Gabapentin

eckstardeluxe

Hi folks

Just been onto the quack this morning. Well hubby who's had to take a day off I'm that bad spoke to them. My sciatica is off the scale now, Tense machine on full power, Tramadol, diclofenac, Ibuprofen and diazepam not touching the pain. I've been sitting on my right bum cheek at angle for hours now, the minute my left one touches anything I'm howling. Can't sit, stand. Anyway. ..

The Dr has given me Gabapentin to be started 3 times a day. Is anyone else on these and are they good? I'm desperate now, I have such a high pain threshold usually I know something is seriously wrong and I can't believe they wont operate on me, why not even try? I'd take the risks. I keep hearing of people who have just spinal stenosis or just bulging discs and no arthur getting these ops and then feeling fantastic, why are they leaving me like this. They say the deterioration and swelling is too bad. My kids are watching me roll on the floor screaming in pain. I'm in tears writing this, I just hope someone can please help me and tell me something good about this drug. I'm so sorry to rant

woodbon

Hi Sorry you're in such pain. I'm not sure what the drug is but I have heard it mentioned on here. I hope it eases off a bit soon.
Love & best wishes Sue

skezier

Hi Eck,

Sorry it is so bad for you today. I haven't been on those but I think the Pregabalin I take is their next generation, and they are very good at knocking out nerve pain so see how those go for you and if no good ask if you could have the pregabalin instead.

I hope you can find somewhere comfy and start to have less pain soon. As to why they don't opperare they will only do it if there is a good chance it will make you better. if the degeneration is bad they may make it worse and when I had my back done they waited until I had no use of one leg and not much on the other so it could only be slightly worse if it all went wrong.

All I can say is try and find a comfy position, take your tablets and see if they help. I wish I could tell you they will, I do know the pregabalin is really good so there is hope the Gabapentin will be good as well. x

nearlybionic

Hi Eck
Sorry to hear you are in such a bad way. My friend has spinal problems including bulging discs and was prescribed gabapentin, after trying amytrip with no result. Well the gabapentin has been a real lifesaver for her, she was very sceptical due to poor response to amytrip, but so far so good. She has been on gabapentin for 4 months now and is coping much better at work too.
I hope this is the case for you also. Fingers crossed. If not I`ll bring my sledgehammer round for you to try! Nerve pain is really awful, and wears you down, so I really hope it settles soon xxx
NB

terryd

Hi

I have been on Gabapentin for about 6 months, 3 x 300mg a day.
They do work for me.
You have to start on a low dose because of the side effects.
The max dose is 3600mg per day.
Some people find they take a while to start working so don’t give up until you have been on the max dose for while.
There is a lot more info on line.

I hope you find some relief soon.
Best wishes

Terry

eckstardeluxe

Hi everyone, thanks for the replies. I've calmed down now :oops:

They are starting me off at 3 x 300mg a day, I took one about an hour and a half a go. I can still feel the pain but it certainly isn't as sharp. I'll keep taking them and get a better idea in a few days.

I'm so glad to hear other's say they have worked, but if not I will definitely try the other ones mentioned, thanks again everyone xxxx

frogmorton

HI Eck
So glad they look like working for you!!
That is good news and i will keep everything crossed that it continues
I took Gabapentin up to the max does about 5 years ago and although I had no side effects it made no difference whatsoever
Sometiomes you might be best on your side wiuth pillow between your knees - you don't want to cause pain in other places by sitting ackwardly for too long.
Thinking of you
Toni x

mistywillow

frogmorton wrote:

HI Eck
So glad they look like working for you!!
That is good news and i will keep everything crossed that it continues
I took Gabapentin up to the max does about 5 years ago and although I had no side effects it made no difference whatsoever
Sometiomes you might be best on your side wiuth pillow between your knees - you don't want to cause pain in other places by sitting ackwardly for too long.
Thinking of you
Toni x

Hi Eck
Its awful sciatica isnt it, I used to get it all the time before my spinal
fusion, now only occasionaly. Physio helps me, have you tried it or osteopathy. I took gabapentane but it made me too sleepy and dizzy so I now take pregabalin which as Chris says iis the next generation which some people tolerate better than gaba.
Why are they so reluctant to do something like a fusion? Forgive me i have forgotten what your diagnosis is with out looking back through the threads. Could you get a second opinion. It seems crazy to be so incapacitated when you are so young. Not that I think anyone should be regardless of age.
Hope you get some relief soon
love Gillx

heather1

Hi

I am just coming down on a dose of 3600 aday because it is just not working for me.
When i first started taking Gab the first week my pain seemed alot better but as my body got used to the tabs the pain just came back.

