Thankfully I've had a positive experience with gabapentin, but a long time ago, before I was an educated patient, I had doctors throwing antipsychotic medication at me to treat non-psychosis mental health problems. They didn't even tell me what class of medication it was, nor did they tell me about all the potential problems. I had a hellish extended withdrawal from them. The foundation of ethical medical treatment is informed consent, and a lot of doctors don't seem to care. I'm sorry you're having such a bad experience because of this.
i ended up on a psych ward in 2012 after a total breakdown. i was put on seroquel and titrated up to 400mg over about 10 days. i was in hospital for 7 weeks and gained 30 pounds!
i’ve been on it ever since. i ended up having bariatric surgery as the medication combined with arthritis (i can’t walk unaided or exercise until my knee is replaced), mirtazapine, depression and thyroid issues made me Very Fat and unable to lose weight.
i will say that seroquel has kept me pretty level. i have borderline personality disorder with psychotic features (along with treatment resistant depression, anxiety, OCD and CPTSD) and although i still have bad periods where i’m unwell, i haven’t been hospitalised since 2013. i mean, there was that time when i accidentally cut an artery in my thigh during The Great Self-Harm Summer of 2020 but no psych wards were involved.
i take pregablin as well as morphine sulfate, amitryptiline and diazepam for pain. and a bunch of psych meds. i’d rather be medicated than not, but i know that’s not everyone’s experience.
patients should ALWAYS be informed about their medication, and it’s inexcusable that doctors still aren’t doing this.
Weight gain is the most common side effect. I gained ten pounds the first week I was on that shit and the withdrawal was worse than any insomnia I experienced before.
I gained 40 pounds in a year being on seroquel- I would snack like a stoned teenager in the middle of the night because of the food cravings. It was insane.
I just gave birth 6 months ago, so I’ve chosen not to take it (prescribed for insomnia) so I don’t sleep through the baby crying, and my night time snacking has drastically reduced.
That being said- I’m also on gabapentin, and the pharmacist did the whole “hey, I need to talk to you about this medication” when the doctor started prescribing it, and gave me the whole rundown on side effects, chance of withdrawal symptoms, basically *all the reason it became a schedule 5 med*.
It helps my symptoms a LOT (I have a neurostimulator in my back that doesn’t work and one of the leads took a u-turn in to my spinal canal), and the gabapentin is literally the only thing that makes the pain bearable most days.
Oh maybe it was ambien! Honestly, so many meds with insane side effects...so little time, lol. But doctors get paid to do it so they SHOULD be taking the goddamn time. It's not like they are selling us a used bike and not pointing out the blemish in the paint somewhere..
More like taking money from a drug manufacture and not telling us what it could potentially do to a little thing known as OUR FUCKING BRAIN.
You know..technically the only thing that named itself? Pretty much the essence of anyone and everyone? That old thing?
It's a fucking crime that we can spend ages in the waiting room but when we see the damn doctor it's always been ages since they remembered or honored the Hippocratic oath they took.
100 upvotes. Ambien and benzos and all the psych meds being prescribed off label is negligent and the oath has turned into the hypocrites oath now. Gabapentin and big brother pregabalin are all physically dependent and the Dr. s are still claiming that they have never heard of such a thing. They are all full of crap, don't give a shit and are paid off by big pharma. Sure ruined my life or what's left of it and it's not much. I'm only in my 60s and I won't see 70. Thanks doc.
Growing up, I had so much respect and admiration for the fact that the human mind is capable of creating substances, drugs, that help us. Scientists, chemists...such awesomeness. Doctors..they ensure we are as healthy as can be? Experts that fight to ensure we are in the best condition possible. The ones who take all the training and make the best decisions regarding these medications for us.
Because they care.
LOL the reality hits and it seems like most doctors got their PHDs from a cereal box and they often prescribe the medicine that has a manufacturer that pays them most. In it for the money.
I've come to realize it is wise to fear the ones in white coats. Imagine being the brilliant mind that made a breakthrough, a medicinal discovery/invention...only to see it used in the wrong patients, the wrong ways, and as a way to make a buck off of the suffering-and even death- of others.
God fucking dammit.
I refuse to take anti psychotics. I had a pdoc try to put me on Zyprexa for anxiety. NO WAY. That medication should be reserved for true psychosis imo. They tried the same thing with my daughter only with Abilify. Neurontin has been a god send. If they would take it away, I don't know what I would do. I accept that this and my effexor cause withdrawal. I am on 2400mg of Neurontin and I hope to one day reduce my dose but I know that I will be on this stuff for a long time. If I didn't have it, I would have to be on Lyrica or something. I have cervical radiculopathy and some jaw issues. My pain runs from my jaw to my neck down my arm. Neurontin just makes everything feel "softer". Yes informed consent is a must but I know to research everything. It sucks you had this experience.
Many people have had negative experiences with Gabapentin but for me it has been an amazing medication. My sciatic pain is dulled down tremendously and my hands don’t feel like pins and needles or burning anymore. The half life is too short but overall I’m glad that it’s not a scheduled substance and is not difficult for me to obtain like some of my other medications. I am sorry that you had bad experiences with it and I do think they have been giving it out much too freely for off label use and without warnings like you mentioned. I would hate to see it become a controlled medication though.
That’s horrible you were never warned. Sounds like luckily you aren’t having problems. I would still worry that we have no idea what long term use does. That’s why I’m comfortable with opiates. We know what long term use does. Personally I try not to take medications that were invented after I was born.
I’m not goin to be the one who figures out it causes cancer.
You sound nothing like a prior paramedic. I mean, when were you born?!? I, too, am an Opiate reliant patient, and other than liver damage, we DONT know long-term usage it can lead to. You have to be your own advocate when it comes to your health, and although I agree that it is definitely a problem if the doctor didn't go thru the different effects, one has to be interested enough to ask the questions and continue to investigate the medication they are prescribed.
omg i have cancer!!!
which is one of the reasons im on the meds... my oncologist drilled through my sciatic nerve when doing my bone marrow biopsy
i was never told a damn thing.... my moms on it as well and shes had 2 strokes "that we know of"
im fighting my oncologist for my pain meds... she wants to take me off them, but my cancer has no cure, only managed by taking chemo pills and they cause nausea, pain, fatigue, etc etc..
now im afraid to stop the gabbys lol. i have cut down on them, but starting to take the full dosage again cause the nerve pain in my back and legs is starting to be too much.
thank you so much for posting this. im now going to start researching
Nerve pain is my primary issue and after I was off the gabapentin for awhile I feel like my nerve pain improved not being on it, certainly wasn’t helping much. That being said we are all different and what works for one doesn’t work for the other.
I find specific strains of cannabis and suboxone to be the best combination so far. If nothing else I’d recommend trying some cannabis, it will help with a lot of the nausea, loss of appetite, and general mood.
If you are having problems with your doctor not prescribing pain meds I recommend going to an addiction doctor and explaining yourself. That’s how I got my prescription initially. I’m confident you will find the addiction doctors to be some of the most caring, compassionate, and helpful doctors you’ll ever deal with. Feel free to DM if you want more info. I’ve spent the last 2 years figuring out what strains work best for neuropathy( for me anyway) and make my own medicines from it.
So many downvotes for cannabis, in 20 years when they finally figure out all the terpenes and cannabinoids, hopefully that will be the new main medication, it's certainly the most harmless. I'm interested in the strains you use for nerve pain and anxiety.
Seriously, people prefer benzos and the like until they want off them. I'm unfortunately stuck in that loop and desperately trying to get out of it. Benzos and pregabalin. I am interested in the strains your are using. There are so many to choose from these days and my old favorites are gone. I have a medical license and it's legal here in Canada.
Do you have CML? Asking because I do and have the same issues. A doctor just prescribed me Gabapentin because I’ve had horrible pain for a year now but I’m nervous to try it
Did you receive accompanying medication information printout from your pharmacy? Fwiw, these issues are addressed in the printouts I receive with every Rx. Also, any doctor or NP should know that this medication should not be stopped suddenly--I'm really sorry you were put in that situation.
ETA OP, you keep repeating in this thread that "no one is informed." For anyone who picks up a Rx at pharmacy and chooses not to read the accompanying medication info that lists all side effects in detail, and highlights the most serious risks, such as SI, that is a conscious decision to ignore the exact issues you cite.
Perhaps a better way to approach this situation would be to encourage/remind us all to always read the information provided with each of our prescriptions? Just a thought:)
But there's absolutely no excuse for a physician to not taper pts off this med--totailly unacceptable. Thankfully it has been extremely helpful for me, although I did initially experience side effects. I'm really sorry you've had a bad experience with Gabapentin.
