Page 8 | To ask about gabapentin and nerve pain/sciatica success stories?

SpamChaudFroid · 2019-05-24T06:10:19+00:00

After nearly 3 months of sciatic pain, (it's bad, I need a stick to be able to walk, well shuffle really) and many different drugs, (codiene, amitriptyline, diazepam) my GP has prescribed gabapentin. I am seeing a physio who has made an appointment for a second opinion as to whether it needs further invstigation, (eg. steroid injections or material removed). Has this worked for anyone? --please someone tell me it works--

EggbertHeartsTina · 17/06/2019 15:59

Hey spam no I didn’t think you were implying that! I thought your fact about kids going into LA care was really interesting... although v v depressing!!! I think some partners nowadays would want to do that but my DH is actually better with my preschooler than I am, ha!!!

Hope your GP is helpful and lets you increase your Gabapentin.

I am just waiting for the musculoskeletal phone appointment; annoyingly (although not really annoying) I am having a good day today and feeling quite positive! I’m really going to have to ham it up. If it had been Saturday (spice girls day) when I was in agony and couldn’t walk more than 20 yards it would’ve been better.

Original poster

SpamChaudFroid · 17/06/2019 09:52

Oh shit, I didnt mean to imply your dh was like a 1950s throwback Eggbert! It was just as I was typing that and thinking about attachment styles that that little nugget of info fell into my conciousness.

I hope you get some joy with the musculoskeletal expert. The hcp who referred me to scan is one of those, ( I didn't realise, just thought I was seeing a more senior physio).

Ava I also was heading for a dark place, pain sucks the joy out of everything. Like you I also struggle with communicating how are bad it actually is. If there's a Gp you find less intimidating, try and always book an appointment with them. I found having a (female) Gp I like and trust made all the difference.

I have a phone consultation with my GP today and am going to ask if I can increase the gabapentin. I can walk for about 2mins at a time now before the pain's unbearable, but would like to be able to get a bit further. I haven't bothered with the codiene because I can't feel any benefit from the dose I'm taking and don't want to increase it.

Using phone atm because device in menders, so apologies for any sloppiness, (I hate typing with my thumbs!)

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EggbertHeartsTina · 17/06/2019 07:56

Hi @avocuddl sorry to hear you’re not feeling good today. The problem is that mental state makes the pain worse but the pain affects our mental state so it’s a vicious cycle. I definitely notice a correlation between how relaxed I am and the pain.

I’m getting desperate now so I’ve been looking at mindfulness and alternative ways to treat the pain. Last night I went to bed early and did the methods described below:

mrsmindfulness.com/mindfulness-meditation-for-pain-relief-in-simple-5-steps/

I slept 8 hours for the first time in ages (with one wakeup for feeding my baby) and I woke feeling less sore than usual. Im up now and as I’ve started to tense up moving around etc it’s getting worse again. I think I need to relax more as every professional I’ve seen about this have remarked how tense I am.

This is probably why acupuncture worked the first time - because it relaxed me so much!

I’ve got my musculoskeletal referral call this afternoon. Gonna ham it up as much as possible (not that I need to, I will probably cry on the phone).

avo let us know how GP goes if you get in.

spam you’re right, I’m spending a lot of time feeling guilty about my husband but I forget how much my body has been through for us to have our lovely baby - so I need to stop feeling like he’s doing me favours! Luckily he is the total opposite to a 1950s husband!

Hope everyone is ok today xxx

avocuddl · 17/06/2019 07:36

Awh yay @EggbertHeartsTina so glad you made it and enjoyed it!! Bet it was amazing!

How are you all feeling this Monday morning? I'm feeling crap and hoping to see the GP today to discuss referral/more meds/general life. Feeling that my mental state is not good either but I don't know how to articulate it. Hoping I get a good gp to discuss it with but it's pot luck and some of them are absolutely useless.

Original poster

SpamChaudFroid · 16/06/2019 11:02

Yaaaay! I think doing things like that with your friends really is like medicine for the soul, (which then filters down to the wayward nerves😉). I'm so glad. And I hope the pain remains manageable today. I doubt your Dh is batting an eyelid at doing more than his usual share. You just pushed a baby out after lugging him around for 9 months. Do you know, in the 1950s it was the usual thing to send existing dcs into LA care for a few weeks whilst the woman was in the hospital giving birth? Because a man just wasn't expected to look after his own children.

