Gebapantine+Tizanidine+nsaid for chronic backache. Should I go ahead with it?
Posted , 6 users are following.
Hi there! I was a few years back diagnosed with osteomalacia. My vitamin D keeps dropping low if I stop taking them. But any pain I felt was mild. But since a year and a half I have been suffering from moderate to severe low back pain. An x-ray about a year ago revealed gentle scoliosis. But the doctor at the time said its negligible. Gave me an nsaid and multivitamin to take. He said the muscles may have pulled away at the spine cause of a jerk. I could only remember how I fell in the mountains as I was unfortunate to be there at the time of some flooding.
I went to an orthopedic doctor just now and My vitamin d levels were at 20 again, but the x-ray somehow revealed nothing said the doctor. he prescribed brexin(nsaid), movax(muscle relaxant), opt.D (Vit-D) and neogab (gapapantine). All to be taken for the next 7 days and then get a follow-up. I feel like this is too much. Like he couldn't figure what was wrong, so he gave one pill each for everything, something is bound to work. Do you think I should go ahead with this combination therapy? I was looking up gabapentine and was horrified at reading the side effects and withdrawal symptoms here on this forum.
1 like, 20 replies
barry5353 Naasha
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Naasha barry5353
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Thankyou for telling me. I will get an MRI soon and if nothing comes up I will consider taking it. The pain does get really bad at times and all I want is to stay on bed cause it gets really bad when walking, which is in the long term making it worse probably. And I am someone who used to be able to walk 3-4 hour straight. Now I can't for more then 15 minutes.
jane75220 Naasha
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Have u tried any physiotherapy treatment?
Naasha jane75220
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I haven't yet 😖. The ortho I went to when my pain started getting terrible told me I don't need it. Gave me a few exercises and multi vitamins and nsaid. I have been recommended two physiotherapists by acquaintances. I now need to decide which one to go.
amkoffee Naasha
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I have heard some scary things about gabapentine from people too. But you are only taking it for a week. These people took it for months at a time. What I am surprised at is that you haven't had an MRI yet. A flat X-ray will not show nearly as much as an MRI will. If it were me (and it was me 13 years ago) I would make an appointment to see a neurologist. They are the ones that deal with back issues. Orthos do too, but mostly it's neuros. But for heaven sake take the drugs for a week. It might just make your back feel better. The gabapentine is usually used for pain that is traveling down the leg. You haven't complained about that. So if you don't feel comfortable with the gabapentine then don't take it. But the NSAID will help with the inflamation and the muscle relaxer will help if its a muscle problem. And in the mean time make your appointment to see the proper doctor and get that MRI. Of course I'm basing all of this on my 13 years of dealing with chronic back pain. I am NOT a doctor. And I am sure other people will get on and give you their 2 cents worth.
Naasha amkoffee
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Thankyou! Yeah I don't feel pain going down my legs. So I'm keeping off the gabapentine untill I can go to the doctor again and ask if it's necessary. Cause if it's only gonna numb the pain and not heal. And f whats healing me is only the vit D, then I'd rather avoid it. I mean I've been putting up with the pain for a year now. I have as keep someone for an MRI and they said they'd get back to me in a week. So there's that to look forward to. I was looking up an osteomalacia thread and am thinking maybe it's just that and it couldn't get fixed till now. When I was first diagnosed, a doctor gave me really very high dose of vitamin D which took my levels from 23 straight to 123 in a month and a half and I started getting really bad stomaches pains etc. So I stopped taking it. But that was a time when my back had not been hurting so much. But at the time when it started getting too bad last year, my vitD levels were at 50. So I just dunno. If the MRI doesn't reveal anything I guess I'll just stick to vitD and get my self to a physiotherapist. How did you cope with the pain for so many years? I am deliberately staying unemployed and came back to living with my family, even though I hate living with my family...
amkoffee Naasha
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Naasha I came to the conclusion that my only recourse was to get on opiates. It was a huge decision that I made and it is not for everyone. In fact I always tell people to think long and hard before they do that. That's how I made it this 13 years not that I've been on them for 13 years but I've been on it for a long time. During these last 13 years I have spent many thousands of dollars through all kinds of therapy trying to heal my back and to help relieve some of the pain in a non-medicinal way. Some of the ways I've tried are conventional some not so conventional ways. But what I don't understand is why you're committed to not get a job. I understand that you have some pain but do you really feel like you can't work at all? That seems counterproductive to helping you with your problem. I would think that you would want to try to find a job that is something you can physically do I think it's important that you stay busy. I am 55 years old and I worked with my back hurting until I was fifty when I finally turned to disability.
