Yep, it's an anti-convulsant. I have been prescribed it for a combination of sleep problems and restless legs syndrome. I've found it helpful. There's a pretty wide dosing range, and it's somewhat BMI-related, so getting just to the right dose can take a little tweaking.
In high doses it's used as a recreational drug, and can be addictive. But in prescribed doses, I don't believe addiction can become a problem.
@7Cs - I think you might be mixing it up with something else...I've never heard of the brain zaps going with neurontin, and didn't have a hard time coming off of it and then going back on a few months later. Not saying you're wrong, just wondering if you are sure it's gabapentin you are thinking of.
Weight gain can be reported in people who use it for long periods of time, not sure if that's because of the sedating effect or something else.
As a pain medication, it's got the least number of drawbacks - mainly, it's not an opiod or a benzo. So you might want to give it a try. It's use as an anti-depressant is a late discovery, and not what the drug was developed for; so if you are specifically worried about taking an anti-depressant, gabapentin really isn't one. It can be effective for neuropathic pain, including fibro. You'll know fairly quickly if it's helping or not.
