Gabapentin - does anyone have any expierience of this drug?

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ALI
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon May 18, 2009 4:53 pm

Gabapentin - does anyone have any expierience of this drug?

Post by ALI »

My mother is newly diagnosed with OT (see thread http://www.orthostatictremor.org/phpBB3 ... ?f=1&t=383 )
and has just been described a drug named 'gabapentin', she is now being built up to 900mg per day.

Does anyone on here have any expierience of this drug, is it known to help OT sufferers?

What about any known side effects from gabapentin? Is there anything we should be concerned about here?

Any feedback will be appreciated!

Regards
Ali
stella R
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Location: winnipeg, manitoba, canada
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Re: Gabapentin - does anyone have any expierience of this drug?

Post by stella R »

HI
i take about 1300mg a day of gabapentin .
IT sometimes makaes me a bit drowsy but other than that i have had no problem with this drug.
I have taken it now for about 2 years.
It does not take all the tremors away for me but i do notice
a difference when i am on it.
That is my experience with it anyway.
Hope your mom is feeling better
regards
stella
DaveW

Post by DaveW »

Comments removed.
Last edited by DaveW on Sat Dec 01, 2012 6:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
Lily, Toronto Canada
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Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 9:16 pm
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Re: Gabapentin - does anyone have any expierience of this drug?

Post by Lily, Toronto Canada »

I take just 3 or 4 300 mg tablets per day and am doing OK on that level.
It took a while to get used to the drug and I started in very slowly. At first one per day - on which I felt weird, then got used to it and added the other two bit by bit. I have not taken more since then less sharpness and drowsiness becomes more of a factor.
Aside from drowsiness, I have not noticed other dramatic side effects.
This is the only drug that has helped me so far, though i like to take a very tiny bite of Clorazepam as well when I expect to be in more challenging situations. It seems to help.
Patty G
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Location: Juneau, Alaska
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Re: Gabapentin - does anyone have any expierience of this drug?

Post by Patty G »

Hi Ali,
I have been taking Gabapentin also know as Neurontin for over five years and it has been a great help to me. I take 900 mg at breakfast, dinner and bedtime and 1200 mg at noon. The only side effect that I think I have is that I have trouble with word retrieval. If I am planning on saying that I am going to the airport, I might actually say, I am going to the helicopter. This can be very frustrating when talking in public. When I have to give a speech, I write everything I want to say in large print and then stick to the script. If I start to talk off the written script, I start using the wrong word or forgetting the words I need to make my point. I keep talking, using many words to try and get to the point I was making. The benefits from the drug are many. I can stand longer without tremoring, I work longer in the day without getting back cramps. Finding this site and learning about Gabapentin allowed my to find my santity again and to work for a few years longer as a teacher. I thought I would not be able to continue to work, when I first got the OT symptoms. I was able to work for several more years after starting taking Neurontin.
Oh, I did experience some weird side effects when I started taking the Neuron, you have to be very careful about how fast you increase the doseage as that increases the side effect. You must start very low and go slowly to see I it really helps before you give up on the side-effects. Hang in there and give the drug a chance to help you.
Good luck to your mother.
Patty G
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