How Does Gabapentin Work?
 

There is no narcotics in it but after taking 800mg i feel kinda "high" :winky:

My 2nd dose in the afternoon of 800mg seems stronger as i guess the mornings dose is still slightly affecting me.

How does this medicine work.Does it numb nerves in the brain / feet or something different?

Can doing 1600mg's - 2400mg's per day wreck havoc on my body,brain,organs?

Thx for any insight.It helps with my foot pain although it does not take 100% of the pain away doing 800mg's twicw per day.Thinking of calling my Dr and asking him to increase to 3 times per day.

Hi there, I know that everyone is different, so what may be good for one person is not good for another. And sometimes it just takes time to get adjust to the gabapentin.

For me, it was bad and I was on the low dose end. I gave it time and still wasn't able to adjust to it. I was put on Lyrcia afterward and it is so much better for me. It cost more for me because my insurance makes you pay higher price for brand names.

Some people do bad on Lyrcia and do good on gabapentin. Really just have to listen to your body.

Trish :wink:

It is in the classification of an anti-seizure medication.
It was first developed for epileptics.
It stops the jumbled signals from the damaged nerves in PN,
send to the brain.
It has something to do with the GABA, but is beyond my ability to interpret.
It says in the literature that the exact method is unknown.
Lyrica is in the same classsification.
Neither is classified as a pain medication. It diminishes symptoms.
Used along with pain medications such as opiates. or synthetics, like Tramadol(Ultram) - they work very well to control both symptoms and pain.
Many of us take a 'cocktail' of meds.

Nide is right, I do take pain pills with the Lycria. I think Lycria is suppose to be a little stronger, but I don't understand this because I could not take the gabepentin.

Hope Nide was able to help you.

Trish :confused:

Gabapentin and Lyrica are mysterious drugs. Basically the way they work is still not understood. But the general public does not know this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabapentin

I had a discussion recently with my doctor about this.

He told me Gabapentin came first and Lyrica was an "upgrade." Why they work is unknown.

I've never taken Gabapentin. I tried Lyrica but it didn't help and I gained weight. I started Cymbalta - worked like a charm for a week. I stopped taking it when I got sick (unrelated). I'll be starting up on it again shortly - after I get past a certain event at work (after the shuttle lands).

Why Cymbalta works is unknown.

I usually just lurk here at PN. It's just the most recent extension of the MS I've had for 22 years.

Tom

"...It has something to do with the GABA, but is beyond my ability to interpret...."

If you read that link, or insert- then you know why I said this :eek:

but thanks for trying Mrs D :rolleyes::):D

Thx all so much for the info ;)

Sadly i am calling my Dr this morning asking him to up the dose to 800mg's 3 times per day instead of twice per day.

I have had "some" relief but not enough yet :confused:

He was going to put me on Lyrica but the Gabapentin is much cheaper and i highly agreed with him ;)

Thx again..

I am a 45yr diabetic with stage 2 kidney disease and severe diabetic neuropathy. My current neurologist has me on 4800mg a day my pharmacist at first did not want to fill the prescription until he verified it with the doctor.

One neurologist told me that the benefits of the drug stop after exceeding 2400mg also updated change in label of these types of medications.

http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/...ders/UCM100190

I am currently up to 4800 mg a day and suffer from short term memory loss, hand tremors, weight gain, foggy head, dizzy and hot flashes see link below. I am in the process of switching to a different neurologist and considering switching to cymbalta or lyrica. My new neurologist has suggested trying Anodyne therapy (never suggested to me from my previous neurologist) he also ordered an arterial ultrasound to check my circulation.

http://epilepsy.emedtv.com/neurontin...e-effects.html

As the dosage of Neurontin increases, less is absorbed. So one can reach a point where really high doses do very little.

One thing I am worried about is that Neurontin IS excreted whole via the kidneys. If you have reduced kidney functions, you may not be excreting it properly.
This may lead to it building up in the body.