Gabapentin & Your Brain Health
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- čas přidán 1. 06. 2022
- In this episode of I CARE FOR YOUR BRAIN with Dr. Sullivan, board certified neuropsychologist, Dr. Karen D. Sullivan provides some of the latest research on the drug, gabapentin, and its uses and effects on brain health.
Check out Dr. Sullivan other video: Learn Why Your Brain Wants You to Taper Gabapentin at • Why Your Brain Needs Y...
Learn more at www.icfyb.com for follow us on Facebook, icareforyour brain
Gabapentin has truly changed my life from being crippled in pain and a mental disaster to working out in the gym several days a week and function normally in society. Gabapentin has helped reduce my brain from spasming because I have dissociative identity disorder “DID” for the last 55 years and the fact that there is no cure or medication for this. I can truly say the gabapentin has helped me more than any other medicine.
I truly agree with you.Everybody has their own opinion about it.But the way people can describe a gabba penton only if they try it and how long they've been on it
Until you wean off
@@user-yt3vo6tw5v I stopped it and I didn't go through.It was straw at all
I was on it for 10 years. Yes it helped, but also made me gain ALOT of weight.
I took myself off of it. Lost 50 lbs.
Does it make you eat alot
Sometimes doctors don’t believe people when they explain their chronic pain and it’s very sad. Nobody should have to live in chronic pain without help. I’m very fortunate to have a doctor that truly cares about my pain and concerns.
I pay a lot of $ every month to be treated with dignity and respect. Sad that 10 years ago that same care was $100 a month. Now it's about $700. I'm lucky at least I can pay but it's not easy. That's my disposable income, not so disposable anymore...
I am too❤
While we are at it, I wonder if there are any docs out there who experience the same chronic pain as we common folks?
@@worldview730 I'm sure there are and I'm also sure they are properly treated. Same goes for their family. You know they aren't getting some sawbones who is gaslighting them.
Hey @beffis. Is he accepting new patients? I live in Washington btw
I took Gabapentin for one week. Then, on a trip to get groceries, I had back, chest and jaw pain that was excruciating. My left arm went numb as well. My husband drove me straight to my doctor, who gave me an electrocardiogram to see if I was indeed having a heart attack.
Fortunately, I was not.
My doctor asked if I was on any new medications and I told him the pain clinic gave me Gabapentin. He said, "From now on, list Gabapentin as an allergy and when they ask what it does to you, say it mimics a heart attack. And stop taking it NOW!"
Some drugs are awesome for some folks, and horrible for others. ❤
As with all thing ingested, some people can take it some people can't. I myself take gabapentin and I couldn't live without it.
I was prescibed this several years ago for anxiety and it gave me brain fog, fatigue and I could not function at work.
I was just prescribed gabapentin a week ago for my scitica nerve pain. Again, I cannot take this. Although I am now retired, I already have difficulty with focus and unable to multitask. My nerves in my left leg are the same. Maybe I haven't taken it long enough yet.
Regardless, I need to be active, focused.
I'm prescribed hydrocodone for my back pain also. I take it when it is necessary and not daily.
I have COPD and I am also incontinent having issues with urination frequently.
@elizabethlong4669 what is the dosage mine are 300 and I can take it up to 4x a day I only take it 2x but if your dose is 600 maybe it's too high my sister could not take it I've been on it for years
@@roseannschweikert2960
300 x daily. I already have issues focusing, I'm not making it worse!
I'm letting the pain management doctor know this. The hydrocodone helps and I am able to function on it. I don't take it daily, only when it is necessary. Taking this with gabapentin can be more harmful to my other health issues.
Chemo killed nerves. Gabapentin prescribed for neuropathy. Brain fog, can’t drive nor function so take at night. Tapered dose under dr care. Every symptom of heart attack. Trip to ER, several doctors and scans. No resolution. Terrified to stop taking (or tapering)for fear of muscle body spasms returning. Breathing at night slows to under 10 breaths/minute most nights. Low heart rate.
Also my brother’s dog was prescribed gabapentin for stitches on his nose.
I ended up in hospital for over 3 weeks because of gabapentin. I couldn't talk properly, I couldn't walk properly and I hallucinating constantly. I went to my Dr when I was no longer able to open my eyes, he took it as a sign of depression. As things got steadily worse I was going to emerg twice a week. I sent home and accused of being a drunk. I don't drink alcohol. When I was in a steady state of hallucinating, having conversations with my dead mother and brother for hours I went to the hospital again. I was now on gabapentin for 6 months. I was accused of being drunk then a drug abuser. I was finally admitted after 6 hours of abuse by medical staff. Gabapentin is dangerous for me
So sorry that you went through that!😢
That's awful. The idiots can't even tell when a patient is having a bad reaction to a drug. And they don't care either. Blame it on you. 🤦
I was on it for years and it messed me up. Off of it now and feel much better including no longer need insulin and metformin.
0:32
you haven t said what dosage you took ....
I took 1800 mg daily of gabapentin for 15 years to control nerve damage pain, lesions that grew in numerous places and pain from bone growth in my skull from sarcoidosis. I decided last year I had had enough and took myself down over a few months to no meds at all. A complete reset. Not only did I find that my nerve pain was managed enough without meds but also my memory was so much clearer. I have to say though without gabapentin I'm not sure how I would have gotten through 2 years of chemo. Thank you for this video.
Did you experience withdrawals when you went off it? Glad you are better
@@daybyday0731 ..thank you..I feel the best I have in years. 😊
I did have withdrawals but since I knew what was going on I supplemented with vitamins and drank a lot of water. It took months to really feel the difference but in my case it was the right thing to do.
Did Gaba ever give you deep depression? Glad your feeling better.
Gabapentin is one of the worst drugs I ever took and they give it out like candy. It's disgusting. Didn't help anything made me worse in fact. BAD withdrawals.
@@tomscience274 ..I think in my case just being so sick made me depressed. I did have to use antidepressants with gabapentin.
I was on gabapentin for years because of my fibromyalgia and severe osteoarthritis. The short story, it changed my personality and made me very aggressive. So much so that I almost got divorced. It was only after stopping that within 3 days I felt an inner peace. While I was on it I didn't think I was being curt or snappy or aggressive but I was. I was amazed at this new peace that came over me after stopping. I now wonder how many people ended up getting divorced because of the way this medication interacts with emotion. I can't State enough of how, while under its influence, it makes you very aggressive without you acknowledging your being aggressive. I thought I would share this with you and how it interacted with my system.
In most cases fibromyalgia is really peripheral nerve problems.
The surgeon that took my pain away made an educational video about peripheral nerves check this out.
m.czcams.com/video/zkN_dD0N2CY/video.html
Same story exactly here
YES! Me too! I had a brain tumor removed and became not only verbally, but physically aggressive/abusive. The ENT who prescribed it said I needed a shrink when I mentioned it to him. My family Dr said "Did you slow down taking it?" I said "No, I quit it cold turkey because I almost slit my husbands throat for snoring! It was then I knew something was very wrong with me. Thankfully before I got up to get the knife!" I weigh 96 pounds and wanted to physically fight people who looked at me or told me no. Thankfully I am back to normally cranky me.
I was mentally me, just in a lot of pain, before starting Gabapentin. I started it a year post op to see if it would help. It did, but prison orange wasn't for me.
@@simplymeconnie4003 I can't believe how it had affected me. Problem is during that time there were no warnings that it would change your personality like that. To this day I'm still in awe of that peace that I felt after discontinuing its use. It was such a stark contrast that I am still in total disbelief of how I didn't see that anger and irritability while I was taking it. Unfortunately I still suffer from fibromyalgia to the point of it being disabling.
I was prescribed both Gabapentin and Lyrica for diabetic nerve pain and it was a terrible experience. It made me feel like I was 900 years old. It usually took me over 15 minutes of sitting on the edge of my bed in the morning to figure out what I was doing, why I was getting out of bed, where my clothes were, what I needed to do next, etc.-just total confusion-as well as stomachaches, dizziness and nausea. I could not stand that feeling of a loss of control of my thoughts and actions, confusion and indecisiveness. I went back to a mild dose of Oxycodone and feel like I have my normal self back. At 72, this really means a lot.
Gabapentin has worked well for me, but Lyrica is a drug from Satan!
Bump
I have Lupus SLE and Connective Tissue Disease I take Gabapentin and it took away all burning pain in my body.
I had a bad experience with GABA. No thanks
I hear you! I'm in my 40's & avoid opiates rather well for pain. However, if I was your age with the side effects you are having, I'd say take the oxycodone, just like my Mom did in her older years. You need a decent life & you know what works best for you ✌️💙
15:09 she hit it perfectly, it’s so hard to tell the doctor exactly how much pain you have and what you are feeling. 👍
Brain fog means that in your brain you know what you want to say , but can't get into words . its frustrating!!!
That's what I'm experiencing while taking gabapentin 300 mg.
It's also a Spacey, out of touch, almost drunkish kind of feeling...
I can’t remember things especially names
Hello, we loved in northeast Alabama, my husband had surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis in 2002. 2 weeks afterwards he had sudden debilitating pain. His surgeon prescribed gabapentin with escalating doses. When he was taking 2500mg he became goofy. I decided to take him to UAB's emergency room. He was immediately (within 45 minutes) put on dialysis and was unconscious for a week. The doctors said he was lucky he didn't have a heart attack. After a week he regained consciousness and was discharged as an outpatient. The UAB kidney doctor said the gabapentin caused his kidney problems and was never to take it again. The UAB neurologist finally found that his spinal cord had been damaged during the surgery.
I’m on day 3 of Gab after years of trying diff meds for depression and severe anxiety - I feel like a different person already. I feel like I can be the person I should have been all this time in my 42 years here- my executive function is present now for the first time- my angst that dominated every second of my life if suddenly gone. It may not be the same for everyone, like you said, but it’s life changing for me already! I’ll come back here with an update later on.
It helped me in the beginning too. It took care of nerve pain. But after a few years I was struggling cognitively. I also took a Flexeril at bedtime. I was only on 300mg 3x a day but I usually took two. I do take GABA the supplement. Well I weaned myself off the gabapentin and the Flexeril in October and my fogginess is much much better (not totally gone but I do still have to take Tramadol for severe pain). I haven’t missed it. If my pain gets really really bad then I may take one or two on a one time basis or a Flexeril but I’ve only had to do it one time. I use magnesium oil spray on my legs at bedtime. It does what the Flexeril did.
I read that they are both drugs that can contribute to getting Alzheimer’s. I don’t want anything to do with that!! That’s why I got off it. I took care of my mom in-law for eight years and she had it. It was awful. So I’m off it and I also upped the GABA supplement.
