Neurontin and upping

I started out exhausted and dizzy as I was upping the dose for the first 3 weeks and then magically all of my pain was gone! I have chronic back pain due to L5/S1 disc removal, bulging discs and degenerative disc disease. Everything was great until I got my period and it started for 1 day and stopped w/mild spotting (that is not normal) the Dr. suggested I was pregnant when I KNEW that I wasn't. After the 4th week on the medication my hair started falling out. 1st more strands than normal and now by the handful! It is obviously thinning. Has anyone experienced this? Is the follicle permanently damaged by the chemicals? I've since weaned myself off the medicine and am in complete pain again. This seems to be one of the rarer side effects of this medication. Has anyone experienced this?

Hi,

I just started Neurontin about a few weeks ago I started at 300mgs a day now just 3 weeks later I am on 1200mgs per day and upping it to 1500mgs tommorow. I am told to up the dose 300mgs every 3 days. If I don't its like I'm just taking candy and nothing happens. It works for a day then it stops.

I am concerned though after reading all this stuff that maybe this isn't the drug for me so far its helping but I'm worried I don't want permanenet Kidney damage and I have just started w/ a small tension headache but it could be stress at work doing that and not the med. I'm taking this for IBS pain/Anxiety my shrink gave it to me said, its not approved by the FDA for anything but seizures. God I hope I don't get blood clots and have a stroke all this info is scaring me reading this stuff you all wrote.

I think I better get off this stuff.

Neurontin for IBS:
If "IBS" means "irritable Bowel Syndrome" I have some personal experiences to pass on --
I was already a userid of Neurontin for fibromyalgia -- a condition in which the muscles of the body ache like having the flu all the time -- and the Neurontin wasn't helping a bit with the gut-wrenching cramps and diarrea of IBS.
My doctor prescribed Lomotil --which I DO get in a generic called Lonox -- and only one pill at a time stops the IBS problems, even though at first I was up to 4 at a time (the instructions say to take one pill after every instance of cramps and loose bowels.)
Why don't you ask your doc about this, instead of upping the dose of Neurontin (which hasn't helped my IBS at all). Best wishes -- JanK