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EggbertHeartsTina · 16/06/2019 00:15

I made it!!! My amazing friend bought me a little fold up camping stool that I could sit on when pain was bad. It was awesome.

Hoping pain isn’t this bad tomorrow because it’s Father’s Day and I need to be able to get out and about to treat my husband - he’s looked after me so much these last weeks

EggbertHeartsTina · 15/06/2019 15:04

The seated tickets were more expensive and I didn’t want to be on my own / make my group move. I’m on my way but not feeling it. Had acupuncture this morning to no avail - in fact I was so tense the needles really hurt (they don’t normally)! Think I’ll end up having a few drinks and then leaving unless the pain miraculously abates.

Original poster

SpamChaudFroid · 15/06/2019 07:40

Morning! Hello avacuddl of course you can join! Being able to come here and talk about it has been a nice support for me and probably stopped me from going mad with pain when it was at its worst. Have the HCPs told you what the next step is now that they know the problem is herniated discs?

Eggbert, if it's any comfort, my pain went crazy like yours before it began to improve. That was its worst time. I'd get an entire day where I thought I''d shaken it off for it to come back with a vengeance. I had to keep my pain meds in my bedside table to take first thing and let them work before attempting to get out of bed, (who knew that was so complicated, and requires strict choreography!) I hope you do make it to your concert. If you really want to go could you borrow a wheeled chair? And perhaps ring the venue, they may swap your ticket for a seated one? The Spice Girls are all mums, they'd want you to go!

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EggbertHeartsTina · 15/06/2019 03:50

@avocuddl hello! So sorry to hear about your sciatica. What are they doing for you? Surely they aren’t just leaving you to deal with it when it’s so borderline? Haven’t you been offered steroid injections? I feel so sorry for you. Has it happened before? The thought that this could go on for three months actually makes me want to cry

I could have written your “monologue”. I’m so upset that I can’t do what I used to with my 3 year old. He knows my leg is bad because he sees me crying almost every day. I feel so guilty for being like that in front of him . I also can’t lift him but sometimes I do when it’s not feeling too bad which means I’m probably making it worse.

I can’t stand long either so I’m pretty sure the spice girls will be a write-off. I’m hoping I can easily leave if necessary. I’ll report back afterwards!

Meccacos · 15/06/2019 01:36

That drug is addictive. I also think it made me sick when I missed a dose (I had withdrawal systems within hours) and ended up with an unplanned pregnancy.

I’ve come off the gabapentin completely and I’ve found my pain is less.

It interferes with my work massively and I could have lost my job. Try and get off it as soon as you can.

avocuddl · 15/06/2019 00:42

@EggbertHeartsTina I'm sorry to hear that it's not going as well as it initially was. I think you're amazing dealing with this and a newborn too! I honestly couldn't imagine! How are you finding it doing day to day stuff with the kids? I have an 18m old and I'm really struggling tbh. I feel like a failure as a mum because I can't properly care for her. I can't lift her up when I need to and she's bribed so much with snacks to get her to do what I need. She's definitely started to pick up on it in the last few weeks and she's playing up more for me. I feel so bad that my stupid pain is contributing to her behaviour and that she's missing out on things like I can't really take her to the park etc sorry this turned into a massive monologue about me. I really hope you make it to the spice girls!! Could you take a little fold up camping stool or something just to give yourself a little rest? I can't stand for longer than 5-10mins without being in agony.

Wishing everyone a pain free weekend!

avocuddl · 14/06/2019 23:42

👋🏽 can I join!

Currently sat in a&e after a cauda equina scare. I'm 3 months into a horrendous episode of sciatica caused by 2 herniated discs. Just got the mri results and they think it's okay but really borderline so I need to be careful with my bladder/bowel and come back immediately if anything changes.

I haven't found anything that touches the pain so really grateful for some of the tips here!

Also sorry that we are all in this situation. It is literally the worst isn't it?!