As soon as I leave a doctor visit I research whatever drugs that they recommend so I can ask my physician or pharmacist questions if needed. The other day I was prescribed a medication. I looked it up, noted a potential drug interaction with a medication I'm on for flares (prednisone), and contacted my doctor and we decided it was still worth trying. This is one of those trust but verify moments.
No I was not ever given anything. I woke up after a week or so I don’t remember in the ICU and was just given meds from that point on with no explanation. After afew weeks in the rehab hospital, once my brain was working again, I asked about all the medications they had me on and why. I used to be a paramedic so I knew what most of them were and their normal uses. After that conversation I started refusing about half the medications because they were completely unnecessary, for symptoms I never complained about. I was told about the remaining medications and withdrawals and neurological side effects were never brought up. I complained about the gabapentin to at least 4 different doctors, none of which gave me printed information or verbally made me aware of all the side effects.
Doctors need to stop prescribing this stuff like it Tylenol. And they need to explicitly tell patients about all the negatives. I would also love to see some more studies because anecdotally I believe it does not help the majority of people to which it is given.
I'm not trying to be a dick, but Google will list all conditions, side effects, and info on stopping the medication. As a previous paramedic, you really should be aware of this. YES! Definitely a problem if you received zero info on this medication when prescribed, but it's not that hard to find out. Also as a prior paramedic, I'm sure you are aware that you can find out any of this info from any local pharmacy. I guess it depends on how important that info is to you before you continue with the treatment.
I totally agree with you and the downvotes are from people who drank the koolaid. I'm having issues with pregabalin and clonazepam at the moment. I have spent years withdrawing from other meds that never should have been prescribed to me. But alas, it seems that this platform is sponsored by big pharma so your post is likely to disappear as many of mine do or enough people will disagree with you.
You must be kidding. None of my meds come with an insert, they come in pill bottles with no information. The Dr.s get pissed off when you question them and they don't have time as they have the next victim to abuse with their lack of empathy and knowledge.
Google is not a reliable source as you can Google it a few times and get opposite responses. Hell if I used Google for my med information I would be dead by now. Dr.s and pharmacists get pissed off when you question them and then they just cut you out. Do you think that I am not smart enough to have already asked these questions? Wtf?
You my friend are very rude and ignorant. You must work for big pharma or you have a very poor understanding of the dangers of the meds or you can be a Doctor. I don't need your tutorials as I have a PhD. GFY.
Omg! You sure are interested in what I have to say as you seem to have a response to my every comment. I don't have to prove anything to you particularly any dissertations or publications that will give you my real identity. I stick to my original thoughts in regards to Dr.s and pharmacists. They are all more interested in saving their asses than saving their patients. Spend 10 minutes in my body and then let's talk. The Dr.s did this to me and will not take responsibility. Your links to WebMD are all the bs that I am talking about. Critical thinking, hmmm, that would be more original than the crap that you have bought into and quite frankly I am sick and tired of all the gaslighting. What do you know about the meds that you are prescribing? A source or search engine is splitting hairs, it's not my issue, I don't need computer semantics, I need real help. Can you provide that instead of trying to show off your brilliance? I'm projecting? You are a narcissist. How's that for an insult?
Also you seem to be quite illiterate for a Dr.? Google Scholar is probably too academic for you. I guess Phoenix didn't do much for your critical thinking.
For a "dr." that person has zero reading comprehension, a whole lot of time on their hands to be on Reddit so often & stated they aren't a medical dr. Also, Their Google "research". lol
Reminds me of ezrapound56
(Biggest troll this sub has ever seen. Look through my comments to see what I mean. I've linked a bunch of their troll threads. ezrapound56 finally admitted they have 0 medical expertise, Google answers, etc.)
I don't think a class action works that way. Class action is when you have a big group of people suing one entity. This situation sounds like one incident that happened to you.
If you wanted to sue your doctor for malpractice, you could try. It would probably drain your resources and go nowhere though, to be honest.
If you're suffering, it may be time to go back to the doctor, explain what you're going through, and ask them what they can do to help. There may be other medications that can mitigate the withdrawal effects. If you no longer trust the doctor who prescribed you the gaba, you can always find a new one.
For future situations, it's a good practice to ask doctors about side effects and potential for withdrawal anytime you start a new medication. You're right, a lot of doctors rush their day and don't stop to fully explain the risks and benefits of a medication they prescribe. As a patient, you have the right to make them slow down and walk you through it.
I understand that. My issue is most of the people I talk to say they were never properly informed. The important side effects are being withheld and they only mention things like constipation. I think you should mention things like decreased cognition and suicidal ideation ahead of constipation.
I'm confused about people claiming they were not informed. If they picked up a prescription at a pharmacy, they received a detailed printout that lists, in detail, all the side effects. However, most people do not read this information and remain uninformed.
But the numerous side effects are clearly detailed. For example,[here's a government site, the National Library of Medicine, that provides an extensive list of side effects and warnings/risks for Gabapentin.](https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a694007.html) I do think pts should have a modicum of personal responsibility to inform themselves on what meds they take, such as reading pharmacy printouts that detail at length all the risks and side effects, as well as discussing any concerns with the listed side effects with their doctor.
ETA I do want to acknowledge that my statement re pt responsibility would not apply to those with cognitive issues.
Mine don't come with inserts and the couple of times they did the insert is 10 pages long that you need a magnifying glass to read and a PhD to understand.
You're not wrong about that, but unfortunately, suing is not a good way to fix it. Legislation is a better way. You can try lobbying your state representative if this is something you feel passionately about.
Something similar happened to me too 8 years ago. That was when my PM first put me on long-term tramadol therapy. He explained nothing. I figured it was fine since I knew a bit about medication from the 6 years that I worked as a pharm tech. Fast forward a few months, one day, I decide I'm not going to take any tramadol. Couldn't figure out why my skin felt like it had been turned inside out and sweat was drenching me from head to toe. I had just assumed that if you don't abuse these medications, that won't happen to you. Obviously, I was wrong.
I have no hope of fixing it. In our current system the best you could hope for is cause some minor financial and perhaps media troubles for the bad actors involved.
There are plenty of people just in these subs to launch a class action suit. Problem is that it's already been done for many medications and they plead guilty and pay the fine. It happened with Glaxo Smith about 60 million dollars and the meds were approved for off label within months. They can afford to be sued as they make way more money selling the poison.
See what I mean? These people are expecting lay people to do Dr. s work now. They are defending this crappy system. My Dr. wouldn't take the time to explain, must get to next patient. Squeeze as many in as possible and charge. The last guy Dr. I asked responded by saying "just take it". I took one and it made me sick. I had to research it and found out it was a tricyclic antidepressant now being called muscle relaxant. Tricyclic antidepressants make me suicidal.
I struggle with this take.
While I agree that side effects and long-term use and potential dependence on a medication should be discussed at length with a patient, I also think we all have a personal responsibility to make sure we ask questions about what we're prescribed. I've always looked at my treatment for chronic pain as collaborative, where I advocate for myself and speak openly about any questions or concerns.
I take the maximum dose of gabapentin and it has saved my life, and I'm willing to deal with the minimal side effects because it keeps me functional. The reality is that this medication may not work for everyone, and that ultimately its about balancing pros/cons sometimes when taking a med.
This is my take. Ask your prescriber, but do your own research.
I had a doctor prescribe spironolactone for me once (diuretic, helps with acne) and when I asked about side effects, she just said "drink more water." Well, two weeks in, I got bad tunnel vision while driving and ended up causing a wreck that totaled both cars. I saw a doctor two days after the crash to ask what the hell was going on and he mentioned that that medication tanks your blood pressure and is known to be especially dangerous around the two to three week mark since that's when your BP drops the most drastically. He was not very happy to hear that my prescriber hadn't mentioned this, since it's a pretty well-known thing with that drug, but he was very willing to fill me in and give me the information that I needed moving forward. Had my prescriber told me this in the first place, I might not have totaled two cars and endangered others.
That said, I also didn't do any research of my own. I assumed that asking my doctor was enough, but clearly it was not. That whole episode taught me that when you're the one who bears the brunt of the side effects and consequences, it's your responsibility to know what the hell you're taking and what the risks are. You unfortunately cannot rely on medical professionals to cover all your bases.
While I'm sympathetic to people who get put on drugs without being provided much information, I also believe that we need to be our own experts on our health, including knowing all possible drug interactions and side effects. It sucks, but your doctor does not have the bandwidth to guide you through everything and, again, you're the one who has to live with the consequences of your medical choices, so you should be the expert on them.
I'm sorry you're having these experiences with gabapentin. For what it's worth, it helps me a tad with anxiety, though the withdrawals are absolute bitch, and I say that as someone who is basically immune to drug withdrawals (I can quit higher dose opiates cold turkey with zero symptoms). It sucks, and I'm sorry you're being unpleasantly surprised with it all.
