Gabapentin is believed to reduce your Brain’s release of Glutamate so the cells can calm down and your Brain can function better. Research suggests that people with Fibromyalgia have too much Glutamate in certain parts of their Brain, so Gabapentin has long been prescribed for it.
Check-in with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
More common:
- Clumsiness or unsteadiness
- Continuous, uncontrolled, back-and-forth, or rolling eye movements
Less common:
- Black, tarry stools
- Chest pain
- Chills
- Cough
- Depression, irritability, or other mood or mental changes
- Fever
- Loss of memory
- Pain or swelling in the arms or legs
- Painful or difficult urination
- Sore throat
- Sore, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth
- Swollen glands
- Unusual bleeding or bruising
- Unusual tiredness or weakness
Incidence not known:
- Abdominal or stomach pain
- Blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
- Clay-coloured spots
- Coma
- Confusion
- Convulsions
- Dark urine
- Decreased urine output
- Diarrhoea.
- Difficult or trouble breathing.
- Dizziness
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
- Headache
- Increased thirst
- Irregular, fast or slow, or shallow breathing
- Itching or skin rash
- Joint pain
- Large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
- Loss of appetite
- Muscle ache or pain
- Nausea
- Pale or blue lips, fingernails, or skin
- Red skin lesions, often with a purple centre
- Red, irritated eyes
- Unpleasant breath odour
- Vomiting of blood
- Yellow eyes or skin
Side effects that may occur that usually do not need medical attention:
- Blurred vision
- Cold or flu-like symptoms
- Delusions
- Dementia
- Hoarseness
- Lower back or side pain.
- Lack or loss of strength
- Swelling of the hands, feet, or lower legs
- Trembling or shaking
Gabapentin Shown Effective for Fibromyalgia Pain | National Institutes of Health (NIH)