Neurontin and constipation

I have been taking Neurontin since January 2008 with a gradual increase from 300 mg to 900mg daily.
I am having several of the side effects especially since the increase to the 900mg.
Sleepy, constipation, burning eyes, pain on my left side, probably the kidney area.
I was put on the medicine for a pinched nerve in my back which was causing pain in my left leg. It seems to be easing but I don't like the side effects. Will they gradually go away?
Hope to receive some response from others.
J

I have been on Neurontin for over 10 years. I am taking Neurontin for PHN. When I was first given Neurontin, I could not take the med. as prescribed. I too would fall asleep. It took a whole year before my body adjusted to the med. I now take 2700 mg. daily. Along with Tramadol. I have the rare side effects but can not quit taking the med. for fear of having a more severe pain if I don't take the meds. I have recently noticed the weight gain. I continually think I have other things wrong with me, but when reading the side effects, I fit almost all the symtoms. Low back pain, bloated full feeling, body aches, buring eyes, change in vision, clumsiness, constipation, decrease in sexual desire, eye discharge, increased sensitivity to pain and touch, indigestion, nervousness, redness, trouble thinking, and loss of strength.

I have been taking Gabapentine (neurontion 6000 down to 4200 mg. as of Jan. 2004),amitriptyline,baclofen,morphine in various forms,and paxil for a year. The worst side effect in my case is constipation and memory lapses.

Robert

Since starting on Neurontin for headaches, a little over a year ago, I've been diagnosed with: IBS, Colitis and High Blood Pressure. I have also had swelling and pain in my ankles and legs and constant debilatating abdominal pain and bloating. I tend to go from constipation directly to diarreha. I never had trouble with my blood pressure (other than with my first pregnancy) until I started taking this medication. It always ran about 115-120/75-80. I've started looking at info. on the web regarding Neurontin. I've learned a lot. It has many more side effects and medical causes than I was first informed about. The makers are also being sued for having their Reps. lie about it's uses and "cures". I've also read that it has terrible side effects when trying to stop. It has helped my headaches, but I feel I've paid a price for them to stop. I think that my headaches were not as bad as the abnominal pain that I'm experiencing. I'm going to see my Dr. and find ou how to stop taking it.

I've been on neurontin for about 3 years. I take 2400mg per
I have all of the ill effects mentioned above plus one more. My vision is impaired 40 % worse than when I first started this medication. I would have to say that I too am very frustated with this medication now. I have short term memory loss, weight gain, chest pain, constipation, swollen extremities, no sex drive, headaches, excessive feelling of euporia, depressed, and much more. The one thing I can say is that it did help the problem for which I was prescribed. Chronic neck pain/spasms. Go figure!

I am taking Neurontin for a bruised spinal cord (2700mg / day):
constipation;
light headed and dizzy, especially after excercise;
weigth gain;
lack of concentration and short term memory loss;
possibly some water retention.

Constipation: As I have been making some progress on this problem of late, thought I would add the info to this registry (does anybody else read and respond to this besides me?)

A helpful bit of info recently read was that diahrreh/constipation comes from either too much or too little water in the bowel. Since Neurontin makes a person VERY dry (all that water being excreted) and I make sure that I drink the same amount -- a lot -- of water every day,it figured that stimulating-type laxatives would worsen the problem. Getting off of them and going to small amounts of mineral oil plus one of those new non-gritty metamucil products, keeping up the water drinking, all seem to help.

Plus my husband makes an espresso-latte that works like a charm. Does anybody else have advice or success with the constipation problem? JanK