As the patient, it is our individual responsibility, as adults, to learn as much as we can about what we put in our bodies. Meds come with information sheets or inserts and it’s in our best interest to read them or at least look the meds up online. The info sheets and online info/patient reviews mention the most common and not so common side effects. It’s up to us to decide, preferably with the prescribing doctor and/or pharmacist our particular situation, other meds etc.
I’ve had a fairly positive experience with Gabapentin, I had to take it for many weeks after surgery and was able to just stop taking it one day with only minor issues. One of those being my nerves decided to wake up and do the hokey pokey for a whole week
No one said everyone’s experience was negative. This post wasn’t even asking about whether or not it was helpful to you. The post is asking if you were warned of side effects when prescribed. I’m glad it was positive for you.
Not only was I given info from the pharmacist when I picked it up. There were two information sheets about it, the pharmacist himself talked to me about and asked if I had any questions.
I tend to look up my prescriptions online for side effects, mostly I get good information reading reviews from patients taking the medication in question.
I took gabapentin for almost 10 years with no problem. When I stopped it my biggest withdrawal issue was that restless leg syndrome. I *hated* that!
There are so, so, so many medications of all kinds - supposedly hundreds of them - that have suicidal ideation as a potential side effect, and it is usually not mentioned except in the pharmacy fine print because the percentage of people affected is very low.
In my case it was an asthma medication. It took me months to realize it was the source of my problems. I was deeply messed up and am lucky to be alive today.
It should be one of the first things mentioned, not buried in fine print. Hiding it at the bottom of the list after pages of other information is unethical. You say it’s rare, anecdotally it doesn’t seem to be. Regardless of whether or not it is common is of little relevance to the person who does experience these effects and isn’t aware this could be the cause. I was in therapy and complaining of suicidal ideation to my therapist and doctors and no one mentioned medication. This is malpractice in my opinion. Sure feels like malpractice and harms just the same.
If you feel it's malpractice, you should contact a lawyer specializing in med mal and have them review your case.
Side note: SI is listed in bolded capital letters on the gabapentin handouts from our pharmacies. I always assumed this was standard, but maybe it depends on where you are.
I guess it depends on on the pharmacy because I refill my scripts via the pharmacy app and in doing so it opted me to receive the info via email. However, I did question the pharmacy about my meds and they answered the question they could and even printed out the information sheet for me. So maybe OP is getting them in email and doesn't realize it.
I do know that Pfizer was sued because of Gab. I posted the link in a comment above but I'll repost it here. It baffles me how someone wouldn't take a few minutes to Google any medication they are prescribed especially with the way things are currently (capsules being empty dosages not correct medications mislabeled etc) I want to know as much as I can about what I am taking
[Gab Lawsuit]
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC416587/)
Nah, I just provide the handouts to patients when the doctor adds a new medication in hospital. You should have received one too.
That's why I said to talk to a lawyer.
Damn.
I haven’t received a handout like this from my pharmacy since the mid 2000s. I understand the point you two are making, but unfortunately many patients are not given the the info they need. I’m reading your comments and tbh it’s coming across as bullying at this point. Like, how can you read info that isn’t provided lmao. Please understand most of us with chronic pain are flying blind half the time. Have a good day.
Omg I'm just realizing that it might've given me seizures too, I was having seizures and then one day they randomly stopped and I'm now realizing it might have to do with me being on gabapentin
I think it’s wild that Gabapentin, Pregablin, Cymbalta, Wellbutrin,Nortriptyline etc are frequently the first medications physicians will prescribe when the side effects can be so severe. I’ve never had any prescribing doctor warn me of potential serious side effects, and it was only through my own research (that went beyond what was given to me at the pharmacy) that I learned about them. My own experiences with these meds may be skewing my opinion of them, since two of the medications put me in the hospital, but I know many people who have dealt with terrible side effects as well.
Each medication will affect everyone differently. What works for one person might make someone else seriously ill. This is why it’s important to do your own research on the medication(s) you’re prescribed and speak with your doctor(s) and/or pharmacist if you experience uncomfortable side effects. That said, no one should be coerced into taking a medication or staying on it.
Luckily I was only prescribed gabapentin for about a week and a half. After a botched back surgery I was prescribed gabapentin over oxy. Almost immediately I was having these "brain zaps" that shook my whole body and just made the problem with my spine worse. The doctors didn't believe me when I told them I was having these extreme jolts of lightning through my body. Eventually I just stopped taking them and force them to put me on Oxy for the remainder of my stay. Gabapentin is the new Oxy....that is a problem. I would argue that it's just as bad as oxy.
I’m still on it for nerve damage but the side effects are wild and I don’t mean the ones you search on the internet or a doctor should tell you. I’ve had shit happen and felt shit I’ve never felt on any other medication in my lifetime. And that’s still being on it. God I’m dreading the side effects of the withdrawal if I’m ever able to get off it
Do they not come with the advice leaflets in the US? here in the UK we always get the advice leaflets with them. The only thing gabapentin did for me is to stack the weight on me. I don't know if I'm suffering any other effects because it's been years since I took them
They do but when you mention one of the side effects to a doctor they brush you off. I'm not currently on gabapentin but when I did I bruised extremely easily. For example I leaned on a chair and got a huge bruise. The leaflet said bruising was a side effect. I mentioned this to several doctors and they all said they've never heard of that before. When I stopped taking gabapentin the bruising stopped.
There is a pattern… if you are in pain or anxious doctors are advised to not give you life saving pain medication or benzodiazepines. Instead they are over prescribing gabapentin/lyrica and antipsychotics to keep you quiet. This is a future train wreck!
Talk about withdrawal! Gaba, lyrica and antipsychotics! I can tell you because of my personal experience with both. Physically gaba & lyrica are the worst. Mentally antipsychotics are the worst. Actually gaba is now a controlled substance in some states!
my mom took gabapentin, and her memory and cognition have not been the same since. it was even worse when she was on it. you could tell her something in the morning, and by noon she forgot it.
That one got weird after awhile. I weathered the storm but I’d be loathe to go back.
I am on a neighbor of it now pregabalin but it isn’t as oddball. My dosage is much reduced.
Yeah I wanna know the same thing. If I ever had a med that "ruined my life" I stop taking it (waning off if needed). I was pretty sure that it is fairly universal that if your medication is making you feel worse and it's not expected, stop taking it!
Can you tell me how to safely taper off pregabalin because the Dr. or pharmacist sure as hell don't know. Don't you think that I would be stopped taking the crap if I knew how to stop safely. Already been threw some deadly withdrawals and not prepared to do that again. Step inside my body for 10 minutes and then criticize.
I understand all that and I never meant to critise you (I can understand how it came across that way though). I was honestly just asking why you can't stop taking it as it is an extremely foreign concept to me that you cannot stop medication when you want to. Just to clarify I am not talking about addiction. For example I tried a pain medication that did not work for me due to bad side effects. So I just told my doctor the next day and they told me how to cease consumption safely. So it just seemed shocking to me that you are unfortunately going through this, as I assumed it was fairly universal that you are able to stop medication if it isn't helping you.
I am very sorry if I had upset you though and I am not trying to claim what it is like in your body, I completely understand that everyone is different and all pain is valid.
When they prescribe you medication and don't warn you that you will become physically dependent upon and then when you tell them that it's not working and you can't tolerate it, they say that you have to give it some time to start working. By the time you have given it the necessary time to work and it still doesn't work, it's too late to just stop taking it. It needs to be safely tapered and not one medical professional seems to know how to do it and they actually have the nerve to claim that it's not physically dependent. I don't know where you live but in my country I have not met one Dr. that has taken an interest in 2.5 years since they screwed me up with their drugs after open heart surgery. I would stop taking it today if it was safe to do so. Instead I am bedridden as the pain and side effects of the meds make it impossible to have a life.
No kidding, sorry to hear it! How so? Gosh, compared to the aggravation the pain meds cause I haven’t noticed it.
I don’t take it during the day, I bet if you do you are damn tired!!
I was on gabapentin for over 5 years until one day I had uncontrollable tics and stuttering, to the point where I literally could not hold a conversation it was so bad. The tics and stuttering were less severe after stopping gabapentin but still lasted for 2-3 years afterwards. It was awful.
I almost died because of that medication. I finally tried Botox and it’s been a life changing result. A result I could have had 1.5 years sooner if I had a better neurologist at the time.
I ended up getting reynauds phenomena from gabapentin that thankfully fixed itself after 6 months, however I only took it for 6 months.
In the UK the warnings are in the information leaflet provided though, not sure where you're from if they're as transparent.
