Neurontin

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone. I first want to wish everyone happy holidays!

I was wondering what people's experience is with neurontin? I am

currently taking 800 mg four times a day and have not seen any results

so far. I have been on it since December of last year.

I started out with 300 mg three times a day. My doctor told me I am maxed out

on it.

I don't understand why he insists I take this med when I don't see any results

from it. Especially with the side effects. I can't focus on things and am

forgetful, disoriented, dizzy, etc.

I don't post much, but read every post. I want to thank everyone for

their great information as well as support. It is great to actually

hear from people who understand what I am going through. You are all

angels who have been extremely helpful. I don't get out much since my

truck broke down and it is nice to hear words of encouragement (even

if I have to read them).

Thank you all,

in PA

[Guest guest]

Hi & Merry Christmas!

Good question and I can't wait to see what information you get back.  I started

taking neurontin about 3 months ago.  The doctor started me on 100 mg 3 times a

day and now I'm up to 300mg 3 times a day.

It has helped my tremors some but not much but I don't see improvements on

anything else.

My thoughts are with you.

Kathy

[Guest guest]

>wrote:

> I don't understand why he insists I take this med when I don't see

any results from it. Especially with the side effects. I can't focus

on things and am forgetful, disoriented, dizzy, etc.

I had a neurologist who insisted that I take neurontin. It

did nothing. Eventually I discovered that the problem was one that

was untreatable in the manner that he was prescribing.

In fact, my problem wasn't neurological in nature at all. If I were you, I

would definitely ask why he wants you to take it and what he hopes to accomplish

with it. I could have saved myself a lot of frustration if I had. Good luck

figuring it out.

[Guest guest]

--- " " wrote:

>

> I was wondering what people's experience is with neurontin? I am

> currently taking 800 mg four times a day and have not seen any results

> so far.

Hi -

I found Neurontin was a complete waste of time. I was on it over a year also

and never

saw any improvement from it, and lost my mind entirely from it - absolutely no

short term

memory, which made it almost impossible to work and made me a hazard around the

house and on the road!

Other people have had success with it, but that doesn't mean that everyone does.

If your

doctor doesn't realize that, you need another doctor. These drugs are NOT

designed or

even approved for treating pain - they are seizure drugs for epileptics! - so

it's not at all

surprising that they don't work very effectively or consistently for a

completely off-label

problem.

And if he insists that you stay on some sort of anti-seizure med for nerve pain,

then there

are lots of other options. Neurontin is one of the oldest and cheapest, but

there are better,

newer ones out there.

Lots of folks have had good luck with Lyrica - I couldn't tolerate its dangerous

side effects

(caused bad edema) and didn't think it worked either. I have had VERY good

luck with

Gabatril, another anti-seizure med. It helped my nerve pain almost immediately,

and I

have no side effects from it.

So, insist that your doctor let you try other options if the Neurontin isn't

working for you -

or find another doctor!!!

Cheryl in AZ

Moderator

[Guest guest]

--- " " wrote:

>

> I was wondering what people's experience is with neurontin? I am

> currently taking 800 mg four times a day and have not seen any results

> so far.

Hi -

I found Neurontin was a complete waste of time. I was on it over a year also

and never

saw any improvement from it, and lost my mind entirely from it - absolutely no

short term

memory, which made it almost impossible to work and made me a hazard around the

house and on the road!

Other people have had success with it, but that doesn't mean that everyone does.

If your

doctor doesn't realize that, you need another doctor. These drugs are NOT

designed or

even approved for treating pain - they are seizure drugs for epileptics! - so

it's not at all

surprising that they don't work very effectively or consistently for a

completely off-label

problem.

And if he insists that you stay on some sort of anti-seizure med for nerve pain,

then there

are lots of other options. Neurontin is one of the oldest and cheapest, but

there are better,

newer ones out there.

Lots of folks have had good luck with Lyrica - I couldn't tolerate its dangerous

side effects

(caused bad edema) and didn't think it worked either. I have had VERY good

luck with

Gabatril, another anti-seizure med. It helped my nerve pain almost immediately,

and I

have no side effects from it.

So, insist that your doctor let you try other options if the Neurontin isn't

working for you -

or find another doctor!!!

