I just got Gabapentin- Any feedback would be great

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It is used widely for fibro. Deals with nerves. Watch for weight gain.
 
You know, I love this forum because I can see others with the same things I have and to me that confirms that it is not in my head. Because there is no pain measuring ability right now to prove we are in pain, people just look at us funny. There is no "proof" that we have a disease, it doesn't show up in any test, but it is so debilitating at times, I want to die. There are days I honestly feel like I can't do this for another year or 5yrs! I try not to think any future ahead than 5 years because especially on the bad days- the thought of living to 65-70 is too much. My symptoms have gotten worse over the years, even though they say it doesn't progress. Umm YES IT DOES! will my kidneys or liver fail because of all the meds I have to take, well they stop working after too long. It is so overwhelming when I think about. I love that I see other here feel the same way - it really really helps me get though the bad days without feeling guilty for some of my thoughts. This place is very special to me. Every post I read, is from a person like me and it gives me a sense of community of equals.
 
I so understand your pain. The pain from my severe fibro and the small fiber neuropathy is sometimes unbearable! To increase this pain level I have lupus and arthritis in my neck and lower back. The metal reaction and passing out only adds more fear to me.

I totally understand the I want to die. With the lupus, it will make my heart go out of beat! Make it hard to breath. When this happens to me, I send my wife and son out to a movie. This way they can be seen there if I were to die.

When this happens I go on my oxygen machine.
I begin yelling at god to take me! After a while of begging, I begin to cus at god.
Once it goes back into beat and I can breath on my own, the pain reduces.
I know god has a plan for me on this earth. He wouldn't give me anything I can't handle.

As far a wanting to die. My wife asked? me this. Don't you want to see me and your son tomorrow? If you die you will never see us again. It hit me hard when she asked that.
I didn't think of what she and my son where going through.
I don't want to die. I want to see and show how much I love my wife and son!
I tell them both I love you, every night and every morning and when they get home from work.
I never know when God is going to take me from them and stop this unbelievable pain.
I have no choice but to take the powerful and dangerous meds.

Please please please keep trying to baer with the pain. Remember its not just you who has to suffer. Your loved ones will suffer even more when your gone. So take the drugs and be happy that they can give more days with your loved ones! Good or bad days!

Its quality of life with your loved ones. Not your kidney or liver that matter!

I too get relief from this forum and i thank god that they take time from their day to try and make me feel better and show they care. I know it painful to type and read. They bring them selves the strength to do this.
I just want to thank everyone on this forum and the ones who started this forum for us.
To me, its a god send.

I'm sorry my reply was so long. I just care about you all and want to help any way I can. Even if its a painful thing or a very high tippy toe pain day.

Stay well and may you all have many good days ahead!
 
Gabapentin made my stomach burn so terribly. Had to quit taking it but as I wasn't on it very long so it wasn't a problem. Cymbalta took my brain away,(not so sure I got it back) :) ,so weaned off that. Haven't been on anything but pain meds for chronic back and kidney pain, and am trying neural prolo- therapy injections for my back and migraines. They are working but have to go back several times.

Today I was put on Savella. I just couldn't take it anymore. I hate crying "uncle" but I did. Last year I had 3 surgeries so I could have less pain and more mobility. Now its the legs that feel like someone set them on fire, and the aching! My ankles are now great, but the legs keep me from much mobility.
I'm grateful also for this site, can't tell others about the details as they either can't understand or cover up the yawns. I don't dump on my husband anymore either as he is only human and I won't drag him down. (more than I already do) He is so loving and caring but cannot possibly understand that I don't even want to be touched any more very often. It just hurts too much!

May your night be restful and your day be full of hope.
 
ruralchick: thanks for posting. is savella a form of gabby? ive never read up on it or tried it. im looking to get off the gabby. it just not helping with the pain levels. as you can see. just last night with the increase of my morphine dose and the subsys meds i was crying for hours. i do get some relief with morphine but it wares off. dont last the 12 hours my doc thinks. the subsys im ready for in 4 hours and crying by the 6 hours when i can take it.

as my morphine was just increased i have to give it a few week to work. she decreased my subsys way below the manufacturers guideline.
she wont let me ween of the subsys. so if the savella works and its not gabby id like to try it.

let me know how its working for you over the next few week.

thanks for your help.
 
I've taken Gabapentin for 10 years. I was up to 2400 mg (800 mg 3 x a day) for chronic pain and burning nerve pain in my right arm which I constantly must over use. I got concerned with it having "weight gain" as a listed side effect. I tapered down and eventually just took one 800 mg at night. When I tapered lower, I felt my arm hurting more and my scapula area in my back on my right side. I started on abilify 2.5mg again (another med with weight gain as a side effect for many), but I'm risking it while tapering all the way off the Gabapentin. My work comp insurance company won't cover Gabapentin any longer. I decided it was probably a good time to see if I could do ok without it awhile. the Abilify with Lexapro and wellbutrin seemed to help my chronic arm, shoulder and back pain for a few years. I've been hurting more now, just being on Lexapro 10mg. I also stopped taking opiates because for me, it made me feel worse in the end. So after an opiate taper I'm sure my depression worsened mostly due to that. I also tried to increase the Lexapro with my doctor but I couldn't take the side effects of that either! 4 days and I said " no more!" I think I am sensitive to all medications. Gabapentin though, it really seemed to help. Especially with the pain I'd have at rest. good luck to you! Feel free to ask more questions too!
 
cmetryme, Savella was developed specifically for FM. I'm a bit concerned as it has only been on the market for 3-4 years and my doc a couple months ago said he didn't like to prescribe it because of that. Now he suggests it--probably because I didn't like Cymbalta, won't take Lyrica (weight gain) and Gabby didn't agree with my stomach.

