My Neurologist increased my Gabapentin dose to 300 mg tonight and I can't even walk straight now. Has anyone had trouble with the dizziness or unsteadiness with such a low dose or any dose with this medication? I had been on 200 mg at bedtime and didn't notice side effects but my nerve activity had increased so they wanted to try a higher dose. I'm supposed to gradually increase to 300 mg twice daily but I'm so dizzy and uncoordinated right now that I don't think I will be functional if I do this.
I had GB 30 years ago. For the normal I recovered fully. I tried Gabbapentin and it did nothing for me. I still have burning thru-out my body so my Dr. switched me to Lyrica.. It works much better for me.
I am taking 800 mg three times a day and yes there is dizziness and a light head.
I was prescribed Gabapentin but never took it after reading this article and study:
The study says the drug doesn't hurt existing synapses, but I'd like to leave the synapses alone -- there's just so much we don't know about the brain. I asked my doc if the neurontin is just a band-aid or if it facilitates healing. They said it's just a band-aid so I feel like I'm not missing out on anything. I don't want to be alarmist or anything, just putting this info out there. It seems like plenty of people go on this medication and are fine.
I take 1200 mg twice a day I was taking 1200 3 times a day I cut my self back. I have tingling nearly all over, but mostly in my whole right leg and from the knee down on the left. I had neuropathy in lower legs before the GBS, then it got worse and went all over. Ear lobes and lips tingling drove me crazy for months but that has stopped. When I get off my feet is when I really start to feel the effects of it. Good Luck just keep trying until you find something that works
My episode with Guillain-Barré has left me paralyzed from the neck down for over 11 years now. My doctor added gabapentin to my pain regimen about 6 months ago. I was on 600 mg 3 times a day but that left me so groggy I couldn't focus. On my own I reduce my dosage to 600 mg once a day at bedtime which helped my grogginess but didn't do much for my nerve pain. After a lengthy discussion with my doctor I'm now going to increase my dosage by adding 300 mg (1/2 tablet) around dinnertime. I'll have to see how that works. As with any new medication, the body take some time to adjust. In the last 11 years I've had that issue several times, actually more times than I care to remember.
I know other people who use Lyrica but after 6 months the only thing it did for me was to drain my wallet.
I started taking 300mg of Neurontin morning and night and felt the same as what you have described. It just took a little time to get used to it and now and don't feel the unsteadiness and dizziness anymore. Without it, I am up and down all night. I sleep much better with the Neurontin.
I have been on Gabapentin for a while now. I agree, it does cause dizziness and unsteadiness. I was taking it before being diagnosed with GBS, for my Fibromyalgia. But now my dosage has increased, I take 300 mg 3 times a day. After reading everyone's comments, I may be talking to my Dr about other choices I may have. Especially after reading Nostromo's link, that is really scary, and it makes sense to me now, because I am 56, and I have noticed more and more of some memory loss. I chalked it up to still recovering from GBS, but now I don't know. And I would like not feeling as dizzy and unsteady all the time.
I used 900 mg a day (300 morning, afternoon and evening) when I couldnt move out of bed. After that, When i took it in the morning I couldnt do much in PT and I felt unsteady. I also think it caused my double vision. The doctor reduced it to 100 mg at night only per my request and recently I told him that i dont feel i need it. He stopped it and my vision is back to normal and it didnt impact the feelings in my body.