Hi, there! I am suffering from fibromialgia and my brother and father too. I am the one in family that is indebted to fine any offered cure for our disease. I have heard that some people tried with gabapentin. Has anyone from you used gabapentin for fibromyalgia? What were your experiences with finding fibromyalgia pain relief?
I used to take gabapentin for fibromyalgia. Gabapentine is medicine that is commonly used for treating seizures. For fibromyalgia it can be used as adjuvant therapy. That means to use it with pain killer. Gabapentin will increase effects of that pain killer. Now, I am not taking gabapentin any more, now I am on Lyrica. Lyrica is the same thing as gabapentin, just little bit stronger.
I've had fibromyalgia for 28 years. Most drugs I tried (SAM e; Motrin; Ibuprophen; Sertaline; trycylic anti depressants; SSR Reuptake inhibitors Paxil; etc) did not work. I was prescibed Gabapentin for severe nerve pain. I noticed that my tiredness and achiness of fibromyalgia kept getting better. I am still on it and have a real decrease of fibro fog.
My current prescribed dose is 300 mg 3 times per day but I usally take it every morning; 300mg. If achy at night, I take another 300 mg. When I feel stressed, I go back on the full prescribed dose until feeling better.
My current prescribed dose is 300 mg 3 times per day but I usally take it every morning; 300mg. If achy at night, I take another 300 mg. When I feel stressed, I go back on the full prescribed dose until feeling better.
I've was diagnosed with FMS in June of 2008. Since then, I have tried OTC meds, Lyrica, and Gabapentin. I was doing well on Lyrica, but because of my prior street drug addictions, my doc worried that I might relapse so he prescribed Gabapentin. I used this med for 2 months and within that time frame, I became irritable, constantly yelled at my kids and husband, was constantly in a FOG and forgot where I was at times when I'd wake up in my own bed, I had to ask my 9 year old daughter my own name...TWICE and within 7 weeks, I felt suicidal and was to the point that death was better than feeling this way any longer. I called my doc and demanded he put me back on Lyrica. The only side effects I have from Lyrica are sleepiness and happiness. I take Tramadol during to balance myself out and I experience very little fog now. I've only been back on Lyrica for 5 days now, but that's all it took for me to begin recovering from Gabapentin. My suggestion: if you are even slightly depressed, STAY AWAY FROM GABAPENTIN!!! If you are not willing to take a narcotic, stick to Tramadol. The dosages can be adjusted to accomadate you.
If you are a recovering addict you should be more concerned about taking an opioid like tramadol to trigger a relapse moreso than lyrica.i am an addiction specialist, please be careful!
Hi there, this is now Oct. 2010 and I hope you have found relief from the horrible pain of fibromyalgia. I have suffer for over 5 years and have been on Lyrica and Cymbalta. Neither of them provided much relief. I was sent for a sleep study and the doctor I saw afterwards was an absolute miracle worker. I knew I had restless leg syndrome very bad but my family doctor was unable to find any relief for me for that either. The sleep specialist doctor prescribed Gabapentin at 300mg which is a very low dose only last week and already I am sleeping for 8 hours straight (for the first time in about 8 years) and am able to exercise on my indoor bicycle without feeling like I am going to die afterwards. I have always tried to have a positive attitude about this and work through the pain. I am Scottish by birth and we Scots are a tough lot and do not give up easily, but it is nice to look forward to your day without being in pain. By the way I am a 66 year old female and looking forward to losing the extra weight I have gained and starting life all over again.
Hi - I have also been prescribed the Gabapentin and am still trying to regulate the dosage - my doctor wants to get me to 300 mg per day and I am now on 200 but wondered if you were taking the 300 mg at once and at what time of the day?
I started to take it in the evening but seemed to experience sleeplessness but then realized later that this was a reaction to withdrawing from the elavil I was taking at night - now I wonder if I should be taking my dose in the evening again. Thank you for your help.
Fran
I started to take it in the evening but seemed to experience sleeplessness but then realized later that this was a reaction to withdrawing from the elavil I was taking at night - now I wonder if I should be taking my dose in the evening again. Thank you for your help.
Fran
Hi Fran,
I recently started seeing a rheumatologist to treat my fibro, since my regular doctor had run out of options for me.
He first wanted to work on my lack of sleep and exercise.