Cheryl in AZ

Moderator

[Guest guest]

Am interested in the discussion on neurontin.

I have been taking 400 mg at bedtime for quite some time with no problems. Now

my doctor wants to increase it to 400 mg 3 times a day to see if I can get more

relief from my pain. As it is I can not stand to be touched anywhere on my back

or neck.

What changes should I expect in the next few days? Does it really help the

sensation of touch? The doctor would like me to start getting back massages on

a daily basis. But unless my dog is smart enough to do them, I think that's a

riot cause I am a widow with no family close by.

Thanks for your help. Maybe I've discovered one side effect already as I'm

having a difficult time typing this or maybe I'm just exhausted from the holiday

stuff! Hope everyone's holidays were great and as pain-free as possible.

Becky In Illinois

[Guest guest]

Hi guys, just wanted to point out that if anyone is planning on

quitting Neurontin, you should let your Dr know and have your doses

slowly decreased until you are off of it completely. Neurontin can

have serious side effects when abruptly stopped.

[Guest guest]

My doc, the new one the clinic assigned to me has cut me off cold turkey from

all my scripts because the information in my file did not include my diagnosis

for neuropathy.

He sent me to have a knee xray and another MRI and says he will see me on the

31st. I have run out of meds and he won't call me

back. Now the burning in my feet, bugs in my legs, and cant sit or lay still

problem is back.

I hate him. I hate the clinic for " losing " my records and making me go

through this hell all over again. It took me 2 weeks of legwork and then making

copies of every possible record I could get my hands on. They are not going to

treat me like a faker and liar again.

All this extra pain and suffering and mental anxiety just because they are too

lazy to call my other previous doctors to ask THEM where I got the idea that I

had nerve damage, osteoarthritis, bursitis, and that extra bone in my foot, and

crepetis behind my kneecap, plus the prescriptions it took months to beg for in

order to get.

And I hate the insurance industry for making it so difficult for me to get

treatment from a specialist without written referrals from a primary care

physician who cannot or will not write me prescripts just because I am too young

to start taking anti-inflammatories.

I did without medical help for 12 years because of my insurance coverage, and

now, just 6 months after finding stuff that helps, the rug gets yanked out from

under me.

Neurontin was keeping the creeepy-crawlies out of my butt and legs. And you cant

be happy or in a good mood to have family visits when you have that going on! I

wish the same for that stupid doctor!

> wrote:

> Hi guys, just wanted to point out that if anyone is planning on

> quitting Neurontin, you should let your Dr know and have your doses

> slowly decreased until you are off of it completely. Neurontin can

> have serious side effects when abruptly stopped.

[Guest guest]

Ya hoo! I got my neurontin back, and the other stuff, just half of the opana,

though. Even though the knee xray and MRI showed nothing " Abby Normal " , my case

history did point to neuropathy, thus substantiating my need for continued

medication.

The system is indeed tedious and the insurance industry is always working

against us when we have ailments that nobody can SEE on a film, chart, or camera

footage.

The bone spurs caused by osteo arthritis have been rubbed off by exercise and

settled into the cartilage, causing calcaneal bursitis, thus the need for

sulindac. The sulindac causing irritation to stomach and kidneys, thus the need

for promethazine.

The cartilage beginning to be restored, thanks to glucosamine, MSM, and leafy

greens, which the doctors are reluctant to prescribe (they can't profit from

that). The opana, I am only allowed 10 mg. per day, but I will save that for

night time to help me sleep.

The neurontin (gabepentin) made the itching, burning, bugs crawling under the

skin, water drops running down the skin. Now it is only occasional and not all

the time, enabling me to remain calmer and more composed. I hate it when I can't

deal with the little things or ignore the annoyances of others.

For the first time in years, the spouse did not insist that the cats sleep with

us! I put them out of the bedroom and closed the door, put in my earplugs, set

my pillows in all the right places and slept on my stomach for 4 hours, then

alternating on my sides for the remaining 4.

Getting through Christmas was hard because of dwindling meds that I had cut back

on, knowing that stretching it out was better than running out and then going

cold turkey on everything all at once .

Thanks to those of you who posted advice about cutting back slowly.

Now I can say HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY! and mean it.