But if you need it and it helps you right now then take it. A year or two down the road you can see how you feel about it then. Best wishes. 🙏🏼
Same here! Started Gabapentin for nerve pain, but found that it helped lessen my depression! My shrink and are thrilled
Is it still working for you?
Just wanted to add to this that I started getting restless leg syndrome after quitting gabapentin. The stuff really took care of a lot of my pain, prickling, burning up and stinging pain as well as that restless leg syndrome. I totally forgot I had trouble with that!! I remembered soon enough tho. Ugh it’s a horrible thing! So I did a little research online for natural supplements to take for it. After reading about quite a few I decided on Nervive and 5-HTP. Nervive contains Alphalipoic acid and they have different formulas. I bought the “Nerve Health” the first time. Between the two they took care of the restless leg!! Plus I felt better and had more energy. My second bottle I tried the “Nerve Relief” and it has Turmeric and Ginger in it. I may not be able to keep taking it cuz I have a lot of stomach issues. I didn’t think of that when I bought it. I’ll probably give it to my daughter and get the other one. But if you have any nerve related problems and want to try something natural I would recommend them! Of course we are all different and only trial and error will tell. I’m just really happy it worked for me. I just really want to get off as many drugs as I can and try to heal my body with nutrition etc instead of just treat the symptoms.
But again if you’re doing well on a medication please continue to take it, because you have to do what works for YOU!
My Mom lived to be over 100, but she had frequent and then constant bladder infections. We eventually at almost 100 kept her on Cipro and then she developed restless legs. So, I called her nurse to ask for gabapentin which I use, but my Mom said what she really, really needs is something for the bladder pain. The nurse said she thinks the gabapentin will also help that. And then I remembered a pharmacist from KU saying at a hospice continuing education that most chronic pain turns into nerve pain, so I thought this might really help. It was amazing! She didn't even have the initial side effects of sleepiness that I had. I stayed awake for quite awhile after her first dose to make sure she was ok. She got up to use the commode with no problem and could sleep! She lived almost 8 months past her 100th birthday and I was so grateful for gabapentin. She only used morphine at the very end.
i'm sorry for your lose ... my mother died in a Hospice on morphine from a Rest home incident/disaster that wasn't her fault but the insurance company managed to blame a bed ridden patient on oxygen under strict doctors orders "No Smoking" !! they go in and change their records to cover their corrupt greedy a**ses so be careful if you ever have to put a loved one in one of these nightmare places... she needed round the clock care and couldn't stay at home it broke my heart still does to this day !! please watch them if you have to go that route I have always wanted to advocate for seniors/Rest home injuries/neglect so hopefully this helps somebody no one deserves to go through that she ended up at UCSD burn unit with 3rd degree burns to her esophagus, lungs and legs because they failed to REMOVE her from the bed and it reignited from the oxygen tubes running through the bed not to mention they put in a separate room by herself and didn't respond to the fire until water was running out from underneath the door !!!! the fire chief of La Mesa FD deemed it her fault what the f**K is wrong with this picture >> we wanted sue but because my dad had undergone open heart surgery prior to this nightmare disaster (can you imagine your mother/loved one going through such an ordeal and get told it was their fault !!) it was the only time i wasn't able to go see her i had been going to the hospital everyday but that ONE DAY i didn't go see her this tragedy happened it still bothers me and always will that was my MOTHER !! I love and miss her so much she was my best friend and didn't deserve to go through that WHATSO EVER !! thank you and God bless 🙏🙏🙏❤❤❤🙏🙏🙏
Ropinerol works best for restless leg syndrome.
Exact ly bcuz the morphine rid wht actually finally helping her. Duh glad she had. Along l ife. I'm sorry drs refuse to help
Beulah Nisly said " She lived almost 8 months past her 100th birthday and I was so grateful for gabapentin. She only used morphine at the very end." The medical profession has gone to extremes in fighting against DRUG ADDICTION from ingesting opiates/opioids; but is totally unconcerned about DRUG ADDICTION from the ingestion of tobacco, alcohol, or coffee. Why will doctors only prescribe morphine to a terminal patient? Why can't doctors prescribe heroin (diacetylmorphine)? Why is drug policy so tyrannical? Why can't an adult exercise his/her unalienable right to "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" by ingesting ANY drug, provided that in doing so the person harms no one, except possibly oneself?
I wish the initial sleepiness continued. I don't sleep well and it worked really well for the first few days, but that was it. It does help with other things however. My spine is shot, and I used to have foot cramps that could literally rip muscles and tendons apart, if you didn't extend your feet for minutes to get them to stop. I haven't had them since taking gabapentin.
My friend spent months with violent shakes and seizures -- winding up the ER often, breaking bones from falling, and mentally confused. Each time her Gabapentin dose was increased. Turned out -- paradoxically -- Gabapentin was the PROBLEM. Fortunately a bright intern in the UCSF ER knew about the possibility. He stopped the Gabapentin 100% and the symptoms STOPPED.
My husband had seizures when he quit this medicine becareful.
My husband had a seizures 2010 and the stroke in 2016!
And he can't recovery 100%, he is living in the nursing home..to sad for me.
My sister- in- law had seizures while she was on that and the doctors swore it wasn't that, she stopped taking it for a while, went back on it and had seizures again. They said it was rare but she no longer takes it & is fine
I was in a critical car accident back in 2013. I eventually had three back surgeries, lumbar and one SI joint. I also suffered a Lisfranc fracture and a Jone's fracture. I was put on Gabapentin after the accident, before my surgeries, and continued for about a year and a half after surgery. I went back to work in a new job which required detailed mental stamina and I found I could not do it while on the Gabapentin. So, reduced my dose to 300 mg a day which I generally took as soon as I got home from work. Eventually, i was able to just stop taking it and controlled my pain with Motrin as needed.
But then, two years ago, I broke out with shingles. It was so painful, I was given Gabapentin. At the time, it was a God send. I still take it to help with my back pain, and I only take a low dose of 600 mg. I only take it at night. My concern is that I am unable to sleep without it. Not because of pain, but because my brain will not shut down. This may be of concern for others also.
Thank you for this valuable info.
When pharmaceutical companies say it’s safe, you need to do your research!
Shouldn't be given to any adult over the age of 65.....
I wish on the stars I didn't trust the doctor blindly and did the research.
Made me gain ALOT of weight.
Fibro & arthritis
It gave me my life back.
When big pharma says it's safe it's not
A friend was having back pain and sciatic pain, his Doctor gave him gabapentin. The first month seemed to go well and then he began to have problems remembering things. The Doctor seemed unconcerned but my friend decided he was forgetting to many things in his daily life, that he took himself off of it. After a period of time his mind cleared up but he swore he would never use it again.
yeah it strange. pregablin might be better uits the next one up
The majority of medications used to treat the same disorders as Gabapentin cause the same side effects.
I experienced exactly the same.
I think Gabapentin is designed to eliminate patients! Bad medicine! If anybody prescribes it, run away as fast as possible!!!
What was his dosage please?
As an RN who did clinical trials for a decade, it is extremely refreshing to hear nuanced medical discussions on social media that present a thoughtful take on the data, as well as risk vs benefit. Great video!
I would love to get off gabapentin but am not sure how. Anyone know how to safely do this?
@@jennifercrowley8493 have you found a way to get off Gabe?? If so could you please let me know how you did it, I've been on this med. for several years and I do feel the same way you do and I'm afraid 😨 of the with the way it feels. I don't want to get dementia, my body feels strange and it feels like I'm more nervous than when I was on Ativan, I felt better on it than this med., I want my Ativan back! My dr. took me off it because I was up to 2 mgs. twice a day. If you found a way please please let me know 🙏
@@CarolineB655 The way I got off was to very slowly lower the dose I took. You don't say how much you are taking, but Istarted at 1600 mg a day and didn't just stop until I was down to 300mg a day. I started out by trying to take one less pill in a day and I would stay at that level dor at least 4 or 5 days before trying to lower it further. *Do Not just stop taking Gabapentin! You can get seizures if you stop too fast.*
@@CarolineB655I just did it. It scared me .
And the always problematic results of unintended consequences. Great presentation caught my eye because started 3000 mg for pain control 3 months ago. It helps resting pain, but not pain when active. I am 70 yrs old, so I suppose I can blame the short, medium and long term lack of everything on my mess of worn out body and out of warranty neurotransmitters
I took gabapentin (Neurontin) 2 or 3 times in my life. I understand it to be a nerve signal relaxer. Well, it also relaxed my brain’s nerve signals. It was awful - like I had dementia. Memory loss used to be listed in the symptoms paperwork that accompanied the medication. Years later I pulled out a current medication paperwork to show someone this symptom. Memory loss was nowhere to be found. It had been removed. Along with terrible memory loss, I also experienced a total inability to control my eating. I had no will power when it came to food & binged nonstop. I gained 50 lbs in 3 months! I asked my doctor what was worse for me. Mild Vicodin, which I had no problem with - never asked for more or stronger pain meds & never failed a surprise drug test - never missed an appointment - I had a pain management doctor much later that said I was his perfect patient, or gaining 50 lbs in 3 months, which caused extreme anxiety & depression, & caused my boyfriend to ride me nonstop about my weight & made him lose interest in me sexually, & an absolute devastating decline in my quality of life, especially because of my diminished brain function. I’m so sick of doctors terrified of the DEA & lying pharmaceutical companies!
I hate gabapentin!!! It’s horrible!!! The doctors ALWAYS try to give it to me but I will NOT take it!!! It makes me feel sooo horribly out of control stupid and either sleepy or high strung and you never know the way it’s going to affect you. I don’t know what the hells wrong with these doctors??! They gave it to me for fibromyalgia pain but to me it makes me feel psychotic and does NOTHING for pain!!! 🙄🙄🤦♀️🤦♀️🤣
Being on it actually did u a favor...hear me ...u found out u had a jerk as a bf..hope u either got rid of him or put down some rules..
I wondered why I've been starving since I started Gabapentin. I've used opiates since childhood when I had a large bottle of codeine by my bed for severe bronchitis. Multiple surgeries and broken bones since then I've used oxycodone for pain relief without a problem, but will never use oxcycotten cause it gives a very strong high I don't need. What her presentation missed was how many people die from acetaminophen overdose which has been measured in the thousands and definitely has done my body more damage than narcotics. In the 1990s I was prescribed 800 mg acetaminophen 3 times a day for a month which I'm sure did some liver damage to me. Not all opioid users become addicted, but all these new drugs replacing the ones no longer under patent sucks. I came home from 2 weeks of hospitalization for severe migraine pain caused by spinal meningitis from an unknown cause. A 5 milligram of oxycodone and Valium would have replaced the dozen drugs, including gabapentin, I was sent home with causing blurred vision, confusion, and memory loss. Even CBD was better therapy than the majority of prescription drugs I was forced to buy. Being aware of a patient's history is more important than prescribing the latest high dollar fashionable meds.
