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

[SpamChaudFroid]

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

@Bloodybackpain Yes unfortunately I am still on the same medication, there has been talks of increasing it, but I’m refusing and pushing through at the moment. The side effects from these are bad enough, I used to have beautiful handwriting, now because my hands shake so much, you can barely read it, I tip glasses frequently (I’m a nightmare to take out for a meal), I drop things, I can’t wear heels anymore which I used to live in prior to my accident, my eyesight goes fuzzy, I get tired easily and so on. It’s the small things like that, which get to me, when there is so many of them. I’m also afraid that if I increase again, when is the point going to come where they say, we can’t go any further?

The one thing that really helped me years ago, was acupuncture. But I had to have 4 sessions a week for it to be effective. I can not at £45 per session, afford to pay for that many rounds week in and week out. I did have it on the NHS briefly- 1 session every 6 weeks, but it made no difference at all.

What I find hardest is people don’t understand that the pain is 24/7 at varying levels. Yes I might take loads of meds and they may be strong, but they never leave me pain free. They also say ‘just increase them’ and I’m like mmmmmm and you have my side effects for me!

@EggbertHeartsTina OMG butt pain! The amount of times I’m with someone and I take a sharp breath in and say ‘I feel like someone’s just stuck a red hot poker up my butt!’ and they laugh thinking it’s funny. But it’s the only way I can describe it!

Acupuncture was the only thing which helped me and I tried gabapentin.

I haven't read through thread, but want to testify to the effectiveness of Pregabalin, similar. It saved my life. If you are walking with a stick & bent double, I hope you've demanded an mri scan? I walked til I could walk no more -it was a burst disc, and only pregabalin got me through the weeks prior to the discectomy I had to use my savings to go private & prove I needed.
Nhs offered me acupuncture. Said it was 'just sciatica'. There is no 'just' about such savage pain. Even now I have permanent pain running down my right leg because they left me dragging myself around for over two years. Til it burst completely and I considered suicide. People thought I was my daughters grandmother.
Pregabalin helps me get through my days now. I would neither be walking nor alive without the relief it brought to those terrible times, and the mobility it gives me the chance to push on with now.
Wishing you an end to your suffering.
Stay mobile, do your core exercise, and definitely get a burst disc ruled out or treated.
With much sympathy.

*Really screws with memory though ...

@IsobelRae23 well done for your gym success! That's amazing weight loss!! I'm so sorry to hear that you've been suffering for so long. 8 years?! Was the cause of yours ruptured discs? Were you offered surgery?

I'm SO glad you are feeling better @EggbertHeartsTina and @Bloodybackpain

I’m just about to go to the pharmacy for my Gabapentin prescription. I’m currently on Amitriptyline and naproxen which I think help. I’ve got a huge herniation at L5 and I’m waiting for surgical referral. My disc is still intact I think so I keep hoping it will go back in by itself but it’s been months now and no improvement in pain. It’s interesting how many people got relief from tens. I had one in labour and I swear it made the pain worse but I’m going to dig it out and give it another go. I’m worried about masking symptoms in case it makes things worse and I do myself some damage

Hi @Daaps ! Amitryltaline didn't do anything for me and I too went to get my gapabentin prescription yesterday. The first dose didn't seem to do anything but fingers crossed it works!!

I keep trying tens but doesn't seem to help.. I will keep trying though!

Are they suggesting the injection for you?

I went to yoga on Wednesday night. It was absolute agony 😢 but I'm going to persevere as I'm hopeful it will improve slowly and help.

Hope you others are well!

How are you today @Daaps ?

Sorry typos!! Didn't even read it back and correct 🤦🏽‍♀️

Have many people experienced weight gain with gabapentin. Puts me off

I've just started Gabapentin for my back pain, so I may join this thread. I've been on it for two weeks and I think I can maybe feel a bit of a difference but it's not massive. Hoping it will start to properly kick in soon, if it's going to make a difference. I've also been referred to the pain clinic and I don't know what to expect...

I hope everyone in this thread finds something that works for them. Living with constant pain is so draining. I'm going to read this whole thread and see if i can find hope!

I had sciatica/back pain for many years, it was terrible and i also suffered from depression due to it.

Pain killers, Physio and many alternative treatments made little difference.

What did work was Shiatsu, it enabled me to do some exercise and i focused on my core and especially posture.

I ve been totally pain free now for over 20 years and can run cycle gardening anything really, well, apart from breast stroke swimming, that seems to aggravate it.

I took 100mg last night and another 100mg tonight. So far no difference but my pain is quite up and down anyway and it’s hard to tell what makes a difference and what doesn’t.

Really struggling to do yoga etc. I can barely bend forwards at all. My whole body seems to want to stay in one position

@jasjas1973 do you mean shiatsu massage?

Not sure if the meds are doing anything yet, have just been feeling quite dizzy in the evening after taking it. I presume that's normal

How are you doing @Daaps ?

Feeling better but only a few days in with the Gabapentin so not sure it can be that. I bloody love the tens machine though. I’m cutting back on my naproxen because I’m worried getting rid of the inflammatory response means the disc won’t fix itself. That might be a load of crap but I’m managing without (thanks to tens heaven)

I've been trying to renew my Gabapentin prescription since Friday but I keep being messed around by my GP surgery. I rang them up again yesterday and said that I had actually now run out of meds and got an "awh no, well maybe the GP will renew it soon". It's made me quite anxious as I really don't want to go cold turkey.

On a positive note, I have purchased a Shiatsu massage pillow too and it feels lush. I've also ordered an acupuncture/acupressure pen and I'm looking forward to trying it out. Has anyone used those before? Any luck?

@Daaps, I'm loving my TENS too. It really takes the edge off, doesn't it?

I’m on 2700mg gabapentin a Dayan addition to tramadol and oramorph; have had numerous herniated discs/surgery and nerve damage. It sort of keeps the pain down, but after 9 years it’s a bit draining. I tried pregabalin but it made me feel like a zombie. I’ve had a bit of weight gain, but nothing massive.

I don't think I'm using the tens right. Stupid question but where do you put it?? On the lower back or where the pain is in the leg?!

Glad to hear you're feeling a bit better @Daaps.

Oh dear @WonderTweek sorry your GP is being funny. I don't think it is a good idea to go cold turkey (my gp said about easing off) can you make an emergency appointment tomorrow?

Wow @AlliKaneErikson that sounds intense 😔 presumably the surgery didn't work for you? Or it did and then you had another disc injury? I'm so sorry you've been suffering for so long

I’ve got pain in my back and my leg, although the first few months it was leg only. I put one pad on my back/arse where I get a distinct stab of pain and another further down the back of my thigh. I think you are supposed to track the nerve down and then the tiny buzzy shocks disrupt the nerve signal or something

Surgery did work on one side but not the other, as both sides were affected - it’s a pain (literally!!). I’ve also had more prolapsed discs since. Thank you acocuddle
Hope everyone else who’s suffering is having a good ish day!

Fail!! avocuddl

hi I've had horrendous sciatica for the last week, agonising pain in bum hip and right leg.

I've had a touch of this in the past which I've been able to resolve with osteo and yoga.

So much worse this time. osteo is recommending prescription for something to treat nerve pain. bit freaked by the reports on gabapentin.

But I've got to do something. Can barely walk without yelping. bearable lying on back but I'm also aware I need to keep mobile. osteopaths stretches help at the time.

Any advice please, I cant take this pain much longer