Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

433 replies

SpamChaudFroid · 24/05/2019 07:10

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

OP posts:
EggbertHeartsTina · 27/06/2019 07:03

All the best for your recovery @Bloodybackpain! Sounds like you were right to go down the surgery route.

EggbertHeartsTina · 27/06/2019 07:04

@SpamChaudFroid how are you doing? Not heard from you in a while Flowers

avocuddl · 27/06/2019 08:21

Glad it went ok @Bloodybackpain ! Wishing you a speedy recovery!

How are you @EggbertHeartsTina ?

avocuddl · 27/06/2019 12:01

Feeling so low. My physio appointment is not until August. Nothing they can do in between now and then except increase the Amitriptyline dose to 25mg.

I just give up

Bloodybackpain · 27/06/2019 13:00

@avocuddl oh no :( Can you pay for a one off session with physio? Or maybe keep chasing regularly saying you’re in pain etc?

avocuddl · 27/06/2019 13:10

How are you feeling today @Bloodybackpain ?

I've booked an appointment for private physio and on my way there now. Doesn't help speed up referral for injection or anything as all has to be done through Nhs msk team. They said they do get cancellations so I'm going to ring everyday and be super annoying until they see me! Problem is with physio that I've been given so far is that I can't actually do the exercises as in too much pain but will see how today goes. Need to start thinking positive

Bloodybackpain · 27/06/2019 13:19

@avocuddl can’t remember if I said, but I originally saw a physio who said I needed to see a spinal surgeon ASAP. So hopefully any good physio will spot any issues and refer you on as appropriate.

Bloodybackpain · 27/06/2019 13:21

I hope the appointment goes well.
One of my friends is a GP and I was discussing this with her - she said in our area (Hertfordshire) a gp can do a referral to bypass the msk service , so maybe worth asking GP?

avocuddl · 27/06/2019 15:20

Thanks bloody - I did ask gp about bypassing physio and he said no. Tbf he was a bit of a twat about the whole thing so I'll probably ask someone else.

Private physio was great. She was shocked at what nhs treatment has been and felt sorry for me that I didn't have/now couldn't get health insurance 😔 said private consultant would cost around £250. Deffo can't afford that unfortunately. Have already spent hundreds on chiro/osteo/extra car parking cause I can't walk anywhere etc!

Gave me some exercises and worked on my back. Said she would know within 3 treatments if physio will work. I'll do it and hopefully it will work. I'll actually be £250 down after 3 treatments plus today's session but I guess the aim is to avoid surgery anyway. And I will continue to ring up daily to see the nhs physio sooner.

Feeling very sore and crap about it all but I'm sat in the garden and the sun is shining. Could be in the same position in August so I can't keep feeling sorry for myself. Life must go on I guess 😔

avocuddl · 27/06/2019 15:21

How are you feeling? Are you home now?

Bloodybackpain · 27/06/2019 18:44

@avocuddl oh no poor you :( , sorry to hear but at least the physio was nice.
There are a few fb groups around for sciatica , I think I read on one that if you see a consultant privately but can’t afford operation with them, then sometimes they’ll just put you on their nhs list.

Bloodybackpain · 27/06/2019 18:45

Going home tomorrow. I feel quite nervous about it, feel quite safe in hospital with a call button for nurses. Mobilising has slowly got better during the day but it’s still a nightmare getting up and down.
Plus I feel really constipated!!

itsabongthing · 27/06/2019 18:46

I had pregabalin for trapped nerve/slipped disc in my neck.
It was very effective but I did have to increase the dose a couple of times as the pain returned/worsened so it was like I built up resistance to it or something.

BogstandardBelle · 27/06/2019 21:08

@avocuddl

Oh dear, that’s a bit shit. Have you had an MRI or anything that gives you an actual diagnosis?

YesQueen · 27/06/2019 21:25

@Bloodybackpain it gets easier. Get some senna or lactulose, you don't want to end up with manual evacuation as it's grim
Loads of water, and tinned pears in their juice bizarrely helped me. Don't worry if you are shattered when you get home, I watched box sets, napped and pottered about for 3 weeks, was SO tired

Everyone else who has had the same op seems to have been kept in a lot longer, I think I was 21hrs from waking up after to discharge. Maybe they wanted the bed GrinGrin

Bloodybackpain · 27/06/2019 21:48

Manual evacuation Shock
Have ordered prunes for breakfast tomorrow and have prune at home, fingers crossed!

