Excruciating Sciatic Pain - Gabapentin

First, Gabapentin (Neurontin) will like put 20 pounds on you in a month.  If it doesn't you'll be the exception.  Lyrica never worked for me.  Those are the nerve drugs.

Second, I've had many cases of sciatica caused by DIFFERENT things.  All of them, but one, were cured by a chiropractor from immediately to within a few weeks.  Hip and spine alignment, locked SI joints and more can pinch the sciatic nerve.  Simplest, non-invasive path is an x-ray and chiropractic.

However, the one that did not respond to drugs, chiro and pain shots in my spine was the time it was caused by a bone spur at L4/L5 literally "crushing" (doc's description) my sciatic nerve root.  MRI...neurosurgeon. Simple laminectomy (no fusion) to get rid of the bone spur.  Instant relief; no rehab.

Lesson:  You have to find the ROOT CAUSE of the sciatica and fix it.  There are so many things that can be causing your pain.  You have to find the exact cause, not just mask the symptoms with all the crappy drugs.  It is very painful...I know.  More painful? Sciatica down BOTH legs instead of just one...called stenosis...got that last October and fixed a month ago.  Only a neurosurgeon can help you there.

Sciatica pain is not only horrible, it's totally distinctive.  I've recently been prescribed Gabapentin, and have found it the only thing that's given some relief from the nerve pain.  It's only pain relief though - doesn't heal whatever has gone wrong in your back.  My doctor says sciatica usually settles in up to six weeks.  By which time without pain relief I don't like to think what sort if state I'd be in.  Take the Gabapentin and whatever else pain relief you can, but try to get referred to a consultant - an MRI scan should show if you need another operation.  Incidentally, I had an decompression operation for spinal stenosis two and a half months ago.  The sciatica was instantly cured.  But it came back a week ago.  I don't care about weight gain, though hope that doesn't happen.  I don't think it's very likely though.  The pain has thoroughly upset my whole body and I can't eat. 

 Gabapentin, Not being great with many pain meds so I have no tried this myself basically because of reports I have from others about some terrible side effects it can deliver, I do know that it acts differently to other pain medication by changing messages from the brain, best advice look it up on the internet.

The lifting thing has obviously done the damage, I myself did the same thing 3 months ago, I had just had a facet joint injection & i was feeling good no pain in my back & I had not any sciatica for over 18 months after stopping the Statins I was prescribed for AF 8 years ago , Statins are crippling for certain people with arthritis & I was one of those people.. but following the facet joint injection mentioned above I did a silly thing by lifting something heavy that I should have not attempted, I felt a bit of a click & a twinge of pain, but the following day I really knew about it with a really sore stiff back & then the sciatica kicked in, but not having any back pain or sciatica at the time I lifted this object i did not give it 2nd thought to my huge regret now, I have been crippled with severe sciatica ever since, I think like you Dave I have moved something in my lumber region...my neurosurgeon did offer me surgery a bilateral decompression / laminectomy but with no fusion, I know this is a risky operation & can make things worse especially if its done without the use of fusion grafts + rods & screws to stabilise the area... if having surgery for this it has be the correct surgery procedure done by a neurosurgeon that has been trained in "Complex spine surgery"  Research "Mayfield Brain & spine" on the web'... https://www.mayfieldclinic.com/PE-Decompression.htm

I am thinking of trying a chiropractor first but not holding up much hope. with very use full information

I hope the moderators allow the link above its very informative

I had a similar experience after a decompression L4/5 where a bone spur was squashing a "bundle of nerves" and causing horrible pain.  The operation cured it completely, and the sciatica was gone, although I still had very strong arthritis pain and was taking naproxen for it.  Then, over a three day period, the sciatica came raging back.  The doctor prescribed Gabapentin, and the sciatica has subsided.  I feel it occasionally, briefly, and worry!  But after a week I have had no side effects from the Gabapentin, and think it's a marvellous addition to pain relief.  Will the sciatica come back if/when I stop taking the Gabapentin?  I don't know yet, but I'm seeing my surgeon on Friday next week, so perhaps he can shed some light about what happened!  I'm not aware of having done anything to aggravate the sciatia/stenosis,

?Don't expect this will help, but hope you are now getting relief from the pain - it's horrible.

I to agree that sciatica is the worst. Its almost always there when u have it and you never adjust to it. I have had chronic back issuea going on 13 yrs and bever have had sciatica up untill 16 weeks ago. I just woke up with it and have been barely making it threw the days since. I also have a 2yr old and a 4 month old. Trying to take care of my ypung children while coping with this has just been impossible. I also suffer from 7 hurn. From last disk up and have spinal stenosis and d.d.d. and iv tuffed threw but this sciatica is unreal! My primary put me on gabapentin 300mg. And baclofin 10mg. Also motrin 800 3x day and im starting to feel a diffrence already in short amount of time. I to was afraid to take because iv read all kinds of things online but when ur that desperate for reliefe sometimes u just gotta say f. It and try. I take at night a few hours b4 bed so the intenseness is mostly while kids are in bed and i sleep aswell. It does take spme getting use to im not gonna lie but for me its been a life saver. I know its scary when people report things that dont sound all that hot but dont listen to online please even my experience. Try for ypur self and see everyone reacts to diff. Meds diff. And u never know it may be the worse thing u ever tried or the best. Also for me lying on my back on the floor w legs bent and bringing up to chest hold for few sec then do other leg ect has been very helpfull. For me sitting is the worst. I can have a day where i walk it out n feel great almost no pain and if i sit for even 30 sec its like any good i did is gone and its more painfull then ever if that is what urs is like lying on floor w legs flat and or knee to chest helps a lot. Like when was so bad i could vomit that was my only saver to get some relief. Good luck tp ypu and i pray u feel better its the worst thing iv ever delt with and wouldn't wish on anyone.