Gabapentin Side Effects? Too Relaxed?

[Chava]

You know how get sick the minute you survive a very busy and hectic period? I heard that has to do with the parasympathetic nervous system kicking in, which doesn't override our immune system quite like the sympathetic nervous system. Anyway, I started gabapentin for pain (also helps with anxiety and panic)....I was really happy because it did help with pain and made me feel more mellow and relaxed...like I was even making eye contact with people and smiling a little bit!! :O_o::geek: Too good to be true?!!

(I respond very poorly to SSRI, SNRI, and NRI meds and benzos are not an option, so if this can with pain and stress....whoa!!!)

But after a couple days of this and even feeling how my body was confused by relaxing, I am sick with flu-like and cold symptoms (will add that I have not had a cold in probably four years!!! Never get sick). I feel really run down. I know my body fights against slowing down, which is really frustrating. I really hope this med works for me because the opiate situation is not good at all longterm.

Anyone else have cold-flu symptoms on gabapentin or other neuro meds (it's rare, but possible)? Or is there an adjustment period, like weird side effects go away? I'm on such a tiny dose. I didn't take any today because I needed cold meds and didn't want to fall asleep at work. Taking care of cold symptoms, hope to try gabapentin again tomorrow and I guess make an experiment of it.

 

[asldjfasldjf]

I've taken gabapentin before for pain and PTSD. I also found that it initially made me feel better and then made me feel worse...I'm not sure what kind of symptoms you're having, but if you find yourself with aches or full-body pain (I had the latter), you might be experiencing some backlash from the medication.

I think I mentioned this to you a long time ago, but there's this book, Total Recovery by Gary Kaplan D.O. He doesn't really offer many treatment options, but he does a really good job explaining how physical and emotional pain are essentially the same thing to your body, and alleviating one type of pain may increase the other.

Did you ever try the naltrexone? I've noticed little benefit, but continue to take it as I'm not sure how much it helps, but it doesn't seem to hurt.

Anyways, hope that helps.

 

[Chava]

Thanks @shero22 ....I have to guard against this "I-FOUND-A-MED-THAT-WILL-CHANGE-MY-LIFE!!" thinking, because I know anything can just quit working. Damn it. How long were you on gabapentin? I just want it to work through a period of trying to not need opiates...also getting into extra therapy and getting some other tools.

Yes, the "Total Recovery" and pain stuff is interesting. It makes sense something like gabapentin could help the whole package in my case if I could just do a tiny dose and dull some of the over-firing in my nervous system. The pain I have right now is more flu-like, but not even whole body...more like sinus infection (which, oddly, I hope it is...hope it's all a weird coincidence, or that stuff of slowing down and being nailed by all the stuff I've been able to fight off).

Many, many years ago I was on naltrexone to help with drinking. I was on some many meds I don't know what it did for me. I think Effexor was kicking my ass at the time. But it has come up in searches for alternative pain meds. I'm interested because it is like an anti-opiate, the mechanism seems promising as an alternative. So, that might be next in line. I'm trying to do other things to manage so I don't end up forever dependent on meds....but hoping I can find the right combination to help me through right now.

 

[asldjfasldjf]

@Chava, it's so hard not to keep your hopes up when trying a new med. If it works, you're like a tiger let out of its cage, but if it stops, you're right back in again.

I actually took gabapentin for about a year before realizing it was having an adverse affect on me. However! I am a special case, and the symptoms you're talking about (sinus-y, respiratory) don't sound to me (a total expert ;)) like they're related to the gabapentin.

As for naltrexone, the thing about its use for fibromyalgia/pain is that it's very different than its use for combating withdrawal. Someone coping with withdrawal symptoms will take at least 50 mg. Someone taking it for pain will take a very low dose of 3-5 mg.

It's very difficult to explain how the low-dose naltrexone works, but the gist of it is that it works with your neurotransmitter receptors to decrease your pain over time (it decreases neuro-inflammation).

Ultimately, for me, the most effective pain treatment I've had was EMDR. Six 90-minute sessions later, I was/am virtually pain free. Currently looking for another EMDR therapist to help me with chronic fatigue.

SO. If you think your pain/somatic difficulties may be related to your trauma/PTSD, or simply the stress of it, you might want to consider EMDR (if you haven't already. Also, with a light bar preferably).

P.S. Chava, we both have Hebrew names. Message me if you want to know mine :p Did you grow up Orthodox? I did (kinda).

 

[Chava]

I actually took gabapentin for about a year before realizing it was having an adverse affect on me.

Frustrating. I felt like my pain meds were helping but in hindsight they've maybe contributed to feelings of depression that crept in slowly (though were probably also there anyway, masked by distractions). But they certainly aren't as effective. My primary doc increased the dose. Okay, where does this story end???

