Gabapentin & Sleep walking

[ChinaCat]

Hi All,

I know a lot of you are on gabapentin. I just started it about a week ago...

Let me preface this by saying I have a history of sonambulism. It is worse when I am under stress. I do not feel stressed or anxious at the moment, and I have not had an incident of sleepwalking in some time.

However, last night I had a dream that I was fighting someone. I had to fight back really, really hard. You know how it's hard to run or walk in your dreams? It was like that... so I had to focus all of my energy on fighting back.

I ended up punching my spouse. Not hard, I don't think. But enough to wake the spouse up and yell "OW!"

Anyone else experience this? I'm not even on a very high dosage. Maybe it's coincidence?

TIA.

 

[Sagey]

Hi Chinacat,


I can say I have not experienced sleepwalking with Gabapentin,but did sleepwalk when I was on a higher dose of ambien.I was sleepwalking and eating in my sleep lol.
Gabapentin effected my memory a little,so i decided to stop it.It does help with sleep and nerve pain for many.

I've been on this journey to decrease my medications, and try to use only the ones that I really find useful.In the beginning a lot of Fibro's are on several medications, but once they are able to figure out what really works for them,they can slowly get rid of the meds they find are less helpful.

Sometimes too many medications can do more harm then good.




Sagey

 

[Peaceandquiet]

Hi ChinaCat,

My husband does this too but I've never met anyone else that's had it happen. I put a pillow between us now for safety as the punches can be very hard, depending on the dream and the amount of 'oomph' he puts into the punch. He is not the physical fighting type in life but has scary dreams about having to fight to defend himself. I don't know what causes it but, in his case, it might be a drug/alcohol interaction or a sudden change in meds combined with giving up alcohol. Either that or a full bladder....it's a mystery. It hasn't happened for about a year and he's on no meds but I'm still on high alert! If his legs start going, I ask if he is okay and that usually settles him.

I hope it was just a random thing in your case. Best wishes.

 

[moe1959]

Hmm think Ill take a Gabapenton tonight cause I feel like PUNCHING my Husband. lmao. All kidding,,,,kinda.
On a serious note check all side effects of any meds you take.

 

[Apostle22]

I have slept walk before and the last time was on Ambien. My son did it as well and wasn't on any meds. My mother did it when she was young. I can't help wonder if it is hereditary. I take gabapentin and never had that problem with it. I look back and see that each episode also was related to a death in our family. So stress does take it's toll in many ways.

 

[VanGogh]

Although I started suspecting the gabaP, yesterday I was told that it is probably responsible for my vision problems. I started cutting back a few days ago and noticed that as my vision got better my pain got worse. But given the choice I rather deal with my pain until I can find something to take it's place.