Driving on Gabapentin?

Symptoms & Treatments Medication
21

Sounds like a lot of us have different reactions to various doses and meds. It does help me understand we are all wired differently and what works for one may not work for another. I had an MVD in 2008 with great success, then about a year ago it came back on the other side. Taking 2400 Trileptal and 900 Gambapentin daily. Very loopy and forgetful, but I just do workarounds to deal with it until my surgery next month. I didn't believe there could be bilateral TN, didn't know it could happen, but once again, we are all different and what happens with one, does not have to happen with another.

I pray that everyone here finds their solution.

22

I do find it slows my reaction time a bit..but if I just focus on the driving and leave other distractions out of it..including the radio I am fine. Long distance driving does not happen though as I fatigue after about an hour. Feel free to try out familiar routes like to the supermarket and that sort of thing. I think you will find it will be ok>

23

I was taking 3600 and driving fine. When I supplemented it with other drugs, I had problems.

24

I am on 2600mg of gaba a day, Topamax and just started lamictil. I found that by ramping up slowly, being completely aware of what I am doing, and when my "bad" days are, I drive my truck, heavy equipment and I work in a safety sensitive job. Be aware. I was put on Keppra once and it took me out for almost 2 weeks. If something doesn't work for you, tell your Doctor and be firm about it. Everything has the potential for different effects on different people.

25

I was on Gabapentin 400 mg morning and evening. As far as I could see it did not help me and the side effects would not let me drive. I was on baclofin but did not see any help from that. Every person is different, but as someone said either take a taxi or have someone go with you when you first start using Gabapentin or any of the strong drugs.

HTH.

26

I am currently on 1800 mg of gabapentin recently increased from 900mg at dinner. I do feel a bit light headed and somewhat dizzy, not falling down dizzy, but a little off-balance. I do drive, but on familiar streets and I try to stay off expressways. Part of that is because New Orleans has some of the most reckless drivers in the universe. I have to concentrate very intensely because of both the drivers and the drugs. I also am taking a high dose of Oxtellar which I believe is the max dose of 900 mg daily at dinner. The side effects seem to have diminished over time, but it's a little soon for me to tell. I think you are wise to have a plan for alternate transportation while you see if the side effects decrease with time. Wishing you the best outcome. Sorry you are in the same boat as others on this message board.

27

Hi Karen,

I was completely unable to drive in the beginning, when I first began taking gabapentin. Now, three months later, I am fine. No more vertigo or dizziness and my reflexes are fine. It just takes some time for your body to adjust.

Rissmal

28

I’ve been on gaba for 15 yrs. At first it hit me pretty hard. Usually took me a week or so to get used to any increase. I take 1800 mg daily (down from 2700). I’ve been on it so long that driving or not…it’s all the same to me. I really like the previous suggestions of starting mid-week to give yourself time to see how it works. Good luck!

29

I take 1200mg a day of gabapentin and have no problem driving. How much are you taking? Is it making you very tired that you question your ability to drive? I have found that even on the lowest dose of 900mg a day that one glass of wine was all I could drink as the medication enhances the affect of alcohol. So I would not drive if I had any alcohol.

30

HI, Karen.

Gabapentin was one thing we tried at some point; but, I did not tolerate it well ( side effects.. I am pretty sensitive to side effets, however, and you may find it works well for you). I could not tolerate it.

After many different things begin tried over yrs, I now use Oxcarbazapene ( generic for Trileptol).

I can say that in my case, **everthing** makes me groggy, to some extent. W Trileptol. my prescribed dosage is 150 mg., 6 tabs per day. what i do , and what my neuro and I agreed to, is that I take mini doses throughout the day-- for example; very effective for the TN. MY case is complicated, with other cranial neuralgias, and chronic daily migraine, muscle spasms forme the old injury that brought all this about int he first place.... so I taek a combination of many things to address all the 'over-the-top' sensations.

HOpe this is a littel bit of help:

ALso, what i do is vary the timing according to waht I have to do. I skip my morning meds and taek them w/ me, if I have an importatn appointment or generally, if I have ot get in the car.

YOu may find you can figure out how long the meds take to 'kcik in' adn make you a bit drowsy.. adn time it.

So if I have somehting importnat , early, I figure how long does it take me to drive there;how soon do my meds kick in? how clear minded do I have to be once I am there?

so, I NEVER get int he car if I have to taek my meds and I don't have, say, an hour or so before I have to drive.

You get the idea.......Don't take them if you feel you will be unsafe in the car; but, can you take them when you arrive , and still do your work?

But, you might find that once you are taking it awhile, that you are able to drive.

The side effects may lessen , too, after a while!

I wish you the bets

in sorting this out,and being able to continue your work!

31

I DRIVE WELL BUT I GUESS IT DEPENDS ON DOSAGE. CHECK WITH YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY ABOUT OTHER SOLUTIONS TO DEAL WITH MEDICAL ISSUES. LILE ANY BENEFITS FOR HIRING A DRIVER ETC.