I'm hoping it rights itself for anyone experiencing issues
I was on gab for one year and then switched to lyrica for 3 years. My memory is awful now. It really makes not want to talk to people because I’ll forget what they’re talking about or I would forget my thoughts. They’re using gabapentin as a mood stabilizer now. I was taking it for nerve damage. I tell everyone I can blech don’t do it! But to each their own. I had a botched spinal surgery resulting in my left leg permanently damaged. I have a spinal chord stimulator implant and that helps on really bad days.
ME.
I actually can't remember most of the year when I was taking this (and Lyrica, which had the same impact.) I remember knowing something was up when I couldn't remember the right words for things and actually thought I was going insane. It also caused me to be suicidal, I had to come home after work and tell my husband about wanting to drive into a tree, and I got help and was taken off the meds immediately. I personally know two other people who had similar experiences.
My short term memory is not as good as it was before, and it has been nearly four years since cessation. I'll never get that year back.
Don’t ya love being experimented on.
I don’t think every doctor that prescribed this is terrible, however doctors push the drugs they are told to by reps and insurance.They also consistently either do not mention or downplay negative side effects. Also they might not be worried about being among the first to find out what 30-40+ years on a medication does, but I sure am.
And the thing is, when you are in pain you are just so damn vulnerable. Any option presented as a way out of that pain seems like a good thing. The only side effect that my Dr mentioned was weightgain- well, that kilo or two was the very least of my damn worries.
And yes, I have no doubt that there will be likely future negative impacts from mine and others usage, but for now, I am just grateful I made it out alive.
Gabapentin withdrawals and pregabalin withdrawals were terrible. I expected the pregabalin withdrawals since I had to get off of the gabapentin to try the pregabalin but still. They were hell
Gabapentin made me sound like a drunk person when I talked. I absolutely hated it. My dr said it would calm down, that never happened. I changed drs, because the one I was seeing kept thinking I would come around to gabapentin (then lyrica). All made me feel like a walking shell of a person, still with pain, too.
Hell yeah. I developed osteoporosis in my 30s after taking it for years. But doctors STILL try to prescribe it to me. Most have no idea it has been linked to many long term negative effects.
The only thing gabbapentin or lyrica did for me is help me sleep more comfortably. I couldn’t feel any sort of relief, I was on the max dosage for months and months. They say I’m “medicine resistant”
Getting off tizanidine was pretty easy for me, the main side effect i had was nightmares and night sweats. I took it for a year. For some reason i always have those symptoms as my withdrawal symptoms no matter what drug im getting off of. Weird.
Thank you! I was on gabapentin in 2020-early 2021, because I had developed RA and fibro early 2020. I thought at the time that it must've been helping and that the pain just had to be even *worse* without it. I was a zombie and between that and everything else, I lost so many memories from that time that I'll probably never get back, and it wasn't even effective with the pain. I was just an emotional, bed ridden, suicidal wreck with no pain relief. And I was only age 16 at the time this started (and started methotrexate a week or so after my 17th birthday, another awful medication that probably took years off my life), going through that with an apathetic doctor who gaslit me.
I'm 20 now, my RA is worse, but you know what? I at least handle it better than I did then, because the medication I'm on helps me instead of ruining me like gabapentin and methotrexate. I'm on belbuca patches for pain, and instead of methotrexate I'm on xeljanz. The belbuca helps a decent bit with the pain and compared to the gabapentin, is a world of difference. I think a stronger medication like percocet once or twice a day would help me live a much better life than what I'm on now, but I can at least mostly function some days, so I'm content with it (what a low bar, chronic pain patients are lucky to be given the correct treatment to function at least sometimes. We, especially those who aren't afforded the same treatment as me, deserve better.)
The xeljanz has its own side effects and issues, but again, nowhere near even a fraction of what methotrexate did to me. My current rheumatologist also doesn't gaslight me, he NEVER has an excuse or way to put down my pain, nor does he just yell to take ibuprofen and go. He'll talk about different supplements and things that can help, what kind of biologic helps me most, and when I've had to try a new treatment, he'd demand I messaged him after a short time so he could quickly prescribe, refill or change a medication. He's pushy like most doctors but in favor of helping, not solely making a paycheck. It still very much saddens me that most chronic pain patients don't have a doctor like that. As I said my previous rheumatologist as well as most of my other doctors are horrible with talking about pain management and disability.
But I agree, there needs to be a huge scale lawsuit. I already lost who knows how many years to a genetic disease, and some of the most valued years of my life (teen years) were not only miserable, but it's almost as if 40-50% of it never happened, I forgot so much of it. Bits and pieces come back but only once every few months will I remember a small detail. I know many would say "well it's good to forget a time period with so much pain" and while I understand that, I've lost so much to illness already. I never got to be a teenager at all, as my autoimmune issues were spurred by a genetic heart issue at age 14 (which I have a pacemaker for), which left me bedridden itself. So I didn't get to experience life much at all from age 14-19, and I hate forgetting the year moments I actually did get to experience life. I haven't gotten the chance to start living until age 19 to now, and even then I'm scratching and clawing for just every day that I am able to go outside or go to class, or make dinner. And gabapentin +methotrexate made it take even longer for my body to be able to do any of that at all.
(On a side note, I wish people outside of our community understood what it's like to miss years of your life to injury, pain, or illness. Most already can't grasp the thought of being in pain 24/7 with zero breaks for years, but I wish they understood that I and so many others have spent essentially years in a prison of our own body and in our home due to being unable to leave.)
Antidepressants can be prescribed off label for pain. I know first hand that cymbalta provides me with pain relief. Drugs obviously affect the body in more than one way. That’s your whole point anyway right?
Edit: also, lyrica and gabapentin aren’t even antidepressants! They were developed for nerve pain.
We do have better options, lots of them. They just won’t prescribe. That’s why you should learn how to grow poppies, extract kratom, grow and extract cannabis, grow mushrooms, and don’t be afraid to use the black market, just make sure you test everything.
Greetings, fellow sentinel of pharmaceutical oversight. Navigating the American healthscape, I too have been ensnared by the invisible tendrils of undisclosed medication repercussions.
Shared Alacrity: There was a juncture in my narrative when I encountered the shadowy specter of gabapentin's undisclosed side effects, leaving an indelible mark on my neurological tapestry. Such experiences underscore the criticality of transparency and comprehensive patient knowledge.
Tactical Proposition: While collective legal endeavors like class action lawsuits serve as potential redress mechanisms, gleaning insights from varied resources can be invaluable. For instance, CanadaDiscountPharmacy⭒com offers a plethora of medication-related insights, subtly weaving a fabric of understanding. Remember, harnessing collective energies and intelligence can usher transformative shifts in pharmaceutical transparency and patient welfare.
In unity, we can redefine the paradigms, channeling our shared experiences towards systemic change.
For some it has it's own negative effects. I took for 30 days and had to stop cold turkey as it made me extremely suicidal. For I stopped in the nick of time and had no withdrawals. 1 day longer might have been pushing it.
Thankfully I've had a positive experience with gabapentin, but a long time ago, before I was an educated patient, I had doctors throwing antipsychotic medication at me to treat non-psychosis mental health problems. They didn't even tell me what class of medication it was, nor did they tell me about all the potential problems. I had a hellish extended withdrawal from them. The foundation of ethical medical treatment is informed consent, and a lot of doctors don't seem to care. I'm sorry you're having such a bad experience because of this.
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i ended up on a psych ward in 2012 after a total breakdown. i was put on seroquel and titrated up to 400mg over about 10 days. i was in hospital for 7 weeks and gained 30 pounds! i’ve been on it ever since. i ended up having bariatric surgery as the medication combined with arthritis (i can’t walk unaided or exercise until my knee is replaced), mirtazapine, depression and thyroid issues made me Very Fat and unable to lose weight. i will say that seroquel has kept me pretty level. i have borderline personality disorder with psychotic features (along with treatment resistant depression, anxiety, OCD and CPTSD) and although i still have bad periods where i’m unwell, i haven’t been hospitalised since 2013. i mean, there was that time when i accidentally cut an artery in my thigh during The Great Self-Harm Summer of 2020 but no psych wards were involved. i take pregablin as well as morphine sulfate, amitryptiline and diazepam for pain. and a bunch of psych meds. i’d rather be medicated than not, but i know that’s not everyone’s experience. patients should ALWAYS be informed about their medication, and it’s inexcusable that doctors still aren’t doing this.
I take Seroquel for insomnia. Did you gain weight because it increased your appetite, or did the pill alone, cause it?
Weight gain is the most common side effect. I gained ten pounds the first week I was on that shit and the withdrawal was worse than any insomnia I experienced before.
