Awaiting MRI for sciatica type symptoms, now on Gabapentin
Posted , 21 users are following.
Hi all and thanks for reading this. I have suffered with back pain for many years but what i thought was standard aches and pains. I have quite an arched back and am quite tall, working a desk job, so put it down to this. At the start of this year, things changed and i started to get shooting pains in my leg leg. To cut a long story short i was diagnosed with sciatica. I have been to physio, seen a private chiropractor and also another specialist physio who referred me for an MRI. Up until then, i had only been prescribed standard painkillers which did nothing. The specialist recommended Gabapentin to the GP and i have been on them since Tuesday. Just one 300mg capsule has made me feel quite spaced out and about 90 mins later when trying to speak with clients on the phone at my work, i lost my train of thought and struggled. I am worried about the long term effects and given that i am still in pain, i feel like i don't know what to do for the best? Do i stick with them, it's obviously very early days? Should the pain be gone? Range of movememt is no better. I'm strong willed but this is really starting to get to me. Any info / advice is appreciated and welcomed.
Regards to all, Craig.
1 like, 76 replies
craig26478
Posted
sorry I haven't updated this more often. My surgery was 6 weeks yesterday and I'm feeling great now! There was an immediate end to the sciatic symptoms, with leg pain going immediately. Over the first month, it was hard, movement was limited and I was in pain from the surgery. But after that first 4 weeks, things improved and I stopped the painkillers in full. I'm now on 3 gabapentin a day, from 6, and reducing to 0 over the next two weeks. The only limitation now is bending forward, that is limited and the scar sight is still tight. I'm walking, standing and sitting for periods over 30 mins at a time, sometimes an hour, with regular adjustments if sitting. Overall I would say to anyone considering the surgery, do it! It's been a great help and I've almost forgot what this year has been like! One thing: I found the physio largely unhelpful but compolsory! Best wishes
tino007 craig26478
Posted
dhruba2071 craig26478
Posted
Immediately after the surgery I felt no pain. However, it started again in 3rd day. It used to come and go. The pain was about 20% of my earlier pain, particularly at night. The surgeon told me that the pain would go in few weeks time.
The am given Lyrica twice a day and nerve up once. And pain killer when needed. From yesterday evening I am getting pain in the hip joint. It pains in certain positions. I don't know whether it is connected with the nerve pain or not.
I am given simple physio but not any back muscle stretching excersize. As I get pain at night while sleeping, is there any sleep position that should be good/or any position that should be avoided for coflex implanted people. I was also looking for coflex implant review but didnot fine any recent reviews. Any dos and donts for coflex implanted people for early weeks would be appreciated. Sincerely, Dhruba Acharya
harvey62991 craig26478
Posted
My problems started in 1995 when I damaged my spine in a fall. I had all the symptoms you describe which resulted in surgery at Withington Hospital in Manchester undera brilliant but badly named consultant Mr.Lemon. The operation was a huge success but sadly the symptoms are now returning. I have pain in my left leg and constant headaches. I have pain in my left eye and agonising pain in my neck. My vision is blurred at times and I suffer dizzy spells. The doctor has arranged for me to see both a neurologist and a muskuloskeletal team in Wrexham later this month. I assume most of these symptoms are neurological and for the moment I have been prescribed both Gabapentin and Amitriptyline to help kill the pain. Back in 1995/6 I was on Ketoprofen which had some dreadful side affects. I only hope that these new drugs are more successful in helping to kill the pain. Anyway, it was nice to discover other people who understand how bad nerve pain can be - It's a bit like looking at the world through a window! Good luck to everyone in this forum that are suffering from such pain.
william65598 harvey62991
Posted
harvey62991 william65598
Posted
sharon64824 craig26478
Posted
Did they end up working for you?.
v2806 craig26478
Posted
I've been on gabapentin for a couple of months for severe pains in my back.ive been reading such bad reports,that I'm weaning myself off them.ive gone from 2700 mg down to Now 900.i have done it by reducing x1 tablet at a time over a period of about 5 days at a time.so far I'm OK.i have found that taking these tablets have given me mood swings and depression too.
I want to cut x2 more out within next 10 days,to leave me on x1 a day.this is where I think my withdrawal will kick in.how do I manage to get rid of that last one without bad withdrawal symptoms????
tino007 v2806
Posted
I found I had gone through the worst by the time I was down to 1 - 2 a day. The bed swets were the worst. I was on 3600mg/Day at one point so like you it took me a while to get off them but the last few made no major difference to me.
What I was left with was depression and a few months of mood swings which slowly went. I now feel normal as its 2 years or so down the line.
Unfortunately by the time id weened myself off them my wife had had enough and left our marriage, I was difficult to live with but I wasnt expecting that! Good ol gabapentin. Now I even question what pain relief it was giving, after all it was developed for epilepsy. Now I have myself back I can see clearly the jekyl and hyde effect of that awful drug.
So keep going and if you suffer from any side effects then talk to your doc. Dont stop now, you have come this far, keep going, you wont regret it.
v2806 tino007
Posted
thanks for letting me know how these tablets had affected you too.i too feel like a Jekyll and Hyde character.its the mood swings and feeling down that's getting to me.these past 2 days I'm down to x1 twice a day,but noticed a dull ache in my side.im putting this down to the fact that I managed to walk my old dog nearly a mile and a half yesterday.
I went to the Drs surgery yesterday to..so called get What I thought was prescribed x1. Twice a day to find they'd made it out for x3,three times a day.therefore I Now have,as my calculations enough to keep me going into 2018.
I want off them completely,not increasing them.
I'm beginning to think that the Drs must be on a sales promotion bonus.
I hate some of my depression feelings.my husband is fantastic,but surely there's a limit to his patience,and that scares me. As you say Good old gabapentin.
It's these last 2 tablets to be rid of thats my worry.how to pluck up the courage to do it
tino007 v2806
Posted
Speak to your doctor again v2806, I ended up on anti depressants but im off them now, they really helped me through the whole process. I also use co-codamol for the pain but was on them anyway, and in all honesty (in my case) the pain level didn't change that much without the gabapentin.
With regards the last two tablets, you may have already done the hard bit! Two tablets may not be helping at all with regards pain so why take them? You have whittled yourself down, done everything right so take yourself by the scruff of the neck and go for it!
Come back here for help too, always happy to talk :-)
v2806 tino007
Posted
Rener craig26478
Posted
Wow! If I would've realized that early on I would've stopped gabapentin! It's a horrible drug and unless it's worth those side effects then I would taper off! Every Doctor I saw just recommended increasing dose. It seems to be the darling of non opiate prescribing. It's used for everything! It's the 8 or 10th most prescribed medication in the US. Just think about that! It's meant for bipolar and certain nerve pains! How does that happen??? In My opinion Your searching for words will just get worse. Good luck!