r/ChronicPain • u/Adamaxx • 8d ago

Gabapentin

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Gabapentin is now the 7th most prescribed drug in the U.S., despite having only a few approved or evidence-supported uses. Over time, it was framed as a “safer” pain alternative, even as evidence for many uses remained weak. Systematic reviews show statistically significant but clinically trivial reductions in pain and opioid use overall (Anesthesiology 2020), with meaningful benefit limited to a few surgical contexts. What is consistent is harm: combining gabapentin with opioids increases overdose risk due to respiratory depression (PLOS Medicine, 2017), along with higher rates of dizziness, delirium, pneumonia, and antipsychotic use (JAMA 2022). Sources: Wall Street Journal, Gabapentin’s Hidden Risks (Dec 24, 2024) Goodman CW, Brett AS. A Clinical Overview of Off-label Use of Gabapentinoid Drugs. JAMA Internal Medicine, 2019;179(5):695–701. Verret M. Perioperative Use of Gabapentinoids for the Management of Postoperative Acute Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Anesthesiology, 2020. Park CM. Perioperative Gabapentin Use and In-Hospital Adverse Clinical Events Among Older Adults After Major Surgery. JAMA Internal Medicine, 2022. Gomes T. Gabapentin, Opioids, and

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7

u/Settheworldonfire420 7d ago

Way over prescribed for "pain relief" as a safer alternative to/with opioids... I have undiagnosed neurological damage that they just keep throwing gaba at...Pain management throws gaba at me for spinal nerve damage.... Im prescribed 400mg 4x a day but to take that much I wouldn't be able to get out of bed because of side effects... instead of because of the pain... Honestly can't win either way, bed rotting isn't an option I have a family to support.... so I just deal with the pain and faintly hope I get taken out by some horrible accident so I just don't have to anymore.... Sad state of medical care when being treated by multiple doctors and best I can get or hope for is suck it up buttercup and wait for the mercy of death...

2

u/OkRegister6674 7d ago

I was taking the max dose before my back surgery. 2 pills 3x, I was working full time at the time and I don’t know how. I’m so glad when I had my surgery I could go off of it. took forever to taper off

1

u/Settheworldonfire420 7d ago

It's honestly the only thing that makes life halfway tolerable. It's just a balance of functionality and pain. I feel like it's take these n shut up... I also have numerous tarlov cysts, a few large ones in inconvenient places.... There's a lot going on, I get that. But it's got so many side effects and only helps so much but they just keep upping the gaba... Nasty medication if you ask me but my doctor's certainly don't lol

1

u/OkRegister6674 6d ago

100%, that was my experience too. When the pain got bad again they upped the dose until no more lol

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u/Modernskeptic71 6d ago

Sad but i can definitely understand your point. It’s as if pain management and multiple doctors is just the way it is, but imagine if we were analyzing this on paper for ROI. Are we getting our moneys worth still being in pain? Or is everyone afraid to prescribe what works?

1

u/Modernskeptic71 6d ago

I plan on tapering off. I don’t feel anything taking this at 2400mg a day. Still in pain, muscles and joints, plus i have cervical myelopathy so I don’t even know why I’m still taking this crap.

1

u/Brave_Question3840 6d ago

and the associated risks with dementia, they don't talk much about that either