Naasha amkoffee
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Heya! I find it very painful to sit down even if for just 2 hours. Once I left the 9-5 desk job I did a part time job (inventorying antiques), which though was very interesting, but there was bit of manual labour involved so my pain got worse.
I've been upto some freelance work here and there whenever it comes my way. But I can't sit for long periods of time on my laptop either. So I've only just now decided to not find any work untill my back recovers a little bit. I am applying to a university abroad just now. So by October I expect that I'd either be in university or with a job full-time. My aim is to hopefully have my back recoverd by then.
hope4cure Naasha
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This is something only you can make the decision. A clinical study I read reciently showed that a very high percentage of people are low in Vit D. We don't get it in our food. We make in in our bodies from the sunshine. There is a
I tried the above meds and others and each one I personally had a different reaction to from side effects.
I chose to try PT to learn techniques to strengthen my back. And learn what not to do to injure my back or accelerate scoliosis. No pushing or pulling lifting was enitially dropped a as my back began to feel better.
I also have developed Degenerate disc disease, buldging disc and Anklosing spondiliyis over the years. The diagnosis of scoliosis was 10 year ago and I sill try to keep up with exercises to keep back muscles strong. Every year I will check in with my dr for new xrays keeping tabs on the disease.and more PT.I TRIED palates for awhile helped a lot. There are many utube videos for back exercises too!
I hope you find what works for you we are all individuals and manage pain in different ways. I just had hip joint revision and yes my back is a bit sore . I have to sleep on my back. Also a good mattress is a big help too for back pain.
i Will get back in shape soon taking one thing at a time.
Hope whatever you decide works for you. Sometimes it take a variety of things and even learning to take care of your back early with this disease before it becomes unmanageable.
Naasha hope4cure
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Thankyou. I did look up exercises on YouTube. I am thinking of modifying the few exercises from YouTube I put ofline. Bit from here and not from there. There is uperbody cardio, twelve minute Helen more and particular backache exercise video with poses like plank and cat etc. I do some sometimes but once I get advice from Ortho and PT I will probably start them in ruitine. What doesn't hurt my back much miraculously is riding my bicycle. So I do an hour a day 3-4 times a week. Haven't for just a while cause the pain was slightly worse. And am now waiting for the ortho's permission cause one of the three I'd been to and asked had told me to keep it to a minimum.
hope4cure Naasha
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I ride a recumbant bike it is a great way to stay in shape.
Stay ray well and strong.
alex90869 Naasha
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Have you considered a musculoskeletal specialist?
jane75220 alex90869
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amkoffee alex90869
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What is a musculoskeletal specialist and what do they do? I'm starting to hear about them in pain site that I frequent and would like more info please.
Naasha alex90869
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jane75220 Naasha
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I hope that by now you are feeling better and have some answers.
Doctors are now advising patients who take Vitamin D supplements to
combine them with Vitamin B12 and folate.
If you are Vt D deficient then you may also be Vitamin B12 deficient. Blood tests are unreliable. The fact that you cannot sit for long suggests that you may be B12 deficient.
B12 supplements are given either by injection or sub lingually.to ensure absorption.
There are eexcellent sources of far more detailed information on B12 deficiencies online.
Good luck but youreally ned a combind approach of replenishing vitamins and minerals plus a good diet, physio and strengtheningthe core muscles.
hope4cure jane75220
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Vit -supplements as you mentioned can have very real effects on our bodies as well as our nervous system . I was also low on B-12 & B complex. Took them for a year until levels were normal. Fell much better.