Migraine

Has anyone else experienced this side effect?

I've been extremely jittery & high-strung since starting this med. I wake up feeling normal, then take my first dose, and BAM, I immediately start bouncing off the walls!

Even my family has noticed. I've caught my husband observing my silly behaviour with a smirk on his face...flying around the house, getting a million things done, shaking all the way. It's like I've drank 8 cups of coffee all at once.

I don't see this listed as a normal side effect, most complaints I've heard have stated "somnolence"....?

It's helped my migraines a bit though, so I don't really want to get off.

I believe most people complain of being more tired on Neurontin, but the sky's the limit. I'm kind of the same way with Zonegran. My pharmacist advised me to take it at night because it would probably make me sleepy, but when I did, I couldn't sleep! I had to take it in the morning because at the 100mg and 200mg doses it made me perky. At 300mg that effect seems to wear off though (darn). Sometimes side effects go away with time or sometimes just lowering the dose will help. Congrats on it helping your migraines though!!!

Well, as it turns out, I spoke too soon. Just got over a 3-day migraine from h*ll that wouldn't respond to treatment. Had to resort to pain pills just to get by.

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Congrats on it helping your migraines though!!!

Anyway, that's interesting about the Zonegran. Nortryptiline & Effexor did that to me too (extrememly restless sleep & very vivid dreams). Go figure.

I'm surprised nobody else has posted on here with the same side effects though. Maybe I am just a freak.

Effexor gave me very vivid dreams too! Some of them were just whack.

Sorry to hear about the migraine . Maybe it was just an awful fluke, and you'll get back on track of getting well now.

Thanks Migraneur!

I just wanted to throw this out there, for anyone reading this with similiar symptoms: Neurontin can cause mania in susceptible people.
That's right, if you're experiencing a lot of hyperactivity on this drug, it may have triggered hypermania (especially if you have a tendency to be depressed or bipolar), and you may need to see your doctor.
For me, this side effect is finally starting to subside after a month of adjusting...although now I'm getting some other icky side effects, and still having my daily headaches (...but the intensity is less , so at least that's something!).

Wow, CrazyBrain, that's really interesting about Neurotin triggering mania or hypomania. Some people use it as a mood stabilizer, although, I'm not convinvced of it's efficacy given the clinical evidence. It's not something I would allow myself to be put on for primary mood stabilization. But others swear by it, and if it works for them, great . It's just so interesting how much of a miracle or a dud these meds can be, isn't it? I hope the icky side effects wear off soon. I hear Neurontin can be a really, really nice drug for migraines and neuropathic pain. Take it one baby step at a time I guess cuz it's all we can do .

Please, pretty please, let's remember that side effects are POTENTIAL and will not happen to everyone. In fact some of these effects may go away after your body adjusts to the dose.

Nancy -- Oh YES absolutely! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply otherwise! Sorry, sometimes I forget that others are reading along who haven't heard these tried and true mantras before . Good call. Neurontin triggering something like mania or hypomania would be rare, and as my pharmacist always says, your doctor is prescribing you this med because the benefits outweigh the potential side effects. Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you with my general musings.....my mind has been very random lately.

Yes, but knowledge is power. Just reading about a "potential" side-effect isn't going to give it to you (the "placebo effect" isn't going to give me true mania).
Patients should be informed about the potential changes in brain chemistry (both positive & negative) when using "mood stabilizing" drugs for migraine. These drugs ARE given to patients with other psychiatric disorders after all.
Why are some so afraid to discuss side effects anyway?
You can only take control of your own medical care if you are informed. Please don't let fear keep you from that.

Thank you, Migraneur, for your understanding & support.

Hi, I've been on neurontin for almost a month now, and it just started making me hyper too--a very welcome change from the exhausted mess I was before starting the meds!

Sherie

It's always amazing to me to realize just how individual our experiences with medications can be!!

I took Neurontin for quite a while last year. I was like a flat shell of my former self. It's hard to explain how it affected me: I wasn't really sleepy, but I just kind of sat around and could not get my body to move to accomplish anything!! My husband likes to say it was that "Zombie Medicine."

I remember one morning driving up the street in my car and not remembering where the heck I was supposed to be going! (I didn't remember getting in the car, I had absolutely no idea why I was driving--it was VERY VERY scary!!)

Went off Neurontin because I was really not feeling like me anymore!

As Nancy said, we all have to remember that we are all very different!! I always explain this to my kids this way: Not every person likes the same foods or drinks. Our taste buds are all different! It's the same way with medicines--Not everyone's body "likes" the same medicine! We don't EVER know if a medicine will work unless we try it for ourselves!! (And we should NOT worry excessively about the potential side effects, because we're not really giving a medicine a true, hearty try if we're watching for problems the whole time!!!)

Let's hope we ALL find success with our health--either with or without medicines!!

jenny

Hi CrazyBrain,

I totally agree with you about being an informed and educated patient, and in no way am I suggested we not discuss potential side effects of medication. What I'm saying, is that side effects remain potential, and certainly am not afraid to discuss side effects.

The placebo effect is very real, with studies to back it up. Some people, you and I may not be those people, can read one potential side effect and BAM they get it tweny minutes later. Do you see what I mean?
We certainly want everyone to share their experiences here, but need to keep things balanced.

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Originally posted by CrazyBrain:
Yes, but knowledge is power. Just reading about a "potential" side-effect isn't going to give it to you (the "placebo effect" isn't going to give me true mania).
Patients should be informed about the potential changes in brain chemistry (both positive & negative) when using "mood stabilizing" drugs for migraine. These drugs ARE given to patients with other psychiatric disorders after all.
Why are some so afraid to discuss side effects anyway?
You can only take control of your own medical care if you are informed. Please don't let fear keep you from that.

Thank you, Migraneur, for your understanding & support.

Hi Sherie,

I hope I didn't miss welcoming you, but if I did here is a big WELCOME to MyMigraineConnection.

Is neurontin helping reduce your Migraine frequency? Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.

quote:

Originally posted by Sherie:
Hi, I've been on neurontin for almost a month now, and it just started making me hyper too--a very welcome change from the exhausted mess I was before starting the meds!

Sherie

Hi Sherie,
add my welcome to the pile! Glad you're here, sorry that you have need to be, of course!

Welcome again!

quote:

Originally posted by Nancy Bonk:
Hi Sherie,

I hope I didn't miss welcoming you, but if I did here is a big WELCOME to MyMigraineConnection.

Is neurontin helping reduce your Migraine frequency? Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.

Hi Nancy!

Thank you for the welcome! Yes, neurontin has reduced my migraine frequency. Before I was put on preventative medication, I had 2-3 migraines a week, and "regular" headaches daily. Since starting the neurontin about a month ago, I haven't had any migraines and only a couple of minor headaches. The difference it has made in my life is phenominal, I can actually have a life now!

Sherie