Hot flashes and gabapentin

kcpc

Is anyone using gabapentin for hot flashes? It's been 7 years since I was diagnosed, I took arimidex for 5 yrs, been off it for 2 yrs now.  The good news is no cancer recurrence, the bad news is I still have horrible hot flashes at age 61. I've tried everything, Effexor works great but makes me feel bi polar so I don't think I'd tolerate Brisdelle. I just laugh when I read " wear cotton, use a fan, etc." I'm so far beyond that.

I keep reading about gabapentin even though it's not FDA approved for hot flashes and wondering if anyone's using it. I haven't had a good nights sleep in 7 years - it's worse than having a new born baby!

daisylover

Hi kcpc,

I am sorry that you are struggling with nasty hot flashes - my mother-in-law described similar hot flashes when she was on Tamoxifen. I will tell you what I have experienced with Gabapentin. I have been taking it for at least five years at a low dose (I didn't like the way that I felt on higher dosage) for prevention of migraines - no cancer yet. Then,  in February, I had unrelenting nerve pain after my bilateral mastectomy, and the surgical nurse increased my dosage significantly (for me . I took 2 pills 3 times a day for a short time. At that time, I started Tamoxifen and Lupron shots to shut down my ovaries (pre-menopausal). I had lots of flashes (like you and my MIL describe) for a few days following the start of each drug, but then went down to just a few flashes a day. As I tapered back to 1 pill at night, the flashes increased in number and intensity. Since I still take my one pill at bedtime, which helps to make me drowsy, I do not wake up hot and sweaty during the night. I feel like my hot flashes increase later in the day. All this suggests to me that Gabapentin does reduce hot flash intensity and number for me. My oncologist indicated that it would as well. She wanted me to take 3X the strength at bedtime... My brother-in-law is prescribed Gabapentin for his hot flashes from prostate cancer treatment (Lupron) as well. He still has a lot of intense hot flashes, but is convinced it helps. I think it is definitely worth a try. It made me a little spacey when I took higher doses. My BIL says that it does not affect him that way. I think that it could really change your life? I hope this helped. Deep sleep changes the entire day - wishing you good nights,

Martha

Sparkle2014

I know people who love gabapentin - it has changed their lives - not from cancer but from various nerve pain...  I heard you need to start off low - like 1 pill day - do that for about 2 or 3 or 4 weeks before DR ups it - if they decide to add more during day - be careful - it can make you loopy and a bit lightheaded especially if you drink caffeine or green tea..  it can make you a bit racy at high doses.. just be careful when starting any med

 

songbird68

Hi kcpc. Hot flashes weren't too bad when I was on tamoxifen for a year. Had night sweats though. It all got unbearable when I switched to Aromasin, I was getting hot flashes practically every hour and I couldn't stop them no matter what I did. Night sweats kicked up several notches too and really interfered with my sleep. I was also in terrible pain - legs & hips, feet ankles and the worst carpal tunnel I have ever felt in my life.

I heard about Gabapentin on this site and asked my GP if I could try it. I'm so glad I did it! I do not have hot flashes any more, just get a bit hot sometimes and no more night sweats - blessed sleep:) The pain is at an ok level and the carpal tunnel is gone. Still some pins and needles and numbness in my hands, but I can live with that.

I went from 300mg to 900mg per day gradually. I think this dose is optimum for me.

Have you tried it yet? Or something else?

ritaz

When I went thru natural menopause in my late 40's (13 years ago), my then GP had recently heard of using gabapentin as a remedy for hot flashes. I took it for about 3 years and the drug really cooled down the flashes. Fast forward, I was diagnosed with ER+ BC in 2009 at age 54 and put on an AI (as I had already gone thru mentalpause). Back come the hot flashes...My onco NEVER heard of the use of gabapentin for hot flashes and refused to give me a prescription. Instead, she gave me Effexor and let me tell you - it was the worse night of my entire life! Sweating, nausea, panic attack - for hours!! I had to read on the internet about the 'possible' SE's of Effexor. I fired that onco! I went to my now GP and he gave me a prescription for gabapentin as he knew of the use of it for hot flashes. I take one a night and like you all who have posted here, I don't wake up drenched - I am able to sleep during the night. I tried to take one more during the day, but it made me sleepy. I will continue with this wonder drug until I'm off the AI in January - well, a few months afterwards to get it all out of my system. If you are having hot flashes - RUN to your GP and get a prescription. It's just an amazing use for a drug that was intended otherwise!

lifelover

I took Gabapentin for a couple of years after my BMX.  It did help my hot flushes but it was given to me for nerve pain.  I've been off of it for the past year though because I'm working more now and I need to have my wits about me (I'm a teacher).  I still have very bad hot flushes.  I take a very large dose of Effexor (Venlafaxine) for depression, anxiety and hot flushes.  It doesn't seem to work on the hot flushes, though.  I miss Gabapentin and may try it again.  Why not give it a try?

 

GG27

I have been taking gabapentin for hot flashes & neuropathy for about 3 years now. I was taking it 3x a day, but found that I didn't need it during the day. So now I take 600mg an hour before bed & it keeps the hot flashes away for the most part, though sometimes I will still get hot, but never wringing the sheets out wet like I used to. I never found it to make me sleepy, though this can be a SE.

There have been a couple of times that I forgot to take them & really suffered all night from both flashes & my feet would keep me awake with the pain. I too suffered from not being able to sleep for the past 5-6 years & my Dr finally put me on Zopiclone, I take 1/2 of one about an hour after the gabapentin & I now get a good nights sleep with no sleeping pill hangover. HTH, Dee

'edited for spelling

Chrisrenee77

kcpc- I am taking gabapentin as well for hot flashes as well.  I take 2 Effexor's in the morning and 1 Gabapentin at night to try to stave off the horrible hot flashes.  I have been on Gabapentin for 1 year and have been doing fairly well.  I have my moments like yesterday, when I was shopping I had a damn hot flash for almost 2 hours. By the time I walked out of the store, my entire backside of my shirt was drenched as well as the roots of my hair.  A nasty description huh?  I go back in January to my MO and I'm going to ask her about what else we can try or add on to my Effexor since it's supposed to help for the day time hot flashes.  Boy I hope she can figure something out for me.  I wish you the best of luck with your hot flashes.