@@renee2994my first thought too.
Honey, you were struggling with medical issues. The last thing someone who loves you should do is “ride your ass” and then complain about not being sexually attracted to you.
He’s got a rude awakening when he realizes EVERYBODY changes as they get older. Things get bigger, hairier, and saggier. That is nature.
Sounds like Gabapentin wasn’t your biggest issue.
And I’m speaking from experience in my last comment btw, I have also lost my memory, I described it to my dr EXACTLY like you did in your comment. It was like I could almost see the word but I couldn’t make it go from my mind to my mouth.
I can’t remember the names of meds I take, drs I go to, appts I have. It got so bad I voluntarily took myself off the road.
I also reached my highest weight since my pregnancy and can’t seem to drop any pounds. I don’t want to eat then I want to binge.
Your comment actually helped confirm I NEED to be off this to heal from my ED, so thank you.
You saved me, now please save yourself. I wish you the best hon. *hugs*
What a fantastic video. Thank you so much. Gabapentin saved me. I have a c5 c6 herniated disc and the nerve pain was the most horrible pain I have ever had. (And I gave birth naturally to twins, and have a high pain tolerance). I couldn't sleep due to the horrible pain and I had it every minute of every day. Once my neuro surgeon put me on Gaba, I felt so so much better and could function. I'm thankful for it. However, yes, I feel very foggy and have memory loss (hard time coming up with a word in a sentence). But I'm thankful for now, until I have surgery, to have something that allows me to function and sleep.
Darling I promise you there's better things out there than gabapentin or neurontin for your issues, You need to ask for duloxetine it's an uptake inhibitor and makes you feel so much better it's helped me so much and I go through chronic pain for multiple reasons as well
I don’t know how that crap worked for you because it did nothing for my herniated disc pain
I feel the same way you do. The Gabapentin helps so much but I just forget so much. I forgot what my husband tells me, 5 min later. I hate it. I'm having surgery soon though.
Gabapentin. My daughter and granddaughter brought their cat to my house to stay with me while they had work done on their house. The one hour 20 minutes drive was very hard on him. He wasn't used to it at all. He threw up due to motion sickness. He was very scared. So for his ride back home, he was prescribed Gabapentin. A dose the night before and again in the morning they day of. This time he had a peaceful ride home. And a better trip for everyone. Only a one time thing and not every day.
I’ve been on gaba for 23 years. I am 74 and suffer from post polio syndrome. I took 300 mg daily for years,then 700 mg since 2014. It has been helpful to take in the evening so that my leg pains don’t keep me awake. I’m in constant pain so last year my doctor recommended taking more during the day. I do think I have more brain fog as you have described it, but I’m still playing bridge twice a week (which requires lots of memory) so I’m not a drooling idiot yet! I’m very grateful for gabapentin in my life.
I don’t understand how Magnesium isn’t prescribed for more people either along with instead of increasing the gabapentin or just as a starter instead. It helps immensely with leg pains & panic attacks & overall calmer health muscle wise & emotionally with no side effects other than slight diarrhea if taken too much 🤷🏻♀️
Gaba is not gabapentin
@@PEDALSnPROJECTS Usually anyone whose on Gabapentin calls it Gaba. I know I do and my family knows that I’m talking about Gabapentin when I say, Gaba.
Molly I am 70 and was suppose to get spinal surgery when covid hit so I asked the surgeon if we could put it on hold for a few months until covid passed, lol. He said yes. I am still now taking 300mg. of Gabapentin at night and putting off surgery. Sleeping well most nights and just sitting as needed and maybe on the bed for 30 min. a day. No brain fog like it is described or drooling. Glad to hear you still play bridge!
When I served in the Bosnian War as an American Veteran I was exposed to chemicals the Russians left behind. Long story short it has affected my nerves in feet, legs, and hands. My feet are totally numb and working its way up legs. I was exposed 25 yrs ago now. Gabapentin was prescribed about 10 yrs ago and has been a life saver. I can finally sleep at night with out terrible pain. I truly don't notice any side affects except one. I usually take 250mg about 3 hrs before bed and sometimes I have difficulty getting to bed because it makes my head dizzy and get sick to my stomach otherwise it has helped.
My 94 yr old father was diagnosed with renal carcinoma a year ago and has been taking gabapantin for a year to relieve foot pain. He made the decision to not receive cancer treatment because he says he is ready for his next journey and has lived a good long life. That said, his memory, mind, and thought process remain top notch!
❤️🙏
❤😢
What about MS Patients
Your Father is a G. Anyways just brain fog and dementia are a bit diffrent
A beautiful pic of a polar bear seconds before you die..
My SIL was on this in 2017. She started in May and immediately noticed cognitive issues. My brother is a radiologist and encouraged her to keep trying it. She took it until Jan 2018. During this time she had two major surgeries, her gall bladder removed and a kidney issue. January 1, 2018 she totally lost her ability to speak, and couldn’t walk. She stopped taking it that day. It took 3 months for her voice to come back to a whisper. She was bed ridden for the first month. She is an attorney and after doing research found it reported in a few patients (if I remember three were reported) who took it.
Ahh yes the brother who works in the medical field, brain washed that modern psychiatric drugs are at all safe.
I heard of a lawsuit against makers of gabapentin....I need to look into this class action lawsuit.
Ive been takimg gabepentin for about 6 years. Helps me with nerve pain. I have foggy morning's, but it goes away after a bit. It helps so much for pain and sleep.
I've been on it for 4 and a half years for severe neuropathic pain stemming from a Spinal Cord Injury and it's been a life-saver. I wouldn't bee here without it. Problem is my body just recently built up a tolerance to it and now I'm back to being in debilitating nerve pain all over my body... It's awful. Going to try Ketamine Infusion Therapy and Cannabis next cause I'm desperate for pain relief. Neuropathy is the absolute worst.
I’ve been taking Gabapentin for years for sciatica, and back pain. I can walk, and actually live while taking it. I’ve Always been forgetful, but not being in pain all the times totally helps me think better.
Same with me !
I’m curious as to what dosage you take a day? I’ve been in pain for years. I have a new Doctor and was just prescribed Gabapentin . I have a hard time walking and can’t hold myself up straight most of the time. If I could just walk again.
@@melbadaughenbaugh147 I take 300 mg at night for nerves in neck, 2 slipped discs and it's never caused me a problem (over 10 years)
Get an exercise ball and roll on it when sciatica flares. Sounds weird, but works better than meds. I roll all the way down to my knees sitting on it. I do side to side and circles too. Call me crazy, but I sit on ball more than a chair.
I told my doctor, when it comes to pain, language fails us. He looked at me like I had 3 heads. You just said, describing pain is very hard.
Gabapentin did wonders with me in conjunction with Buproprion for mitigating my combat ptsd and anxiety/depression symptoms. I was borderline about to lose my mind as a bedside RN dealing with difficult, rude, and overbearing/violent patients. Coupled with a few toxic coworkers, I got to a point I felt like I was walking on a tightrope about to go off the deep end...and no shit, the very first day I took the 2 together it totally leveled me, took away all the pent up rage and went from feeling like a volcano about to errupt to totally flat, emotionless, a disoriented but functional, and overall extremely calm and nothing seemed to trigger me when before, literally the smallest things would birderline set me off. It def started giving me memory issues later on so i ended up tapering off Gaba and staying in the Buproprion but the calming leveling effects are much less without the gabapentin despite the improvement in memory. Win some, lose some.
Thank you for this! I was just prescribed this medication to help with my PTSD nightmares and I am terrified. Your comment is extremely helpful. I hope you are doing well!
Hello!! Absolutely loved the presentation. I've been battling addiction since I've been 15 years old. I have been addicted to opiates, a long with stimulants, via amphetamines. So I've had my neck broken 13 months ago. Was put on gabapentin, with a year prior of being clean. So two years clean, with a year of gabapentin. As far as helping with pain, it's great. I've been on 2400 mg since. I have recently been 6 days off of it. And never in my life have I had "Ever" even in my addicted life have had any type of audible hallucinations. And I'm definitely having them. Even in my days of being awake for days on end. I'm not saying anything bad, but this withdrawal is far the worst I've ever been. Just a weird thought I would like to speak on. Love your study! Will be listening more!!
I've been learning about gabapentin recently after being prescribed 800mg 4x day.
I recently noticed I was hearing my name called when no one was around...
Reading your comments made a lot click..
I was prescribed 1800mg (2pills 3xdaily)...You have to wean slowly or it definitely causes hallucinations. Not good! I am now down to 1 300mg. In the morning and will be totally weaned in January. I want My memory for life!!
@@amybahner6511 And that's not including the risk of a seizure. That's the main reason doctors have people taper slowly. Suddenly decreasing an inhibitory neurotransmitter (GABA) lets all the excitatory neurotransmitters loose, so it tends to light your brain up.
@@wabbitnred3609 And you just made something click for me. This exact thing happened when I first started taking Lyrica - I'd hear my name called. I also had olfactory hallucinations - I would occasionally smell a perfume I'd never smelled in my life.
I also wasn't sleeping during that period of time, as I was having my first long-term attack of mania. I always thought it was due to that, but now I wonder if the Lyrica contributed.
As a retired nurse, a physician just attempted to prescribe me gabapentin for leg pain. I refused it immediately for several reasons 1. why was gabapentin even being the 1st drug of choice, my chief complaint was pain from possibly a left inguinal hernia, which I have. 2. At my age I will not take a drug that is being prescribed off label and I have seen patients, including my son become addicted to it after prescribed by pain management physician, and I have seen too many long term patients show increased confusion. 3. A milder pain medication shpuld have been prescribed first even Tylenol with codeine or tramadol. 4. Big pharma and no physician and patient relationship instead of listening to me lets drug her up. Perhaps the referral to the surgeon instead lumbar and hip xrays 1st. At my age I will show signs of hip and lumbar degeneration.
What had happened to healthcare in this country with electronic records etc. I miss the days of a physician being a caring physician and not how to check the boxes for the electronic medical records to receive bonus from health insurance companies and push drugs for Big Pharma.
You are correct. Good choice.
@@L2BeMe cc
I am a widow to a Dr who used to make house calls,delivered babies, spent 1 or 2 hours each night making phone calls to patients he didn’t have time to see during the day. Started out being paid $3. a office call often it was a baked goods home made something. These days your lucky if you can even get a Dr to listen to you let alone know you or your history. YET we are paying ridiculous medical costs. I’m glad I’m old & won’t be here much longer. I feel sorry for the young people today who are forced to put up with care that will only get worse.
@@sharonlynn609 Yup, on the other side of that age mountain and I completely agree.