I have been taking Elavil for approx 6 weeks now and there has been some improvement, although I continue to wake up constantly due the pain and still toss and turn. I have also been working on my exercise routine and SEX! as I am actually interested in that again after guite some time of not being. My husband is definitely happy about that. :-D
On my 2nd visit, which was just this week, he prescribed Gabapentin, 300 mg to take at night to start, along with the Elavil.
I have taken it for the past 2 nights...woke up the 1st night at 4 a.m. feeling wide awake and again at 2 a.m. this morning.
This morning I got up, watched tv for about an hour, before I was able to fall back to sleep, but then only slept for another hour.
I thought this stuff was supposed to make me sleepy!
The doc said I could take additional doses during the day, so I may try that this weekend and see what it does for me.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!
I recently started seeing a rheumatologist to treat my fibro, since my regular doctor had run out of options for me.
He first wanted to work on my lack of sleep and exercise.
I have been taking Elavil for approx 6 weeks now and there has been some improvement, although I continue to wake up constantly due the pain and still toss and turn. I have also been working on my exercise routine and SEX! as I am actually interested in that again after guite some time of not being. My husband is definitely happy about that. :-D
On my 2nd visit, which was just this week, he prescribed Gabapentin, 300 mg to take at night to start, along with the Elavil.
I have taken it for the past 2 nights...woke up the 1st night at 4 a.m. feeling wide awake and again at 2 a.m. this morning.
This morning I got up, watched tv for about an hour, before I was able to fall back to sleep, but then only slept for another hour.
I thought this stuff was supposed to make me sleepy!
The doc said I could take additional doses during the day, so I may try that this weekend and see what it does for me.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!
anonymous wrote:
Quote:Hi - I have also been prescribed the Gabapentin and am still trying to regulate the dosage - my doctor wants to get me to 300 mg per day and I am now on 200 but wondered if you were taking the 300 mg at once and at what time of the day?
I started to take it in the evening but seemed to experience sleeplessness but then realized later that this was a reaction to withdrawing from the elavil I was taking at night - now I wonder if I should be taking my dose in the evening again. Thank you for your help.
Fran
I take the Gabapentin 300 mg one hour before bed. The doctor also prescribed2 - 0.5 tabs. of Clonazepam to be taken along with. These help you get into a relaxed state before bed. I am still sleeping 8 hours per night and have had no ill effects from the pills.
Hi Morissa,
I was put on 300mg of Gabapentin twice a day for fibromyalgia. It has helped with the pain a lot. This is the first thing I have used. I have a sister who takes Cymbalta, and one who takes nothing. The one who takes Cymbalta has gained weight, I think. I have lost about 9 pounds so far on this. I just love the side effect. This is the only side effect other than a little drowsiness. Try it, you'll like it.
I was put on 300mg of Gabapentin twice a day for fibromyalgia. It has helped with the pain a lot. This is the first thing I have used. I have a sister who takes Cymbalta, and one who takes nothing. The one who takes Cymbalta has gained weight, I think. I have lost about 9 pounds so far on this. I just love the side effect. This is the only side effect other than a little drowsiness. Try it, you'll like it.
Hi, After having Fibromyalgia for three years I finally started Gabapentin 1 600mg at night. It has does wonders for me. I went off all my pain meds. My doctor wants me to get up to 1200 but it does make you sleepy so I suggest you take it at bedtime.
i started using gaba gel caps and had also had difficulty getting dosage right ... so tried the gaba tea (made by aura teas) and until i started chemo ,had no real difficulty with the fms for the last 3 years except when moving or other overly stressful occassions... increased to two cups a day and it was back under control
also if you are also a hepc (a large percenage of fms patients also have hepc... of which polycythemia (too much iron being produced by liver requiring flebotamies and is dangers to almost all the organs) is often also present in hepc ... lyric is not only full of a form of gaba but at least two different types of iron are also present...
im on gabapentin for fibromyalgia,i have found it ok i also take naproxen,i have to say the pains is not as bad still ache and have pain killers,would love not to have to take anything.off to pain clinic next month see how that goes.
I took 2 Gabapentin per day for 6 months for Cervical and Fibromalgia.After taking it I felt numb and used to get temporary relief from it. Gabapeitein slowed my reflexes forever. Is has been 4 years since I stopped taking it but I still feel some of the numbness and slowed reflexes. I am now using calcium magnisium supliment for fibromaliga and Excercise for Cervical .I use combiflam when pain gets intense. This works better.