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.
“My muscular and joint strength returned with therapy.”
Amazing how that works with a good therapist and a patient wanting to feel better without drugs or surgery.
Two+ years ago my wife was diagnosed with some collapsing back discs and was told too have surgery. We knew this great PT, and she went to him for about a year. She follows his recommended PT regimen every morning for 30 minutes before she starts her day.
Now, she has some similar problems with her neck and upper shoulders.
A new PT has started her on 15 minutes of neck/upper shoulder exercises each morning plus using the micro wave able Neck pad for warm and moist heat after exercises and twice a day. Her improvement after a week is amazing.