Gabapentin?

So had another appointment with my neuro last week who is confused about what I am really experiencing now. He doesn't think that I am having migraines now, but some kind of rare headache disorder. He says that my headaches are too predictable to be a migraine. He still hasn't given me a difinitive diagnosis yet. But wants me to try Gabapentin (for seizures?? >many other uses too but never saw for migraines). I'm not ok with trying all these different meds when he's not certain what I'm suffering from.

The last med he had me try(1 PILL!!) wound me up in the hospital with the worst stomach pain of my life, and an inflamed liver! Needless to say, I am not willing to try just anything...especially when he's not sure what kind of headache I'm having and what's causing them. He mine as well get a drug book and start alphabetically. If it doesn't cure me or kill me, just keep trying more drugs?

I'm sick of this cycle!

Has anyone heard of taking Gabapentin for migraines or any type of headaches???

Dawn

I havent used it Dawn but I know many people have yes.

Dawn,
I was given Gabapentin last fall as a preventative medication for migraines. It did not prove to be effective for me, and I gained weight while taking it (one of the common side effects). I have changed medications since then. We all respond differently to medications, so I hope that if you choose to take it, you find some relief.

Jenny

I've been on it with no adverse side effects. I know alot of people on this forum have been or are currently on it. The brand name is Nuerontin. It's primary use is for seizures, that's correct, but anti-seizure medications have been proven effective in migraine treatment - witness Topomax as a preventative. It doesn't work for everyone, but it does work for a significant number of us (including me).

i've posted this before, but it might bear repeating. 13 years ago, i took high doses of neurontin for a whole year. what it did for me was to let me sleep. (i have a bunch of sleeping disorders, found by 5 overnight sleep studies).

then i quit it, even though i had zero side effects. i just felt, then, that a seizure drug was probably not the best idea in the world. it NEVER affected my migraines, just my sleep.

years went by........flash forward to about 6 months ago. my sleeping pills (all antihistamines) weren't doing the trick anymore, so i tried neurontin again. this time i had 4 side effects, and it didn't help me sleep, either. drat. foiled again. dianne

Dawn,

I currently take it. I use it for pain. My neuro started out at 600mg and I was not functional or as the neuro put it "people walk into walls". We went down to 100 to 300 and it worked well to dull the pain. Things have been getting worse for me and he said it's safe to take up to 600 for my purposes but it does leave you in a fog.

I know someone else with FM and they were putting her on it for pain (Lyrica wasn't working anymore). But to let you know, it won't eliminate the pain, just dull it. So instead of someone walking around clanging cymbals they put a pillow between the cymbals.

Hope it's helpful and I don't think the neuros really have a clue unless you are a completely straight-forward case. Just hang in there.

Becky

I've been taking it for quite awhile for migraine and Trigeminal Neuralgia. It has cut migraines by about half during the times of year when I have fewer triggers. And is very effective for the TN pain which is as bad or worse than the migraine pain. It is short acting though so make sure you keep that in mind. It lasts about 4-5 hours so it has to be taken very regularily.

Alli