u/Opposite_Charge_1088

[supprimé]

If you don’t have female anatomy, scroll or educate yourself.

I (24F) have been taking gabapentin three times a day (total 900mg per day) for a little under a month. I had my period last week, but it wasn’t normal. I am used to a heavy flow, I have period underwear and a menstrual cup that I use every time. I’m not on birth control, but I track my period and for the most part these last 11 years my period has been predictable.

Last week I had spotting and some really dark discharge, but that was it. All I had to do the whole week was wear a panty liner, and I probably didn’t even need that.

I took a pregnancy test and it came back negative. I’m going to buy another one today, just in case.

I had a virtual appointment with my doctor and she was not concerned at all. She said that she’s never heard of gabapentin affecting menstruation. I was taken aback because according to Google, there are some women who have been affected. Some women have reported a loss of their menses while on gabapentin.

Should I be worried? I am going to see how my next period is and go from there, but I’m worried my body isn’t flushing out everything that it needs to… Does anyone have any advice? Has anyone experienced something similar? I understand that there could be another reason why my period wasn’t normal, but it’s strange that gabapentin is the only new factor in my life.

Thank you!

TLDR: I (24F) have been taking 900mg gabapentin daily for a few weeks. Last week my period was practically nonexistent, and I’m used to a heavy flow. My doctor says the gabapentin should not be affecting my period. Have you experienced anything similar/do you have any advice? Is my doctor right?

I’ve (24F) been in pain every day since early April 2025. My dad was showing me his new birdhouse and rather than watch where I was stepping, I lost my footing and fell down my front steps (2-3 stairs). In the moment, I was actually more concerned for my ankle which I had twisted. It wasn’t until I tried to sleep that night that I realized I couldn’t lay without experiencing excruciating pain. I also have a bump on that side that is constantly changing shape, and some days it’s tight.

Since that day, I have been unable to do the following:
- Lay flat on my back
- Lay on my right side
- Sit on the couch comfortably
- Touch my toes / sit on the floor and stretch (I used to dance)
- Go running
- Etc

There are some moments where I can lay flat on my back. And then all of a sudden if I try to move, the pain is tight and excruciating like a golf ball shoved in my back that shouldn’t be there. It hurts so bad. I can no longer fully relax my muscles- it’s as if I need to be holding my core 24/7 to not be in pain. And even then, sometimes there is nothing I can do to stop it.

Other times I experience extreme muscle fatigue. If I’ve done a lot of walking that day, or bending (ex. bending to grab something out of a desk drawer and put it on top of the desk, I try to limit any bending when I am standing) by the end of the day once I get home, I can barely walk. If I sit on the couch and try to get up after a busy day of movement, the pain is so bad that I have to limp and sometimes can barely move myself from my couch to my bathroom.

I had xrays and an MRI. Nothing shows any irregularities other than fluid buildup in my joints. I’ve had two steroid injections. I’ve been on gabapentin for the last few weeks. I’m now taking it three times a day but I don’t think it’s helping.

Soon once I’ve tried the gabapentin for long enough, I am going to reach out to my doctor for the next step. Maybe a new med. Maybe surgery.

I’m struggling to survive this journey. I can’t see myself living with chronic pain forever, but of course I’ll deal with it if there’s no alternative. I just hate the person I am when I’m in pain. It makes me depressed.

When I’m in pain, I’m irritable and existential. I mourn my old life (ex. when I could be active and lift my foot of the ground to take my foot out of my shoe without any pain). I miss being able to do the little things, and I hate having to ask for help.

The worst is having to explain to people that my pain is severe and real. Yesterday I mentioned to someone I had a back problem, and that I was hurting, and it was only after I explained that I’ve had two injections and that I’ve done PT that they were like “Oh, so this is a legit issue you have!” Like yeah, that’s what I meant when I said I was in pain initially…

It’s tough living with invisible pain. Some days it’s like the pain is so loud, but I’m the only one who can hear it.

There are so many things I want to do. I want to snowboard with my fiancé. I want to have a baby in the next few years and not have my sciatica control me during that time. I just want it to go away so I can go back to being my bubbly, active self.

I’ve tried PT but it didn’t help. It taught me a few good exercises to do, but they basically gave up on me and said “Maybe we should take a break”. They were stumped and didn’t know how to deal with me, it felt.

I’ve seen a physiatrist a couple times and he helped me get the steroid injections. Those didn’t do anything really.

I go on walks and I am looking into joining Planet Fitness so I can do more exercises and use the bike. I really want to start running again. I’ve gained 20-30lbs since this journey began. Some days I don’t recognize the person I’ve become.

Thank you for reading my vent, and I appreciate any and all advice. What works for you? How do you get by? My mom told me I should join something called Hinge. They recently mailed her a TENS kit for free.

Today’s goal is to clean my room. I have a lot of clothes I need to put away, but it’s going to involve a lot of lifting and bending. Household chores and cleaning have become incredibly difficult. Ugh! Music definitely helps though. Lately I’ve been listening to PinkPantheress radio. I’m intrigued to hear what music helps other people get through.