Marield65 here. I was on gabapentine years ago and it didn't agree with me. My imagination was getting control over me and I was getting confused. I hate to tell people my side effects because you might not have any. I think you would know by now if you would have bad side effects. I hope our monitor will tell me if I am out of line mentioning my side effect s.

@marield65 You are not "out of line" at all for mentioning the side effects you had on gabapentin. Since we are not doctors we certainly don't want to give anyone medical advice but sharing your experience is fine. I was on gabapentin for Fibromyalgia My doctor prescribed 900 mg 3 times a day. It did work to help relieve the awful pain from fibro, but I developed memory loss and was very unstable on my feet.
I hope you will continue to share with us here on Mayo Connect!
Jen

Sandytoes, Marield65 here. Thank you so much for the nice reply. I will continue to share. It is awful going through different kinds of pain and the feeling of being alone with it. I have gotten so much information from being "connected " to this group. Again,thank you. And being on a med. and it playing with your mind is a terrible thing so I will continue to share.

Marie, I know what you mean: we all feel so darned alone with our pain--and especially when we're sitting there at 3 a.m., in agony, hoping that some painkiller or muscle relaxer kicks in. (Which is what I was doing this morning. TMJ pain woke me up at around 3, I took one tylenol plus codeine and one muscle relaxer, and read, with my cats all around me, until I finally felt the pain recede. Crawled back into bed at about 5 a.m.) It's good to know that there are others like us out there.

But honestly: I keep feeling that living with chronic pain isn't really living! I try to distract myself. I try to go on with work or going out with friends or knitting or reading or whatever, but that pain is still there. It's discouraging and especially so when you can't get any answers. I live in Florida, where there have been SO many pill mills. So, to get painkillers or to find someone who'll work with you on pain management, you have to be about 3/4 dead. Sigh.

Hazel

There is nothing that your dentist can do? That is awful to be in that much pain with no help? Marield65 God Bless You

I also know what you mean about feeling so alone in the wee hours in so much pain. I wait on the painkiller to take effect so I can try to get some rest. I cry and pray. I don't have TMJ so I can't address that kind of pain. I have so much wrong with my back, having had so many surgeries, and steroid injection. Now I am having medial branch nerve blocks. The first ones seem to be working some. I will have the second series on 8/18/17. I know that it will not work 100% but even a little bit will be wonderful. I do have hobbies and try to help my daughter in our small greenhouse business. If not for my love of God and the support of my family and church family. I don't know how I would survive it sometimes. My husband of 50+ years passed away in 2009 so I am alone in those wee hours. I don't want to live on pain medication, I don't like that spaced out feeling.

Eve, boy, do I ever hear you! Yes, even a little bit of relief would be wonderful. And I don't want to live on pain meds, either. They leave me feeling so spacey. I really dislike feeling as though I'm living in a fog.

Hazel

HAZEL, I wish there was something, but what?

I don't know, but I hope there's something. Yesterday and today I've been pain free! I have no idea what I'm doing differently, if anything. So I'm enjoying not hurting. Had coffee with a friend who also has pain issues. It's her back that gives her problems. She's going to have surgery soon.

Hazel