I've been on it since I was diagnosed, mostly to help with the tingling and numbness I'd started out feeling when I went to the ER in the start. Well... for what it's worth, I no longer feel like I'm walking on needles and pins and I can actually /feel/ touch on my legs since taking it. I guess it has worked to a degree, then.

It's not much, but I hope that helps your info gathering some. :)

I am on 1800mg a day. In the beginning, I too had a little sedating effect from it, but got used to it pretty quickly. About six months into it I thought that I was not getting much from it (that was at 900 mg. a day). I forgot to take it three days in a row because I was very busy, and I crashed. The pain was unbearable. I realized very quickly that it was working better than I gave it credit for.

Now I can't live without it. It makes the neuropathy bearable. It is contraindicated with naproxen sodium however, and I don't believe I was ever told that. So don't take it with Aleve! It increases the absorption of the drug by a lot (can't remember the exact percentage right now but I think around 30%?).

It takes a while to work. It's not like a pain drug that works immediately. You have to give it time.

I have anemia and a high wbc count so I can't take it. IM. On keppra and topamax and it works very good. I use skelaxin for break thru pain and I've had spasms so bad in the past my ankle felt like it was going to break and the hug caused me to projectile vomit. Best of all for me it doesn't make me really sleepy.

Been on Gabapentin for a few months now. It is first drug to ease my spasms which were bad enough before I started to make me scream with the short sharp pain. Gradually increased from 1x 100mg morning and night to 600mg spread throughout day. Avoid the sleepiness by resting mid-afternoon and by reducing dosage to 400g.

Had far worse side effects with Baclofen. Have added very small dosage of Tizanidine - apx 2mg - early morning apx 5am.

Neurologist says dosage of both can be increased as needed

I had taken it for 1 year as needed. On bad days I would take up to 6 200mg capsules. It didn't always give me the relief from pain that I needed. It caused me to gain 30-40lbs. I hadn't changed my diet or activity level so I associated it to the medication

I too am on Gabapentin but I only take 200mg at night because I just can't handle the drowsy feeling during the day. I think it helps me sleep but I really have a left leg that will jump and bounce like crazy. I am on Diazepam 3xday for that plus anxiety I have noticed increasing since switching from Copaxone to Avonex. This wk has been particularly bad. Good luck on it and don't give up without a good trial.

this med makes me feel like i'm still twitching and sometimes violently but in slow motion. I hate it.

I think neurontin is widely used for pain - especially. My experience was like many others - some relief from burning pain but extremely sedating.

You do have to give it at least a month to try. I never used it for spasticty. I used baclofen and zanaflex. Now on baclofen pump

Melanie

I have now been on it for awhile & I am now on
500 mg/am-&-pm
it has helped me quite a bit
haven't noticed any side effects

I am on 300mg at night for the last week and I am not able to sleep at night now. Tomorrow I start one during the day also. Its weird that I have the opposite effect of most of the people on here.

Anyone else have this side effect?

I've been taking it for years for neuropathy and spasticity. It is very effective and from what I can tell very safe. It doesn't seem to live long in the system, as when it is med time, I really know its med time. I was recently hospitalized and the doc took away my neurontin for 18 hours. My legs felt like the muscles were going to detach from the bone. After I busted up the nursing station a bit I got my neurontin and my legs were better in about 15 minutes. I take it every 6 hours. Hope this helps!