What is Gabapentin?

Gabapentin is an anti-epileptic drug, also called an anticonvulsant. It affects chemicals and nerves in the body that are involved in the cause of seizures and some types of pain.

Gabapentin is used together with other medicines to treat partial seizures in adults and children at least 3 years old.

Gabapentin is also used to treat neuropathic pain (nerve pain) caused by herpes virus or shingles (herpes zoster) in adults.

Use only the brand and form of gabapentin your doctor has prescribed. Check your medicine each time you get a refill to make sure you receive the correct form.

The Gralise brand of gabapentin is indicated for the management of neuropathic pain only. It is not used for epilepsy.

Horizant is used to treat nerve pain and restless legs syndrome (RLS).

The Neurontin brand is used to treat seizures in adults and children who are at least 3 years old, in addition to neuropathic pain.

Gabapentin for Restless Legs Syndrome

Compared to placebo, gabapentin was associated with reduced symptoms on all rating scales. In addition, sleep studies showed a significantly reduced periodic leg movements during sleep (PLMS) index and improved sleep architecture (increased total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and slow wave sleep, and decreased stage 1 sleep). Patients whose symptoms included pain benefited most from gabapentin. The mean effective dosage at the end of the 6-week treatment period was 1,855 mg, although therapeutic effects were already observed at the end of week 4 (1,391 mg).

Gabapentin improves sensory and motor symptoms in RLS and also improves sleep architecture and PLMS.

I have suffered with RLS for pretty much my entire life, I’m 55 now. Discovered gabapentin reading blog posts.

I have tried all the other meds. My RLS was getting so bad I was having a lot of episodes during the day and not just at night, but worse at night. I could not sit still to even look at a newspaper or magazine. There were time I actually thought I was going to go completely insane.

Most night I didn’t sleep more than an hour or two.

Even then I was not getting a good deep sleep. When I asked my GP about gabapentin, he had no problem prescribing it for me. He even followed recommendation for the dosage.

I take 100mg in the morning and at lunch. Before bedtime I take 200 mg.. All I can say is that this has been a godsend for me.

One of Gabapentin off-label use is to treat Restless Legs Syndrome. 76% patients think Gabapentin is good for RLS. A lot of doctors also recommend its off-label usage for RLS.

Joge siad: “I have had RLS and insomnia since around age nine. I was 1st prescribed gabapentin after herniating a disc three years ago. Didn’t notice any effect on my RLS, but I was so drugged up, I wouldn’t have. I was prescribed it again as a sleep aid two months ago.

I have been taking lorazepam for sleep for years, and wasn’t thrilled about taking 2mg of a benzo every night. It works great for sleep, but I feel hung over the next day — can’t seem to clear the fog. I ran out of gabapentin and noticed, holy cow, my legs are driving me crazy.

Only then did it occur to me – – I hadn’t had any RLS symptoms since I started taking it. I thought I had made a major discovery. LOL. This is the only drug that has ever touched my RLS.”

What is gabapentin?

Gabapentin (brand names: Neurontin®, Aclonium®, Equipax®, Gantin®, Gabarone®, Gralise®, Neurostil®, Progresse®) is an anti-seizure and pain medication that is used with other medications to treat seizures and is also used to treat chronic pain, primarily nerve pain. It has also been used in cats to treat fear and anxiety associated with veterinary visits.

Gabapentin reviews for restless legs syndrome

Restless legs syndrome (RLS), also known as Willis-Ekbom disease, is a movement disorder characterized by unpleasant sensations and involuntary leg movements during sleep.

This condition may leave you kicking your legs as you fall asleep. The continued nighttime movements can prevent you from getting restorative sleep—making you sleepy during the day. There are many medical issues that can cause RLS, and it can also be idiopathic (without a known cause).

If you meet the diagnostic criteria for RLS, you can be treated with medications. Lifestyle strategies —like not smoking—can help diminish the symptoms of RLS too.

There are no cures for primary restless legs syndrome, or RLS, although various treatments often can help relieve symptoms. Treatment for secondary restless legs syndrome (RLS caused by another medical problem) involves treating the underlying cause.