I am Tramadol,Diazepan,Co-codamol as well and as the same as you it doesn't touch the pain.
I have tried Morphine as well and it does nothing.
What else is there?

Anyway i hope the Gabapentin works for you.

eckstardeluxe

mistywillow wrote:

frogmorton wrote:

HI Eck
So glad they look like working for you!!
That is good news and i will keep everything crossed that it continues
I took Gabapentin up to the max does about 5 years ago and although I had no side effects it made no difference whatsoever
Sometiomes you might be best on your side wiuth pillow between your knees - you don't want to cause pain in other places by sitting ackwardly for too long.
Thinking of you
Toni x

Hi Eck
Its awful sciatica isnt it, I used to get it all the time before my spinal
fusion, now only occasionaly. Physio helps me, have you tried it or osteopathy. I took gabapentane but it made me too sleepy and dizzy so I now take pregabalin which as Chris says iis the next generation which some people tolerate better than gaba.
Why are they so reluctant to do something like a fusion? Forgive me i have forgotten what your diagnosis is with out looking back through the threads. Could you get a second opinion. It seems crazy to be so incapacitated when you are so young. Not that I think anyone should be regardless of age.
Hope you get some relief soon
love Gillx

Hi Gill. Yes I went to physio and the guy on looking at my records and having a once over said he wouldn't touch me until I'd been sen at the Pain Clinic. I go next month with high hopes. I was born with kidney reflux, went in for a cystoscopy at 12 and caught MRSA (they didn't call it that then) it caused Osteomyelitis and an epidural abscess and after getting out of Hospital after 12 months I only had back pain. After having my second child the sciatica and pain was really severe and I was having incontinence issues. Went for an MRI they said end stage Arthur in spine/sacral area, 3 bulging discs and spinal stenosis. The Consultant said they cannot operate as the risk of total paralyisis is too high. It was all caused by catching the MRSA. God what a story reading that, I don't want to sound like a hypochondriac but that's my back story in a nutshell.

bailey27

Hi
My grandmother takes this for her back injury. She hasnt got arthritis but she did break her back about 20 years ago and she often gets nerve pain. She swears by it and says it is fantastic.Its got to be worht a try. Hope you feel better soon.

page35

Oh eck
i just wanted to wish you well
Page x

mistywillow

page35 wrote:

Oh eck
i just wanted to wish you well
Page x

Gosh Eck
Dreadful story! Really hope they can do something for you at the pain clinic to make you feel better.
Love Gillx

mistywillow

page35 wrote:

Oh eck
i just wanted to wish you well
Page x

Gosh Eck
Dreadful story! I really hope they can do something to make you feel better at the pain clinic!
Love Gillx

mistywillow

mistywillow wrote:

page35 wrote:

Oh eck
i just wanted to wish you well
Page x

Gosh Eck
Dreadful story! I really hope they can do something to make you feel better at the pain clinic!
Love Gillx

HOW have I managed to post this twice!!!!! :roll: :roll:

joyful164

You poor thing. I know exactly what you are going through.

I started Gabapentin some months ago, but unfortunately after a couple of months, came off it because they didn't help me. Everyone is different though.

I am now on Lyrica Pregabalin which is similar to Gabapentin and seem to suit me
I think they are suppose to make the brain tell the nerves they are not hurting basically in laymans terms.

The side affects are distressing though. Gabapentin made me incontinent and all sorts of things. Now having to use Tena Lady. Cannot believe it.

The ones I am on now make me very drowsy and I sleep a lot more but then this is good for you. Helps make you rest.

Good luck with the Gabapentin. Just be patient with the side affects. I think you have to increase the dose after 1 month.