Yes i am a mess our health problem lists grow longer and longer because not one diagnosis has ever been treated. Hell im walking around with type two diabetes and cant get help for that. Dr. Told me not to come in for the appoitment becausebi had lice the derm. Docs WILL NOT TREAT!!! NO KwELL IS EVER PRESCRIBED READ THIS MIDDLETOWN NY EVERYONE IS FORCED TO LIVE WITH SUPERLICE SOMEONE PLEASE NOTIFY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. Two years now. Dirty doctor groups here!!
I’ve suffered depression and anxiety badly my whole adult life. Gabapentin was an unexpected game changer. It’s made an incredible difference. I’m not’cured’ but improved.
I don’t understand the abuse part… I often forget to take Gabapentin because I don’t’feel’ anything, and absolutely no craving when I don’t have it.
I agree I couldn't see anyone become addicted to this med. When I first started I thought this med sucks I was just even more tired with fighting chronic pain. But if you stay in it after awhile my body stopped being soooo tired (still somewhat tired) and I finally begun to feel some relief in my neck pain. But not enough. My balance I do notice is also affected my gab med. I tip easily to where people may assume I'm possibly beginning to get drunk or at least a good buzz or something which is embarrassing. This med for me is ok but sure wish there was something else to help as well as give energy that happiness back. Chronic pain is so so so hard to live with. Wish Drs could really understand what it's like we need pain relief as well as med to help us with the depression you feel and can't do all the things you once did.
Me too!!! Exactly what you said?
And my balance is way off when I take it! That & heartburn are the only symptoms but chronic neck pain gone no cost prescription drug gonr
It's not about the medication having addictive chemicals... People that are going through withdrawal from opiates take / abuse Gabapentin because it helps relieve some of the withdrawal symptoms... And if you're taking Gabapentin for withdrawal symptoms and you know that's the only thing keeping you from withdrawal you're going to have a very unhealthy attachment to it, and have drug seeking behavior (both classifications for adiction).
@@BattleReadyToaster..o_O It causes horrible withdrawal for some people. Lower doses it's less reported.
When your abdomen feels like it’s in a vice grip from anxiety for many hours every day and gabapentin alleviates it significantly 😊
Gabapentin made a world of difference with severe and persistent abdominal discomfort secondary to anxiety.
Thank you for a very informative, empowering video. You are one smart cookie!! I retired as an RNx45 years and see so many pts on Gabapentin. It’s almost like it’s like the docs are handing it out like candy. I’ve talked to several pts who told me the withdrawls off gaba were terrible. So I’ve been suspicious of it. I recently ruptured a disc in my neck in Thailand! The worst pain I’ve ever experienced in my life. I was prescribed MS tabs. Once I got home my pcp hated the idea of me being on morphine even though I would never misuse, I was treated like a drug addict. Instead they gave me gabapentin which was never effective. I had better luck with ibuprofen. I dislike the idea that docs in America treat everyone like a druggy because the misuse of some. It’s sad that so many people suffer, especially the elderly because most docs refuse to order anything but Tylenol or Advil. It’s a crime.
Yea, and us with major pain issues are SOL......ticks me off. On gaba for near 20 yrs. Pain meds, but my doctor wont listen to a word i say. My np does but pain dr nope. He wants me to do the surgery implant that they control from SIXTY FIVE miles away. 20g for surg with no guarantees, and hi risk of infection. Nope.......
I'm on a large daily dose of gabapentin for diabetic neuropathy. I am so very grateful for this drug. Without gabapentin I doubt if be able to walk.
It is criminal!
Really that’s crazy I take 1600 twice a day and I don’t feel foggy and my memory is not affected and I’ve been taking that for 10 years smh I kind of feel trapped because I can’t go without it
Oh my God in the withdrawals are awful!!!!!!! Honestly, I wouldn’t be able to stop taking it, and if I had to go cold turkey, I would end up in the psych ward just because of how bad I would feel.
I took Gabapentin and felt it wasn’t safe to drive and I only took 250 mg. You are right on! It is like being disconnected from reality or driving in deep fog and knowing you must be alert but you just can’t see the road.
This is exactly how I felt after taking it for about 2 weeks!
My experience also. However I can take Pregabalin (Lyrica) with none of those brain effects, thank goodness !
I had really bad shoulder pain at work and couldn’t get doctors appointment and couldn’t take off work, a friend gave 1x gabapanten and in the first time in my life I felt calm and even in my mind, like a stillness, it was like I was at peace within my mind-it felt amazing. I was intrigued by this as I was taking l-theanine and uridine for anxiety. I then read about gabapanten and it said it works on gaba, this helped me realised a lot about myself and a lot made sense.
You are a very good speaker talking in a calm and easy to follow way. Thank you.
I was on Gabapentin for neuropathy on my feet. I tried cayenne pepper sprinkled on olive oil I put on a paper towel. Started out very light on the cayenne pepper. Put the paper towel in a large plastic bag, like those in grocery stores for fruits or veggies. Then poured olive oil on the paper towel, then sprinkled cayenne pepper on. I put my foot in on top of the paper towel and wrapped the bag around my ankle then put a sock on. I increased the amount of cayenne until I couldn't handle the heat. I slept with the bag and used a wet wipe to clean my feet in the morning. With a couple months I had all the feeling in my feet back. My podiatrist couldn't believe it. I did this after I lost my brother to what Gabapentin mixed with pain medications took his life.
I went through a severe 4 day depression after a G P cold turkey withdrawal....it was HELL ! I will never use it again. it is HIGHLY ADDICTIVE & withdrawal can lead to suicide , though over time , its side effects put one in a can't live with it/ can't live w o it paradox .....we truly need a support group for helping out these folks.
Thank you for the cayenne idea..So many natural things are out there .....
Cloves , Cayenne , Wormwood , Plantain , etc ...as well as 🌞 sun , 💦 water , earth grounding, meditation, breath work etc....
Sorry about your brother.I have lost several people recently to this heartless pro profit , 🤑 greedy system....❤ & 🌞 , T
I have been on gabapentin 300 mg for almost 3 years now because I lost both my legs and it was prescribed it for phantom pain. I like this medication because it helps control the pain in my non existing feet. As far as my brain is concerned my feet are still there. If you ever had phantom pain you'll be grateful also.
gabapentin has probably literally saved my life, I've been on it for years... I have moderate-severe cervical arachnoiditis + arthritis + degenerative discs + etc, and the pain is truly horrific without it. I still have pervasive chronic pain, gabapentin just makes it ease up enough to have some okay days where i can do a few chores, maybe take a short walk, and work on art or read for a bit... I miss so much about being more active, but grateful it's enough to help me not need to selfexit (was initially prescribed opiods for pain w/gabapentin, stayed on them for a year or so at ever increasing doses and that whole time period is like a shadow maze, barely found my way out)
arachnoiditis is pretty rare so if anyone's curious, it's a lot like how i imagine it would feel to constantly have dry ice inside your mouth/throat/skull/neck + that stabby tingling foot fell asleep feeling but ALL OVER (everywhere but belly) + fun stuff like sporadic blurry vision and janky proprioception/balance... I def get major brain fog but it's from pain/symptoms, not meds
Look for The Wheelchair Dad. He has that condition on top of paraplegia but he’s strong & very involved with his family. The pain is overwhelming at times. ✌🏽
From one Dr Karen (PhD - not MD) to another Dr Karen, thank you for this!
I am a PhD too!
I was prescribed Gabapentin for the pain in my legs due to nerve damage. I take it for a year now. As a person easilly getting upset and showing my anger, I find that Gabapentin made me a happier person. I am calmer than before, more relaxed instead of constantly worrying. I enjoy life and do not get tense about small things. My legs still hurt a bit, but regulat aquafit classes help with this. I dont experience any negative side effects. I am 70 year old white female. Thank you doctor for you great channel.
Nothing help about gabapentin pills I take them too and did not work so I try to use BiFreeze cream and maybe it might help not all
Like you, I was prescribed this med in the early 1990's for prevention of Migraine (didn't help). However, 10 yrs ago, following 2 spinal surgeries w permanent nerve damage down my R leg, I was prescribed GP again (this time it worked Great!!) And, yes, No Opiate Addiction!! I am also 70.
Great for you . Glad this worked out for you,
There can be memory issues on any medication and even steroids.
Those are typically temp issues
@@victoriap4335 am on opiates and Gabepentin, and my memory is excellent! I get compliments at my job and from my clients on my short term and long term memory..
I only took the gabapentin while I have teeth work done, I am having implants implanted (that sounds funny ) it has helped immensely although my joint and muscle pain has increased with 8other health issues since the JJ vaccine. including strange bone growth on top shoulders and knees. The DRs after almost 2yrs, now are all convinced this is all from the JJ vaccine. Heart issues and
Lung issues… I never had a positive test when I was tested for COVID 4 times.
My Dogs have both taken gabapentin, 100mg 3xs day, after their teeth cleaning and my puppy after being spay. It worked wonders for them. Their memories weren’t affected much., just a bit. My puppys only issue is that she thinks she is a rooster. She does a strange LOUD sound at daybreak- every single day she wakes everyone up around 4:30-5am since her 2nd dose of gabapentin. My 9 yr old dog thinks he is very very small and crawls and sleeps under my bed since his procedure and his 3rd day on gabapentin. My bed is a platform bed and only 8-10” space. He gets stuck every morning and I have to get the old snow shovel out, and push him out from one side to other , this is so i can drag him out. The gabapentin did also cause some other strange behaviors. My 2 Shelties can still sit, stay, heel lay down and shake paws just fine. Other than eating fish and catnip , and the 2 dogs fist fighting, literally, they are just perfect!
So, I have to disagree with the foggy brains Or memory issues from this medication.
I have taken Gabapentin for about 4 years & I have nerve damage due to diabetic that makes my nerves shake in my legs that kinda jump & it really hurts sometimes.enough that I could scream but guess it does help , it dosen't make me foggy but I do have a question did anyone ever felt immobilized like U can't move U try to talk but it's whisper & garbled & my arms, hands CAN'T move as with legs anybody ever had this happen???. Please let me know as I have a doctor appointment on Feb 27 if it has happened let me know before I go THANK YOU Jeannie
I’ve been taking this medication after having a stroke and I can honestly say it helps me. I suffered so bad with leg pains and since taking this medication I haven’t had any leg pains.
On what dosage are you on and how many days??
Do you have any epilepsy attack after stroke?
WILL THIS MEDICINE GABEPENTIN HELP PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM BURNING MOUTH SYNDROME WHICH IS SO PAINFUL & MOST DRS. & DENTISTS KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT AND CAN'T HELP YOU. THANKS. 9/28/22
@@bettypins1 I would try a carnivore diet if I were you. You have nothing to lose, I know someone who got relief from burning mouth by eliminating carbohydrates from the diet.
Gabapentin gave me immense relief from restless legs but I learned about magnesium and switched to a mag supplement.