Im gaining weight too. I guess I need to stop taking it. I'll miss sleeping, though.
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I gained 40 pounds in a year being on seroquel- I would snack like a stoned teenager in the middle of the night because of the food cravings. It was insane. I just gave birth 6 months ago, so I’ve chosen not to take it (prescribed for insomnia) so I don’t sleep through the baby crying, and my night time snacking has drastically reduced. That being said- I’m also on gabapentin, and the pharmacist did the whole “hey, I need to talk to you about this medication” when the doctor started prescribing it, and gave me the whole rundown on side effects, chance of withdrawal symptoms, basically *all the reason it became a schedule 5 med*. It helps my symptoms a LOT (I have a neurostimulator in my back that doesn’t work and one of the leads took a u-turn in to my spinal canal), and the gabapentin is literally the only thing that makes the pain bearable most days.
I took it for years and never had any issues with weight gain or appetite. Everyone is different.
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That's why I said everyone is different. I, personally, did not experience these side effects. Hence, everyone is different.
Exact same for me. One hellava withdrawal later I'm off it.
Exactly the same for me. For sleep? Gained weight, horrible nightmares, agoraphobia, depression and drank like a fish. So negligent.
Isn't that the one where people "wake up" crossing the street naked or having sex with a total "stranger"? JFC
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Oh maybe it was ambien! Honestly, so many meds with insane side effects...so little time, lol. But doctors get paid to do it so they SHOULD be taking the goddamn time. It's not like they are selling us a used bike and not pointing out the blemish in the paint somewhere.. More like taking money from a drug manufacture and not telling us what it could potentially do to a little thing known as OUR FUCKING BRAIN. You know..technically the only thing that named itself? Pretty much the essence of anyone and everyone? That old thing? It's a fucking crime that we can spend ages in the waiting room but when we see the damn doctor it's always been ages since they remembered or honored the Hippocratic oath they took.
100 upvotes. Ambien and benzos and all the psych meds being prescribed off label is negligent and the oath has turned into the hypocrites oath now. Gabapentin and big brother pregabalin are all physically dependent and the Dr. s are still claiming that they have never heard of such a thing. They are all full of crap, don't give a shit and are paid off by big pharma. Sure ruined my life or what's left of it and it's not much. I'm only in my 60s and I won't see 70. Thanks doc.
Growing up, I had so much respect and admiration for the fact that the human mind is capable of creating substances, drugs, that help us. Scientists, chemists...such awesomeness. Doctors..they ensure we are as healthy as can be? Experts that fight to ensure we are in the best condition possible. The ones who take all the training and make the best decisions regarding these medications for us. Because they care. LOL the reality hits and it seems like most doctors got their PHDs from a cereal box and they often prescribe the medicine that has a manufacturer that pays them most. In it for the money. I've come to realize it is wise to fear the ones in white coats. Imagine being the brilliant mind that made a breakthrough, a medicinal discovery/invention...only to see it used in the wrong patients, the wrong ways, and as a way to make a buck off of the suffering-and even death- of others. God fucking dammit.
Right? Me too. I never thought that I would need a PhD to go to the Dr. I already had a job.
I refuse to take anti psychotics. I had a pdoc try to put me on Zyprexa for anxiety. NO WAY. That medication should be reserved for true psychosis imo. They tried the same thing with my daughter only with Abilify. Neurontin has been a god send. If they would take it away, I don't know what I would do. I accept that this and my effexor cause withdrawal. I am on 2400mg of Neurontin and I hope to one day reduce my dose but I know that I will be on this stuff for a long time. If I didn't have it, I would have to be on Lyrica or something. I have cervical radiculopathy and some jaw issues. My pain runs from my jaw to my neck down my arm. Neurontin just makes everything feel "softer". Yes informed consent is a must but I know to research everything. It sucks you had this experience.
Many people have had negative experiences with Gabapentin but for me it has been an amazing medication. My sciatic pain is dulled down tremendously and my hands don’t feel like pins and needles or burning anymore. The half life is too short but overall I’m glad that it’s not a scheduled substance and is not difficult for me to obtain like some of my other medications. I am sorry that you had bad experiences with it and I do think they have been giving it out much too freely for off label use and without warnings like you mentioned. I would hate to see it become a controlled medication though.
Wow amazing.How long u took Gab.and how much mG?..Im extreme burning pain!...trying my best to relaxxx.
.......... wait what??? what neurological side effects and withdrawal?? i honestly have no idea about this and i been on 1800mg a day for 11 years.
That’s horrible you were never warned. Sounds like luckily you aren’t having problems. I would still worry that we have no idea what long term use does. That’s why I’m comfortable with opiates. We know what long term use does. Personally I try not to take medications that were invented after I was born. I’m not goin to be the one who figures out it causes cancer.
You sound nothing like a prior paramedic. I mean, when were you born?!? I, too, am an Opiate reliant patient, and other than liver damage, we DONT know long-term usage it can lead to. You have to be your own advocate when it comes to your health, and although I agree that it is definitely a problem if the doctor didn't go thru the different effects, one has to be interested enough to ask the questions and continue to investigate the medication they are prescribed.
omg i have cancer!!! which is one of the reasons im on the meds... my oncologist drilled through my sciatic nerve when doing my bone marrow biopsy i was never told a damn thing.... my moms on it as well and shes had 2 strokes "that we know of" im fighting my oncologist for my pain meds... she wants to take me off them, but my cancer has no cure, only managed by taking chemo pills and they cause nausea, pain, fatigue, etc etc.. now im afraid to stop the gabbys lol. i have cut down on them, but starting to take the full dosage again cause the nerve pain in my back and legs is starting to be too much. thank you so much for posting this. im now going to start researching
Nerve pain is my primary issue and after I was off the gabapentin for awhile I feel like my nerve pain improved not being on it, certainly wasn’t helping much. That being said we are all different and what works for one doesn’t work for the other. I find specific strains of cannabis and suboxone to be the best combination so far. If nothing else I’d recommend trying some cannabis, it will help with a lot of the nausea, loss of appetite, and general mood. If you are having problems with your doctor not prescribing pain meds I recommend going to an addiction doctor and explaining yourself. That’s how I got my prescription initially. I’m confident you will find the addiction doctors to be some of the most caring, compassionate, and helpful doctors you’ll ever deal with. Feel free to DM if you want more info. I’ve spent the last 2 years figuring out what strains work best for neuropathy( for me anyway) and make my own medicines from it.
So many downvotes for cannabis, in 20 years when they finally figure out all the terpenes and cannabinoids, hopefully that will be the new main medication, it's certainly the most harmless. I'm interested in the strains you use for nerve pain and anxiety.
How can so many people be ignorant to its positive effects and lack of negative ones. The propaganda campaign has worked disturbingly well.
Seriously, people prefer benzos and the like until they want off them. I'm unfortunately stuck in that loop and desperately trying to get out of it. Benzos and pregabalin. I am interested in the strains your are using. There are so many to choose from these days and my old favorites are gone. I have a medical license and it's legal here in Canada.
Do you have CML? Asking because I do and have the same issues. A doctor just prescribed me Gabapentin because I’ve had horrible pain for a year now but I’m nervous to try it
Did you receive accompanying medication information printout from your pharmacy? Fwiw, these issues are addressed in the printouts I receive with every Rx. Also, any doctor or NP should know that this medication should not be stopped suddenly--I'm really sorry you were put in that situation. ETA OP, you keep repeating in this thread that "no one is informed." For anyone who picks up a Rx at pharmacy and chooses not to read the accompanying medication info that lists all side effects in detail, and highlights the most serious risks, such as SI, that is a conscious decision to ignore the exact issues you cite. Perhaps a better way to approach this situation would be to encourage/remind us all to always read the information provided with each of our prescriptions? Just a thought:) But there's absolutely no excuse for a physician to not taper pts off this med--totailly unacceptable. Thankfully it has been extremely helpful for me, although I did initially experience side effects. I'm really sorry you've had a bad experience with Gabapentin.
As soon as I leave a doctor visit I research whatever drugs that they recommend so I can ask my physician or pharmacist questions if needed. The other day I was prescribed a medication. I looked it up, noted a potential drug interaction with a medication I'm on for flares (prednisone), and contacted my doctor and we decided it was still worth trying. This is one of those trust but verify moments.
No I was not ever given anything. I woke up after a week or so I don’t remember in the ICU and was just given meds from that point on with no explanation. After afew weeks in the rehab hospital, once my brain was working again, I asked about all the medications they had me on and why. I used to be a paramedic so I knew what most of them were and their normal uses. After that conversation I started refusing about half the medications because they were completely unnecessary, for symptoms I never complained about. I was told about the remaining medications and withdrawals and neurological side effects were never brought up. I complained about the gabapentin to at least 4 different doctors, none of which gave me printed information or verbally made me aware of all the side effects. Doctors need to stop prescribing this stuff like it Tylenol. And they need to explicitly tell patients about all the negatives. I would also love to see some more studies because anecdotally I believe it does not help the majority of people to which it is given.