I am going to the Cronic Pain Clinic on 4th June because of the pain in my neck shoulders and arms. Like you I was in tears and could hardly walk with the pain. Obviously this Pregabalin must be helping because I seem to be able to do a little bit more. Having a bad day today though and just hope the Pain Clinic will help me. I just want to get on with my life. I am on 52.5 mg pain patches at present and the occasional pain killer inbetween but I can't drive at the moment and that doesn't help. Takes your independence away from you

I drink lots of Camomile Tea and things to help calm me down. Get some Lavender oil and put it in some body cream. Make a massage I find this helps a lot. If you work on the parts that don't hurt and then work on the bits that do. Good luck. :roll: Joy

eckstardeluxe

Hi, thanks for your message. The sciatica used to come in bursts for a while 8/10 soreness, for a time 10/10, then nothing. Now after a fall at home a few weeks back, it has gradually increased everyday. It used to start after about 5 minutes after getting up. Now it has increased everyday and now this morning I woke up with it.

Each day I think this couldn't possibly be worse then it is. I phoned NHS 24 at 5am this morning as had taken a gabapentin, two Tramadol, a diclofenac, a diazepam & 2 ibuprofen & still couldn't walk, sit or stand without severe agony. They told me to increase the dose, if it doesn't work then it's admission to Hospital. In a way I want to go in, for the pain relief & the possibility of another scan which I'm sure will detect something else since the one in October. Maybe then they might just operate. On the downside I have a 1 & 3 year old to think about & the likelihood I will bump into the Consultant who called me fat and a circus freak since he's the main guy on the Ortho ward.

I'm now up to 600mg 3 times a day along with the other drugs. I would say even with that it's about 7/10. Surely this can't be right. I am wondering if something has happened with the 3 bulging discs or the stenosis.

joyful164

Hi

Sorry to here of your suffering. I am going through the pain barrier myself at present.

I have been on Gabapentin and it is very good ,although it wasn't for me.

During the last flare up which was nothing like this one my GP, who used to work for Rheumatology put me on the Gabapentin. At first my pain was '12/10' but after a month, was '7/10'. Good I thought so he increased my dosage from 100 mg x 3 times a day to 200 x 3 times a day. This can go up to 600 x 3 times a day. It is gradual just like steroids and so on, and then, coming off it again you decrease the dosage gradually. But, after another month, I was feeling no better, in fact the side affects were really bad for me The may not be so for you. Everyone is different.

My pain level started to go back up again. My consultant couldn't understand why it was so bad so he decided to take me off Gabapentin and put me on pain patches 10 mg to begin about 4 weeks ago but since then I am up to 52.6 because I was screaming with the pain just like you. More recently my GP put me on Pregabalin which seems to be like Gabapentin. They work with nerve problems and try to sort out the messages going to the nerve ends from the Brain.

My step son was on Gabapentin and he did fine on it. He had a spinal fusion operation and wasin terrible pain for ages.

I think you have be be patient with Both these drugs and perhaps I should have been so with Gapapentin. Not everything works though. Do hope you get some relief. I have to try cold and heat pads. Heat pads to the source of the trapped nerve area, which in my case is my neck vertabrae (and near the base of my spine) and cold pads where the referred pain is, namely the muscle tissue.
Thats what I have been doing and it seems to help. The microwavable bottles are best. I am slowly doing some of my painting again and cooking meals and have managed to get out a few times.

Good Luck.

Joy

eckstardeluxe

Hi Joy, thanks again for your message. It really helps to know I'm not alone here and there is someone else out there going through the same thing. I am keeping a diary of what I'm taking now and going to go in and see the Dr this week with it. I know the Pain clinic is only a month away but it seems so long. I am due back at work on Tuesday, my Mum (and we all know our Mum's get us everytime) thinks I should go back and try but I know there's no way I can let the chance of me having to get down on the floor and cry in pain happen. I just don't know if I should stay off until I've struck a balance with the meds. Thanks again Joy, it really comforted me reading your post. xxx

colinone

Hi Eck hope your feeling better soon
Colin

eckstardeluxe

colinone wrote:

Hi Eck hope your feeling better soon
Colin

Thanks Colin, hopefully get a balance with these tablets soon. xx