My sister-in-law was just prescribed gabapentin for lower back stenosis. I was prescribed gabapentin several years ago after breaking my 5th metacarpal & then developed CRPS. My pain was so great that I could not have air conditioning blowing on my hand while in my car. I was so surprised that gabapentin is a “calming” medication as it had an opposite effect on me. Besides the fact that it didn’t do a thing to alleviate the pain, I became VERY agitated and emotional, so much so that my family said, “ You need to get OFF of that medication”. I hadn’t been on it very long and the only other med I was taking was Aleve. This has been such a wonderfully informative video! Glad This popped up on my CZcams feed! Thank you! I will share this with my sister-in-law so she will have good knowledge of what she is taking! What a great service you are providing!
I’ve been prescribed gabapentin at least 1600 mg every night as a migraine prophylactic by my neurologist well over a decade ago… it turned my life around for the better.
It’s useless for my lumbar spinal stenosis pain or any other pain for that matter.
It may be responsible for the advent of pretty serious gum problems and consequently loss of teeth.
I do experience brain fog but don’t know if it’s migraine related or due to the nightly gabapentin
As a combat Marine vet I take gabapentin for over active nerves and neurological pain. I find it helps tremendously. Also, you can get gaba in L-glutamine powder. GABA works great in lessoning sugar cravings.
wow, didn't know that sugar suppressant quality (side effect)... Great information!!!
Ty! ❤
I'm an RN and I love the way you explain to ppl that aren't in the healthcare field and help them understand medications. Thank you Dr for what your doing. Can't wait to go back and watch more of your videos.
I just subscribed to your channel.
I take 300 mg at bedtime of gabapentin now for a year due to my neuropathy from my diabetes. My feet burned severely and it was a lifesaver that my endocrinologist put me on this medication. I don't suffer anymore from the burning sensation in my feet.
Retired RN and current LADC here:
Janice, thank you for your service. Godspeed sister!
@@ragtopannie Awe, Thank you for you Service my fellow sister. Positive Vibes and blessings. 💙🤗💙🤗💙🤗
@@ragtopannie Aw! How very sweet to thank an RN for their service. I feel its so important to do this for military veterans of course, but think its very thoughtful to think of thanking RNs as well. I'm a disabled RN after 30+ years and am literally physically destroyed from it. I have no idea how I became so debilitated, in need of four joint replacements, and in constant pain. I worked my a** off for years doing 12-16 shifts regularly (not recommended btw Lol) , but I wasn't out digging ditches! So idk, but it does happen to a lot of nurses; even so, my patients are what made it all forever worth it.
I believe veterans are the ones who so definitely deserve our gratitude, and I believe Vietnam vets also deserve to hear "Welcome Home," no matter how long ago that war was..because they never got a "Welcome Home," or even a "Thank You" from society. Mostly they only got hatred...which is incredibly sad. I know innocent people were killed, which is tragic, but these soldiers were so young and sickeningly indoctrinated and so many vets feel unrelenting guilt years later and suffer horribly with PTSD, with suicide rates off the charts. And they did not deserve to be treated like trash when they came home. But anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is that even though nurses aren't fighting in combat, it was still very nice to hear you thank a fellow RN for their service. It almost made me cry and I just had to comment (sorry its so darn long though Lol)
I would like to thank all dedicated RNs for their service, and also say "Thank You" to all dedicated CNAs, because we could not sufficiently perform our jobs without these amazing souls, and also "Thank You" to so many others in the healthcare field who gave or continue to give of themselves selflessly and compassionately for the sake of their patients' needs, recovery and well being. Sorry to digress off the topic of Gaba (great, informative video btw!) but I don't recall hearing anyone ever really randomly thank an RN for their service and I think that was just the sweetest thing ever :) :)
I the 3600 MG gabapentin to multiple pain problems. My feet were the first pain points. I was prescribed 1200 MG. I thought it was a miracle drug. I told all of my sisters about it. After a few years of just raving about the benefits of gabapentin one by one ( I have 6 sisters ) they all tried it and they too rave about it. But now they complain that it has given them brain fog. One has totally guit taken it and says they have less foggy memory. One has cut back on the dosage but says she can tell that the burning sensation on her hands and feet are server so she takes the dosage as a as needed milligram. Has it helped her brain fog. Well that has not been decided. I to take it as a as needed drug. Although I haven't told my doctor this because he TELLS ME NOT TO TWEAK WITH MY MEDICATION.He probably would stop prescribing it or would lower the dosage. I can not chance it because I do most of the time need the whole higher level but not always. So my question is can tweaking be more harmful????
@Seven Inches of Throbbing Pink Jesus just careful wit the Kratom in the future, it can become addictive!!
I took this medication a few years ago. After six weeks I had deteriorated to the point of being unable to walk, unable to speak a whole thought or sentence, couldn't read, couldn't drive, and would only lay in my bed curled up in a ball while breaking into weeping every fifteen to twenty minutes, while asking myself "Why am I crying?" I never could even answer that question. I finally got so sick I could no longer remember or even stay awake long enough to take my next dose. When I woke up and could stay awake about 12 hours later, I was able to consider the previous day and evening. I began immediately receiving phone calls from worried friends who had seen me the night before, and I could share with them that it was probably the latest in a series of this type medication that my doctor was trying me on. I also assured them I wasn't going to take it anymore due to a reversal of all severe symptoms over that night and day with no gabapentin. Such medicines can have dreadful side effects and when you live alone, you may not be fully cognizant of what is going on due to drug induced confusion and exhaustion.
PS. I have two sisters who took it with good results, so I assumed it would be the same for me. Nope.
I have used it for over 20 yrs and my mind could not be more clear. I spend a lot of time studying things I did not understand when younger. I love science now and spend a lot of time reading and watching shows on the subject. Physics another subject I did not do well in when younger. So in my case at max dose for the last 15yrs I get pain relief , enough to function and no side effects.
I just love your lectures. My father (Parkinsons) and my sister (MS) took gabapentin with "not good" outcome. Both had cognitive "issues". My father has passed, and my sister has stopped taking gabapentin and is now a lot better off. My sister always said people with MS feel things differently.
Hi, I have MS and now take a lower dose of GP it really helps me sleep through the night. May I ask what your Sister does for her pain management? I’ve been trying different CBD oils, as well
I took gabapentin for three months for neurogenic pain after a serious back injury. Approximately 85 days at 300’mg I suddenly found myself losing significant cognitive function. A writer and retired researcher, I was horrified to find myself incapable of recalling simple words and having great difficulty making associations. I titrated myself off the drug over a week and found no lingering effects. Memory and unsettling confusion were a panic inducing experience. In talking with others who had taken it, two people in my circle had the same effects.
What do you take in place of it for the pain? It does that to me as well I can't remember simple things or get stuck not remembering words that are simple and so on. Idk what to do cause I need it to help my pain yet hate these side effects
Gabbapentin is for epilepsy. Lawsuit stated never prescribe off label. Some of us didn't make it. I'm tapering off. I am worried about kidney damage. Once again, it was not my illness, it was the medication that harmed me.
I have been taking Lorazepam 1 mg every night for around 6 to 7 years. Now I'm addicted to it. I wouldn't have known this except there was a breakdown between my pharmacy and doctor that left me without any medication for 6 days. I had extreme withdrawal for that time. I'm 84 and didn't realize my memory loss was coming from the Lorazepam. My doctor has me on 1/2 mg Lorazepam and 100 mg Gabapentin for 3 weeks, then I will see her for further withdrawal. I'm through my first week, and have had very few symptoms. I will be very excited to get off Lorazepam for good. Then I will deal with the neuropathy with the Gabapentin, and hope I don't have to take very much. The neuropathy is miserable. My legs burn from my feet to my thighs only when I go to bed. I have lower back stenosis, and have had surgery. Wish I hadn't ever taken the Lorazepam.
@@bertiesmith4178 I hope u get comfortable. Best Wishes.
It’s messed my memory up. I am furious. As an actor, it’s hurt my career
My sister was using this. She was told by a friend how well it worked for said friend during her cancer treatments as well as for pain caused by mastectomy. My sis has Fibromyalgia as well as multiple lesions throughout her abdomen, which pull and tear when she moves suddenly so her friend told her to request a prescription for it. It basically turned her into a zombie like state, eyes always looked closed, basically, she slept all the time, and brain fog? She had absolutely no memory, she would speak of something, and her train of thought would be gone within a few words of what she was talking about. I asked her why she was being like this, as I didnt know she was on this drug, and she told me what her friend had told her, but she said she still had the pain, so I said why would you take a drug that makes you into this zombie like person, but doesnt do what you were looking for, a nerve pain blocker. She stopped taking it, and is now once again my sister, people can hold a conversation with her once again. I personally, would not recommend this, but all meds definately do work differently for different people.
My experience with it was very negative.
I have been taking it since 2012 I had back surgery. It has helped me tremendously, I do not want to be on opioids
Probably not tolerated by all pts. I have 5 bulging cervical disks. Needed more T4, 3 + a day. Tried gabapentin
600 -900 mg a day. Able to get to 1-2 T4.. Also stoped overactive bladder. As a 50 yr Clinical RN, I don’t believe anyone should take more than 900 mg/day. Took 4 days to get rid of sleepiness. So, ask yourself, what is the nature of a seizure? The NERVES in the brain, are the same as the nerves from the Cervical structure. This drug woks on the nerves. Enough said… Today I can get by with 0-1 T4 tablet. Gabapentin is better than an opiate if possible. As a nurse, I consciously, have decided I will not take anything stronger than T4. Have 10 years as an Emergency Nurse. Lyrica did not help me.
I'm sorry about your sister's experience, but it sounds to me like she was taking too high of a dose. I've been on it for probably close to 20 years (diagnosed fibromyalgia in 2000). I started on one 300mg a.m., one at noon, and three at bedtime. My morning dose made me too sleepy so I quit taking that one. Today I take 600mg in the evening to help me get a better night's sleep. I have never acted like a "zombie". I am glad your sister is doing better, though.
I also took it for fibromyalgia and felt very much the same as your sister. My memory and cognitive functions just went downhill so bad. I was only on 200-400 mg a day, but it still turned me into a complete idiot without any cognitive function to where I felt like I couldn’t function or make decisions or sound coherent at all.
It did help decrease my overall pain by about 20% and helped me sleep better. In the beginning especially, it was nice waking up and feeling more normal and less in pain. But the longer I used it, the more the beneficial effects wore off, yet the cognitive decline continued. In the end, it just wasn’t worth it. People who knew how intelligent I was prior to taking it were now looking at me like I was the village idiot, and that’s precisely how I felt too. I couldn’t put one coherent phrase together. I kept forgetting basic words, and like your sister, I’d lose my train of thought within a split second.
