New update

[JoanFrances]

Just returned from my doctor

Until I get my medicare in February, my gp is keeping together, thank God. He is such an angel. He even visits an MS board for new info on MS. Can't beat that with a stick

Anyway, in another thread I had whined about my legs giving me all sorts of problems. He just gave me a script for neurontin 300mg 2x a day to see if I can get some relief.

He also increased my baclofen because of the spasms playing their nasty little games.

So now we'll have to see how it goes. Don't know if the neurontin takes any time to build up in the system like the baclofen does, cause I haven't picked them up yet. Dh will go to the pharmacy for me later on today, it was just way to hot out for me to deal with that. Just getting to the doctor today was enough for me.

Thanks for listening.

[Jennyfoo]

I'm glad you've got a dr who is willing to teach himself about your disease. That's more than most would do, I think. I hope the Neurontin helps with your legs. Sending someone else out in the heat to get the rx sounds like the way to go. I'm so glad that my hubby is willing and able to play "errand boy" for me. He's really been a lifesaver; taken over most of the shopping and such since I don't drive any more.

[Des]

Good doctors are priceless, aren't they? I hope the meds help you feel better.

[JoanFrances]

WOW, I just read the side effects for the neurontin.

I hope to heck that, that don't happen. Blurred vision back pain, sleepiness (good at night but) and some others that are common to MS.

Gee looks like we can't win huh. Take a pill to get relief from on sx and it could cause an increase or add others.

Fingers crossed here. I think I will wait till tonight to take my first one LOL

[WillyNilly]

I truly hope the Neurontin works for you. You know that they HAVE to list any and all complaints that anyone may have had during the testing or ongoing use of a drug, right?
It's been so many years since I've used Neurontin that I can't remember the specifics, other than at the time it hadn't been approved for long term "off-label" use ( it was supposed to be an anti-convulsant I believe, for Epilepsy?) at dosages over 2800 a day and I had been at 3200 for several months so I was weaned off.
I DO recall that FOR ME, it was one of very few non-narcotic meds, now that I'm thinking about it, I'll say it was 1 of 2 Non-narcotic meds, that did wonders for many of my symptoms. Especially that electric zing down the back of my head when I turn thing. The other drug was recalled because several patients were having heart/death problems (BIG serious problems obviously) and when it was re-released in a new formulation, it didn't help me anymore.
Truly, Neurontin was a "wonder drug" for me, I hope it will be for you also.

[kudos]

Joan, I hope this works for you. I've been taking it for months and its worked ok. I had some side effects like tiredness, dizziness, and a little bit of "brain fog", but after a month or so these went away. It helped with some of my nerve pain and lessened the tingling sensations. I'm not sure if its still working for me though, I may have built up a tolerance, or else my symptoms have just worsened some.

One of the good things about this med though if I recall correctly is its not metabolized by the liver at all so it has less drug interactions than most other meds.

Best of luck,

--K

[Maple25]

neurontin

I have been on neurontin for over 6 months now. The only side effects I got was dizziness and fatigue in the beginning and I got over that in about a week. Try your first dose in the evening and just a second thought, I have 100 mg pills, so they are easier to wean off or get used to.
Be prepared that first it will knock you out. When I missed a dose in the early days, I got a terrible migraine. Make sure not to drink anything with added calcium in it for 2 hrs before and after, and no tums or anti heartburn meds.
Good luck,
Maple

[JoanFrances]

thanks for the input

Well I don't know if it was the med or just pain luck, but last night was the first one in a year that my left hip nerve pain didn;'t wake me up.

Slept till 8:15 and didn't see one tv show before I fell asleep last night. My tv is on 24/7 otherwise I would lay in bed thinking and never sleep.

I like that this pill is a non narcadic. Hate those meds. Lord knows we have enough to deal with without adding a dependency created by a med.

My dh is so dependent on his meds that if he skips one within a few hours or so he is ready to jump out of his skin, until he takes it and it starts to work. I swear he can't tell if he needs them for his pain or because he has been addictied to them.

[wkikta]

It has been a wonder drug for me, I was having severe Sciatic pain that would wake me instantly at night. Its effect was very quick when I started taking it, been on it a few years now. Taking Calcium and many vitamin/mineral supplements can reduce its effect, just delay them for a couple of hours.

[hunterd]

ONLY GOOD THINGS TO SAY ABOUT IT HERE TOO. NO SIDES EVER EITHER. GOOD LUCK.

DAVE

[mjan]

Hi Joan

I took Gabapentin (generic of Neurontin) for night time to help with pain in back/legs from first MS doc and it always helped me sleep.

Now I am taking it 3 x a day for seizures. I was tired on it at first..now it does not affect me. I already HAD blurry vision..and it still helps me sleep.

Like YOU, I lay in bed with TV on..till my eyes are too tired. So I "get you" lol

Hope it helps..and I would not worry so much about those side effects you read. Like I said, I got "used to it"

Take care, Jan

[JoanFrances]

hi All again

today is day 4 on the neurontin and while I can't say I am at 100% yet, I have felt a big difference.

Except for feeling dopey I have to say I have felt a lot better in the past couple of days. If this continues it will be wonderful

Now the only thing that has to get better is my body agreeing with my mind LOL

I lay in bed in the morning with my days plans running through my mind. The mind is more than willing but this body so "no, no, no". HATE THAT. Leaves me feeling really let down and down myself.

Don't know about you but when you aren't able to move around I sit there seeing everything that needs doing, like the light switches got dirty, there is a cob web on the ceiling and so on. Makes my crazy and a bit bi*chy too. HATE it when the body wins over the mind.

[Justsayyes]

I took a dose of neurontin a few months ago and within 20 minutes I was pain free, I thought it was wonderful! I unfortunately couldn't continue as I was too sedated. Feeling wonderful and being near comatose was not working for me! I seem to have this problem with meds. over-sedating me.

I seem to recall others saying your body gets used to it and will adjust.

I was responding about the cobwebs actually......my master bedroom was like a haunted house. I guess I just didn't notice all the mess. Or maybe an army of spiders took over one day? Same thing happened several months ago with my downstairs. All of a sudden I noticed cobwebs hanging all over. What the heck?