EggbertHeartsTina · 14/06/2019 23:02

I love “sciatica sisters” sounds like a band

I’m ok, just getting more and more cross that I’ve plateaued again. After that first acupuncture I improved significantly but since then I’ve woken up every day feeling worse or the same.

I find mornings are horrendous - I suppose it’s the lack of movement and medication overnight. I am usually in tears by the end of my shower.

However movement seems to make it more bearable which is different to how it first started when any walking was virtually impossible. I just get these awful pains which might be spasms, I don’t know, but again I still have to keep crouching in the street to overcome them

You’re right Spam a list or something is a good idea for Monday to prevent me missing stuff / going off on tangents. The chicken wing comparison is good - I normally tell them my leg “feels sick”

Belle so glad you’re getting an MRI too. I wonder if I should look into a back brace as I keep finding myself stooping.

Spice Girls tomorrow (Saturday) eek! Fingers crossed I make it through!

Original poster

SpamChaudFroid · 14/06/2019 11:59

...meant to ask Belle, does the back brace feel very restrictive, like Spanx? And does it feel........sweaty? Or say compared to the discomfort of an underwired bra. Corset?

(Now I sound like the underwear troll )

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Original poster

SpamChaudFroid · 14/06/2019 11:54

I bet the amount of paracetamol she's ingesting is a lot for an elderly liver to cope with. Surely her GP would be better off prescribing codiene Belle? TBH I'm not sure I'd mind zoning out a bit when I get to my dotage.

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BogstandardBelle · 14/06/2019 10:54

Hmm it’s quite a basic one - basically a big stretchy Velcro bandage with some metal vertical stiffeners on the back. It’s a french brand, I’m sure you can find UK version. I find it comforting - it feels supported and stops me making wrong moves...

Interesting what you say about the diazepam and you are wise to be wary. I’m actually very glad that I don’t seem to be getting any kind of buzz from them (very low dosage). My mum - who has had multiple back / hip problems over the years, including arthritis and two hip replacements, is thoroughly addicted to prescription strength Solpadol. She’s in her 70s now, and clearly zoning out every afternoon / evening doesn’t bother her. But it makes me very, very wary - I don’t want to do that.

Original poster

SpamChaudFroid · 14/06/2019 10:27

Morning Sciatica Sisters

I am now Googling back braces.... Would you mind very much linking to the sort you have please Belle? There seem to be 2 types, ones that look like rucksack straps and the ones that go around the waist. They look like they'd feel like Spanx, (one of the most unpleasant feelings in the world).

I wish I could trust myself with diazepam, but I really don't with my predilection for certain substances. A poster said upthread if you used gabapentin in a certain way you can get high off the stuff, and yup, I Googled it and it sounds marvellous. Was sorely tempted to "experiment" myself tonight, but have changed my mind after thinking through all possible consequences - the most problematic is that I will want to do it more than once and the sticky path that leads to. Also I'd be letting my brilliant GP down who's shown me some trust where many wouldn't. That's the thing about being an addict - that small secretive voice that just pipes up out of nowhere and learning to live with it without acting on it.

How are you today Eggbert? You probably do this anyway, but I always think about what I want to ask or say to the HCP and write down pages some bullet points. Otherwise I go off on long floriferous descriptions of what the pain's like (a chicken wing when you pull the bones apart and you can see all the tendons when first describing the pain to GP )

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BogstandardBelle · 14/06/2019 08:50

Excellent news@SpamChaudFroid.

Mines set for the 13th July, so I’ll report back then.

I missed a diazepam last night (it seemed to be keeping me awake all night then sleeping really heavily btw 5-9am), but I feel much stiffer today - and I still slept like crap, so that must just be down to me.

A friend brought me a back brace yesterday, and I have to say it helps - though it would have been better two weeks ago!

Original poster

SpamChaudFroid · 13/06/2019 21:32

5 weeks he said Eggbert. It was such a relief when I heard him say it. I was going to push for it though, if it wasn't offered. And you're having one too Belle, MRIs for all, yay!

Thanks for the suggestions Squirrel, I have a TENS and the gapapentin seem to be working pretty well for me. The giant sonar TENS machines sound like bliss!

