mgs per day. It made me sleep 36 hours when I tried taking 100 mgs.
Also gave me bad breath and I could barely talk. Seemed to detox something in my throat.
When the bad breath stopped I upped it to 100 mgs. More detox. Now I take 100 mgs four times per day.
Doesn’t make me sleepy, and the headache symptoms are much better. I am a person who avoids prescription drugs as much as possible and rarely go to the doctor. Gabapentin is the only drug I am taking.
I am 61. It is really helping me with the debilitating migraine headache. Just be careful and don’t take too much, or you will have to go to bed.
And take it regularly. I think it’s a good drug. Gave me weird dreams at first but I think that was a detox effect too