Restless leg sounds benign but it can severely disrupt my life. I decided for myself to discontinue gabapentin. The withdrawals are much worse than I expected.
I also take it for restless legs ( fairly low dose). I have tried to wean myself off of it but the side effects are even more restlessness, so I continue it for now. I would like to discontinue it altogether but I don't know what to replace it with. BTW, I was trying to control my RLS by taking magnesium L-Theonate. My magnesium levels got way too high, borderline concerning, so I had to stop taking it. So, for now Gaba it is.
@@abddog1 I appreciate you sharing your experience with this.
I took gabapentin and about a week in i started hallucinating and having extreme mood swings. I stopped taking it because I could no longer tell what was real life and what was a hallucination. I knew it had to be that medicine because I didn’t take anything else and as soon as I stopped taking it, the hallucinations and aggressive mood swings, stopped. I had three children to raise. Couple of years later, we were having issues with my dad he would go to the grocery store and come back with a bunch of things that didn’t make since. He would tell us that the grandkids were throwing that stuff in the cart even though the grandkids weren’t with him. he wasn’t himself at all. After my dad went into an extreme rage over an argument one night with my mother (that didn’t even make any sense) he grabbed his gun,shot through the roof and while my mom called 911 he went out in the front yard and killed himself. We found out later that he was also taking gabapentin. Be extremely careful. We both had been prescribed for nerve pain.
Thanks for all of the info! I balance minimal doses of Trazodone, Ibuprofen, cannabis and Gabapentin for fibromyalgia, back injuries, major depression, chronic pain and nerve pain. Without the Gabapentin, I am in bed crying. I have tried sooooo many meds before, it really is a juggling act as I move through my 60's. God Bless you Lady!😊❤🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
LDN EVERYONE!!!!
@@marshawatson2168 What is LDN?
@@fitnavygirl1 LDN LOW DOSE NALTREXONE
I hear it is good for many things
@@marshawatson2168LDN made me so tired, I would sleep night and day. It’s not good for everyone. And yes my Dr tried a variety of dosages. It’s not a miracle drug for everyone.
My 18 yr old daughter takes 300mg at night for general anxiety and it has helped tremendously. However lately she has been complaining about being dizzy and she is always thirsty. This video was very helpful and I am going to talk to her about these symptoms.
I learned about Gabapentin when a friend was prescribed it after a motorcycle accident. I was dealing with nerve pain from spinal issues at the time and it truly helped me get relief from the pain and I could finally sleep. I only took it for about 8 months and then I didn’t need it anymore.
Best thing for anxiety is xanax. My doctor says it's a miracle drug with many uses and in my years on it I see what she meant. I also have IBS and it's very good on the spasms. It's a shame how so many of us are suffering for the misdeeds of a few.
@@chiarac3833I'm on Xanax also. It helps tremendously
Xanax is the worst thing anyone can take. Super highly addictive and withdrawals are horrible
Gabapentin does cause thirst. It is not good for cognitive functions. I hope they develop something safer soon.
They think pills fix everything and no...they can make things worse long term.
Thank you so much for your time in putting this video together! I'm an automatic NEW follower.
I was prescribed gabapentin years ago for nerve pain & took it for a few weeks. The side effects were so disturbing to me that I made a note to myself to keep forever so that I'd never accidentally take it again. Side effects for me: heart pounding, sudden drastic mood change (hopelessness, depression, hostility), possibly stomach upset.
Felt really horrible and very shaky inside when I woke up each morning. After 2 nights off gabapentin, felt more normal on waking. Slept well, too. Nerve pain did not improve while I was taking it.
My son was given gabapentin late stage cancer pain and he had similar reaction. He dreamed a vivid dream he was in shoot out and said it was so vivid he woke feeling like it had just happened and asked his wife was it true! He never would take it again.
You peaked my interest, I took myself off of it after two years because of hostility and personality changes. I too never noticed a change in my fibro. Were you by chance on any type of opiates at the time? The only reason I'm asking is because I've always been told opiates don't help with fibromyalgia. In my case it did so now I'm wondering if there's something similar to fibro symptoms.
@@rba5567 I agree. Opiates help with my fibromyalgia and arthritis. Previously I tried everything without results. I'm 74y.o.No addiction 🙏
@@billielewis1458 I hate how they're trying to push the idea that if you take opiates you're somehow going to become addicted. People don't realize there's a distinction between addiction and habituation. I have never felt any type of euphoria when I was on pain meds. Anyone whose experienced euphoria because of opiates then run the high risk of addiction because of the way the brain reacts to that pleasurable feeling. hence they'll have really bad withdrawals when compared to a chronic pain patient on opiates. When I've had to reduce my pain medication do the guidelines, I only had minor nausea and some vacillating between being hot and cold during the first few days. Never had any cravings for the medication. Sodapop and nicotine is a totally different story. Nicotine cessation what's hard but not anyting catastrophic. Soda, on the other hand, I cannot survive a day without it and have given up trying.
I was on Gabapentin for nine years!! It was great in the beginning controlling my nerve pain but after a while it wasn’t working as well so under my doctor’s supervision, I slowly weaned off of it. I felt like I had the flu 24/7!! It took me nine months to get off of it and total year after being fully off of it to feel like myself again. I also developed brain fog while on this drug. This is a horrible drug!! I’m glad I’m off it!
I have a bulging disk causing a pinched neck nerve that had me at #7 pain level. I was prescribed Gabapentin 100MG three times a day, starting with one 100MG a day. Just one 100MG a day dropped my pain level to #2 or less. Some days I need a second 100MG dose. It has been a miracle to me.
There can't be enough thanks or ways to say thank u for the indepth- ness & the great lengths & long hours u had to've gone to bring us so much invaluable info ! Mega Blessings to u on behalf of all of us who have greatly gained from this !
My chronic pain story is almost 30 years long. I'm 66. My 40s were spent on morphine only. I took nothing for years before gabapentin and the improvements have been incredible.
It is restoring a career path I lost 25 years ago. My symptoms line up with csf leaks but a diagnosis has been elusive. The way you described chronic pain gave me chills. It has ruled my life since a w story fall featuring 2 concussions. Its unexplainable. I found my brain function improved in several ways as my pain really had my thinking in the mud for decades. My recent career recover is powered by gabapentin. 1st high paying job in 25 years. Fighting my pain has been my full time job. I created a blog and a website for tracking symptoms. So glad I found you today.
I have been in chronic pain for 40 years and have used cannabis to control it for 40 years
Thank God you got your life back!
Mine has been 22 years.
You do tend to forget who you were or that you were ever a contributor to life.
What about for dogs….my dog has lymph node cancer and is on gabapentin
@@bonniesherwin3852 my cat had sarcoma cancer and my vet put her on this too. It helped her deal with her time left before we said it was time to let her RIP. We noticed she perked up and was communicating like her normal self.
@@leeglee111 thank you for sharing….it’s a hard decision to let them go….we have a months worth and will decide after that…we don’t want her to suffer.
I was taking Gabipetin when I was getting my Masters in Social Work. I didn't know why I was having a hard time communicating and focusing until someone had mentioned that this drug could possibly be the problem. So I told my doctor I couldn't take it anymore. After I quit taking it, I was able to do my schoolwork and participate in groups again. So what I remember, because this was in 2017, we would do group work. We would discuss mock cases and answer questions and find solutions. I had a hard time focusing and participating because I couldn't give rational answers. Sometimes I couldn't have a good conversation because it was so hard to focus and think straight. It was severely effecting my school work and internship and I just had to get off of it.
I was taking it for sciatica. Worked great for that and I got some good sleep.
I tried Gabipetin and had horrible nightmares. Have been on generic Lyrica for years. Started out for "fibromyalgia" but actually have psoriatic arthritis. Only take it at night to "shut off my brain" and regulate my sleep cycle.
Dr Sullivan - the clarity and comprehensiveness of your presentations is so very much appreciated. Thank you!
That's a great compliment, Mark! Thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing vital info❣️🙏🏻
I enjoyed the pleasant, factual, respectful, down to earth way that you present.
I am 45, and my mother is 75. We both take Gabapentin for nerve pain for different reasons. We both have always been pretty articulate with our words. Our version of brain fog is the same. We both started having symptoms of mixing words( calling things by a different name) for example I asked my daughter last week to get the clothes out of the OVEN. Both mom and I have been evaluated for markers for alzheimer's and that has been ruled out.
I’ve found myself doing that as well
My wife and I have taken gabapentin for years… there are many medical and non medical benefits. However, forgetting words and word replacement became such a challenge I became worried I was becoming like my mother in her early phases of Alzheimer’s. I still take it occasionally but we have both stopped habitual use due to these cognitive symptoms and a fear that they may increase our risks to dementia
hmmm...I have 7 kids, I turn 43 in july. I started calling things by the wrong name a few years ago, but I've been on Gabapentin since 2015 at 3600mg (Or more) per day since then...I just figure it is the raising kids and all the crazy/maddening things they do that have caused it haha.
Yes, the appliances seem to be especially hard for me too.
Well I can see I’m not the only one. I was only on 600 mg for about 3 years, I’m 55 now. I just weened of about 9 months ago. I couldn’t keep a conversation going with my wife. When I could, I would just blank out and forget what we were even discussing. As soon as I stopped I started improving. 9 months later and I’m still having serious memory issues, concentrating issues and remembering wth I was doing. I can literally walk 20 steps from house to shop and done forgot why. It’s not been fun. Idk what to do. My Drs don’t seem to take it serious.
I have facial neuralgia. Im going to have my 4th surgery for this. The surgery has lasted tops 18 months. one was 8 months the other soon after surgery the pain returned! it's the worst pain I have ever felt!! this time im on 2800 mg of gabapentin and I hate it, but til surgery its a MUST!! I pray this procedure lasts longer. For people out there that don't know about facial neuralgia, its the worst pain known to man! I ask my doctor what did they do for this pain back before my time, he said killed themselves!! this is!! how bad the pain is.
Blesdings to you in dealing with this; I do know a little about how terrible this can be. Hang in there, I hope you find a way to be ok. I had to quit neurontin due to allergy and am now mostly-functional with sublingual buprenorphine (enough relief to count and manageable side fx).
I have facial neuralgia and am taking gabapentin to manage the condition. You're absolutely 💯 correct about it being a painful thing. Pain that is hard to describe. The medication has allowed me to live a somewhat normal life.
I have the facial pain also. I have taken gabapentin for years because of a sciatic nerve injury. I couldn't function without it. I take brain supplements and they seem to help with fog. I take 1800mg 3 times a day of gabapentin.
I am a retired Registered Nurse.. and I have horrible migraines...and I have taken benzos for years to treat extreme anxiety, PTSD, and agoraphobia after almost being murdered 3 times in one week... I was just doing my job...I worked in the State Hospital, Psych eval for court cases, and then attacked because I canceled a BINGO game..