The First Step in Treating Restless Legs Syndrome

The first line of defense against restless legs syndrome is to avoid substances or foods that may be causing or worsening the problem. Stay away from alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine. This may help relieve your symptoms. In addition, review all medications you are taking with your doctor to determine if any of these drugs could be causing the problem.

Any underlying medical conditions, such as anemia, diabetes, nutritional deficiencies, kidney disease, thyroid disease, varicose veins, or Parkinson’s disease, should be treated. Dietary supplements to correct vitamin or mineral deficiency may be recommended. For some people, these treatments are all that is needed to relieve RLS symptoms.

You may also benefit from physical therapy and self-care treatments, such as stretching, taking hot or cold baths, whirlpool baths, applying hot or cold packs to the affected area, limb massage, or vibratory or electrical stimulation of the feet and toes before bedtime. Exercise and relaxation techniques also may be helpful.

Gabapentin Medications for Restless Legs Syndrome

Daily medication is usually recommended only for people who have symptoms of restless legs syndrome at least three nights a week, or as determined by your doctor. Keep in mind that drugs used to treat primary RLS do not cure the condition, but only relieve symptoms. People whose RLS symptoms occur sporadically may be prescribed medication to take only when they have symptoms.

The prescription drug gabapentin (sold under the trade name Neurontin or Horizant) is a commonly used medication that can help treat the symptoms of restless legs syndrome (RLS).

Uses

Gabapentin can be used to treat the symptoms of restless legs syndrome (RLS).1 It may be especially helpful if the symptoms are perceived as less intense yet painful. In individuals with a history of peripheral neuropathy or chronic pain, it may be of added benefit. Furthermore, gabapentin may be helpful to treat RLS in the context of other neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease or dementia.

How It Works

Gabapentin is a medication that has been used to treat seizures. It is similar in structure to GABA, which is present in nerve cells, but it does not interact with the same receptors.

It is not known how gabapentin works to improve the symptoms of RLS.

Who Should Not Use It

Gabapentin is a relatively safe drug that can be used by most people. There are a few situations where caution may be indicated. For example, if you have impaired kidney function, are elderly, or have depression you may want to be cautious.3 If these situations apply to you, you may want to speak to your physician before taking gabapentin.

Safety Warnings

It will be important to monitor for signs of depression, unusual behavior changes, and thoughts of suicide.5

Other medications that can be used to treat RLS

The following medications are the most widely prescribed to treat RLS. They may be given alone or, in certain cases, in combination. Your doctor will prescribe the best treatment plan for you.

Dopamine agonists: These are most often the first medicines used to treat RLS. These drugs, including pramipexole (Mirapex), rotigotine (Neupro), and ropinirole (Requip), act like the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain. Side effects include daytime sleepiness, nausea, and lightheadedness.
Dopaminergic agents: These drugs, including Sinemet — a combination of levodopa and carbidopa — increase the level of dopamine in the brain and may improve leg sensations in RLS. However, they may cause a worsening of symptoms for some people after daily use. Side effects can also include nausea, vomiting, hallucinations, and involuntary movements (dyskinesias).
Benzodiazepines: Benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), and temazepam (Restoril), are sedatives. They do not so much relieve symptoms as help you sleep through the symptoms.
Opiates: These drugs are most often used to treat pain, but they can also relieve RLS symptoms. Because opiates are very addictive, they are usually used only when other drugs don’t work. Hydrocodone (Vicodin, Norco) is one example.
Anticonvulsants: These agents, such as gabapentin (Neurontin) and gabapentin enacarbil (Horizant), may help relieve the symptoms of RLS as well as any chronic pain or nerve pain.
Alpha2 agonists: These agents stimulate alpha2 receptors in the brain stem. This activates nerve cells (neurons) that “turn down” the part of the nervous system that controls muscle involuntary movements and sensations. The drug clonidine (Catapres) is an example.

Tag: RLS

Gabapentin For Restless Legs Syndrome