Gabapentin is used to control seizures, to treat nerve pain that can happen after having had shingles, and to treat a condition called restless legs syndrome. In addition to these FDA-approved uses, doctors sometimes prescribe gabapentin off-label. If you have symptoms of restless legs syndrome, make an appointment with your healthcare professional. You may be referred to a doctor who specializes in conditions affecting the nervous system, known as a neurologist, or a sleep specialist. Gabapentin is fairly safe when you use it correctly. It does come with some possible side effects, though. People who misuse this drug are also at risk of additional side effects. Gabapentin can make you jittery. It is known to cause trembling, shaking, and tremors, though this side effect is only thought to affect 10% of users. The drug affects the nervous system, which could be the reason for this side effect. Restless legs syndrome is a disorder that causes an overwhelming urge to move the legs, usually to alleviate unpleasant sensations. It tends to be most severe during the evening and night. What many people don’t realize is that taking gabapentin can result in various side effects. Here are some gabapentin side effects that could occur. 1. Abnormal eye movements. People taking gabapentin have reportedly experienced involuntary and continuous eye movements. If you forget to take a dose of gabapentin, do not panic. Take it on the same day unless it is too close to the time of your next dose. If it is too close to the next dose, skip the missed dose. Resume the regular dosing schedule the following day. Do not take extra to make up for the missed dose. Gabapentin can impair thinking and motor skills and may cause drowsiness. It is advised not to drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how the medication affects you. Use caution when combining gabapentin with other drugs that cause drowsiness. Multiorgan hypersensitivity and DRESS syndrome Gabapentin can cause life-threatening breathing problems, especially if you already have a breathing disorder or if you use other medicines that can make you drowsy or slow your breathing. Seek emergency medical attention if you have very slow breathing. Some people have thoughts about suicide while taking seizure medicine. But gabapentin side effects are not trivial, as you will read. And a brand new gabapentin side effect has just emerged. Canadian researchers have just dropped a bombshell on gabapentin ( Annals of Internal Medicine , Jan. 15, 2024 ). Since you have more than your share of spine and pain problems, please don't hesitate to get this checked soon. Hopefully this is something that has an answer. All the spasms, perhaps you mean joints are moving causing arms or legs to fling around, have a source. Doctor is the missing key. Be sure you are up and moving around as much as you can. That sleepy feeling may be more pronounced when you first start taking gabapentin and then slowly goes away as your body adjusts to the medication, according to the Mayo Clinic. Don’t get behind The memory issues you are experiencing may be very well due to the extremely high dose of gabapentin you are taking. Fortunately, memory loss and other side effects associated with gabapentin are not considered permanent and should resolve upon discontinuation of therapy or with a dose decrease. A. Gabapentin enacarbil (Horizant) has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of restless legs syndrome (RLS) and postherpetic neuralgia (the pain that can linger after a bout of shingles). It is different from plain gabapentin ( Neurontin or Gralise ). Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking gabapentin: More common in children. Some side effects of gabapentin may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Gabapentin is a prescription medication that may help you sleep. That may be why it has been prescribed for people with insomnia, even though it is not approved for that use. However, gabapentin enacarbil (Horizant) has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat a sleep disorder called restless legs syndrome (RLS). Gabapentin makes me drowsy/dizzy so you need to be extra careful not to fall when taking it. Neuropathy can cause many symptoms, including weakness, numbness, etc. It disrupts brain communications to your body and muscles/skin which can make movement more difficult. Taking gabapentin can make you sleepy. According to studies, about 20% of people taking gabapentin experience drowsiness or fatigue. It may be even more likely, affecting 20% to 30% of people, with Horizant. However, tiredness is less common with Gralise, occurring in about 5% of people taking it. Gabapentin may make you feel a little drowsy, dizzy, or clumsy when you first start taking it. You may feel like your thinking is slower. These are common side effects of gabapentin, but they usually get better as your body adjusts to the medication. Gabapentin and similar medications can help some people. Experts gave strong recommendations for medications known as alpha-2-delta ligand calcium channel blockers: gabapentin enacarbil, gabapentin, and pregabalin. Unlike dopamine agonists, these drugs work by quieting the central nervous system and don’t cause RLS augmentation.
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