Anyone Have Experience with Gabapentin

I saw the pain doctor today and she prescribed Gabapentin (Neurontin) for my headaches.  I am wondering because one of the side effects is weight gain.  I just want to hear other people's experience if it helped with pain and what side effects they may have experienced. After my terrible experience with Reclast yesterday I am starting to get hesitant about any medication. BTW, I feel much better then I did yesterday, thank God.  I am glad the side effects were short lived.  I literally could not leave my bed I was in so much pain.  

Is that the only remedy for osteoporosis at a certain stage for WLS patients?

They put me on Fosamax for a couple of years and now I'm off. We saw improvement in my dexa scan after being on just supplements and hormone replacements. The Fosamax only stops the bone loss, doesn't improve anything.

One med for osteoporosis that's showing some improvement in bone density for WLS patients is Forteo injections. I don't know much about Reclast only that people get flu like symptoms immediately after treatment and those symptoms vary in duration depending on the patient.

--gina

Thanks for the info.  My scan changed significantly from my pre WLS scan.  My GYN mentioned Boniva if my scans continue to show decline.  I read on OH that RNY'ers cannot take Boniva.  I want to make certain if a med is recommended, it will not present a problem for my pouch.  I should probably see my endocrinologist.

I understand that some WLS folks have trouble with the oral meds. If you see an endo, definitely warn them you don't have a normal digestive system and may need something like Forteo.

Glad you are feeling better.

One of my staff's teenage sons had headaches that they thought were migraines.  They put him on it and he didn't have any while on the med.  It's a seizure med if I am thinking correctly.  So it will lower the firing threshhold of the nerves in the brain.  You may feel sleepy for a week or so but should then aclaimate to it.  I'm remembering it worked for him.  As far as weight gain, he is one of those stringbean kids so who would know.

Dh was on 600 mgs and did fine...I was a totally DIFFERENT story!

Gabapentin also known as Neurontin usually prescribed for Epilpsy. It's most common OFF label use is Peripheral Neropathy pain. How it got to be used for Fibro???? I use warm water for my fibro. I use Topamax for my PN and Tramadol/Amytriptyline for the breakthru pain.

Neurontin needs to be tritated up to rather large doses for MOST (not all) patients to even notice an effect. And then your body has a bad habit of getting use to that dose, which develops into an upward spiral of ever increasing doses.

It's typically given to patients with Peripheral Neuropathy

MedlinePlus Drug Information: Gabapentin

In the three years that I was on Neurontin, I had all of these:
drowsiness
tiredness or weakness
dizziness
headache
shaking of a part of your body that you cannot control
double or blurred vision
unsteadiness
memory problems
diarrhea
dry mouth
constipation
weight gain
swelling of the hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs

What they don't mention is that the memory issues NEVER go away once you've had them.

Drowsiness/tiredness/weakness did not come even close to describing what I felt and most of my PN friends experienced.

When I first started and every time I tritated up in dosage, I would be absolutely and completely useless to my family. I started at 1800 mgs (felt no relief) and got to 2100 mgs before feeling a difference. By the time I finished I was taking 4800 mgs a day. Some people I know were taking 7000 mgs with no relief.

I got off the neurontin finally in 2006 after coming down to 300 mgs between 2003 and 2006.

I was at 195 when I started neurontine, and hit my highest weight of 250 while on it.

Liz

 I've taken a fairly low dose-300mg/day for about a year (had RNY Sept 11).  I take it for insomnia - can't take any of the Ambien type meds due to apnea.  Since I've been on the Gabapentin I sleep well most nights, though I don't notice it makes me really groggy either at night or in the mornings.  My problem was never falling asleep-it's STAYING asleep.  With the combo of apnea and insomnia I was a mess for a while.  

So, I'm in my honeymoon phase with RNY, but I've had no trouble losing.

I think we have to balance risk/benefits of any meds and it sounds like you need to get this pain under control.  If it helps with that you're going to be healthier and less stressed  - better able to manage life and weight.

Hoping the best for you!