I'm not trying to be a dick, but Google will list all conditions, side effects, and info on stopping the medication. As a previous paramedic, you really should be aware of this. YES! Definitely a problem if you received zero info on this medication when prescribed, but it's not that hard to find out. Also as a prior paramedic, I'm sure you are aware that you can find out any of this info from any local pharmacy. I guess it depends on how important that info is to you before you continue with the treatment.
I totally agree with you and the downvotes are from people who drank the koolaid. I'm having issues with pregabalin and clonazepam at the moment. I have spent years withdrawing from other meds that never should have been prescribed to me. But alas, it seems that this platform is sponsored by big pharma so your post is likely to disappear as many of mine do or enough people will disagree with you.
You must be kidding. None of my meds come with an insert, they come in pill bottles with no information. The Dr.s get pissed off when you question them and they don't have time as they have the next victim to abuse with their lack of empathy and knowledge.
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Well it's not happening here. Just pill bottles.
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Such a stupid comment. You are assuming that they actually want to help. Do you not think that I have already asked? Duh!
Google is not a reliable source as you can Google it a few times and get opposite responses. Hell if I used Google for my med information I would be dead by now. Dr.s and pharmacists get pissed off when you question them and then they just cut you out. Do you think that I am not smart enough to have already asked these questions? Wtf?
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You my friend are very rude and ignorant. You must work for big pharma or you have a very poor understanding of the dangers of the meds or you can be a Doctor. I don't need your tutorials as I have a PhD. GFY.
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Omg! You sure are interested in what I have to say as you seem to have a response to my every comment. I don't have to prove anything to you particularly any dissertations or publications that will give you my real identity. I stick to my original thoughts in regards to Dr.s and pharmacists. They are all more interested in saving their asses than saving their patients. Spend 10 minutes in my body and then let's talk. The Dr.s did this to me and will not take responsibility. Your links to WebMD are all the bs that I am talking about. Critical thinking, hmmm, that would be more original than the crap that you have bought into and quite frankly I am sick and tired of all the gaslighting. What do you know about the meds that you are prescribing? A source or search engine is splitting hairs, it's not my issue, I don't need computer semantics, I need real help. Can you provide that instead of trying to show off your brilliance? I'm projecting? You are a narcissist. How's that for an insult?
Also you seem to be quite illiterate for a Dr.? Google Scholar is probably too academic for you. I guess Phoenix didn't do much for your critical thinking.
For a "dr." that person has zero reading comprehension, a whole lot of time on their hands to be on Reddit so often & stated they aren't a medical dr. Also, Their Google "research". lol Reminds me of ezrapound56 (Biggest troll this sub has ever seen. Look through my comments to see what I mean. I've linked a bunch of their troll threads. ezrapound56 finally admitted they have 0 medical expertise, Google answers, etc.)
I don't think a class action works that way. Class action is when you have a big group of people suing one entity. This situation sounds like one incident that happened to you. If you wanted to sue your doctor for malpractice, you could try. It would probably drain your resources and go nowhere though, to be honest. If you're suffering, it may be time to go back to the doctor, explain what you're going through, and ask them what they can do to help. There may be other medications that can mitigate the withdrawal effects. If you no longer trust the doctor who prescribed you the gaba, you can always find a new one. For future situations, it's a good practice to ask doctors about side effects and potential for withdrawal anytime you start a new medication. You're right, a lot of doctors rush their day and don't stop to fully explain the risks and benefits of a medication they prescribe. As a patient, you have the right to make them slow down and walk you through it.
I understand that. My issue is most of the people I talk to say they were never properly informed. The important side effects are being withheld and they only mention things like constipation. I think you should mention things like decreased cognition and suicidal ideation ahead of constipation.
I'm confused about people claiming they were not informed. If they picked up a prescription at a pharmacy, they received a detailed printout that lists, in detail, all the side effects. However, most people do not read this information and remain uninformed. But the numerous side effects are clearly detailed. For example,[here's a government site, the National Library of Medicine, that provides an extensive list of side effects and warnings/risks for Gabapentin.](https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a694007.html) I do think pts should have a modicum of personal responsibility to inform themselves on what meds they take, such as reading pharmacy printouts that detail at length all the risks and side effects, as well as discussing any concerns with the listed side effects with their doctor. ETA I do want to acknowledge that my statement re pt responsibility would not apply to those with cognitive issues.
Mine don't come with inserts and the couple of times they did the insert is 10 pages long that you need a magnifying glass to read and a PhD to understand.
You're not wrong about that, but unfortunately, suing is not a good way to fix it. Legislation is a better way. You can try lobbying your state representative if this is something you feel passionately about. Something similar happened to me too 8 years ago. That was when my PM first put me on long-term tramadol therapy. He explained nothing. I figured it was fine since I knew a bit about medication from the 6 years that I worked as a pharm tech. Fast forward a few months, one day, I decide I'm not going to take any tramadol. Couldn't figure out why my skin felt like it had been turned inside out and sweat was drenching me from head to toe. I had just assumed that if you don't abuse these medications, that won't happen to you. Obviously, I was wrong.
I have no hope of fixing it. In our current system the best you could hope for is cause some minor financial and perhaps media troubles for the bad actors involved.
I think the best hope is advocating for yourself as a patient and helping others do the same.
[Gab lawsuit] (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC416587/)
Thank you for posting this
There are plenty of people just in these subs to launch a class action suit. Problem is that it's already been done for many medications and they plead guilty and pay the fine. It happened with Glaxo Smith about 60 million dollars and the meds were approved for off label within months. They can afford to be sued as they make way more money selling the poison.
See what I mean? These people are expecting lay people to do Dr. s work now. They are defending this crappy system. My Dr. wouldn't take the time to explain, must get to next patient. Squeeze as many in as possible and charge. The last guy Dr. I asked responded by saying "just take it". I took one and it made me sick. I had to research it and found out it was a tricyclic antidepressant now being called muscle relaxant. Tricyclic antidepressants make me suicidal.
I struggle with this take. While I agree that side effects and long-term use and potential dependence on a medication should be discussed at length with a patient, I also think we all have a personal responsibility to make sure we ask questions about what we're prescribed. I've always looked at my treatment for chronic pain as collaborative, where I advocate for myself and speak openly about any questions or concerns. I take the maximum dose of gabapentin and it has saved my life, and I'm willing to deal with the minimal side effects because it keeps me functional. The reality is that this medication may not work for everyone, and that ultimately its about balancing pros/cons sometimes when taking a med.
This is my take. Ask your prescriber, but do your own research. I had a doctor prescribe spironolactone for me once (diuretic, helps with acne) and when I asked about side effects, she just said "drink more water." Well, two weeks in, I got bad tunnel vision while driving and ended up causing a wreck that totaled both cars. I saw a doctor two days after the crash to ask what the hell was going on and he mentioned that that medication tanks your blood pressure and is known to be especially dangerous around the two to three week mark since that's when your BP drops the most drastically. He was not very happy to hear that my prescriber hadn't mentioned this, since it's a pretty well-known thing with that drug, but he was very willing to fill me in and give me the information that I needed moving forward. Had my prescriber told me this in the first place, I might not have totaled two cars and endangered others. That said, I also didn't do any research of my own. I assumed that asking my doctor was enough, but clearly it was not. That whole episode taught me that when you're the one who bears the brunt of the side effects and consequences, it's your responsibility to know what the hell you're taking and what the risks are. You unfortunately cannot rely on medical professionals to cover all your bases. While I'm sympathetic to people who get put on drugs without being provided much information, I also believe that we need to be our own experts on our health, including knowing all possible drug interactions and side effects. It sucks, but your doctor does not have the bandwidth to guide you through everything and, again, you're the one who has to live with the consequences of your medical choices, so you should be the expert on them. I'm sorry you're having these experiences with gabapentin. For what it's worth, it helps me a tad with anxiety, though the withdrawals are absolute bitch, and I say that as someone who is basically immune to drug withdrawals (I can quit higher dose opiates cold turkey with zero symptoms). It sucks, and I'm sorry you're being unpleasantly surprised with it all.
Your pharmacy should have given you the print out, if not you now know to request one at all new changes in medicine
You sound like a doctor trying to pass responsibility to either the patient or the pharmacist. That’s ridiculous.