I'll let you know how it works for me.
 
So glad to hear it is working for you! Relief is awesome!
 
There seems to be some confusion on correct drug names.

Gabapentin is Neurontin.
Lyrics is Pregabalin.

I think by giving a drug a nickname 1. It could confuse newbies to this forum. 2. It makes us sound like drug addicts.
 
LOL SickandTired you are too funny. But thank you for clearing that up for us.

As an update: so far so good still. I really can't believe how much of a difference it has made. And I know someone mentioned they had a clearer head in the morning, and I am just starting to notice that. I really have a had time in the mornings, now it is much easier for me to get to the "alert" point. I don't feel the physical "dragging-weighed down" feeling any more either. I feel like I have strength now in my body.

Thank you everyone that have posted here. I really appreciate that! Feel better!
 
SickandTired,
We are not drug addicts or we wouldn't be talking about drugs as we would too doped up to type lol. I have used actual drug names but eh if people don't they don't. As my mama always said, "Don't sweat the small stuff kiddo."

Python--So happy for you! A little jealous as I remember how much it helped me until my body said "Wth are you doing." Being allergic to a med that helped is so frustrating. I hope it keeps working hon! I really am happy for you!
 
Cmetryme looks like a undercover police man.
 
PythonPlay3,
I am glad you are feeling better. I am also on Cymbalta 60 mg and it has given me more energy. I take the minimum dose of Gaba (300mg) unless I am really hurting. I also did my research on Gabapentin on the internet and its effect on the brain. I suggest everyone in this forum do it. I know there is controversy but when you're in pain, you try different medicines. Cymbalta is helping but I don't want to be on it for long. Since my mom died in 2014 it has really brought me down. Cymbalta has helped me with the physical and emotional pain. However, I have put on 6 pounds because I was also too tired to exercise 3x a week. If the weight does not come off, I will end Cymbalta soon.
Feel better Everyone!
 
I was on Gabby for a short time. It made my stomach burn terribly. Glad it's working for you PythonPlay3.
 
When I was first diagnosed 6 months ago the Rheumy mentioned gabapentin, lyrica, and Cymbalta but at that time the pain was so intermittent that I didn't want pills. I'm petrified of addiction, it runs in my family and I have seen specks of it in myself so I avoid pills as much as possible, esp narcs. I am, however, on lamictal for epilepsy, Vit D, Vit B12, and now gabapentin.
4 months ago I started having seizure like episodes (blanking out for a split second, just enough to feel like I'm falling), so my neurologist added gabapentin to my "anticonvulsant regime", stating that it would likely help the nerve pain as well. When I told him I was recently diagnosed with fibro he gave that disbelieving "uh huh" so I asked what he suspected the pain was (he was my 2nd neuro consult) and he said "Well, that I don't know, but tests have ruled out anything 'bad' so it must be benign, see how the Neurontin/gabapentin works"
I started at the baby dose intending to wean up but at 300mg twice a day, 99% of my pains were gone. I got the sharp, shooting pains so intense my limb would spasm, bee stinging sensation, and pricklies I call them, the pins and needles that are different from the regular pins and needles people feel. I also had low back achiness that I attribute to bad posture and overuse, and chronic tension/discomfort in my (r) trap (between the shoulder blades up to the neck) that I attribute to stress posturing. Just the other day my right "shoulder" (trapezius muscle) was aching/tense all day, I took muscle relaxers then ibuprofen then more muscle relaxers with frequent heating & stretching before asking my mom for a massage. I asked if the muscle felt tense compared to the other side and she said it was just the opposite, the right felt soft compared to the left. So wondering if it wasn't ACTUALLY muscle pain I took 600mg gabapentin. Pain GONE! So I'm learning that my muscle pain is actually mixed signals so I'll happily reach for gaba instead of muscle relaxers and NSAIDS!
In the past month, I've been waking up early morning 3-4am in pain, first it was just my hips feeling numb (even on tempurpedic!), now it's progressed to everything aching. I actually came on today to talk about this increasing morning discomfort. But this is my experience with gabapentin-
My neuro and NP cousin say doctors LOVE gaba because it's non-habit forming, doesn't interact with anything, doesn't do any damage to organs, and doesn't need blood checks. Cons- half of their patients state no relief. I, however, have had incredible relief until recently, but this recent discomfort is different (changing fibro symptoms?). I started at 300mg twice a day then this past month increased to 600mg twice-three times/day. And I'm still getting this frustrating body ache.

Bottom line, as all have said, its trial and error for every individual. For me gabapentin has taken away 99% of the sharp shooting and bee sting pains. That is one med that is very safe and a great place to start.
 
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