Posted by wendy b. on April 10, 2002, at 21:26:01
In reply to Does this make sense? neurontin 300mg at bed, posted by amber_spirit on April 9, 2002, at 13:03:01
AmberSpirit,
A large dose at bedtime was how I started. I think it was 300s, 2 of them at bedtime. I think the shrinks want to somehow introduce the drug when we are least likely to be bothered by the side effects, so you're asleep while your body gets used to it, probably a good idea. Also, the suggestion that it could be for insomnia (do you have it?) is a good one, because it *does* seem to knock people out at bedtime. It did me.
Dizziness and a reeling feeling when you get up from a crouching or bent over position, are also common. Almost everyone gets over this stage. Then you'll start dosing on a regular schedule throughout the day. If this doesn't happen by 6 weeks into the drug, check in here again. I'm sorry you seem to be making poor progress with your shrink.
Regarding nausea, I had it at the time I began Neurontin, too, but I was tapering off Zoloft at the time, and it could have been that. Going on Effexor at the same time probably muddied the waters as well... Are you currently switching meds or making any other changes in meds? If so, that might also be a reason to go slowly and dose in the evening...
I take 600 mg of Neurontin every 3 1/2 hours throughout the day (if I remember), up to 3000 to 3600 mg per day. Its side effects are minimal, in fact, I don't think I have any more, except forgetfullness, which could be attributed to getting older, too... I hate having to remember them, I wonder if the drug I can't remember to take is doing the deed itself to me, in some kind of ironic joke. I can't be without my huge Neurontin horsepills anywhere. I keep saying: they should make them into orange chewables for people like me. An extended release version is supposedly in the works, we'll see... BTW, I also take Wellbutrin which gives me no side effects at all, so it's a good combination for me right now anyway.
Best regards,
Wendy
> I've been looking through the posts and some other material and see that neurontin is typically started at 100-300mg 3x daily and then upped from there.
> For many, the 3x dosing seems very important especially considering that it has a half life of only 6 hours. Does anyone know of a reason why my pdoc
> would start me at 300 all at bed instead of 3x daily dosing? Could this be causing (or increasing) my side effects (nausea, headache, dizziness,
> feeling drunk)?
>
> Thanks for any information. This is a new pdoc for me and, given our lack of progress over the last couple month, I'm starting to wonder if he is the
> best choice.
>
> AS
poster:wendy b.
thread:102522
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020408/msgs/102687.html