EggbertHeartsTina · 28/06/2019 11:59

Hello all - hope you’re recovering well at home @Bloodybackpain

@avocuddl - so sorry nhs has been a bit shit. I’ve had a similar experience with a month wait until physio, I’m hoping the physio will consider further referrals as by the time I see him/her it will be 3 months.

I did see a private physio but it hurt so much after I didn’t return. Plus she was £60 per hour.

I’m continuing to see my osteo every two weeks in order to improve posture and straighten my back, it’s very wonky after compensating for the pain down my left leg.

On Tuesday and Wednesday I woke up in so much pain I was crawling the walls. I’ve now started taking the pregabalin closer to bedtime and Thursday / today the pain was not as bad when I woke.

I did a bit of walking yesterday, it started out ok but I soon had to keep sitting on the side of the road every few metres Blush

I do find I feel better after a decent sleep as it relaxes my muscles- unfortunately my 6 week old wakes a lot in the night!

I saw my GP today for my 6 week postnatal check. He just said I will get better. Hmm I will wait for my physio and see what happens from there.

Bloodybackpain · 28/06/2019 12:42

Oh no eggbert, helpful GP (not). Can your other half deal with baby in the night ? (Sorry I don’t know if you are breast feeding). Hopefully the osteopath will help a little.

Made it home today, the 30 minute car drive from hospital was pretty excruciating, I think in part due to our car seats which are a bit of a bucket shape. Could barely get out at the end.
It’s nice to be home though, my own bed feels good.

user1471433754 · 28/06/2019 13:29

Hi ladies I have been lurking a lot and I hope you don't mind if I join in?
Prolapsed discs L5/S1 about 15 years ago, was left with a lot of weakness and stiffness in back and then developed fibromyalgia from that. Last November my back started getting really bad again. And the last few weeks it's been agony. Terrible spasms in back, can hardly move with pain which is now radiating down right leg.
Saw rheumatologist a few days ago and he is organising an MRI. Am not even sure how I will get in the machine tbh cos of the pain. Have been housebound for weeks. Was on naproxen, which did help but had to come off it as found I now have duodenal ulcer. Feel at my wit's end! Am on pregabalin, roboxin and paracetamol. Can't do much at all now.
Here's hoping we can all get this sorted. It's hell x

user1471433754 · 28/06/2019 13:30

Sorry, I don't mean to de rail thread, just hope we can all support one another x

Bloodybackpain · 28/06/2019 15:17

@user1471433754 no problem at all. I hope the mri is helpful and not too painful for you.
Did you have surgery when you had the original prolapsed discs?(I am paranoid about my surgery not working!)

user1471433754 · 28/06/2019 15:27

No **bloody I didn't as at the time they said as my back was worse than my leg they couldn't do it, a disectomy only works for leg pain. That's what I was told but this is going back 15 years. Hopefully your op will be good, have also heard good reports about it working nowadays x

YesQueen · 28/06/2019 16:31

Yeah I still get back pain. The op was for leg pain and to stop paralysis

Bloodybackpain · 29/06/2019 17:28

How is everyone doing in the heat today?
I’ve been mainly hiding in our bedroom, which is reasonably cool although hot now the sun has moved round.
Despite doing very little today, my back is quite sore, so I might have overdone it a bit, need to pin myself to the bed!

EggbertHeartsTina · 29/06/2019 17:49

@bloodybackpain I’m breastfeeding so it’s all me in the night! Although DH will help to get him back down after a feed.

@user1471433754 welcome to the thread, so sorry to hear what a rough time you’re having of it. I’m quite new to sciatica (had this acute episode for two months now) and I can’t bear the thought of dealing with it for as long as you have. I hope you can manage your MRI and that it leads to some sort of resolution.

bloody I think the heat has relaxed my muscles a bit as today my pain has been quieter than usual. I went to a kid’ birthday party and couldn’t stand for long but otherwise been reasonably comfortable. Haven’t tried much walking.

Hope you’re recovering ok and be careful about overdoing it!

Swipe left for the next trending thread