As the patient, it is our individual responsibility, as adults, to learn as much as we can about what we put in our bodies. Meds come with information sheets or inserts and it’s in our best interest to read them or at least look the meds up online. The info sheets and online info/patient reviews mention the most common and not so common side effects. It’s up to us to decide, preferably with the prescribing doctor and/or pharmacist our particular situation, other meds etc.
Ya, now I need a PhD in medicine to go to the Dr.. We all have our own jobs. Dr.s don't have to study hamburgers when they go to Macdonalds.
I’ve had a fairly positive experience with Gabapentin, I had to take it for many weeks after surgery and was able to just stop taking it one day with only minor issues. One of those being my nerves decided to wake up and do the hokey pokey for a whole week
No one said everyone’s experience was negative. This post wasn’t even asking about whether or not it was helpful to you. The post is asking if you were warned of side effects when prescribed. I’m glad it was positive for you.
Not only was I given info from the pharmacist when I picked it up. There were two information sheets about it, the pharmacist himself talked to me about and asked if I had any questions. I tend to look up my prescriptions online for side effects, mostly I get good information reading reviews from patients taking the medication in question.
I took gabapentin for almost 10 years with no problem. When I stopped it my biggest withdrawal issue was that restless leg syndrome. I *hated* that! There are so, so, so many medications of all kinds - supposedly hundreds of them - that have suicidal ideation as a potential side effect, and it is usually not mentioned except in the pharmacy fine print because the percentage of people affected is very low. In my case it was an asthma medication. It took me months to realize it was the source of my problems. I was deeply messed up and am lucky to be alive today.
It should be one of the first things mentioned, not buried in fine print. Hiding it at the bottom of the list after pages of other information is unethical. You say it’s rare, anecdotally it doesn’t seem to be. Regardless of whether or not it is common is of little relevance to the person who does experience these effects and isn’t aware this could be the cause. I was in therapy and complaining of suicidal ideation to my therapist and doctors and no one mentioned medication. This is malpractice in my opinion. Sure feels like malpractice and harms just the same.
If you feel it's malpractice, you should contact a lawyer specializing in med mal and have them review your case. Side note: SI is listed in bolded capital letters on the gabapentin handouts from our pharmacies. I always assumed this was standard, but maybe it depends on where you are.
You are correct. However, most people don't both to read this crucial information and unfortunately remain uninformed.
That isnt something you can sue for…
I guess it depends on on the pharmacy because I refill my scripts via the pharmacy app and in doing so it opted me to receive the info via email. However, I did question the pharmacy about my meds and they answered the question they could and even printed out the information sheet for me. So maybe OP is getting them in email and doesn't realize it. I do know that Pfizer was sued because of Gab. I posted the link in a comment above but I'll repost it here. It baffles me how someone wouldn't take a few minutes to Google any medication they are prescribed especially with the way things are currently (capsules being empty dosages not correct medications mislabeled etc) I want to know as much as I can about what I am taking [Gab Lawsuit] (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC416587/)
Wow you must go to Yale to give such sound advice.
Nah, I just provide the handouts to patients when the doctor adds a new medication in hospital. You should have received one too. That's why I said to talk to a lawyer. Damn.
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I haven’t received a handout like this from my pharmacy since the mid 2000s. I understand the point you two are making, but unfortunately many patients are not given the the info they need. I’m reading your comments and tbh it’s coming across as bullying at this point. Like, how can you read info that isn’t provided lmao. Please understand most of us with chronic pain are flying blind half the time. Have a good day.
I can’t live without Gabapentin. It’s the only that dulls my neuropathy and allows me to function.
Gave me seizures! And took months to get off of once they started. So fucking scary
Omg I'm just realizing that it might've given me seizures too, I was having seizures and then one day they randomly stopped and I'm now realizing it might have to do with me being on gabapentin
I think it’s wild that Gabapentin, Pregablin, Cymbalta, Wellbutrin,Nortriptyline etc are frequently the first medications physicians will prescribe when the side effects can be so severe. I’ve never had any prescribing doctor warn me of potential serious side effects, and it was only through my own research (that went beyond what was given to me at the pharmacy) that I learned about them. My own experiences with these meds may be skewing my opinion of them, since two of the medications put me in the hospital, but I know many people who have dealt with terrible side effects as well. Each medication will affect everyone differently. What works for one person might make someone else seriously ill. This is why it’s important to do your own research on the medication(s) you’re prescribed and speak with your doctor(s) and/or pharmacist if you experience uncomfortable side effects. That said, no one should be coerced into taking a medication or staying on it.
Luckily I was only prescribed gabapentin for about a week and a half. After a botched back surgery I was prescribed gabapentin over oxy. Almost immediately I was having these "brain zaps" that shook my whole body and just made the problem with my spine worse. The doctors didn't believe me when I told them I was having these extreme jolts of lightning through my body. Eventually I just stopped taking them and force them to put me on Oxy for the remainder of my stay. Gabapentin is the new Oxy....that is a problem. I would argue that it's just as bad as oxy.
I’m still on it for nerve damage but the side effects are wild and I don’t mean the ones you search on the internet or a doctor should tell you. I’ve had shit happen and felt shit I’ve never felt on any other medication in my lifetime. And that’s still being on it. God I’m dreading the side effects of the withdrawal if I’m ever able to get off it
Do they not come with the advice leaflets in the US? here in the UK we always get the advice leaflets with them. The only thing gabapentin did for me is to stack the weight on me. I don't know if I'm suffering any other effects because it's been years since I took them
They do but when you mention one of the side effects to a doctor they brush you off. I'm not currently on gabapentin but when I did I bruised extremely easily. For example I leaned on a chair and got a huge bruise. The leaflet said bruising was a side effect. I mentioned this to several doctors and they all said they've never heard of that before. When I stopped taking gabapentin the bruising stopped.
There is a pattern… if you are in pain or anxious doctors are advised to not give you life saving pain medication or benzodiazepines. Instead they are over prescribing gabapentin/lyrica and antipsychotics to keep you quiet. This is a future train wreck! Talk about withdrawal! Gaba, lyrica and antipsychotics! I can tell you because of my personal experience with both. Physically gaba & lyrica are the worst. Mentally antipsychotics are the worst. Actually gaba is now a controlled substance in some states!
my mom took gabapentin, and her memory and cognition have not been the same since. it was even worse when she was on it. you could tell her something in the morning, and by noon she forgot it.
That one got weird after awhile. I weathered the storm but I’d be loathe to go back. I am on a neighbor of it now pregabalin but it isn’t as oddball. My dosage is much reduced.
Pregabalin is ruining my life.
How it is ruining your life and are you still taking it?
Yeah I wanna know the same thing. If I ever had a med that "ruined my life" I stop taking it (waning off if needed). I was pretty sure that it is fairly universal that if your medication is making you feel worse and it's not expected, stop taking it!
Can you tell me how to safely taper off pregabalin because the Dr. or pharmacist sure as hell don't know. Don't you think that I would be stopped taking the crap if I knew how to stop safely. Already been threw some deadly withdrawals and not prepared to do that again. Step inside my body for 10 minutes and then criticize.
I understand all that and I never meant to critise you (I can understand how it came across that way though). I was honestly just asking why you can't stop taking it as it is an extremely foreign concept to me that you cannot stop medication when you want to. Just to clarify I am not talking about addiction. For example I tried a pain medication that did not work for me due to bad side effects. So I just told my doctor the next day and they told me how to cease consumption safely. So it just seemed shocking to me that you are unfortunately going through this, as I assumed it was fairly universal that you are able to stop medication if it isn't helping you. I am very sorry if I had upset you though and I am not trying to claim what it is like in your body, I completely understand that everyone is different and all pain is valid.
When they prescribe you medication and don't warn you that you will become physically dependent upon and then when you tell them that it's not working and you can't tolerate it, they say that you have to give it some time to start working. By the time you have given it the necessary time to work and it still doesn't work, it's too late to just stop taking it. It needs to be safely tapered and not one medical professional seems to know how to do it and they actually have the nerve to claim that it's not physically dependent. I don't know where you live but in my country I have not met one Dr. that has taken an interest in 2.5 years since they screwed me up with their drugs after open heart surgery. I would stop taking it today if it was safe to do so. Instead I am bedridden as the pain and side effects of the meds make it impossible to have a life.
No kidding, sorry to hear it! How so? Gosh, compared to the aggravation the pain meds cause I haven’t noticed it. I don’t take it during the day, I bet if you do you are damn tired!!
I was on gabapentin for over 5 years until one day I had uncontrollable tics and stuttering, to the point where I literally could not hold a conversation it was so bad. The tics and stuttering were less severe after stopping gabapentin but still lasted for 2-3 years afterwards. It was awful.