I didn't have enough staff to keep everyone safe..
I had received the ward with 17 staff because of people who were in restraints or 1:1 for suicide watch... and by law, I couldn't have busy staff help stop the fights that always happened with BINGO games...
I am on total disability until I die... Not a good life anymore...
Anyway, gabapentin made the migraines worse...
I happen to take propranolol for MVP... and I have for 40 years...
People don't listen to the doctors.. They watch commercials and things like this and then they tell the doctor what THEY WANT...
We are 1 of 2 countries that advertise drugs on TV.. and I think it needs to stop...
Just my opinion, for what it is worth....
An excellent, thorough explanation of Gabapentin that empowered me with great questions for my next neurology appointment.
I was dealing with severe anxiety, on anxiety meds when i talked to a doctor. I was in a psychiatric day program (9-3 group meetings then go home). The doctor asked a few questions and prescribed Gabapentin 300 3x a day. I had no idea what it was for. After a while i wanted to stop taking pills i no longer needed, so i talked to my regular prescriber. He told me i could stop taking gabapentin and there was no need to ween off it. For two weeks my anxiety started getting worse. By 15 days off i went back on them and told my doctor who was surprised that stopping without weening off made it worse. Sometimes i believe i know more about my psych because I've been taking psych meds since 2005. Doctors know the books but not like i know myself. I really feel bad for psych pts who cannot speak for themselves. 😢
Oh for sure we know our bodies better than doctor s.
I don't believe doc's even read books any more. But they sure have those certificates plastered all over their offices. Do I trust my doctor? Not really. If he gives a dx, I go home and research it. If my research matches what he said, then I'll do what he said. I have been a critical care nurse almost for ever. You are suppose to ask questions. Doc still hasn't answered a specific question I asked 2 years ago. To be continued.
In approximately 2013 I began experiencing increased pain in my bicep area to the point that I wasn't able to sleep. It continued to increase and extended into other areas including my back and legs. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in late 2014. In March 2015 I had Wrist Replacement surgery due to Kienbocks Disease. About 6 months after surgery my surgeon prescribed Gabapentin for the "angry nerves" in my wrist caused by extreme trauma. What I experienced with that first dose can only be described as euphoria. Not only did my wrist feel better but the pain I had in my arms and back was relieved. I was ecstatic. In researching the world of gabapentin I found that one of its uses is for Fibromyalgia. I am one who has been helped and I don't suffer noticeable side effects.
what dosage do you take and when? so glad you're feeling better.
The new form of it, a sample of Graline gave me a totally terrifying reaction. My pain medication discontinued in 2020...I can't take this due to what it does to vision & hearing..then this new form of it, Graline. I will never take another Gabapentin...back to the pain clinic..can't take Lyrica or Pregablin.
Lyrica/pregabline gave me migraines/headaches.
Ruthi,
I'm so very happy for you. May you be continued with blissful, pain free days. God bless 🙏🙏.
@@lisacaron7224 my dosage is 100mg twice a day, morning and night. I started with one, and needed more. At one point I was taking 3 a day, but then tapered down to 2. So far I have no side effects. It's been almost 8 years. I'm a firm believer in doing what you need to do to have a better quality of life. God has my days numbered (Job 14:5 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition) I have faith in His promise.
I really appreciate how articulate & informative you are in synthesizing a lot of information. My 20 takes this daily for nerve pain due to spinal cord hip and pelvic injuries. Thank you!
Great discussion. Thanks for being so informative.
Works great for my nerve pain in my feet due to three back fusions. It lets me get a good nights sleep, takes that burning pain away completely. 300mg at night 100 in the morning. Changed my life.
Oh I hope it works for mine been on 300 daily for two days . I still have the pain that steam burn feeling hands and arms they ache and tight constant vibration and fire crackers in ankles
I’ve been on this medication off & on for 20yrs. At one point my doctor had me on a higher dose than was recommended by pharmacists(4.2g)
I was on the extended release version of this medication(gralise) & was having extreme brain fog & memory problems. I went off of it, & those symptoms immediately went away. My nerve pain became unbearable, so I went back on a low dose again. I’ve noticed a slight amount of memory problems, but right now, the relief from nerve pain outweighs the side effects.
The best thing you can do for yourself is to learn deep breathing and relaxation techniques
It’s the only thing that saved me
I hope you can find some peace in your life
@@nanaman thanks. I’ve been doing meditation for 20yrs
LOOK UP NEURAL THERAPY (DR. LAURA...I CANT REMEMBER HER LAST NAME) HER METHOD HAS CURED LOTS OF PEOPLE AND ITS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS SIMPLE
On the pill 💊 for 20 hrs & your not cured of it by now. OMG ❗❗
@@nanaman right on. Breathing etc kaser abd frequency and meditation. I'm in control of my stuff.
My husband underwent a spinal fusion of L4/L5 and a total Lumbar Laminectomy, never recovered fully from his surgery due to Guillian-Barre syndrome kicking his butt, and even tested positive for West Nile virus at the very same time… fast forward, the actual diagnosis & weeks in the ICU, totally learning to do everything, walk, talk, eat, lots of rehab & 5 years later, he is still on Gabapentin for pain every day! Suffers from nerve pain & fatigue every single day, along with flare ups with weather changes…I found this post quite interesting and felt compelled to share his story.
Just subscribe to you thank you so much for your illuminating message. I am on a quest for proper and amazing Health. Thank you for being a part of my journey! I was talking to my mom and walked back in my room and heard your voice and thought you were Sloan Bella!!! You both have similar tones and inflections in your voices. I love this so much! Thank you again and have a fabulous rest of your 2024!
I have been taking Gaba for 9 years now. It does an excellent job, but patients need to be warned about the significant spike in weight when you are taking Gaba for 6 months or more (documented in an Austrailian medical study). I kept being told "it's just water weight" knowing it was not that at all. I had lost 60 pounds after gastric bypass surgery and kept the weight off for 7 years when my weight began spiking with no change in my eating habits. It was incredibly demoralizing. The benefits outweigh the issue, but a patient should be warned that it can happen. I spoke with several people at a clothing store that have experienced the same thing. In discussions with doctors about it, when I told them I was taking Gaba they ALL went "ah, I see" when discussing my weight gain.
This explains why I've had such a hortible time with my weight..
How much do you take?
Sounds like my problem with the unexplained weight gain
Water retention is a known side effect. . It would be interesting if you lost weight if you taper off.
need to stop. Side effects are awful. Calcium blocker. Crowns fall off first and then enamel peeling. Knee joint surgery. Brain shrinking, extreme constipation end up in hospital $$$$ etc. More! Magnesium L Threonate.
I am on this medication and it has saved my life! It is the difference between me being admitted to the hospital screaming in pain and then giving me morphine every half hour for 20 min of relief and me being home and able to take Tylenol and an occasional muscle relaxer while on gabapentin. I would probably be dead without it! I take it for low back pain and nerve pain because of that. I have had 2 back surgeries and another is in my future. My surgeries have both been successful too.
I am on this as well. My thinking and processing are better with it. I hag broken my spine, went through chemo and radiation, plus I was struck by lightning. I've had seizures and such severe nerve pain that I wanted to go see Jesus. The gabapentin helps me to be able to see that old me and honestly I don't have addiction to opiod issues, I'm not using it for anxiety. Initially it was for the seizures and the fact that it helps my never pain was a bonus for me. Because of the lightning my nerves sing on a regular basis. I go through periods of extreme muscle tightness, head to toe, that's when I know seizures are on the way. I take my gab ...with the extra I have on hand prn ... and take a time out. For me it's a wonder drug. I thank God for it all the time.
@@auntieb3621wow you’ve really been through the wringer 😟 absolutely heartbreaking. I hope you’re feeling much better these days. ❤
Thanks for your support.
Gabapentin made me so depressed whenever I took it for my back pain I was afraid for my life! I kept telling my doctor that it made me feel this way and he told me to just try and take it .... long story short, I just had to stop as the depression this drug caused me wasn't worth it!! If you struggle with depression just know it is nothing to try and push away. As a science and health teacher, I researched the side effects and found I was not alone in my depression while taking this. Please be careful!
Maybe it is causing my depression.
Agree
I take 200mg only when my neuropathy is just too much to handle. It will last me most of the day. It makes me very talkative and happy when I take it. It also makes me as wobbly as a drunk and the wobbles last into the next day. I also become foggy headed. I use to take 300mg 3x a day in the beginning, until my hair started coming out in clumps. It’s a very weird medication but helps so much with neuropathy. It’s a love/hate relationship.
@industrialcrow.....O.M.G.....I couldnt have said this any better myself! I take 100mg gaby ...1 or 2X a day....down from 1,600 mg. per day. Took me over a year to titrate down. The neuropathy and pain wont let me drop it any further without going into tremors. I, too, get very talkative and hyper! YES, the drunken wobbles, the brain fog plus the hair loss make me look like an old crone! (Or is it because I'm 90 years old?....for real!) Should we start a support group? You made me smile...thanks. *Recliner Babe"
I'm taking Spring Valley Super vitamin B-Complex 100 tablet bottle is $ 6.00 at Walmart's. Works great. Your urine will be bright yellow but it's not a problem!
@@bobboscarato1313 mmm, bob....it works great....for what? Pain? Lowering amt. of Gabby? Would appreciate more clarity. Thanx.
@@ReclinerBabe NEUROPATHY ! It can be bad at night; I'm a T2 diabetic.
@@bobboscarato1313
Gotcha!....me, too...T 2..and awake all night with neuropathy.....Always feel better with occasional B complex vits....maybe time to zero in on Super B's. Maybe get rid of Gabby forever. I'll give it a try. Thanks for clarification. Apologize if I sounded abrupt.....pain will make you mean and nasty.
Very beneficial video, thanks for doing the research and sharing it with us!
Husband started w/100mg daily 4 nerve pain after Chemotherapy. Lowest dose caused brain fog after 1 week. Normally, a calm, kind person, it made him testy, short tempered, fatigue & memory issues, etc. Additionally, it did very little 4 nerve pain.
Rarely ever uses any type 'pain' meds or the like, as he's Very sensitive 2 majority..
If he has side affects @100mgs, He will experience worse side affects, & minimal improvement, no point. He is a machinist & repairs heavy machinery! Slowed reaction could cost him dearly. He is now taking a supplement 4 nerve pain.. side affects r slowly disappearing. Nice it benefits some.. 🙏✌Peace&Healing
Like all drugs that are psychoactive, each person's reaction is unique. This is incredible to me.
It really is amazing. I just tell people to pay close attention to physical, mental & emotional changes when you take it. As someone else said, you may not even realize that you're feeling more hostile or depressed from it.
