I saw my primary doc today and asked if he would put me back on Soma since the pain mgmt clinic took all patients of this med. He suggested that I try Gabapentin. I told him I would give it a try. Has anyone had any luck with this helping for debilitating muscle spasms? The good news is he said if it didn't work for me he would be open to putting me back on what does work for me... Soma. He wouldn't however prescribe my pain meds which could be a problem for the pain mgmt clinic. They are very strict about only getting your meds from them. Hmm... what to do? Let me know what y'all think. Much appreciated,
Terri
Gabapentin - Good or bad for muscle spasms?
Question posted by tlcandmore on 31 Oct 2011
Last updated on 24 June 2019 by Soflajoe
Added 31 Oct 2011:
Oh, I forgot to add that my pcp suggested I ask my pmd to maybe add Klonipin (sp?) Any thoughts?
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11 Answers
Soflajoe
25 June 2019
Nocturnal leg cramping was increasing with my age to the point where every night my sleep was disturbed up to several times with painfull and long lasting cramps in calves, feet, and toes. I was put on carbamazepine with positive results for a short period of time and then the cramps returned. Another neurologist prescribed gabapentin, which has worked wonders for me and the cost is significantly less. Only side affect I have experienced is sleeping better, but if I get up during the night I am a little unbalanced... worth it !
Lynn seber
30 Jan 2018
I take gabapentin for nerves but it does nothing for me for muscle spasms and I have them a lot
katiaariel
2 Feb 2018
I have muscle spasms as well. I suffer them on my back. I live with my heating pad even my back is discolored but the neurologist said he has seen it with a lot of his patients. I take Tizanidine which helps also lidocaine injections & Botox injections. Still dealing with pain but not as bad. I have tried EVERY muscle relaxers they make & I am on 1200 mg of Gabapentin. I have Multiple Sclerosis.
Corkette
28 Nov 2017
I forgot to add that I do think the klonipin will help you... it usually helps me. Good luck with this!
Corkette
28 Nov 2017
I have epilepsy and take tegretol (carbamazipine) as my regular seizure meds, another doctor prescribed Gabapentin 600 mgs to help me sleep mainly but said it would also help with seizures and pain..I have a 24/7 headache ever since I had meningitis. I took the Gabapentin last night and today I am having such bad spasms that I can't get anything done..mainly my arms but my leg spazzed a bit also. Has anyone else had spasms as a side effect from Gabapentin? I don't take it on a regular basis, so this could just be a coincidence, but I'm a bit concerned. I was raised to 600 mgs yesterday because 300 mgs did nothing for me.
shelby1958
18 Dec 2013
I'm having back pain that sends sharp pain down my right leg I'm on Oxycodone 15mg for my headaches & it helps my headaches but not my back & leg pain so my doctor put me on Gabapentin 600mg twice a day but 1 a day does the job for me but everyone is different I hope you find something to help you. GOOD LUCK
pickles503
18 Dec 2013
Hi my new friend.
Gabapentin is excellent for muscle spasms, but I've found Flexeril to be the best.
Have fun with all your new friends. Aren't they helpful?
Anna
THE LIONS MANE
18 Dec 2013
I have sat here for the last 2 hours reading questions and comments about Fibromyalgia and can sympathize with everyone because I too have Fibromyalgia. The only problem with asking everyone here if a certain medication works or not is that not everyone is the same, so you need to remember that what works for one person may not work for you and what works for you may not work for someone else, so the best thing to do is to go through all the responses to your question and write down all the medications good or bad and research them and their side effects, ask your Dr. what his or her opinion is and try some of them until you find one that works for you. I myself use Neurontin ( Gabapentin ) and it works for me to take the edge off. I happen to also be ADHD and needed to go on Adderall and found that I was starting to feel better. Just out of curiosity I typed in Adderall and Fibromyalgia and found out that they are finding out that Adderall helps with Fibromyalgia.
Unfortunately there is no cure all and all we can do is be thankful that some drug can even take away SOME of the pain.
riel
9 Dec 2013
Hi, I had muscle spasm problems between my shoulder blades, Ineck and arms. I had to change pc because mine left for another clinic. My new pc said he would not prescribe me the muscle pain reliever methocarbomal was was getting along with pain medicine. He then prescribed gabapentin for me saying it would help, bukt it didn't. I use to be 125lbs, I'm now 213 and has gotten as big as 224lbs. I now have muscle and nerve pain all over my body. I don't look anything like I use to, sweat profusely when ever I need to walk an even take a bath, my body temperature is out of whack. I also retained water at an alarming rate an more. Gabapentin is used as a nerve relaxer besides what it was intended for seizures. I have a lot more things wrong just from this one pill. It's up to you if you'd want to try it, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone for muscle pain when there was nothing wrong with my nerves until now. Going on 5 years and no solution in sight.
tonim109
14 Dec 2013
I am a new Gabapentin user. My legs are so killing me. Now the pain is moving to my arms. I'm on 600 mg a night. It worked the first few days and stopped. The muscles in my legs feel like they are pulling inward. I am 53 and went back to school and I can not concentrate with this pain. Some times I have to get a soma from a distant neighbor just to get some rest because the doctors can not give real pain meds any more but I am going out of my mind. Any ideas?
caribbean
6 Dec 2015
Hello i'm new here but traditional medicine such as acupuncture for me I had nerve pain in my neck and arms c1,c2,c3,and c4 osteo arthritis in my neck diagnose 2012 .I choose to depend on these meds acupuncture really works for me I get it twice per year for the past 4 years and i'm pain free . I even go more than one year without it . I can tell when I need to go for one I feel a little nerve pain . But most insurance won't pay for it . I know they do in IL .
