Gabapentin (Neurontin) Dosage for RLS

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T Zone
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat Jul 19, 2014 9:29 pm

Gabapentin (Neurontin) Dosage for RLS

Post by T Zone »

I have been taking 900 mg daily before bed for about six months. I had told the doctor it made a big improvement and I was sleeping 7 hours nightly, usually straight through.

In reviewing it, it is more like 6 hours of sleep and I awaken with pain in my forearms and wrists and some pain in trunk and chest. Some mornings I can go back to sleep after a while for another hour or so, but most mornings I cannot go back to sleep.

I feel like 7 hours of sleep each day would put me in great shape.

Do you think I should try 1200 mg dosage? (SIde effects are minimal at 900 mg.) If so, do doctors generally agree easily to do this or will there be some resistance? This is my sleep doctor and she is very good.

Rustsmith
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Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 9:31 pm
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado

Re: Gabapentin (Neurontin) Dosage for RLS

Post by Rustsmith »

I think that you should check with your doctor, but there is a very good chance that she will increase you to 1200mg. She might also advise taking it again when you awaken. Gabapentin dosing for WED can be up to 900mg 3 times a day, so you are not near the maximum allowable dose.

Also remember that I you find that if you decide to experiment and 1200mg works, you are going to have to get her to adjust your prescription to increase the number of pills that you get. So better to ask first rather than have her refuse the increase after you tried it.

My doctor increased me from 900 to 1200mg at bedtime in an attempt to get me more hours of sleep each night. I average between 4 and 5 hrs. The gabapentin lets me fall asleep quite easily, but then I wake up and cannot go back to sleep. Unlike you, I do not have any pain issues, I just cannot go back to sleep for more than about 5 minutes at a time.
Steve

https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

T Zone
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat Jul 19, 2014 9:29 pm

Re: Gabapentin (Neurontin) Dosage for RLS

Post by T Zone »

She might also advise taking it again when you awaken.


Why? My problems are only in bed.

Rustsmith
Moderator
Posts: 6476
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 9:31 pm
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado

Re: Gabapentin (Neurontin) Dosage for RLS

Post by Rustsmith »

Gabapentin helps with sleep, but it can also help with some types of pain. That might leave you a bit sleepy in the morning after you take it, but when I was taking 300mg in the morning, I got over the sleepy effect fairly quickly.
Steve

https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

T Zone
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat Jul 19, 2014 9:29 pm

Re: Gabapentin (Neurontin) Dosage for RLS

Post by T Zone »

Just to close this out, doc said to up the dosage to 4 x 300 mg at bedtime. I have been doing this about ten days and it is working very well for me. I am getting about seven hours sleep and judging on energy level during the day and lack of daytime sleepiness, seven hours of sleep is enough for me.

Thanks!

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