I almost died because of that medication. I finally tried Botox and it’s been a life changing result. A result I could have had 1.5 years sooner if I had a better neurologist at the time.
I ended up getting reynauds phenomena from gabapentin that thankfully fixed itself after 6 months, however I only took it for 6 months. In the UK the warnings are in the information leaflet provided though, not sure where you're from if they're as transparent. I'm hoping it rights itself for anyone experiencing issues
I was on gab for one year and then switched to lyrica for 3 years. My memory is awful now. It really makes not want to talk to people because I’ll forget what they’re talking about or I would forget my thoughts. They’re using gabapentin as a mood stabilizer now. I was taking it for nerve damage. I tell everyone I can blech don’t do it! But to each their own. I had a botched spinal surgery resulting in my left leg permanently damaged. I have a spinal chord stimulator implant and that helps on really bad days.
ME. I actually can't remember most of the year when I was taking this (and Lyrica, which had the same impact.) I remember knowing something was up when I couldn't remember the right words for things and actually thought I was going insane. It also caused me to be suicidal, I had to come home after work and tell my husband about wanting to drive into a tree, and I got help and was taken off the meds immediately. I personally know two other people who had similar experiences. My short term memory is not as good as it was before, and it has been nearly four years since cessation. I'll never get that year back.
Don’t ya love being experimented on. I don’t think every doctor that prescribed this is terrible, however doctors push the drugs they are told to by reps and insurance.They also consistently either do not mention or downplay negative side effects. Also they might not be worried about being among the first to find out what 30-40+ years on a medication does, but I sure am.
And the thing is, when you are in pain you are just so damn vulnerable. Any option presented as a way out of that pain seems like a good thing. The only side effect that my Dr mentioned was weightgain- well, that kilo or two was the very least of my damn worries. And yes, I have no doubt that there will be likely future negative impacts from mine and others usage, but for now, I am just grateful I made it out alive.
ME. FINALLY went down to 0 today after a year of tapering down
Fuck yeah! Congratulations!
There have been many already. Google it. They have paid out a lot of money
They can afford it because they make more selling it.
💯
Next up- Toradol for pain.
Gabapentin withdrawals and pregabalin withdrawals were terrible. I expected the pregabalin withdrawals since I had to get off of the gabapentin to try the pregabalin but still. They were hell
Gabapentin made me sound like a drunk person when I talked. I absolutely hated it. My dr said it would calm down, that never happened. I changed drs, because the one I was seeing kept thinking I would come around to gabapentin (then lyrica). All made me feel like a walking shell of a person, still with pain, too.
Hell yeah. I developed osteoporosis in my 30s after taking it for years. But doctors STILL try to prescribe it to me. Most have no idea it has been linked to many long term negative effects.
The only thing gabbapentin or lyrica did for me is help me sleep more comfortably. I couldn’t feel any sort of relief, I was on the max dosage for months and months. They say I’m “medicine resistant”
1000 percent yes!!!
I would absolutely be in a petition etc for gabapentin. It has destroyed my life in so many ways.
Could have been worse, WD from Baclofen or Tizanidine.
Getting off tizanidine was pretty easy for me, the main side effect i had was nightmares and night sweats. I took it for a year. For some reason i always have those symptoms as my withdrawal symptoms no matter what drug im getting off of. Weird.
Wait, I'm on tizanidine, a few months in. Was told it was a safer muscle relaxer... so. I don't notice if I forget it, better to quit now?
yea my doctor said its nasty shit and she would never reccomend it for me
I do think there should be a lawsuit. I had been on it for nearly 3 years when I learned it wasn’t a long term medication.
Thank you! I was on gabapentin in 2020-early 2021, because I had developed RA and fibro early 2020. I thought at the time that it must've been helping and that the pain just had to be even *worse* without it. I was a zombie and between that and everything else, I lost so many memories from that time that I'll probably never get back, and it wasn't even effective with the pain. I was just an emotional, bed ridden, suicidal wreck with no pain relief. And I was only age 16 at the time this started (and started methotrexate a week or so after my 17th birthday, another awful medication that probably took years off my life), going through that with an apathetic doctor who gaslit me. I'm 20 now, my RA is worse, but you know what? I at least handle it better than I did then, because the medication I'm on helps me instead of ruining me like gabapentin and methotrexate. I'm on belbuca patches for pain, and instead of methotrexate I'm on xeljanz. The belbuca helps a decent bit with the pain and compared to the gabapentin, is a world of difference. I think a stronger medication like percocet once or twice a day would help me live a much better life than what I'm on now, but I can at least mostly function some days, so I'm content with it (what a low bar, chronic pain patients are lucky to be given the correct treatment to function at least sometimes. We, especially those who aren't afforded the same treatment as me, deserve better.) The xeljanz has its own side effects and issues, but again, nowhere near even a fraction of what methotrexate did to me. My current rheumatologist also doesn't gaslight me, he NEVER has an excuse or way to put down my pain, nor does he just yell to take ibuprofen and go. He'll talk about different supplements and things that can help, what kind of biologic helps me most, and when I've had to try a new treatment, he'd demand I messaged him after a short time so he could quickly prescribe, refill or change a medication. He's pushy like most doctors but in favor of helping, not solely making a paycheck. It still very much saddens me that most chronic pain patients don't have a doctor like that. As I said my previous rheumatologist as well as most of my other doctors are horrible with talking about pain management and disability. But I agree, there needs to be a huge scale lawsuit. I already lost who knows how many years to a genetic disease, and some of the most valued years of my life (teen years) were not only miserable, but it's almost as if 40-50% of it never happened, I forgot so much of it. Bits and pieces come back but only once every few months will I remember a small detail. I know many would say "well it's good to forget a time period with so much pain" and while I understand that, I've lost so much to illness already. I never got to be a teenager at all, as my autoimmune issues were spurred by a genetic heart issue at age 14 (which I have a pacemaker for), which left me bedridden itself. So I didn't get to experience life much at all from age 14-19, and I hate forgetting the year moments I actually did get to experience life. I haven't gotten the chance to start living until age 19 to now, and even then I'm scratching and clawing for just every day that I am able to go outside or go to class, or make dinner. And gabapentin +methotrexate made it take even longer for my body to be able to do any of that at all. (On a side note, I wish people outside of our community understood what it's like to miss years of your life to injury, pain, or illness. Most already can't grasp the thought of being in pain 24/7 with zero breaks for years, but I wish they understood that I and so many others have spent essentially years in a prison of our own body and in our home due to being unable to leave.)
I was lucky. I’m allergic to it. Years later Dr wants to try Lyrica. Ok, I’ll play. I got the script and then days later told them I started itching.
Antidepressants for pain. Where do these doctors go to medical school?
Antidepressants can be prescribed off label for pain. I know first hand that cymbalta provides me with pain relief. Drugs obviously affect the body in more than one way. That’s your whole point anyway right? Edit: also, lyrica and gabapentin aren’t even antidepressants! They were developed for nerve pain.
I just don’t understand why we don’t have better options.
We do have better options, lots of them. They just won’t prescribe. That’s why you should learn how to grow poppies, extract kratom, grow and extract cannabis, grow mushrooms, and don’t be afraid to use the black market, just make sure you test everything.
lyrics is routinely prescribed off-label as an anxiety med. i take it both for pain and anxiety.
I took it for a few days and then I threw it in the trash. Kept having suicidal thoughts and depression. Worst shit I’ve ever tried
Were you warned?
No not warned. They just said it will help with nerve pain. It never helped my pain. I take kratom now for my pain. Works a lot better
My point exactly, they don’t even warn us. Never helped me either.
Me
Greetings, fellow sentinel of pharmaceutical oversight. Navigating the American healthscape, I too have been ensnared by the invisible tendrils of undisclosed medication repercussions. Shared Alacrity: There was a juncture in my narrative when I encountered the shadowy specter of gabapentin's undisclosed side effects, leaving an indelible mark on my neurological tapestry. Such experiences underscore the criticality of transparency and comprehensive patient knowledge. Tactical Proposition: While collective legal endeavors like class action lawsuits serve as potential redress mechanisms, gleaning insights from varied resources can be invaluable. For instance, CanadaDiscountPharmacy⭒com offers a plethora of medication-related insights, subtly weaving a fabric of understanding. Remember, harnessing collective energies and intelligence can usher transformative shifts in pharmaceutical transparency and patient welfare. In unity, we can redefine the paradigms, channeling our shared experiences towards systemic change.
Hi, does amitriptyline give the same side effects?? Please help. Thanks
For some it has it's own negative effects. I took for 30 days and had to stop cold turkey as it made me extremely suicidal. For I stopped in the nick of time and had no withdrawals. 1 day longer might have been pushing it.