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

Anyone take duloxetien?

Daft I had the same experience with my physio - I was in a lot of pain during my appointment and could not bear the exercises she gave me. I hit rock bottom later that week when I got stuck on my floor, I had a friend coming round luckily, my 3 yr old had to let her in and she had to pick me up off the floor and sort his breakfast etc. I honestly thought that was it, my life forever.

Almost a week later I’ve had acupuncture and I think the pregabalin is starting to take effect. Like others I don’t want to mask the pain but these have enabled me to actually walk (slowly) which I understand is key to recovery. I also feel a lot more positive as I’m not at the point where I get stuck on the floor, although when walking I have to crouch down every 50 steps or so to wait for the pain crescendo to pass.

I’ve also had diazepam every day for the muscle spasms but it makes me so dozy, I’ve not taken it today and am ok.

I’m hopeful my second acupuncture session will reap further reward.

to everyone suffering - I don’t think anyone realises how horrific it is until it hits them!!!

I'll ask about the spine stretching exercises Pookie when I see my physio next week. I'm sure something's bulging or being compressed there, as it's fine now when I get out of bed, stabs of pain now and again, but walking is a nightmare, that hasn't improved at all. The longer I walk for, (with stick) the worse it gets until I'm sweating and shaking.

My house is suffering too Eggbert, I get quite anxious about the house not being completely perfect, but I've had to let that go for now.

My GP's increased my gabapentin to 900mg daily ad swapped the naproxen for codiene. Pretty sure the naproxen wasn't helping, I'll find out for sure later because I stopped taking it today and won't collect the codeine til tomorrow.

No experience myself with the drug you mentioned Onlyme, is that what you're being prescribed?

May I wish everybody a pain-free day as possible.

And standing is a nightmare too.

I’ve had a couple of good days in a row and feel the tide is turning. I’m still using my Tens machine and I have some heat pads too. But I managed a short walk around the block only having to stop once for the spasm. I’m on naproxen daily but I’m not sure it does much-. Maybe it’s the Amitriptyline. It’s taken a long while - since December- but there have been points I thought it’d got better before only to relapse. I have second hydrotherapy appointment tomorrow.

Well I’ve just been to the GP to get more codeine. I really really dislike him.
He wouldn’t look at me & is so flippant
His 2 sweeping statements were:

• well you never know you are going in a giant magnet when you get your mri it might fix you, people wear stupid magnets & you will be in one, you never know

And when trying to discuss Gabapentin & if it was a temp fix or long term solution he said

• well we don’t really fix things do we, we just put sticky plasters on

So I’ve come out in tears with a Gabapentin prescription that I don’t want but I’m in so much pain I think I need 😥

Can I ask Has it made anyone sick?

I have a massive phobia of feeling or being sick & I am genuinely scared of taking it.

I personally don’t think naproxen has done much for me. I’ve run out now and replacing with ibuprofen every 4 hours just to keep an anti inflammatory in my system.

Spam codeine is strong stuff; I gave up breastfeeding over the weekend to be able to take it and I do think it enabled me to push through the pain a bit more.

I find the same as spam with walking although since the improvement from acupuncture I’ve been able to walk further. I do have to crouch down every few yards and wait for the pain to pass.

Unbelievably I just went on a short cycle ride to collect my 3 yr old from nursery and it was SO much easier than walking - obviously whatever muscle is aggravating my nerve isn’t used for cycling.

Is anyone else struggling with the toilet? I find it hurts so much to sit on the seat that I can’t even wee, never mind poo . So I’m constipated and also heading towards a likely bladder infection

That’s great about the cycling I’m really pleased for you.

I know what you mean about the toilet! 🙈😥 it’s awful.

Missed your post daft before posting mine - I’m so sorry your GP was so flippant . I can only speak for pregabalin which is an alternative to Gabapentin - it didn’t make me sick. I think it will take a few days to actually take effect but hopefully it will make the pain dull enough to get moving more.

To be honest I’ve tried so much therapy (osteo, chiro, physio, acupuncture) and taken so many drugs in a short space of time (about 4 weeks) I don’t know what it is that has started my improvements.

Also I’m glad you’re going for an MRI daft - as that will show the extent of the problem. Perhaps they will offer you steroid injections; I’ve heard positive stories about those.