IF THE COMPANY YOU WORK FOR HAS ANY OPTIONS LIKE THIS?

IF YOU TRULY CANT ADJUST WHILE ON IT THAN MAYBE A DIFFERENT MED WOULD CAUSE LESS PROBLEMS? ITS SUCH A TRIAL AND ERROR TYPE THING WITH THESE THINGS.

32

I took Gabapentin (600mg) as well as Tegretol (600mg) and was VERY tired while taking them. And stupid. Definitely not fit to drive a car. But that said, I never found Gabapentin made me any more tired than just Tegretol alone, so I suspect it's not quite as bad for drowsy-making. More importantly though, you could tell straight away that it made you tired so I don't think you'd have to worry. You'll know if Gabapentin is making you too tired to drive - it's very obvious. Also, the tiredness does improve the longer you are on the drugs, so even if you are struggling at first, it will get better.

33

Hello there from blissfully warm Canada (at the moment)

Like you I am on the road a lot as a realtor and have found Gabapentin very easy to live with. I don't have any difficulties driving Now. Initially, I was tired as I gradually increased my doses and now the only time I notice the effects of Gaba. is when I forget to take it! At the moment I'm at a comfort level of 600mg, 4x a day. When I was first diagnosed in Feb. 2015, I was prescribed Tegretol the go to drug and I had a very serious reaction to it. During a particularly painful period we tried adding Amiltriptiline to the mix and I felt like a zombie, just couldn't deal with it. So my Dr. and I agreed that I am happy on the Gaba, as is and when necessary will ramp up pain meds when I need them. My current choice of meds for pain is 2 Tramacet when needed. I had a precription for Morphine long release 2x a day and never took them. I just didn't want to be that dependent. We;ll see what happens when the cold weather comes back, that is a really fierce trigger for my face so I have to keep bundled up.

We are all so different in our responses to meds and the management of TN is a lot of trial and error. I wish you good health and success in finding the right meds for you. This site is tremendous for support!

34

For the first few days I had vertigo like symptoms that went away. I have no problem driving or working on gabapentin. Anytime I have increases dosage, I experience veritgo for 3-5 days.

I am also on topamax which is supposed to have potential impairment issues. Same thing happened. The first 3-5 days I have vertigo like symptoms.

The other side effect that occurs that is slightly strange---- I become uncontrollably sleepy if I forget to take a dose. So if I forget to take my morning dose by 2, I HAVE to lay down for a nap. I can’t even function the beain fog is so thick. So I set an alarm on my phone and I carry pills with me.

One other thing: make sure that you have a card in your purse or wallet that identifies you take this medication. It is very important in case you are ever in an accident that first responders know you are on this med (gabapentin).

35

My insurance denied also until my dr. sent a letter stating I had tried other meds and they did not work for TN like Lyrica has. No longer an issue with my insurance. hth.

Lee said:

Hello.. I take Gabapentin 800 mg twice a day.. At night it is wonderful because I sleep soundly.. If I take it during the day it makes my a little drowsy, I can drive and function, just feel a little tired.. Medication always works differently on everyone, so I would experiment with it when you dont have to work.. My doctor wants me on Lyrica during the day because it should not make you drowsy during the day but my insurance keeps denying it. They want me on something else and all of their suggestions are meds that make you drowsy..

Hope this helps..

36

I have been on gabapentin a good 5 years, I drive 100 miles a day for work 5 days a week and have had no problems.

37

Hi!,

I am on 2400mg Gabapentin daily and I don't have any trouble keeping the car on the road. However, it does make me drowsy. You must get plenty of rest and focus. I also take 600mg Tegretol daily. So perhaps, the combo causes the drowsiness. Good idea to just see how it affects you in the beginning.

38

I take 900mg of Gaba (300 3x day) plus an extra one if I'm having breakthrough pain. One thing I noticed is that I don't feel as foggy if I make sure to eat a little something with the meds. But generally, I don't have any problems driving on it.

39

Ive been on gabapentine now for 7.5 years I take all my drugs at night and works the best for me I take 4000mg which is very high and I take phenytoin they have taken a long time to get the right dosage but this is bout right. I still drive plenty on this and im comfortable possibly because I take at night maybe try that depends on dosage if not that high wont be too bad.

40

Hi Karen,

I can only speak for myself and I'm not a doctor; but here's how Gabapentin affected me at first and to this day.

From the beginning, my neurologist put me on both Gabapentin 300mgX2 (am & pm) and Tegretol 100mg X2 (am &pm) with up to three times each am & pm dosage as needed for pain.

In the beginning, for about a week, I felt dopey, tired and forgetful; which went away by week 3. During that time, I don't remember having any problems driving and I was aware and watching for issues with my driving. There were no significant impacts to my driving.

That was 4 years ago and I'm still having intermittent intense pain "attacks" (sudden, stabbing electric jolts of horror). I hope there's something I've said that you find useful, Karen! Rick Bruce