To ask about gabapentin and nerve pain/sciatica success stories?

@Jappydooda

It’s not really a short view, there are NICE guidelines to follow. MRI machines are a huge expensive piece of equipment, are not easily stored at a hospital, also because of the length of time they can take (20 mins for a straight MRI and a lot longer for one with a dye) you can’t fit that many patients in one day and waiting lists are usually quite long.

It makes more sense to ‘wait and see’ rather than send people for early MRI’s when you know exactly what it will show - a herniated disc that may or may not heal within a few months. So the pain is managed during the healing and not everyone needs surgery which is risky in its own right. Even the spinal injection is risky.

A lot of pain comes from the muscle spasms which can also be managed and may relent with the right physical therapy

So in the NHS the most severe cases are treated faster than those who can be managed with a view to healing

The short view they have IMO is not the surgery but referring for injections which are much less expensive and risky and much faster healing time. They don’t always work but they are worth trying trust me!

I had an MRI scan, which showed I had a protruding disc. If you haven't been referred by your GP for an MRI you really should have been. I was referred before my pain was bad enough for me to need the Gabapentin (didn't actually get the scan for ages but that's another story).

Just checked and I had pain in January, and didn't see surgeon or have MRI until March and surgery not until May, I went off work beginning of April as I was on morphine and not coping with the pain and unable to walk without dragging my foot

Madness! Sometimes I think the NHS take the short view - surely it makes more sense to operate on people than spend 10's of years in doling out medication, physio, doctor's appointments. It's roughly £6K for the op and I think my MRI was around £250.

I guess I was lucky that I had private medical cover - however, it still took me getting stuck on the doctor's exam bed for 40 minutes in excruciating pain for him to finally refer me to a consultant after one of the tests he did send the sciatica into one of those unbearable spasms!!

I was MRI'd 2 days after seeing the consultant and then in surgery 2 days after the consultant saw the MRI, it was that bad!

I really do feel for you all - I know what that pain is like and how debilitating and depressing it is.

I'm having an MRI soon and was referred after 5 months of pain.

They are reluctant to do even an MRI- physio said there was no point as he knew what it would show. I think they’ll want to do all other options before MRI or surgery. But warnings from all GPs and physios about the dire consequences of developing cauda equina.

You do need an MRI but sometimes it does heal with time

I had one heal with time and one heal with injection so don’t give up all hope

With the tens - order extra pads from amazon and get one that have good reviews for the gel stickiness

Didn't work for me. Surgery worked in the end. You need an mri if you can't walk without a stick.

@SpamChaudFroid I hope it helps, it's a bargain price to pay if it does!

@Jappydooda waiting lists and they don't like operating. I waited weeks in screaming pain with a disc that wasn't going anywhere without surgery
Plus often you can't get an MRI. I had sciatica for a decade before a non NHS physio sent me for an MRI

I wore my tens all day but didn’t always have it turned on. I had it on it I was out and about
Otherwise if you keep peeling the pads off it will cost you a fortune they don’t stay sticky forever

They won’t do surgery if there is a chance it will heal on it’s own and that can take 3 months
And first they would try an injection
I was offered both and I chose the injection which worked for me

I loved my TENS it really helps distract you

@Jappydooda - my thoughts exactly.

Had mine 20 yrs ago and, like you, only the occasional flare ups. Rather that than opioids any day.

Why are you guys not getting surgery for herniated discs?

I had crippling sciatica and after following the painkiller/physio route which didn't work, I had surgery to remove the offending disc - which did work. I have been pain free for 15 years (with the odd sciatic flare up because I did something stupid and hurt my back).

I understand that not all back pain can be cured by surgery and that pain meds and physio can be a cure - but by taking away the offending object (disc) the recovery can be much swifter.

spam hydrotherapy is NHS at the hospital. Then it will be physio, also NHS, at the hospital.

DH bought me a TENS machine. I tried it today and Oh God, it feels lovely.

I'd recommend trying it if you haven't already.

My doctor wanted me to take 300mg 3 x a day. Maybe the dose was too high and I would have been ok on a lower one.

I’ve been drinking loads more water - thanks to whoever suggested that. It certainly makes sense about rehydration - and had my first session of hydrotherapy. Getting to the hospital was an ordeal in itself. But the journey home was lots easier. I was warned that it would start to feel sore again in the afternoon and next couple of days, and it is, but it’s actually not agonising, more like I’ve been kicked by the proverbial mule. I’m not overweight, so I can’t do anything in that direction. I wonder how common hydrotherapy is. Has anyone else been offered that? I get four sessions before I start physiotherapy proper.

OP I hope you get the pain meds you need and get it under control

But I then seriously urge you to consider the exercise and diet options . As these were not Mentioned to me , but ultimately really helped . And on that note will go and do some Core exercises myself ?

I had it because I was getting a tingling in the skin in my upper arms, so much so that I could only wear soft fabrics or it felt like I was being scratched by my clothes.
The Gabapentin cleared it up, I think, but during and after I had the most frightening memory loss and i wonder how permanent the effects are. I remember at the time going in a shop and not knowing what shop I’d been in moments before. I stopped the treatment early and asked the gp about the memory loss. He was very blasé about it, explaining that yes, it’s well known that it causes memory loss. Wish I’d known that in advance.

I'm glad I found this thread, I am in the same position but on day 3 of my first try at Gabapentin.

I've decided to stop taking it.

I don't like how it's making me feel and I especially don't like what I keep reading about coming off it.

I'm booked for an MRI and spinal physio and I'm praying that shows what's wrong/helps.

Good luck to you OP, I'll be following. (I'm the one hobbling around trying to pretend is not hurting)