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Does anyone use gabapentin for nerve pain and symptoms...please help me...

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Posted 3/20/2010 4:00 PM (GMT 0)
my symptoms are so severe..i have gabapentin but im scared to take it cause i took ativan before..but i have to have something to calm the nervous system...its in contant distress..humming buzzing vibrating...no rest at all...constant rapid heartrate palpitations..no peace..and im not anxious..its doing this even when im laying on the bed in a dark quiet room...its like a person with ms or parkinssons dieseae...no rest or relaxation at all..surges and constant buzzing thru my body...i need rest and peace..and i also have jerks and muslce spams..i know lyme damgages the nervous system...and between that and the ativan withdrawal mine is shot...i need help....does anyone here take gabapentin(neurontin)...please let me know...i dont want to take something that acts like a benzo (ativan) on my system and be addicted again..but i need something to calm down these horrific symptoms...and pain
Posted 3/20/2010 4:01 PM (GMT 0)
also body is real hot inside...and strange symptoms and pain..especially in brain....
Posted 3/20/2010 4:23 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, I have taken Gabapentin to help manage the numbness I experience over most of my body. The doctor had me start with just two per day and gradually had me ramp up to five per day. I felt high when I first started taking them but my body gradually adjusted and I was able to increase the dose. They helped with the numbness, lessening its intensity and definitely helped reduce anxiety and relax me. Over time they became less effective and I was not comfortable increasing the dose. Last month, I gradually weaned myself off entirely so I could better evaluate my symptoms.

From the sounds of your symptoms you would probably benefit from taking the Gabapentin. I'd be interested to find out what your experience is should you decide to start taking it. Hope that you find some relief from your symptoms soon.
Posted 3/22/2010 12:31 AM (GMT 0)
I have tried Gabapentin in the past but It did not help with the nerve pain or nervous system.
I was just started on lamictal for nervous system /twitching, I also take xanax to help me sleep.
Posted 3/22/2010 4:49 AM (GMT 0)
My husband found gabepentin useful when he had an injury. I however am on Lyrica and I couldn't live without it. No question I'm addicted - and it works. If I miss one pill I get what I call the heebie jeebies and it's painful. There are those who have tried it and it didn't work. Caution here is that it takes up to a month to gain the effects, and you have to take enough. I take 150mg 2x/day. I'd be dead without it.
Posted 3/22/2010 1:52 PM (GMT 0)
Gabapentin helped me tremendously for a few years, then it was as if my body suddenly got used to it. The doc raised my dosage, & that helped, but only for about another 2 or 3 months & I was back in pain again.

I tried Lyrica & it didn't work very well for me & it was waaaayyyy too expensive at that time. Please be sure if you are taking something like Lyrica, not to take Gabapentin at the same time.
Posted 3/22/2010 5:27 PM (GMT 0)
I was prescribed Gabapentin 3 weeks ago for a herniated L5/S1 (just what I needed in the midst of a relapse of LD), it has helped me tremedously with the nerve pain I had experienced from the disc (pain shooting from my hip/butt down my leg). I so far would recommend it. I am currently on two a day but about to go to three.

I also tried Lyrica and it didn't work at all for Lyme and is VERY expensive!

Good Luck!

Anne
Posted 3/25/2010 5:33 PM (GMT 0)
I take it too, I guess it helps, I still have a lot of nerve pain.

Posted 8/23/2010 10:29 PM (GMT 0)
Hello - yes, I've been taking gabapentin for about a year now with no results.  It's as if I took nothing at all for pain caused by pinched nerves.  Who knows, it might help you though.  I doubt there will be any unpleasant side effects for you in low to moderate doses.  I took 6, 300 mg capsules/day but could have doubled it with safety.  That's what my neursurgeon said anyway. 

I had a friend that took a much higher dose and he said it changed his personality so I wouldn't recommend the higher doses.  It seems to me you certainly don't have anything to lose based on the symptoms you describe.  Good luck.  j

Posted 8/24/2010 12:30 PM (GMT 0)
I have years of experience with Neurontin (Gabapentin), although I don't take it currently. I took it for years for migraine prevention, usually along with other anti-seizure medications like Topamax and Zonagran...as Neurontin isn't usually prescribed alone (but I did notice a difference with it). Drugs in this family aren't addictive like benzos are - your body doesn't become physically dependent on them, although I suppose if you're symptoms are being treated successfully, they would return if stopped.

The main side effects I noticed were tingling of my fingers, usually just in the morning, and nothing too bothersome...and dizziness and/or clumsiness, also usually just in the morning (sometimes severe, to the point where I would need to hold onto things to walk, but only lasting a few minutes and never accompanied by any nausea). The dizziness went away after being on it for a while. Neurontin is also sometimes used as a sleep aid and does help a lot of people sleep. It can also cause quite a bit of weight gain.

Lyrica is a fairly new sister-drug to Neurontin, almost identical in make-up, but probably 100 times more expensive because it's brand-name. Some people have more luck with it for nerve pain - I tried it and didn't.

Different doses are given for different ailments - it's a very widely used drug. I used to take 600 mg. twice a day. I actually stopped taking it because I started having a lot of pressure in my eyes, and Glaucoma is an extremely rare side-effect - although I tested negative over and over, I wanted to be better safe than sorry!

Good luck - I hope you give it a shot and it helps!!

Rachel
Posted 8/24/2010 7:05 PM (GMT 0)
I also take neurontin at nite which really seemed to help with nerve pain I was experiencing on one side of my face. I also take xanax in the morning, valtrex to quiet herpes virus, and just added cymbalta for depression (this is in addition to supplements and antibiotics). I must say things are quieter than they have been in a while. we shall see how long this lasts. My fingers are crossed.
Posted 8/24/2010 8:02 PM (GMT 0)
I hope you find relief, Springsjean.
Posted 8/25/2010 3:16 AM (GMT 0)
I hope it can help you, I think everybody is different, I tried it to no avail except I think it exaberated constipation.
Posted 8/26/2010 3:51 AM (GMT 0)
I took it for a short time for Lyme Disease pain. It did help somewhat, but I felt "drunk" and quite out of it. I switched to Tramadol, which helps me a lot.
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