My side effects include drowsiness when I started taking it. I don't notice the drowsiness as much after a while, but I don't have much trouble falling asleep when I'm taking the Gabapentin - so that may actually be a positive thing.

I do get some mild memory issues, which seem to be pretty common. (The brand name for Gabapentin is Neurontin, and I've heard more than one person call it "Morontin" because of the memory effects.) I'm still able to function at work - and I have a fairly technical engineering job, so its not too bad at the dosage I'm taking. this is the primary reason I don't want to go any higher though.

The other side effect I get is some "sexual issues". (I'm a guy, so this may not apply to you.)

I haven't stopped taking it since the twitching issue started, so I don't know what would happen if I stopped.

Taking medications is always a risk/reward balance thing. Based on your other posts, you seem to be in pretty rough shape physically and mentally - so how much risk are you willing to take? Trying a moderate dose of Gabapentin seems pretty low on the risk scale - at least compared to many of the other treatments for PN pain.

The psychiatrist who prescribed Gabapentin the first time I was on it called it "the next best thing to holy water" when I asked about the risks. I wouldn't go that far - but he told me that Gabapentin is less of a risk than many other meds because you take it in the active form, rather than most meds which have to be metabolized in the liver before they convert to the active form.