I've recently been prescribed gabapentin by my neuro which is supposed to help with a number of symptoms. I have started at 300mg but I'm nervous to continue taking it considering Ive read that their are many interactions with supplements such as magnesium and calcium and I believe supplementation to be more imporrtant. I did notice a calming effect to the medication but I'm confused what to do here.

Anyone with any insight into the interactions here? Doctors and pharmacists seem to be useless about these (important) types of things.

Take the magnesium at the opposite time of day. I take 600 mgs of gabapentin before bed. I take the supplements about 12 hours opposite to that. (between breakfast and lunch)

I've been taking gabapentin for 14 years. The way it helps my body and mind let go of tension is great. It allows me to sleep without muscle twitches. It has a short half-life of 8 hours so it does no effect me the next day.

Thanks for the quick reply. I was a little hesitant about starting this medication but I do feel there is some benefit. Do you know what kind of dangers are associated with taking the supplements at the same time as the gabapentin dose? It baffles me (even though it shouldn't at this point) that my neuro failed to mention this and the local pharmacist didn't even know the mechanism of action.

It decreased absorption. The interaction checker says to just have a 2 hour separation between gabapentin and magnesium. No big deal. The risk is not getting enough gabapentin if it is taken to prevent seizures.

Rather than deal with 2 hours, I just take them at different times of the day.

I was also prescribed gabapentin for constant headaches at the suggestion of a PT who likened my pain receptors to motion sensing lights that were tuned to turning on at ants as opposed to people. I haven't taken it yet, as I had just finished being prescribed a bunch of muscle relaxers and prednizone that didn't help, and am kind of sick of medication. Any insight into whether gabapentin might help? I've heard that it's a medication doctors often try to treat a number of things, but you often need to take it at very high doses.

Gabapentin works at low doses such as 300 to 600 mgs. High doses are 1200 to 3600 mgs. I was on 1200 mgs for a few years.

I will get back on here tomorrow (which is really today, ) I can't keep my open to write like normal. I keep messing Up.

I take 3600mg.


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Alma,

I had some out patient surgery at 6 months post head injury (unrelated).

You talk about a bad reaction! Oh my. I woke up from anesthesia a very different person than who walked in the hospital. One night my wife went shopping and when she came home I was frozen with terror. She was on her Ipad trying to find out info about the surgery. I was so convinced she was telling a boyfriend she couldn't come over...I fought for all I was worth to keep from choking her. Meds can be powerful stuff.

I found that until just recently I did not react to meds or supplements well during injury recovery ....some have had an opposite effect on me than intended.

Bud

I have not had any seizures to my knowledge and am not epileptic so I don't see any reason to be taking this medication. I wish I had known about its relative dangers before starting it. I want to discontinue it but I seem to be having withdrawal symptoms. Trying to hold steady at 1200mg/day and then taper down to 900.

Why do doctors insist on prescribing medications without explaining the downsides? I specifically asked my neuro before taking it if gabapentin was habit forming and he told me no.

Another failure of the United States medical system. I am going to write a book about this pathetic display eventually.

DannyT,

I don't think you should be concerned. The research does not say gabapentin is dangerous. The warnings that came from the research pertain to infants and young children. *administrative edit*
The "Death Sentence" headline was not supported by the research. It is just alarmist hyperbole used to get people to read an article. We can't live our lives based on alarmist headlines. We must dig deeper if the headline is a concern.

As I have said before, I have been taking gabapentin for almost 15 years. I don't plan on changing. Without it, my body twitches when I sleep.