Get Lactulose for warding off constipation. My GP suggested this when I first hurt my back. She said she’d seen people get in an terrible state with constipation caused by pack pain and sciatica.

daft I am sorry your GP is unsympathetic. Can you see someone else? Interesting those who crouch down to ease the spasm. That’s one thing that would definitely set it off for me.

Thanks everyone I’m really looking forward to getting the mri to be honest.

The lactose is a good tip too

I’m surprised by the crouching too. I find lying down or on my side the only real relief. I’ll have to try crouching

That's bloody appalling DB. And I know the feeling well. I never see my assigned GP, I always request appointments with one of his associates who is absolutely amazing. Sometimes I have to wait a month(!) for an appointment, but she's happy to do 'phone consultations. Top tip - at least make sure you see a female GP, they are usually less dismissive of women's pain.

So now you have nothing for the immediate pain? (the gabapentin takes a week or so to do its magic - and I didn't get any side effects apart from feeling a little fuzzy headed for a couple days.) Buy some Nurofen Plus or co-codamol, these both contain codiene so you'll have the pain relief you need for now and make an appointment to see a different (female!) GP. I struggle quite hard to convey my wants and needs, and it's made such a difference having a decent GP.

Eggbert yours sounds so similar to mine - having to crouch to alleviate it. I feel less weird about doing it now I have a stick, I was very self-conscious about it to start with. If I'm standing in a queue I feel like swearing at everybody in sight. I'm convinced that if I ever get a scan all the HCPs will be awed that I managed to struggle along with my poor, crumbling back,

That GP sounds awful. I remember going in to see my GP, it was my birthday and a week before I went off work with the pain. She saw me walk in and went "oh god" and started typing up a prescription for diazepam, codeine and anything else she could throw at me. A week later I was on morphine too

The one stretch that did help before I herniated the disc more, was the McKenzie stretch, basically a v v gentle low cobra. Might be worth a google

@SpamChaudFroid I remember thinking there had best be something bloody wrong on this MRI
A&E "yeah we are calling a neurosurgeon ASAP"
Me "oh fuck. I didn't mean really wrong"
😂😂😂😂😂

I agree about seeing a different gp, I refuse to go back to him after today. My MRI results will go to him but I will push for someone else.

I’ve just struggled to put my little boy to bed so I think it’s time I try the Gabapentin as he can’t contun to see me like this as I know he is worried about me & he’s only 5 😥

Starting dose is 300mg a day & gp said to go gradually up to 1800 a day over 2 weeks & if it hadn’t worked by then it won’t.

Thanks for your support. It means a lot.

Hope everyone manages to get some good rest tonight!

Omg YesQueen! That’s not the kind of wrong you want!!

Has your physio given you any stretches Eggbert? I found I was much more limber after doing them for about 10 minutes, making it easier to navigate different positions like loo or shower. Failing that, have a piss while taking a bath! Better than a UTI adding to the misery.....

And yes to laxatives/lactulose. Trust me the last thing you want is more fingers stuck up your bum voice of bitter experience

Jesus Christ YQ, even the most gentle of cobras (or just lying on my front) would have me yelping in agony, but touching my toes isn't painful.

The problem is that all the codeine based stuff is constipating, which doesn’t help at all. Baths are a distant dream for me - as I can’t get in or lie down in them. I’ve got a separate shower, thank goodness.

Spam - already been weeing in the bath

I can do cobra but can not touch my toes - I can’t bend that way due to the pain. But yes I do have some stretches for the Piriformis and lower back - I’ve been doing a lot of them in the bath as I’m basically pain-free in the bath (as long as water is scalding!!!)

YesQ I was in a&e when the pain got to its worst and they put a finger up my bum then in case of acids equina :( to be fair I only gave birth 3 weeks ago so my dignity went out the window then and hasn’t yet returned

Daft I know what you mean, my 3 year old keeps finding me on the floor crying, he tries to kiss it better or stroke me, and it’s heartbreaking. I keep having to send him to nursery even tho I’m on maternity leave - I’d hoped to keep him back a couple days and week and do something fun with him and the baby but no way at the moment

I'm currently planning my new bathroom Daisy, no bath just a walk in shower with grab rails and maybe even a sturdy flip down seat. I plan to stay in my house in my dotage years.

*cauda equina not acids!!!