sammy jack
9 Nov 2011
my muscles spasms r so bad the pull my ribs out of place they tare,pull my legs out of place and that causes the nerves to be mashed.This started when i was 18 and im 42.I have taken it all and my pain doctor took me off of soma 3 years ago as soon as I walked in the door(crawled).He put me on zanaflex 4mg x 3 a day.I promis you will never want a soma agin.He told me why they were getting away from soma all together and it had something to do with the brain and it was good enough for me and I poured them out. Good luck i know how it is
Benetw
7 May 2014
Have you been to a neuromuscular specialist? Especially at a research hospital. It sounds like you are having severe myotonia and probably have one of many serious, but diagnosable and treatable disorders.
Don't live in pain and just take meds. What is your diagnosis? Or am I not supposed to ask?
Benetw
7 May 2014
Have you been to a neuromuscular specialist? Especially at a research hospital. It sounds like you are having severe myotonia and probably have one of many serious, but diagnosable and treatable disorders.
Don't live in pain and just take meds. What is your diagnosis? Or am I not supposed to ask?
Oh, and what are the problems with Soma? It's great for me if I add it to my pain meds, especially. But, I take bot Zanaflex and Soma for different types of muscle problems. It just depends on the issue. I can definitely understand the muscle pulling, tightening, spasming, etc. And even with medicine it can truly stop your life!
Jenny63
5 Sep 2015
I have ALS and my neurologist has me on 4 600 mg a Dat for spasms. I also take Baclofen at night. My thigh muscle spasm so bad at night it wakes me up. Gabipentin has helped me.
sammy jack
3 Nov 2011
after I got of the somas and on the zanaflexs it was like night and day.I have scar tissue problems that is getting worse so im trying to find someone who has had baclafin in pill form or in a pain pump. for my spasms.
tlcandmore
3 Nov 2011
I know some one here who takes Baclofen in pill form. I will see if I can get her to give you an answer.
tlcandmore
3 Nov 2011
Also I can't take Zanaflex. It makes my heart race. I wish I could I've heard it works well for some people.
sammy jack
10 Nov 2011
I take 2mg of xanax xr along with the zanaflex.Some doctors have started giveing strait valium for the spasms but my Pain doc does not .This sounds nuts but when my spasms get so hard in my back i have my wife take her hand and hit my spasm(whole back) with the bottom part of her hand and it helps release them.My chiro uses his elbows to get them to release when I cant take it any more when the pills just wont do it.It gets to a point were you will try anything and I have been there.
jjcaddell
9 Aug 2012
Hi. I have used baclofen and it works really well, but it does make you drowsy.
Jenev
1 April 2016
I have muscle spasm pain chronically in my neck and back and I have been taking baclofen: 10 mg each night. Even when I double the dose, the spasms and pain continue. I can't be sure that baclofen isn't helping, but I don't believe it is. I haven't found anything that works.
leron
1 Nov 2011
Hi i am on 900 mgs of gabapentin,also soma, and also klonopin. These i found do not help as much as the mirapex that my dr. who gave me my breathing machine for sleep apnea (sorry can't think of his speciality right now) it was given for my restless leg syndrome but surprise it helps my other spams to. I was put on the gabapentin for fibro but it doesn't seem to help as much as that mirapex. Leron
tlcandmore
1 Nov 2011
Hey leron thanks so much! He mentioned that also but I've never had restless leg syndrome so I didn't think it would help. So, this is great info!! This site and the caring people I have found here have saved my life. Thanks again sweetie.
Your friend,
Terri
leron
1 Nov 2011
I am glad i could be of some help to you i hope the mirapex works for you i call it my miracle drug as when i get into bed at night and those legs of mine start to dancing and body all tensed up from muscle pain and the mirapex starts to work i can finally settle down and get some sleep. Leron
leron
1 Nov 2011
I am glad i could be of some help to you i hope the mirapex works for you i call it my miracle drug as when i get into bed at night and those legs of mine start to dancing and body all tensed up from muscle pain and the mirapex starts to work i can finally settle down and get some sleep. Leron
tlcandmore
1 Nov 2011
My hubby will thank you too since I kick him all night long. At times my spasms have been so bad that he has actually thought we were having an earthquake!! LOL. We don't really have many of those down here in Texas except in our bedroom on a really bad night. :))
Big hugs for you,
Terri
leron
1 Nov 2011
Your funny, you guys still must be young. I had to quit sleeping with my husband as i drive him crazy with the tv on al night and he drives me nuts as i refuse to sleep in a waterbed anymore with all my pains, as it is hysterical to see me try and crawl out at 55 years of age. Leron
tlcandmore
1 Nov 2011
Nope not young Leron. I'm 50 and some days feel 100. But we have a king size tempurpedic bed that I absolutely love!! Before all this started with my jerking around I thought I was going to have to kick him outta the bed because of his loud and I do mean LOUD snoring. So between the two of us it can get pretty interesting. Just not in the fun way. Hehe. The problem is neither one of us is willing to give up that heavenly bed even though we do have an extra bedroom. Sometimes you just have to laugh through the tears. Know what I mean? Thanks for being there for me sweetie.
Your friend,
Terri
caribbean
6 Dec 2015
If you are over weight it's a different problem too much weight on the entire spine
Related topics
soma, muscle spasm, pain, gabapentin, nocturnal leg cramps, muscle
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