Prescribed Gabapentin for perimenopause symptoms

[Elderberrybabe]

I'm 43. Due to family history of breast cancer I'm limited on what I can take to relieve my symptoms. I had a phone consultation with my GP this morning who has prescribed Gabapentin (100mg 3 x day) to help. I take 100mg of Sertraline for anxiety. She wasn't overly forthcoming with information. On picking up my prescription the pharmacist warned me about serotonin syndrome.... since I've got in I've really managed to scare myself.

Has anyone had experiences of this drug for menopause use? Or has used sertraline and Gabapentin together??
Any help would be appreciated

No experience of taking it for menopause but I take it for nerve damage following a stroke. I was told it was normally used for people with epilepsy to help stop seizures.

Seems strange that it would also be used to menopause. What symptoms were they prescribed to treat?

@mynewusername2023 from what I've looked up myself it's used for hot flushes and sweating. I've read it can also help period pain (which is horrendous).

But, I've seen so many negative things posted. Like it affects memory.

I was only warned about it causing drowsiness so I take mine at night. I'm on 3 x 100ml a day.

The NICE guidelines say you should have a referral to a meno specialist if you have complicating factors which make standard hrt not straightforward, such as your family history - I would ask your GP for a referral. It may be that your GP is too wary of risk factors, and not aware of all the options.

I was on Gabapentin (and then Pregablin) for the pain my arthritis caused me. It had no effect on me but when I came off them - under the advice of my GP - it was horrendous. Sweats, stomach cramps and insomnia to name a few.

I was particularly annoyed that my GP never mentioned how physically addictive Gabapentin and Pregablin are and how horrible it is to come off them.

It seems like an unusual choice of medication for the menopause though. Surely there are other alternatives that aren't as addictive?

I have been on both gabapentin and then pregablin for nerve pain following a back injury. They sorted the pain and improved anxiety, but the other side effects weren't great. I gained weight, had stomach problems and lost sexual sensation. Initially I thought all this was due to the back injury, but those symptoms disappeared as soon as I stopped the gabapentin. I wouldn't have wanted to stay on them long term.

I'm sorry @Pamspeople I forgot to mention I was referred to the menopause clinic in October. My appointment is in August! So the doctor suggested this to help in the meantime.

The doctor I spoke to yesterday just kept repeating "it helps some women". She didn't give any other information. I asked what it helps with specifically and she just told me to try it..... it seems like a really drastic drug to prescribe considering the addictive nature of it and the fact that I've gained so much weight since starting sertraline. I'm really apprehensive about it.
I appreciate everyone's advice. I'm still not sure of what I'm going to do.

I am suffering from post meno bleeding (which is being looked at) and vaginal discomfort from meno. Please either escalate if you are suffering (tell doc) or go to a private meno doctor. and good luck. I'd not be wanting to take gabapentin as it can dope you out. There are better things. xx

What symptoms are you having?

I just ask in case there are other things people here have found helpful that you could try, instead of this odd sounding prescription!

@DoodlesMam I really wish I could go private. The doctor said yesterday that since the referral is done I just need to wait.

@Pamspeople my symptoms are: hot flushes, excessive sweating, panic attacks, palpitations, brain fog, joint pain (knees, hips, fingers), blurred vision, weight gain (oh the weight gain), headaches, facial pain, cramping mid cycle which lasts until my period then gets so much worse, IBS , acid reflux and sleep disturbances.

I take magnesium at night, meno supplements, probiotics and sertraline. I'm due to have my first CBT session this month.
It is an odd prescription. I have two kids and the last thing I need is to be anymore foggy than I already am....

Well they definitely sound like symptoms of decreasing and fluctuating oestrogen! There's a specific cbt protocol called MENOS which is designed to help manage hot flushes, so you could check that your therapist works through that with you. Obviously it can't change the physical cause but it has good results for decreasing the impact of hot flushes and night sweats and it was designed for women who can't easily have hrt.

Have you looked on the Balance Menopause website, there's lots of information on there about treatments for women who have been told they can't have hrt due to health risks.

I've heard very positive things from people who have saved up for a one off private consultation (about 200 quid) with a menopause specialist - feeling really listened to, detailed advice, and a letter to gp with details. Obviously not cheap but some people spend that on supplements that don't help, I know I probably did!

Good luck OP.

Thank you so much @Pamspeople you make a really good point about the price of supplements. Maybe I'll give it more consideration.
The balance website is so useful. I have previously mention Dr Louise Newson to one of the GPs I saw. She had never heard of her!

The feeling of not being listened to is awful. I have very real symptoms - 2 years ago I was given sertraline and on looking at my NHS app I've been diagnosed with hypochondriacal disorder! This makes being listened to even more of a challenge. I'll keep pushing forward and hopefully save enough to go private.

OP, get other opinions. Everyone i know has come off Gabapentin because of side effects that were worse than symptoms. As PP said, you deserve a proper meno consultation.

GPs can make us feel so much worse by not listening well - it's enraging. And that hypochondria diagnosis is shocking - were you told? You can definitely challenge that, because it could really get in the way of treatment. Sorry you're having such a bloody awful time with it all.

There's a book about managing hot flushes without medication - "Managing Hot Flushes and Night Sweats: A Cognitive Behavioural Self-help Guide to the Menopause" by Myra Hunter and Melanie Smith, the people to developed the CBT protocol (originally for women going through breast cancer treatment but research shows 50% improvement in impact of symptoms)