Gabapentin is somewhat commonly prescribed as a fibromyalgia treatment. It’s available as a generic and is also sold under the brand names Neurontin, Horizant, and Gralise.

Gabapentin is not FDA approved for treating this condition, so it’s prescribed off-label. However, the drug is chemically related to Lyrica (pregabalin), which is approved for fibromyalgia. In fact, Lyrica is sometimes referred to as the “son of Neurontin.”

Gabapentin is classified as an anti-seizure drug. It’s used to treat epilepsy, neuropathy (pain from damaged nerves), restless legs syndrome, and hot flashes. Fibromyalgia pain is similar to neuropathy, but whether this condition involves nerve damage still isn’t clear.

How Gabapentin Works ?

Gabapentin is believed to work by altering the release of glutamate and other neurotransmitters in your brain.1 Neurotransmitters send messages from one brain cell to another. Glutamate is really helpful for certain things, like learning new information. That’s because it gets your brain cells stirred up and active.

Kind of like a toddler with chocolate, though, if you have too much glutamate running around, your brain cells can become overstimulated. That can make all kinds of things go wrong.

Glutamate has more than one job, though. It also helps transmit pain signals in your brain and nerves. Too much glutamate may play a role in hyperalgesia, which essentially turns up the volume of pain.

To counter the effects of glutamate, you have another neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). It calms your cells and quiets your brain. When GABA and glutamate exist in balance with each other, things go well. (It’s likely out of balance in fibromyalgia, though.)

Some diseases and conditions—including fibromyalgia—may interrupt this balance and let glutamate run amok. Gabapentin is believed to reduce your brain’s release of glutamate so the cells can calm down and your brain can function better.

Gabapentin for Fibromyalgia

Research suggests that people with fibromyalgia have too much glutamate in certain parts of their brain, so gabapentin has long been prescribed for it. But is it effective? Research is mixed.

Two reviews of the evidence disagree. One released in 2016 found that gabapentin is an effective fibromyalgia treatment,3 while another, published in 2017,4 reported only low-quality evidence.

A 2014 review of gabapentin for fibromyalgia and neuropathy found that about 35 percent of study participants saw their pain drop by at least 50 percent while on the drug.5 It’s important to note, though, that 21 percent saw similar drops when taking a placebo.

In studies comparing gabapentin with pregabalin (Lyrica), including one published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, pregabalin appeared to perform better.

An extended-release form of gabapentin showed promise in one small trial published in Pain Practice.3 Researchers say it improved pain, sleep, and quality of life. This was a preliminary trial, though, so more work needs to be done before we’ll know for sure whether it’s safe and effective long term.

Many people who suffer from chronic fatigue or Fibromyalgia use prescription drug like Gabapentin (Neurontin) to aid and manage symptoms of pain and epileptic seizure.

the disturbed epileptic seizure results in sleep apnea, sleep dysfunction or restless leg syndrome.

The new study shows that due to thrombospondin and unnatural function of brain the possible results seen are brain dysfunction. If you are suffering from brain fog related to Fibromyalgia or deficiency of immune system related to chronic fatigue syndrome, then Gabapentin may not be the best choice or first line choice of drug.

It proves to be logical that it adds to the existing symptoms if you continue using this drug (prescription).

Let us know how and why?

By using Gabapentin, you might disturb the important brain connection that is important for you for cognition and proper memory. Most of us are aware of how delicate our brain is. If anything goes wrong with this delicate part of our body, it can be life-threatening. Too much of drug interactions or anesthesia and you might lose your senses. In simple words anything that leaves a negative impact on the normal functioning of our brain should be researched, suspected, avoided and reported, if possible.

New study shows that an individual who is suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia can show the following symptoms if using this drug

• Not able to think properly or not able to think only
• Couldn’t recollect memories of say a week before even if the brain is recessed.
• Mentally incapable of thinking even below normal level, unable to think and feel numb.
• Not being able to do logical reasoning even simple ones like solving a financial problem or not able to judge what needs to be spoken in a discussion.
• Not able to think or care what will happen in a stressful situation or vice versa like not bothered about what will be the result. This even leads to emotional detachment. These results in like a person who is least bothered about living his life and in turn it creates suicidal thoughts or chronic depression.

Brain fog is a situation that pulls you down and is incredibly tough and scary symptom to handle as compared to other symptoms.

This is something to explain how powerful the drug is and can affect your loved one. If the brain has stopped functioning normally, then how would you know what the reason is or cause behind it?  What might be happening?

So if you notice such symptoms it is better to consult your health care person to take actions immediately. There are many people who lose connection to life while taking the drug and if they get well, they see a new life as the brain becomes functional and live again and body follows the brain.

Make sure you consult your doctor before taking this drug as the symptoms can be scary and you might lose your connection with life. Better start with right medication and speak to your doctor.