United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Has anyone one got good stories about Gabapentin? Reading elsewhere all the medical stuff says there are few side effects. Mainly sleepiness, which becomes tolerable. I was thinking of starting it but now I'm not so sure after reading the 'bad news' stories on this board. It would be my only med except for Coproxamol. My original reason for a change was because I didn't like taking so much Co-Prox.
Diver Tom - do you take this? The UK medical dive site recommends not diving with it.

It's no secret, I live on neurontin,3900mg aday. While i'm not exactly proud of this I know that with out it I would be leaning on the still far heavier than I am, besides I kicked a load of narcotics that I would be needing today--if it were not for neurontin. There is nothing pure in our world,-- pick your demons.

hello,im on gabapentin and i think its ok

My hubby is on gabapentine and has been for the last two years. He is gradally reducing the dose but that is because he feels that he can manage without any medication eventually. He suffered no side affects that were significant in terms of his every day function. Everybody is different aand nobody should feel that because some people have given up the meds or had side affects that it will happen to you. Sometimes the consequences of trying to manage really excrutiating pain can be just as devastating as the side affects of medications.

Even more important people should not have to feel that they must justify or feel guilty about taking medication. There is no shame in trying to ease this terrible pain.

Do what is best for you and do not listen to too many bad stories. There are millions of people who take this drug across the world for epilepsy as well as neuropathic pain. You are not alone. Keep taking it until you feel the time is right to reduce your dose.

Tina

My hubby is on gabapentine and has been for the last two years. He is gradally reducing the dose but that is because he feels that he can manage without any medication eventually. He suffered no side affects that were significant in terms of his every day function. Everybody is different aand nobody should feel that because some people have given up the meds or had side affects that it will happen to you. Sometimes the consequences of trying to manage really excrutiating pain can be just as devastating as the side affects of medications.

Even more important people should not have to feel that they must justify or feel guilty about taking medication. There is no shame in trying to ease this terrible pain.

Do what is best for you and do not listen to too many bad stories. There are millions of people who take this drug across the world for epilepsy as well as neuropathic pain. You are not alone. Keep taking it until you feel the time is right to reduce your dose.

Tina

Buddyfan,
I have been taking Neurontin for two years now. I have learned in these two years that it's very important to manage your pain. For me it has been the most crippling aspect of my tbpi. I continue to work as a chief engineer in a high-rise building. I go to physical therapy twice a week. I work out three days a week at a local gym. Two of those days I work out with a physical trainer. I drive 100 miles a day to work and back on a LA freeway. Do what ever it takes to manage your pain...do not let it stop you from living your life.
Neurontin does have side effects. It effects my balance, short term memory, and ..and...what were we talking about??? Sorry, I couldn't help myself. All of the side effects became manageable when I adjusted the dosage to find the ideal balance between pain and side effects. Try it and see if it works for you. If not, no big deal. Try something else. Good luck...Karl...

Karl, is the work out you do with the physical trainer paid by the insurance? I realy think to exercise other parts of my body to give me more strenght, but I don't know how to go about it.

Susana,
No, the training isn't paid by insurance. I wish it was, it costs 50 dollars a session. But for me, it's worth every penny because it has helped me get my life back. All the muscles that I could not strengthen myself are coming back. By this I mean muscles that were damaged by stretching c7 & c8. Also my upper trap, which Dr. Tiel took a branch of the motor nerve for my rotator cuff muscles.
My tbpi shoulder is much stronger now. And my rotator cuff is starting to return now. I'm pretty excited about that. I can just barely rotate my arm outward using my infraspinatus. And my supraspinatus is lifting my humorous back into the shoulder joint (weakly though).
My advice to you is if you have to strengthen the back and shoulder muscles yourself, discuss it with your physical therapist first. I don't know the extent of your injury or recovery, but he will. He can guide you through each exercise so that you do it properly. For me, I have to have help with some of the exercises. My arm has to be held in the shoulder joint on a sitting shoulder press, for instance. If not, I could damage the rotator cuff. That would mean more surgery and 9 months of PT. So form is VERY important. Seek guidance, just like all other aspects of this injury. I have had to humble myself by asking for help. Not easy for a man who thinks he is independent. Good luck and try to have some fun with it...Karl....

Susana,
No, the training isn't paid by insurance. I wish it was, it costs 50 dollars a session. But for me, it's worth every penny because it has helped me get my life back. All the muscles that I could not strengthen myself are coming back. By this I mean muscles that were damaged by stretching c7 & c8. Also my upper trap, which Dr. Tiel took a branch of the motor nerve for my rotator cuff muscles.
My tbpi shoulder is much stronger now. And my rotator cuff is starting to return now. I'm pretty excited about that. I can just barely rotate my arm outward using my infraspinatus. And my supraspinatus is lifting my humorous back into the shoulder joint (weakly though).
My advice to you is if you have to strengthen the back and shoulder muscles yourself, discuss it with your physical therapist first. I don't know the extent of your injury or recovery, but he will. He can guide you through each exercise so that you do it properly. For me, I have to have help with some of the exercises. My arm has to be held in the shoulder joint on a sitting shoulder press, for instance. If not, I could damage the rotator cuff. That would mean more surgery and 9 months of PT. So form is VERY important. Seek guidance, just like all other aspects of this injury. I have had to humble myself by asking for help. Not easy for a man who thinks he is independent. Good luck and try to have some fun with it...Karl....