Gabapentin

[kzanana]

I have been taking Gabapentin for 19 days now and gained 9 #. This is about the 7th med I have tried for my head, nerve pain and the only one where I have a weight gain. Usually the opposite effect. I have lost over 60# in the last year, doing anything I can  to make myself feel better since no painkillers work and still have 30# to go. I have heard a lot of great things about This med but still have the debilitating headaches , even after 19 days. It has also caused a rash and I itch like crazy, BUT:  want to give it a fair shot. Is 19 days enough to have it work ?? I don't want to gain weight but don't want the headaches I've had for over 2 years now since surgery either. Help with answers please .

[hopees]

I am three years post op and still have the headaches.  I call it nerve pain.  I just found out I have bone dust from the craniotomy and that will cause headaches for life and not much they can do about it.

[jennifer7]

Hopees
You can do something about the headaches, there are a lot of different options to try.  Not everything works for everyone but don't settle for a life of this pain.  We have to persevere until we find the treatment that will help us, it may take longer than we want but don't give up.  Read the posts on headaches you'll see, we do have hope.
Jennifer

[Captain Deb]

Kzana, what dosage of gaba are you on? 19 days ia a little early to begin to feel any effect and anything below 1800-2700 mgs is pretty usless for these headaches.  For me, meds never worked nearly as well as nerve blocks or Botox.  My particular headaches are believed to have been caused by damage to the nerves in my neck from the vise my head was in during surgery.  My current pain specialist calls them "transformed migraines" and are related to occipital neuralgia.  These days I get Botox injections, around 16 of them every 3 months and my headaches are more controlled than they have ever been.

Capt Deb

[kzanana]

Botox in the neck is my next option. We are waiting for insurance approval right now. The Gab was just 500Mg at night , as a start but the weight gain was already a problem at that dosage with No help for the head. Nerve blocks have not worked at all either, but I will not give up.

[cin605]

I am on gabepenton...It helps some days...others...not so much.
Botox...My next quest.

[Larry]

I have been on gaba... for around 10 years now. Like Deb, I have been inflicted with chronic headaches. I also tried all the drugs and nerve blocks but i find that gaba helps the most (not a lot but better than nothing). I can't say that i have had any real side effects from it but don't know what the lomg term use is doing to my body.

500mg once a day is very, very low and I'd be surprised if it has any effect at all. I take 1500mg per day which is the limit for me otherwise i will doze off at work (from exoperience).

If any drug causes side effects then you should explore other options. Lyrica is one but a side effect of that is glaucoma (remote though)

Your headaches are likely to be around for 6 months and then hopefully they will go.

Laz