@@msherry5 I take it PRN for anxiety. It definitely slows a person down, but sometimes, that's a welcome thing.
I’ve been taking 800mg at night for burning and numbness not caused by diabetes. I also had terrible sleep where I was awake most of the night from the pain. I guess I’ve been lucky so far because I don’t seem to be having any bad side effects from the drug. It’s really been a life saver for me because the pain is now under control. So I agree with you Diane Gordon5366 each person’s reaction is unique.
Dr. Sullivan, I LOVED this video. I’m 60 and have been taking 3600 mg of Gabapentin for 7 years. I have a spinal cord injury. I still have pain. And I cannot get off Gaba. I’ve tried only taking 5 pills instead of 6 and the pain is unbearable. I have a pain doctor whom I see every two to three months. She always asks me if I’m still taking my Gaba. Yes! But I have all the side effects. Brain fog is debilitating. Weight gain: I have been thin or just regular my whole life until Gaba. I have a love/hate relationship with it. I’m just writing because it feels so good to hear other peoples’ laments. Keep doing your CZcams. It’s fascinating!
I am on the same amount of Gabapentin per day that you are and have been for many years. I am 59 years old and I have severe withdrawal symptoms if I don't have 6 Gabapentin pills a day. I have begun to have seizures and problems walking because of my muscles in my legs due to Magnesium deficiency, B12 deficiency and Vitamin D deficiency.
This woman is brilliant. So refreshing to hear a person who actually breaks down why gabapentin side effects happening because the info is coming from people who are taking other meds along with it and not gaba alone. That's really an important factor that everyone. Including doctors, seem to miss
Wow! I’m so happy to have found your channel! I’ve taken Neurontin as a sleep aid. I cannot imagine taking thousands of milligrams/day. My elderly mother took 300mg/day for nerve pain in her left leg. She is now 99, and takes no Neurontin. Like so many meds, we must be careful.
I broke my pelvis in 2 places and have a spread SI joint. Gabapentin among other meds, helped me cope with the extreme pain and to be able, with therapy, to walk, sleep and function again. I have had no side effects. Thank you for featuring Gabapentin which has been very useful for me.
May I please know how much Gabapentin you take? I also have a unstable pelvis that cause severe muscle cramping but didn’t have nerve pain. Now I do and Gabapentin has been prescribed but it cause my brain to slow down and make it difficult to think. Did you have nerve pain?
@@somanylittles 400 mg per day. Never had any side effects, but my dose is low. I also take Methocarbamol and Tramadol.
The Lord bless you even more each day!
I have been prescribed Gabapentin for Trigeminal neuralgia and it has been a god send. I originally was taking 1200 mg a day but have been able to reduce it to 600 mg a day and remain pain free. The pain of trigeminal neuralgia was intense and the worst pain I have ever experienced in my life. I have not noticed any side effects.
I also have Trigeminal Neuralgia. There is a reason why its nickname is The Suicide Disorder. I also have been able to greatly reduce what I am taking and have had positive results in lessening of side effects while remaining pain free. Congratulations on your journey and good luck in the future.
Hi can I ask how did you get this disorder. I need to get my teeth extracted and go into full mouth implants but I’m procrastinating because I’m afraid of getting the disorder
@@nicolegrant2750 I don't think Trigeminal Neuralgia can start up through dental extractions. What I learned from my surgeon was: first, the location of the major nerve, that's the 5th cranial nerve in the skull, one on each side of the head. The nerve splits into three branches, one goes up towards the eye, one towards the nose and one towards the jaw. He told me that as we age we begin to sag - not just externally but internally. In 95% of TGN cases an artery or vein is beginning to sag and press on the TGN nerve branch area. That's causing the brain to receive incorrect signals and results in the jabbing pain. In the other 5% of TGN patients, the confused signal originates in the brain. Never does it originate from oral pain. However, someone who already has TGN can have "triggers" that start an episode. These can include brushing teeth, wind, cold, things touching the cheek. If you are still hesitant to begin your dental implant journey, talk to a surgeon who operates for TGN and they will help clarify this for you. Good luck!
I have trigeminal nerve also taking. Gaba the problem star since as was a little kid that is a horrible pain 😭
I also have Trigeminal Neuralgia. I have been on it for 14 years. I have never had any of the side effects that most people get.
I was on it and it was absolutely horrific. My daughter was on it and gained so much weight and it was absolutely horrific for her I don't want anybody to be on this stuff
I was able to significantly reduce pain, stiffness, numbness and pins using therapeutic doses of B1 as Benfotiamine, B6 as Pyridoxal 5 Phosphate and B12 as Methylcobalamin. All active forms of B vitamins. As I have some GI issues. I also started my sister in law on them for her type 2 diabetic neuropathy and stopped her Gabapentin. She is virtually pain free now. Lots of research is available on these 3 B’s for this and carpal tunnel. So much of our lifestyle causes a lack of B’s. Worth testing!
Wish it worked for me. I even take Bosweilla, Tumeric, bromalin, and quercetin on an empty stomach. I have moderate spinal canal and foraminsl stenosis. Chronic pain is a bummer!
I have diabetic neuropathy in my feet. I’m a nurse. I would be crippled and disabled without gabapentin. I take 900mg Bid started 3 years ago at 300 mg that didn’t work at all 600mg was better but I literally broke my back teeth because I was grinding them because of the pain. 900mg for me was the sweet spot. I do other things for the pain as well. I lotion my feet and wrap them in one of those ultra soft blankets when I’m home. The thing is when I feel that pain I don’t move. I was very active always in motion prior to neuropathy. I should be taking it 3 times a day to always have pain coverage but I sit and wrap so I only have to take it twice a day. I put my feet on pillows. I know every trick to stop the pain believe me. I take Advil with it. I take Lasix if have edema because that increases the pain. I can tell you that I can not take Narcotics if I do I can’t Nurse and again disability. Gabapentin works. I’m grateful for it. I can still walk. For me it is a miracle pill. I don’t feel tired and I don’t feel like I have brain fog. I’m just happy to be able to function. 😊
Amen!!
@@endo2th Have you ever tried a epsom salt bath for relief? It's amazing.
Have you read the book "Sugar Crush"? Written by neurologist and mostly about neuropathy.
It is so interesting that you say you wrap your feet. I have neuropathy especially in one foot because of a bad lower back. I worked up to 600mg qid because that seems to work better for me - I've been on it for 13 years since just before my hip replacement. I couldn't have done my job as a nurse without it. I don't know that I have side effects. Sometimes depending on the weather I need an extra dose at night, but it really helps in the winter to make sure that my feet are wrapped up in extra blankets.
I was on Gabapentin for 4 years for fibromyalgia , spine and neck damage and neuropathy. I am 65. This past year my son noticed, and so did I, that I was having short term memory loss, couldn't figure out the words I wanted to say. Dizziness, balance issues and shaking. A month and a half ago my son and I did some research and found these to be side effects of the Gabapentin. I weaned off of it about a month ago. My memory is back, no dizzy spells, balance is back and shaking gone!! Yes nerve pain came back, but the last 2 weeks have been tolerable. Thank you for your very informative video. New sub !!
Taking iodine helped me get rid of fibromyalgia. You should look it up and see if you have other symptoms of maybe being low in iodine.
@@bieglas I recently had blood work done and Dr. has iodine levels checked. Everything came back perfect except Vitamin D.
@@KrissiCreates You need 50,000 MG once a week.
Thank you for this video! 💗 I just started gabapentin this week for sciatic nerve pain, chronic widespread nerve pain, due to fibromyalgia, and I have broke my ankles three times in six years. The arthritis in my ankles drives me crazy at 43 years of age.. I have always had joint issues, they run in my family. However, most of my pain is throughout my day and my doctor told me to take it at night time before bed so it doesn’t make me nauseous or dizzy. Obviously the fact that I broke my ankles three times in six years says I’m already clumsy. If it only last 4 to 6 hours that doesn’t make much sense for me. I will be advocating my concerns to my doctor due to you making me aware of things I didn’t realize. Thank you so much.💗
It doesn't work for sciatica and risks outweigh benefits. They just don't want to give you proper meds for pain control. Sad. I hope you're able to sort things out.
I stay away from those that wear the Caduceus and practice legal pill dealing. Go natural and when it comes to pain.......well, grow a pair
Its a terrible drug! It makes me see not even double but triple!! It sucks!! Drs dont wanna prescribe pain meds which for me have no side effects at all!!!
Thank you for your study and information! It helps me understand some things. 😊
I'm so glad this popped up on my CZcams suggestions, and thank you Dr. for a very informative video! I am 54 years old and have been on gabapentin (300mg 3 times daily) for bilateral neuropathy. It works very well for me, mostly with nerve pain in my hands and feet. It does create a bit of memory/brain fog, but that immediately goes away if I don't take it; ergo, it's just a transient side-effect for me. It also helps very much with my restless leg symptoms. I know everyone is different, so this is just my personal experience.
You and I are very similar. I'm 54 taking Gabapentin for the very same reasons. I don't know what I do if I didn't have it. My restless leg would be relentless.
I'm not sure that I noticed brain fog because I've been taking it now for 10 years.
This video just randomly popped up for me today. I'm still early in the video. I am afraid she is going to say it's bad for us and it'll cause Alzheimer's.
I worry about Alzheimers because of family history and my depression and anxiety.
I would love this lady as my mother's doctor! You just know her patients make informed decisions. 👏🏾
She's not a fking doctor. You are being scammed.
Excellent information! Thank you!
Great information Thank you for sharing your expertise!
I would describe brain fog as thinking when very tired, mentally exhausted. I feel as though I am just going through the motions w/o thinking
My brother and I were both put on Gabapentin about the same time. It helped stop the seizures I was having from Mercury Poisoning, and it made my brother suicidal and homocidal. As soon as he got off of it, he had no more such thoughts. Once I had had no seizures for several years, I weened off of it. I haven't taken it in 12 years now, and haven't had a single seizure.
Learica made me crazy. My MD took me off. 5 years later on Gabapentin for one month and I am walking with a walker rather being in bed. I said to a friend get of the booze for your pain for his back. Gabapentin and Weed in moderation helps me. No side effects. Just a little bit stone with the giggles. Better than being in jail or a mental institution for being crazy. 😁😁
@@markvilleneuve6655 Glad to hear that it's helping you. It definitely affects different people differently.
@@thomasmartinscott Thank you. My father has been on it for years. 83 years old workaholic, Still teaching Karate. doing Katas, Kumite For over 60 years. If it was not for Grabatin. He was the one who said it works. For the first two weeks he was drowsy then it went away and gave him back his life what he loves to do. Karate. Once again thank you for your information as well.
@@markvilleneuve6655 You're welcome. I'm glad to hear that it's working for your Father, too.
Brilliantly explained