Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives AS Pharmacy Neurontin

i thought i would post my experience with this drug. i have the HLA gene. i have extreme episodes of sciatica, but only mild lower back pain (with little if any fusion of my spine). im 31 and was diagnoised with AS about 3 years ago, although ive had sciatica for about 12 years.

Neurontin is really the only thing that has helped me. it helps with both the sciatica and back pain. ive taken lots of anti-inflamatory drugs which help with the back pain, but never with the sciatica.

has anyone else tried neurontin?

I tried Neurontin when I was suffering from damaged nerves and had a wide range of pain, numbness, burning sensations and flashes of sharp pains throughout my right leg. It did help with some of the pain but it also turned me into a vegetable for a week. My sons had to carry me around the house as I couldn't make my legs work or keep my balance.

You may not want to drive if taking neurontin as it does affect your reaction time. I won't take it again, for sure. I don't like the feeling of being drugged.

George

i havent done that much research into neurontin so i dont know if your reaction is common, but i have never experienced anything like that. i have taken up to 1200mg/day with no side effects.

aloha, Jeff

i take neurontin...my consulting physician ( after i moved, i had to find a doctor 'just to take care of blood tests'
and be on stand-by while taking methotrexate) asked about a year ago to give him more information about the
details of my complaints...when he got to the numbly-tingly feelings in my lower legs and feet and feet that
fall 'asleep' for hours and muscle spasms in in the legs to go with all the normal bad stuff...he said i can do expensive
tests, but i think you're telling me about nerve pain, would you let me prescribe something else for you...NEURONTIN.

my rheumy said he thought it was a good catch, and said i could take one more per day than originally prescribed.
i felt pretty darn spaced out taking 3x 300mg per day...now i am down to one per day, feel a lot more with it,
and a lot fewer leg complaints...since i started enbrel one of my major goals for the year has been to try to cut down
on all the noxious substances...but i'm keeping the neurontin.

i wouldn't want to drive on this stuff; and if you find you mind telling you that you'd really be better off dead
it's time to stop neurontin.

best
aloha Ben

hi jeff...
i had back surgery [lammenectomy with fusion] in january of 2002. i had such severe nerve pain in my legs that i was barely able to move about without wanting to burst into tears. it drove me into i guess would be depression in the hospital b/c that was not what i was expecting..i anticipated the back pain..but docs said all the nerves after surgery are in shock more or less and it happens. well, it worked wonders. only thing was that it made me very very sleepy at times. it did bring some of my quality of life so that i could move more and get stronger and better sooner. but it wasnt good for me longer than a few months b/c of my children and a sleepy mom all the time is not of much use.

then in 2003 i started suffering from plantar fascitis [feet pain issues] and podiatrist had me go on it. didnt help me that time. get terrible headaches from it. then again my body is quite strange where it seems to adapt to a medication after stopping shortly. i had hoped it would have done the same as my nerve pain but i think the pain was different and it did what it was supposed to do then so it was beneficial. i would think it would be quite effective for the sciatic pain. thats what i had from my herniated and bulging discs and all that not so fun back pains. when i first had my back pains, sciatic pain was the norm, so if it helps then thats good. i think we have to find what works for us. i am allergic to practically every single NSAID out there so its good to find something that helps ...

hope you get to feeling better soon and that it continues to be beneficial for you...take care!

My MD gave me Neurontin, and it really helps my pain. But, I also feel drugged or drunk on it. If my pain is bad and I am having trouble sleeping, I will take a dose and it works very well for me. My rheumatologist told me to start slow and to gradually increase the dose, but one dose and I am out of it.

Hiya,

helps with the milder nerve pain and discomfort at night esp the shoulders and spinal tightness and some help with neuro spasms....

I've also used valerian which works on the GABA and is is simialr maybe not as effective, helps you get off to sleep but not so groogy first thing. another advantage significantly cheaper!

David

Want to hear something really weird???

I was in a psych ward once because I was dealing with some depression issues and they put me on Neurontin not for pain, but for depression.

I didn't even know until like a year ago it was used for pain.

I thought did those goobers even know what they were doing????

Hi Jeff,
I have nerve damage in the top of my spine and it causes all kinds of awful things to happen. My rheumy put me on neurontin when it first started and although it helped my symptoms alot, I hated the way it made me feel so I stopped it. It made me druggy and goofy.
Then after awhile the symptoms got worse and I went back on it. I decided that the relief it gave me was worth the side effects.
After being on it for a little bit of time the side effects went away and I was happy that I decided to stick with it for awhile. It's the only thing that helped with the pain, numbness and all the terrible things that the nerve problems cause.
Glad you have found that it works for you too.
I think if alot of people could get passed those side effects, they would find that it would benefit them too. It's hard for some people though, especially people who don't have the time or chance to get used to it, because of their life styles or jobs. And it does effect some a lot harder and longer than it does others.
Unfortunately, my symptoms from the nerve damage have gotten ten times worse. And even though doc raised the dose of the neurontin, it doesn't always keep the symptoms at bay anymore. I would hate to see what I'd be like without it though. I would either be in a hospital, an institution or 6 feet under for sure.
Anyway, we are now working on what to do next.

Anyway, I hope you continue to get relief from it!

Hugs,
Lisa

I'm new here, officially, but I've been browsing off and on for a couple of years. The alarm bells go off for me when i read about your experiences with neurontin. My husband has AS, and let me tell you what happened to him just over a year ago...he had been on the drug, and had been feeling some success. It especially helped him sleep at night, which was one of his greatest problems. But for some reason, he went through a period where he wasn't able to sleep for several nights in a row, which coincided with several other stressful situations all at once, including a terrible fall when he slipped on a peice of plywood that had been leaning against the wall, and which fell over as he passed in the hallway. He went to his Dr. in excruciating pain, and she refused to do anything more for him than what was already being done. That, and several other stresses all seemed to pile up at once, and in a momentary agony of despair, he tried to take his own life, and spent several days in a psychiatric hospistal. A few weeks later we heard on TV that neurontin had been linked to suicide, and that a class action law suit was underway. For us, it gave comfort that there was a reason for what happened, as my husband is not the type that would normally resort to suicide. But I am concerned for others who may not realize that there is such a devestating side affect related to the drug. I know you always take a chance when you try somehting new, but some chances are more worth the risk than others. As for us, we were the lucky ones...it has been a long hard year of recovery emotionally, but we are doing OK. At least I still have my sweet husband. This med thing is a never ending cycle, isn't it?