Terrified to take gabapentin

[Ethansmom]

I just picked up my prescription and it listed all the horrific, possible deadly side affects. I'm scared to take it now. Any advice or encouragement?

[swgrl09]

I have worked in a psychiatric hospital and outpatient clinic for years. Gabapentin is REALLY commonly prescribed. But if you have any concerns talk to your doctor and they can reassure you. The lists of side effects are every possible side effect that could ever happen, even if it's .01% of the time. Usually they are listed for liability purposes.

[hanshan]

Hi Ethansmom - Is that gabapentin or pregabalin (they are related)?

All meds these days come with a huge list of "side effects". In fact, they are simply unexplained adverse events that occurred to at least one person out of around three thousand people during clinical trials of the medication. In most cases, it's not known whether the med actually was a cause or not.

The only side effects to expect are those that are reported as "common", and with a greater probability than in people taking a placebo (since those people also report adverse events). If you do that, there's usually only a handful of side effects which are not major and clear up reasonably quickly - if not, they would never market the medication.

[Ethansmom]

Thank you all for responding . I ended up taking it at night as prescribed and it made me drowsy and I fell asleep :-) I take gapapentin which is similar to pregablin. I took a 100mg pill after my clonazapam and I was already tucked into bed
I am supposed to take one 100 mg pill at night for one week and then bump it up to 200 mg I am assuming that's twice a day? I should call my doctor and confirm.

[swgrl09]

I'm glad you took it and it wasn't so bad so far. Honestly the first few days I am always the most nervous about side effects until I get used to taking it and realizing I will be okay. I definitely would call your doctor to clarify though about the 200 mg.

[Ethansmom]

Well today is day 4 of taking the Gabapentin. I've only been taking it an night. I wonder why she doesn't have be taking it twice a day for now. Maybe to see how I react to it? I really hope it helps so that I can get off of the clonazepam. Right now I do feel a bit spacey even though I take the dosage an night. I however take clonazepam and Lexepro when I wake up, so maybe i'm just adjusting to the new med. The goal is to eliminate the clonazepam once i'm mentally feeling better. I hope that day will come soon. I'm expecting my period this week, so that's probably not helping my anxiety.

[swgrl09]

Definitely go easy on yourself if it's your period week!!

[Ethansmom]

I had a terrible experience with this med :( I was forgetting my words, memory, had increased anxiety, etc. I'm still feeling anxious after stopping the med on Sunday. I feel even worse now. Now i'm scared to try anything else. Please help me thing rational!

[hanshan]

Many people with anxiety suffer increased anxiety or panic when they take a new medication - you might call it medication phobia. Most medications have start-up side effects. These are usually mild and subside after one or two weeks. However, in those with anxiety they can act as a trigger to intense negative feelings - anxiety, inability to concentrate and so on. You are not alone - many posters to NMP report similar reactions to varying degrees when starting on a new medication.

[Ethansmom]

Thanks Hanshan for your imput. My doctor wants me to take the gabapentin again and it stick out the side effects. She said it would take a month to notice a decrease in anxiety :( So here I go ahead. Taking one tonight before bed.