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Old 08-20-2009, 03:38 PM
 
Location: NJ
23,800 posts, read 33,287,564 times
Reputation: 30630

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Quote:
Originally Posted by SouthernBelleInUtah View Post
In layman's terms, gabapentin (Neurontin for trade name) "calms" the nerves so they are not so reactive. Pain is thereby lessened and in many cases eliminated. While every med and food has side effects, this is one that has been around for a long time and is very heavily prescribed for certain types of pain b/c it works!. It is pretty safe.
Yes, from what I googled - it is Neurontin

Neurontin
Neurontin®
(gabapentin) Capsules
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Old 08-20-2009, 04:49 PM
 
Location: Rock Hill, SC
2 posts, read 14,684 times
Reputation: 13
Dear Friend,
Regrettable that you were having such a bad day yesterday. I hope such days will be few and far between for you. Our family's experience with chiropractic has been completely positive, apparently not all doctors are the same.
Best of everything to you.
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Old 08-20-2009, 11:26 PM
 
5,644 posts, read 13,183,199 times
Reputation: 14170
Quote:
Originally Posted by coyoteskye View Post
Buzz kill = bumming someone out when they are "high" ... i was being silly but intending to say that it was not my intention to bring you down.
I only wanted to remind you that long term use of a pharmaceutical drug may have side effects and even if they are not being experienced, it does not mean that the drug is an optimal form of treatment and/or that it is not creating other imbalances in your system that are less overt.
But, like SouthernBelleInUtah stated, it's effective and it is heavily prescribed and it's been around for a long time.
And i did state that it seems to be a well tolerated drug.
And surgery is not the only treatment for sciatica but i understand that deep exploration of alternative modalities is not for everyone.
I'm sorry but where is your medical degree from again?

Who are you to say what the optimum form of treatment for this gentleman's condition is?

Gabapentin is commonly used for sciatica and typically very well tolerated and seems to be working where "alternative" treatments didn't (big surprise)

I have prescribed it for patients and literally seen their lives turned around because of it.

By the way "deep" exploration of alternative modalities typically leads folks to discover that the majority of treatments (like chiropractic) are a sham.
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Old 08-09-2011, 11:16 AM
 
3 posts, read 5,341 times
Reputation: 20
I have always bben healthy but within the last year had shingles and postherpetic neuropathy for which I took gabapentin and now have had sciatica for four weeks and am not sleeping well. Besides the pain I feel so nervous and am not getting much relief with hydrocodone and flexeril (low dose). Could these two problems be related and what would you recommend?
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Old 08-10-2011, 07:15 PM
 
Location: Durham UK
2,028 posts, read 5,409,930 times
Reputation: 1150
Quote:
Originally Posted by coyoteskye View Post
Glad that you're pain is gone but now, instead of getting to the root of your sciatica (which, potentially, could lead you into even deeper healing), you're going to be dependent on a drug.
Is that o.k. with you?
I'm sure it's o.k. with the pharmaceutical company who manufactures the drug.
Hate to be a buzz kill but even if you don't experience side effects (and apparently this drug is relatively well tolerated) you're taking something that potentially is harmful.
Even if you're not experiencing overt/obvious side effects the fact that the drug can have this kind of effect on the human body indicates, to me, that it's not an optimum way to address an imbalance in your body.
It's one thing to take a med for short term use but for your lifetime?
But it's your body.
Just wanted to remind you:

Common Gabapentin Side Effects

Gabapentin has been studied thoroughly in clinical trials. In these studies, the side effects that occur in a group of people taking the drug are documented and compared to side effects that occur in another group of people not taking the drug. This way, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine.

Neurontin Side Effects
The study was looking at the drug in epileptic people as an antiseizure medicine, not in patients with chronic pain.
All drugs have potential side effects, not least many pain killers.
7 acetaminophen taken together can kill you!
I would far rather take something like gabapentin which is non-addictive than opiods or benzodiazepines for chronic back pain. I think it's very difficult for someone who's never experienced chronic pain to understand what it must be like.
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Old 08-10-2011, 07:22 PM
 
Location: Durham UK
2,028 posts, read 5,409,930 times
Reputation: 1150
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carol Froggie View Post
I have always bben healthy but within the last year had shingles and postherpetic neuropathy for which I took gabapentin and now have had sciatica for four weeks and am not sleeping well. Besides the pain I feel so nervous and am not getting much relief with hydrocodone and flexeril (low dose). Could these two problems be related and what would you recommend?
Don't think the Flexeril will be helping your nervousness or insomnia.
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Old 08-10-2011, 08:26 PM
 
Location: Nantahala National Forest, NC
27,074 posts, read 11,720,453 times
Reputation: 30347
Agree. Safe and used for decades.

Sciatica is painful & often nerve-related...and it is relieved with gabapentin? Who would then avoid using it? Posters who do NOT HAVE THIS PAIN, perhaps.

Glad you found something that helps you..
Quote:
Originally Posted by SouthernBelleInUtah View Post
In layman's terms, gabapentin (Neurontin for trade name) "calms" the nerves so they are not so reactive. Pain is thereby lessened and in many cases eliminated. While every med and food has side effects, this is one that has been around for a long time and is very heavily prescribed for certain types of pain b/c it works!. It is pretty safe.
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Old 08-10-2011, 10:46 PM
 
Location: NW. MO.
1,817 posts, read 6,838,627 times
Reputation: 1376
I'd like to learn more about this med for sciatica. My 70 y/o father has been suffering for years and it doesn't look like he's going to go the surgery route so maybe this would help him. He could talk to his Doc about it anyway.
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Old 08-10-2011, 11:12 PM
 
Location: Tucson for awhile longer
8,869 posts, read 16,251,228 times
Reputation: 29224
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tek_Freek View Post
I just went (am still going) through Shingles. Such a joy! Started in my left eye (no scarring. Yes!!) and spread across my head and nose. Wonderful disease.

My doctor gave me Gabapentin for the pain, which is cause by the Shingles virus affecting the nerves. After a while I noticed my Sciatica wasn't bothering me.
Interesting post, thanks. Tried to rep you, but I just did for the nice message you posted on Computers.

I'm interested in this because I've been trying to get a shingles vaccine now that I'm old enough. The cheapest I've found it anywhere, where I'd pay, is $200. So I've been trying to get my insurance to OK coverage so my GP can give it to me (she agrees I should have it). But they don't want to cover it. Can you believe they would rather have me GET shingles and then have to treat it?! Several older family members have been sufferers, I had a horrific case of chicken pox as a child (supposedly related), and I also have had sciatica pain for the last five years (which never occurred to me could be a similar issue, although it makes sense since it's also nerve pain).

In any case, thanks for sharing your experience. All the best to you in overcoming your problems. You're a valued contributor here and I hate to think about you suffering ... with multiple issues, no less. Good luck.
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Old 08-10-2011, 11:20 PM
 
Location: Mostly in my head
19,855 posts, read 65,620,752 times
Reputation: 19374
Call around to groceries with pharmacies. I got a $20 shingles vacc as part of some gov't program at my grocery's pharmacy.

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