Posted on 05/19/2018 8:06:25 AM PDT by Fhios
Anybody have experience taking this drug? It's interaction with morphine sulfate? Does anybody take this for Sciatica?
i have a close friend with a PhD in pharmacology. He has talked positively about some of the uses of Gaba.
But there are various types (?) - and we are now beyond the limits of what I know on the topic.
It didn’t help my peripheral neuropathy at all. Nothing else has either. Just saying. Good luck.
I have experience. It is not addictive like opioid painkillers, that’s a plus. Take at night, it helps you sleep.
Now the downside. Over time, about a year, it correlated with muscular and joint weakness. After about a year I wanted to wean myself off it. After receiving the doctor’s permission to do so, I came off it and was glad to see the underlying neuropathic pain that was the original reason for taking it, had largely subsided. So I stayed off it. My muscular and joint strength returned with therapy.
Overall, I would say it’s definitely preferable to opioids but it should not be permanent. Be careful dosing when getting on it and when getting off it. Your doctor will advise you of beginning and ending dose instructions.
Anyway, I haven't had any problems with it. I've been taking it for about 20 years.
I am back pain free and sciatica free at present. The surgery option is 50/50 so I got lucky.
Does Gabapentin require a prescription, or is it available over-the-counter?
I was prescribed Gabapentin by my neurosurgeon after surgical/neurological “complications” in my legs/feet/toes after “successful” 3-level lumbar laminectomy. Gabapentin “calms” neurological symptoms and is a sleeping aid for such problems. Unfortunately, taking it daily/nightly paradoxically gives me something like “insomnia”. I can take it two days/week and be assured of getting an extremely sound night’s sleep. I’ve tried everything else: melatonin, Gaba500, magnesium, SpazzOut, kava-kava, Valerian Root, etc. and none help my sleeping issues, though none give me “insomnia” either.
After an accident and six surgeries, I had some major nerve issues. Doctor prescribed Gabapentin as a less expensive alternative to Lyrica. It didn’t do very much positive, but it didn’t do anything negative either. After a couple of months, the insurance finally approved Lyrica, and I was on that for about a year. It worked a little better. Hope that helps.
It’s an old fashioned Antiseizure medication. It works extremely well with morphine and hopefully will permit s lowering of your morphine dose. As a pain doctor in the year 2018 literally everything we do is under s microscope. I do tend to think this is an excellent drug and although I personally do not need it many of my patients say it is very good at controlling neuropathic pain. Lyrica is the next gen drig for neuropathy and is a controlled substance. It tends to have significantly harsher side effects. Especially in oooulations over 65. It should be slowly ramped up starting at night as it may cause some drowsiness. This effect send to pass in about a week. Good luck. If you want more advice freepmail me. I am happy to let you know my thoughts generally as obviously you are not my patient.
Good luck
Wiki says Gabapentin is available over the counter, manufactured by TEVA … Pfizer identifies it under the brand name Neurontin ….
How about chiropractic? I understand Sciatic often shows up if you have certain disks in the lumbar region out of whack? My sciatica has been painful for a full 6 weeks which is about 5 weeks longer than it ever has lasted.
Yes.
I’m pretty sure it’s prescription only in the U.S.A.
I have neuropathy in feet for at least 10 years. I was poked and prodded from all kinds of things and ruled out the common ones like diabetes and vitamin deficiencies. Turns out I have arthritis at my L5. I noticed that when I went to a chiropractor when I threw my back out that sometimes I would get feeling back in my toes. About a year ago I stubbed my toe so hard that it bled but I didn’t feel it. That got me thinking about the chiropractor again. After some research, I bought an inversion table. I hang upside down about 5 minutes a day and in a few weeks the numbness started going away and after a few months it was almost gone. I started at a slight inversion angle and worked by way to a steeper angle over time.
If I stop for a few days, the numbness starts coming back and I go back handing upside down again. I am assuming that the cause for my numbness was spinal and the inversion table relieved the pressure. It worked for me but it’s probably not for everyone. Since you are handing upside down by your ankles, you need to have legs and ankles strong enough to support your weight. Also, if you have sinus issues, wow, not a good feeling when hanging.
Hi Fhios,
I take about 2 300 mg. tablets a day. It works for me and allowed me a better quality of life because it diminished my neuropathy pain. I’ve taken it for about 5+ years and my need for it has seemed to be diminished.
It worked for me; very well.
If you take it, I hope it works for you too.
-my 2 cents, ct
If you choose to see a chiropracter...choose a GONSTEAD trained one...I see a chiro (Gonstead)...he has helped, but especially when he said Pilates would be good for my back...I did not see him for 2 years after I started Pilates...LOL. Right now we are trying to keep my bottom vertebrae from fusing...and dealing with bone spurs up and down my spine. Good luck to you.
I take it for Sciatica, for numbness in my left leg and foot. I take 2 at night and 2 during the day. Shots HURT because the last time the nerve was inflamed. I will have to be put out the next time and have a standing MRI because I can’t lie flat on my back. I’m avoiding surgery like the plague. Hell gettin’ old.........sigh
Everyone is different - my husband was prescribed it over the years by different doctors and in time it became clear he can’t tolerate it. Since he takes a bunch of medications it took us a while to figure out that it was the culprit making him sick to his stomach.
Took it for about a year. Don’t remember it doing anything for me or to me.
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