GABAPENTIN

[yellow41]

Hello. I have struggled with moderate RLS for 7 years. I have not been on any meds. I think I got RLS from years of prozac use. I am sleeping poorly - sometimes 2 hours a night. As a result I am very cranky and don't like who I am. I am also anxious as I have other health concerns. When I read that antidepressants trigger rls I dropped my prozac down to 10 mg and did it to quickly not knowing that was not good. Still on just the 10 mg and have been now for a few years. I know that I should start out with Gabapentin but I am so scared about what I read. Things such as one needs to keep increasing the dose and that if you have to come off it is awful. Also read about memory loss and weight gain. I have had my ferritin checked and it is above 150 after taking iron supplements. Does anyone have positive stories to share with Gabapentin? I see my FP doctor on Tuesday. She is not well versed on rls but I am desperate to get something for sleep. I would appreciate any thoughts. Thank you.

[Brynmr]

I've been on Gabapentin for over 3 years. My dosage has increased from 300mg to a (stabilized) 3000 mg daily. I'm ok with it for the time being. My issue is weight gain which has come to.... calculating.... 17 lbs. I'm thinking of talking to a specialist over the weight gain because it's getting a bit much. Otherwise all is good.

[Polar Bear]

I have been taking Pregabalin for several years, it is a sister drug to Gabapentin. Officially I take Codeine for my RLS and the Pregabalin was prescribed for my peripheral neuropathy. It is a bonus that the Pregabalin also helps RLS.
Yes, there can be weight gain and I keep an eye on the scales. I gained about 10lbs and worked at taking this off. And Yes, it can be difficult to come off and must be done very slowly.
However my neuropathy and my RLS are pretty severe and so I made the decision and continue to use the Pregabalin, my dose is at the daily max. I do worry a bit about if I have to come off it for some reason but at present my various symptoms are such that without it I would be in a lot of pain and very miserable.
It is understandable that you are wary of starting a new drug. With regards to sleep, Gabapentin is likely to help with this.

[debbluebird]

I take 1800 mg of gabapentin. I've taken that dose for a year. I've taken it before. You just have to keep an eye on your food intake (calories per day). I take it all in the evening, 7:30 pm.
I also take tramadol 50 mg and one tizanidine. I also have a Spinal Stimulator. I've had RLS since 1990.
If you do have to wean off, just follow Doctors orders.

[badnights]

Hello. I have struggled with moderate RLS for 7 years. I have not been on any meds. I think I got RLS from years of prozac use. I am sleeping poorly - sometimes 2 hours a night. As a result I am very cranky and don't like who I am. I am also anxious as I have other health concerns. When I read that antidepressants trigger rls I dropped my prozac down to 10 mg and did it to quickly not knowing that was not good. Still on just the 10 mg and have been now for a few years. I know that I should start out with Gabapentin but I am so scared about what I read. Things such as one needs to keep increasing the dose and that if you have to come off it is awful. Also read about memory loss and weight gain. I have had my ferritin checked and it is above 150 after taking iron supplements. Does anyone have positive stories to share with Gabapentin? I see my FP doctor on Tuesday. She is not well versed on rls but I am desperate to get something for sleep. I would appreciate any thoughts. Thank you.

I don't have a positive story, but a caution. The alpha-2-delta ligands, of which gabapentin is one, are to be prescribed with caution to people who suffer from depression, because of the risk of them causing suicidal ideation and even suicide in susceptible people.

If you need to sleep and it's WED/RLS symptoms that are preventing it, iron and opioids might be a better way to go.... but if you try the alpha-2-delta ligands, try Horizant, or even pregabalin (Lyrica), instead of gabapentin. Gabapentin is absorbed erratically so its effect can change even when the dose remains the same. Horizant is a pro-drug of gabapentin, meaning it becomes gabapentin once inside the bloodstream, so there is no problem with erratic response to the medication.

It may be important for you to keep taking the iron supplements even if your ferritin is 150. My doctor once told me to stop taking supplements because my ferritin had gone from 26 to 62 and he said that was good, and I didn't need to supplement anymore. I didn't know enough then to defy him and continue taking iron but I sure wish I had, because the next thing he did was prescribe ropinirole, and I augmented within 3 or 4 days. Augmentation is much more likely with ferritin below 75.

[hHelp!]

i get severe shortness of breath with Gabapentin--even 100mg per day. Anyone else have this problem?

[badnights]

i get severe shortness of breath with Gabapentin--even 100mg per day. Anyone else have this problem?

I haven't. Sounds like you should stop it and try something else. Have you spoken to your doctor about this yet?