United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Does anybody take Neurontin for pain? Does it work?

Thanks,

Susana

Susana,
Neurontin works well for me. There are side effects though. It effects my balance, memory, and speech. And it lessens my nerve pain, but not normal pain in my shoulder from exercizing. But I say do what ever it takes to get control of your life back, which includes good pain management. Let me know how it works out for you. Good luck, Karl.

Susana I'm also on Neurontin, but I'm on so much other crap I'm not exactly sure of it's side effecets. At first it worked well at night to put me to sleep but I take a much larger dose throughout the day that it doesn't work at night like it used to. If you scroll thru the topics on the message board you can find a lot more discussion about it. It will be under Neurontin or Gabapentin, it's the same drug. There's another website TBPI (I found it under Adults with Brachial plexus injuries). They have a big discussion of it too. Good Luck!
LOVE SUSAN

I WAS taking Neurontin from Feb until Aug. I took 5 pills three times a day-4500 mg/15 pills a day. Its a very high dose but it was all I taking. I still had pain but not the knife driving pain and the aches in my back and shoulder were very minimal. But the side effects? I would forget in mid sentence what I was talking about, I would forget to return phone calls, I forgot my mom's b-day and nothing bothered me emtionally (thats was a good one, for awhile) but the worst for me is I lost my sex drive or was it that the worst for me husband? Its expensive and even w/ my good insurance I had to pay some. Plus because I was taking so much I was running to fill it up once every two weeks and I had a hard time remembering to take it. I wondered how long my insurance would pay for it, too. I've heard wonderful things about it but it wasn't for me. Good luck, I hope it works for you.

herff94, what are you doing now for you pain? I ask this, because I'm meeting with some different pain specialists than the one I been with since my accident ten months ago. Just looking for any other options out there, besides decapitation.

Many thanks,
Chris

Chris,
As we speak, I am doing nothing for my pain but winter is coming and its the worst during that time. I live in the Chicago area. I sow a Dr @ NW hosp. and we wants to do Drez on me but I'm scared of that. I need to do some more research. I'm getting an MRI done soon to see how things look in there, I had c5,6 and 7 pulled out in 1987. I am seeing a PT, too. My husband and I want to have another baby so meds are out for now. I guess I was no help. The pain has been increasing in the past 4 yrs. Age, I guess. (I'm 34)
What do you do????? Kath

Kath

Have you ever tried accupuncture? I've heard a few sessions can bring a lot of relief for nerve pain. I've never tried it, but funny thing, my dog has. She just turned nine. She's a border collie/australian shepherd mutt mix. She's always had lower "back" issues, but around a year ago something went in her back that causeD her whole back side to palsy. It wasn't just a spasm, her nerves were freaking out. It was so scary, she couldn't even get around. I, being a massage therapist, tried to work on her but it wasn't her muscles cramped, they were twitching uncontolably. I immediately looked in the phone book and found a vet who did accupuncture and chiropractic and figured it was a safer bet then taking her to a regular vet who might want to operate or worse, put her down. I got an appointment and it was like a regular vet hospital, the vet just had studied alternate medicine also. She check Squatch's vitals and temperture, then she did a quick adjustment to her neck, amd then she put in accupuncture needles which are so small. Then she turned down the lights and I just laid down with my dog for around 25 minutes. She was real calm and even sedate. The vet came back, took out the needles and that was it. It was a little pricey and I had to get four treatments total, but my dog has not had a problem since. At nine, people still thinks she's a puppy, granted, when it gets cold I can see a little arthritis kicking in, but that's normal. I know you're not a dog, but maybe it's worth a try, especially if you're trying to get pregnant. It's safe, but tell your therapist you're trying to have a baby because there are certain accupuncture points that shouldn't be tampered with like around the wrist and ankles. In oriental medicine, these points relate to the uterus and "mommy parts".
I hope you find some relief from the cold, I'm finding out how bad that really is. And good for you for kicking the meds,I want to do that someday. Good luck with the baby making too, or at least have fun, lots of it! GRRRRRRRR YEAH BABY,YEAH !
Go get'em tiger. . . LOVE SUSAN

Susan,
you are toooooo funny!!! I'll let me husband know your cheering for us! Thanx! As for accupuncture...OH MY GOSH!!! Yes, I have tried it and the Doc had to peel me off his ceiling. I gave it a try three times and cried all the way home after the last one. I think I've tried everything but meds and surgery. I tried to be hypnotized (sp?), yoga (thats a tough one w/ one arm!), Neurotin(oh, I guess I tried one drug), massage therepy (Insurance wasn't paying it), I know there is others but I can't think of them. It was cold here today and its starting that hard shooting pain out the top of my thumb and the finger next to it. I have to stop what I'm doing sometimes to squeeze my hand to cut it off.
I'll make it through one more pregency and then I'll really start doing my research. I get an MRI on Nov 6th, this Dr wants to see what things look like in there after 16 yrs I guess and I see a PT to rub out my lumps in my neck.
I loved your story about your pup! Thanx for the laugh at the end. I needed that:)
Kath

Neurontin is, as far as I'm concerned, an excellent drug and I am still taking it, however I have found some other avenues which seem to help me with pain control.
1 Accupunture, it can work and your insurance provider may even pay for some of it if you work the program a bit.
2 Mirror box therapy. Lead your brain to believe that your bum arm is actually working by using mirrors, yes mirrors/no smoke?
3 Pycnogenal. A tree bark extract used generally as a powerful anti-oxidant. I don't know why it works but it does.
4 Acceptance.To fight this one is to lose it.

Neurontin is, as far as I'm concerned, an excellent drug and I am still taking it, however I have found some other avenues which seem to help me with pain control.
1 Accupunture, it can work and your insurance provider may even pay for some of it if you work the program a bit.
2 Mirror box therapy. Lead your brain to believe that your bum arm is actually working by using mirrors, yes mirrors/no smoke?
3 Pycnogenal. A tree bark extract used generally as a powerful anti-oxidant. I don't know why it works but it does.
4 Acceptance.To fight this one is to lose it.