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EggbertHeartsTina · 13/06/2019 21:17

Excellent news spam! Hopefully you’ll get some progress now!!

Any idea on how long you have to wait?

Original poster

SpamChaudFroid · 13/06/2019 15:04

Yay, I have been referred for an MRI!!

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BogstandardBelle · 12/06/2019 07:48

Thank you for the support! I saw the spine specialist today, and it went well. She thinks I have a herniated disc plus the beginning of arthritis in several lower vertebrae, and the l4-l5 disc is looking very thin and dessicated. She has upped my painkillers (steroids (anti-inflammation) for daytime, diazepam (muscle relaxant) for night time) and signed me off work for another ten days. Also I have to go for an MRI so she can see clearly what the issue is.

I feel vindicated - it’s not just a «bad back» and me being a wuss ;-) I’m determined also to lose weight and increase exercise in the future.

ShhhSecretSquirrel · 12/06/2019 03:57

@SpamChaudFroid I thought I'd check with with how you're doing. If you have the funds, or possibly a policy that covers or refunds physio, maybe going private might help, as they have lots of tools that the NHS don't.

I've had back issues since I was a child, growing up my parents seemed physio a waste of time, as it had little impact, plus was time consuming.

I've seen a private physio a few times, usually 6/8 sessions. They have stronger machines that are essentially tens machines, they also used sonar or something like that, anything to loosen up the surrounding muscles, usually the pain is nerve and muscular.

Last time I went you got 45 minutes for £30. I did this once a week, it was bliss. Ooh I got a rather painful, but ultimately pain relieving massage. It was superb.

I think I've said I have diazepam for spasms, baclofen is another drug similar to gabapentin / pregablin. So it might be worth looking up that. Also maybe starting a collection of hot water bottles, as mentioned before getting a tens, as both really help.

Original poster

SpamChaudFroid · 11/06/2019 16:04

I would take his advice Eggbert, and bollocks to suffering politely. I've found I've constantly had to state I cannot walk, but was only given a stick when I asked for one. The last couple of days have been awesome pain-wise, thanks to the gabapentin doing its thing. Do you think upping your pregabalin might help you? And if it gives you any hope, the last place my pain's settled is in my leg, which felt as you described, (including it just collapsing under me) and now it's much more manageable, so maybe you're on the cusp of it getting better too? I can give my legs a good stretch out now, which was too painful before, so that feels amazing. So pretty good all in all, thank you for asking . Ooh and I have my physio appt on Thursday. I hope they send me for a scan, even though a lot of the pain's manageable, I can still feel there's something wrong, because of the odd way I'm carrying myself and the muscles tiring so quickly.

Slightly low mood today, and I don't know why! I've been feeling so much better all round, so not sure why, perhaps it's the rain? Stuck indoors and too much brooding?

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EggbertHeartsTina · 11/06/2019 12:43

Hello all!

Belle I’m sorry you have been suffering so long. Sounds like you need an MRI to see what’s going on and perhaps treatment such as a steroid injection? You shouldn’t have to live like that. I feel that if I continue as I am now, it will wear me down mentally. Before pregnancy (and a bit during) I relied on running for my mental health, I was doing half marathons and now I can’t even run for a bus.

Spam I had a good weekend and yesterday was also good, I’ve been getting by on 60mg codeine once a day. However this morning I woke up in fairly severe pain. It’s like a burning all down my leg - it’s like my leg wants to give way under me. I had osteopath at 9am and she’s helped it slightly, she’s also managed to get my spine straight. Hoping I can keep it that way.

If Saturday is like yesterday I’ll be able to go to spice girls. If it’s like today I would really struggle. Fingers crossed!

How are you Spam? It’s awful that you feel you have to avoid your pain meds for your appointment but I agree, women’s pain is played down. I feel like I have to lead with “but I gave birth twice without pain meds so this pain is really bad!” But I shouldn’t have to say stuff like that, they should see if for what it is. Spam when is your appointment?

I’ve been referred to this nhs musculoskeletal clinic who are calling me on Monday and my osteopath has advised me to really ham up my symptoms in order to get the care I need