(it decreases neuro-inflammation).

This is what I need, however I get it. I eat very well, btw, so am aware of decreasing dietary triggers. With the cold symptoms (super rare for me), I feel like it's less likely a direct side effect (though read that can happen after I started experiencing this) but maybe more about the struggle in my body against slowing down...like I felt quit drowsy in the last couple days but could not rest any extra. I actually fought going to sleep more. This happens on muscle relaxants too....like as subtle trigger. For some reason sedatives work great but I don't manage overly relaxed or drowsy well...I fight it without meaning to...

Interesting EMDR helped you. I have chunks of consciousness missing during my major traumas so don't know how this would work for me. I am doing somatic-focused trauma therapy (primarily Somatic Experiencing). It feels helpful. Regular talk therapy usually left me feeling more messed up. So, glad I switched out...but not sure how much more I can afford (new insurance won't cover private practice) or what I'll do...it's been a little too hit-or-miss in the last year to know if it can help for my pain (my own schedule and my therapist needing some leave).

P.S. Chava, we both have Hebrew names.

This is not my real name, but my real name is also Hebrew (I just love Chava...probably what I'd name my own daughter but I won't have kids). I don't know how to do messages here.

Thanks again @shero22 :)

 

[sonicwhite]

Gaba is a God send to me.....It not only takes my Social anxiety away it also takes a lot of my nightmares away. I guess because it takes away the dread of PTSD and other comorbid disorders I have. The only thing bad about it is the tolerance ramps up very quickly but it is a miracle drug.

 

[Chava]

The only thing bad about it is the tolerance ramps up very quickly but it is a miracle drug

I have a small prescription that the dr. said I could play around with (can take 1-3 pills a day and can call back if I want it increased). I'm hoping to not take it daily, so I don't end up in the situation of building too much tolerance (happens with everything, damn it). So glad it works for you @sonicwhite ..with how badly typical anxiety and depression meds worked for me, but with obviously troubling symptoms, I've sensed I need something alternative. My pain is connected to a glob of depression/stress (yes, both glued together somehow). I have some structural issues but they don't account for the constant pain very well...or my meltdown responses to it. Definitely stuff gets triggered and over-fires. My whole body hurts sometimes. And today I'm just miserable in a new way...always something, even though I have learned how to take good care of myself and feel okay with it...my body is apparently not okay with anything

 

[joeylittle]

Just a question @Chava - did you shift anything at all with your food/beverage intake before the cold/flu set in? Also, are you taking anything for the cold/flu? Gabapentin interacts with caffeine and most typical painkillers (often found lurking in cold and flu meds) in a way that exacerbates the side effects.

I get that 'I'm slowing down and I get sick' thing every once in a blue moon - but I do know I'm especially prone around seasonal changes. I'm not sure where you are - in my part of the US, it really just became spring kind of overnight, and so I'm expecting a small summer cold to kick in. not sure any of these thoughts will be helpful, just offering them up.

 

[Chava]

@joeylittle ..thanks...I wasn't taking cold-flu stuff unitl after a couple days on gabapentin (so no gabapentin today because I worried it would all knock me out at work). Probably the timing is such a coincidence I fear it's related and the med is too good to be true. But yes, some season changing where I'm at too. And many people have been sick. I just get sick when nobody else is...like the last left behind germs find me. But I've also been more stressed than I could admit to myself in the last couple weeks. Even getting a new med was like a major shift in the stress....so like feeling hopeful was too stressful because it was just too different. If that makes any sense...just feels like my body is all confused. And, ultimately, probably just a regular old cold (only weird because I never get them).

I'm also really low on allergies and lots of this feels like allergy symptoms (though not the symptoms you'd get from a med reaction, like hives, breathing problems, etc). But I get allergy symptoms with colds, like itching all over the inside of my head (immunity gets all wacky). Had to take Benadryl with my sedative. Should be interesting. If anyone finds me dancing naked through chat in about an hour... just kidding. Hope rest helps.

 

[darrenS]

just a long shot but it may be affecting your pain meds and causing some type of withdrawal symptom, initial opiate withdrawals are very similar to the flu or a cold and if your on opiates its very rare to get a cold, a flu can happen but it does stop getting colds...

 

[Chava]

I like how you are the guru on pain meds, @darrenS ...thank you. But no, it's not opiate withdrawal...on same small dose. But I might cut back on Sat. by 1/2 pills and that works fine if I take an extra muscle relaxant to sleep. I've never had to go through withdrawal with these (cut them into halves, take my time). I can take them with my new med. Just hoping I can taper to less of the pain killers.

 

[darrenS]

lol @Chava - im no guru just had a lot of experience with opiates after being pretty much full time for years and been given them for pain since i was 15yrs old, ive learnt many tricks. Good luck Chava , i truly hope it all works out well for you