1. < Chronic Pain

How long do you take Gabapentin?

Posted by ttibsen @ttibsen, Sep 9, 2020

My wife got a Rx for Gabapentin yesterday to deal with chronic pain affecting her lower right leg below the knee. They couldn’t find anything obviously wrong and I guess that in those situations they fall back on Gabapentin. The instructions simply said take as needed and I am somewhat sceptical of this as it’s my understanding that Gabapentin is not like an analgesic which you do take on an as needed basis. I thought that for Gabapentin, once you start the meds, you continue at least until the meds is finished. She was given a one month supply.

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bustrbrwn22 | @bustrbrwn22 | Oct 1, 2020

@amkhead my heart goes out to you! Such debilitating pain can take over your life. I’m glad you were able to get morphine!

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Mentor
Rachel, Volunteer Mentor | @rwinney | Oct 1, 2020
In reply to @amkhead "Hi @rwinney , I do not get very many migraines, I just use a over the..." + (show)
@amkhead

Hi @rwinney , I do not get very many migraines, I just use a over the counter headache med. that works for me.
I can have a migraine with the pressure headache ( migraine is easy to fix)

The severe headache I have,is a ton of pressure and severe pain. The injections had no affect to this weird headache.The doctors are stumped, I tried diets, I tried a natural path,
I tried the gabapintin when it first hit me 2 years ago- but it did not help at that time,
So I wanted to try again.
The morphine is the only pain med that touches my pain, I hate taking it- but I need to when my pain is 8-10 and I'm throwing up from the pain.
I ended up in the Psch hospital for 6 months- The pain took over my life, and I did not want to live any longer . So I am struggling with this pain, we are trying everything.

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@amkhead Have you ever been diagnoses with occipital neuralgia? I have that in addition to neuropathy. I get awful tightening from the base of my head up the back, and neck. Hard to lay on a soft pillow when I flare. I freeze it with ice on neck and head. I'm glad the morphine at least helps you regardless of hating to take it. I completely understand that theory. I used to receive nerve blocks in neck and occipitals then moved on to radio frequency ablations. Have you tried these?

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2 replies
summertime4 | @summertime4 | Oct 1, 2020
In reply to @rwinney "@amkhead Have you ever been diagnoses with occipital neuralgia? I have that in addition to neuropathy...." + (show)
@rwinney

@amkhead Have you ever been diagnoses with occipital neuralgia? I have that in addition to neuropathy. I get awful tightening from the base of my head up the back, and neck. Hard to lay on a soft pillow when I flare. I freeze it with ice on neck and head. I'm glad the morphine at least helps you regardless of hating to take it. I completely understand that theory. I used to receive nerve blocks in neck and occipitals then moved on to radio frequency ablations. Have you tried these?

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@rwinney I see people talking about morphine on here and how much it helps. I have been om 10/325 percocet for 2 years because of neuropathy and fibromyalgia. The beak through pain puts me in tears. I hear people talking about morphine/time released. Is this something I can ask ,y pain management doctor about and how does that work. She had mentioned the pain pump or something like that. I do not want anything put in my back. The pain is getting to me., but I don't want her to think I am drug seeking when I am pain relief seeking. I am 75 so I don't think looking for a high is what I am doing.

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2 replies
lioness | @lioness | Oct 1, 2020

@summertime4 I'm with you there today in pain . I'm going to see my neurosurgeon on Monday and have to get something for this relentless pain I have Fibromyalgia and neuropathy also I'm 77 so not looking to get high just relief

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amkhead | @amkhead | Oct 1, 2020
In reply to @summertime4 "@rwinney I see people talking about morphine on here and how much it helps. I have..." + (show)
@summertime4

@rwinney I see people talking about morphine on here and how much it helps. I have been om 10/325 percocet for 2 years because of neuropathy and fibromyalgia. The beak through pain puts me in tears. I hear people talking about morphine/time released. Is this something I can ask ,y pain management doctor about and how does that work. She had mentioned the pain pump or something like that. I do not want anything put in my back. The pain is getting to me., but I don't want her to think I am drug seeking when I am pain relief seeking. I am 75 so I don't think looking for a high is what I am doing.

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@summertime4 - I take morphine only when my pain level is 8-10
You need to have a honest talk with your doctor about your level of pain , and your pain is getting to you and you need some kind of relief

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amkhead | @amkhead | Oct 1, 2020
In reply to @rwinney "@amkhead Have you ever been diagnoses with occipital neuralgia? I have that in addition to neuropathy...." + (show)
@rwinney

@amkhead Have you ever been diagnoses with occipital neuralgia? I have that in addition to neuropathy. I get awful tightening from the base of my head up the back, and neck. Hard to lay on a soft pillow when I flare. I freeze it with ice on neck and head. I'm glad the morphine at least helps you regardless of hating to take it. I completely understand that theory. I used to receive nerve blocks in neck and occipitals then moved on to radio frequency ablations. Have you tried these?

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Have not been diagnosed with occipital neuralgia- my pain is only in my head
Not in my neck or back- and I have no problem sleeping on pillows.
Yours sounds horrible too- hope you can get some kind of relief
I have tried the radio frequency, I believe that is what they tried, and most of the medical neurology doctors tried a ton of stuff within the first 2 months of my onset .

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Mentor
Rachel, Volunteer Mentor | @rwinney | Oct 2, 2020
In reply to @summertime4 "@rwinney I see people talking about morphine on here and how much it helps. I have..." + (show)
@summertime4

@rwinney I see people talking about morphine on here and how much it helps. I have been om 10/325 percocet for 2 years because of neuropathy and fibromyalgia. The beak through pain puts me in tears. I hear people talking about morphine/time released. Is this something I can ask ,y pain management doctor about and how does that work. She had mentioned the pain pump or something like that. I do not want anything put in my back. The pain is getting to me., but I don't want her to think I am drug seeking when I am pain relief seeking. I am 75 so I don't think looking for a high is what I am doing.

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@summertime4, @lioness I'm so sorry you ladies are both suffering terribly from your chronic pain.

@summertime4 You replied to me asking if you should ask your pain management Dr about morphine/time released. I'm wondering who currently prescribes your 10/325 Percocet? Is it your Pain Management Dr.? I understand you not wanting an implant in your back. Unfortunately, our bodies build tolerance to opiod treatment which prompts us to continue seeking a higher dose for effectiveness. As I understand it, if you are on a maxed dose of one opiod, sometimes switching to a different opiod may offer help. I recommend speaking to your PM Dr or whomever prescribes your Percocet as to other options. Best of luck to you in your quest to find pain relief. Hang in there dear.
Rachel

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1mepnurse | @1mepnurse | Oct 3, 2020
In reply to @amkhead "we have tried chiropractic, massage, Botox, nerve blocks, sent me to Cedar Sinai in Los Angeles..." + (show)
@amkhead

we have tried chiropractic, massage, Botox, nerve blocks, sent me to Cedar Sinai in Los Angeles for 1 week of testing with a neurologist, My list is long of things we have tried. I take morphine if my pain is 8-10. My pain is a 6 always, and I do get migraines over the headaches, and I take migraine meds, and migraine gone within a hour. Headaches are a severe pressure, get worse with ANY activity now. Lost my job of 10 years-and now fighting severe depression ( which I am getting help for )

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Well, U have tried it all, for now. Will pray God sends you a miracle, dear!! SO sorry.
I also pray God will open another door, for an even better job. That's what HAPPENED for my daughter & she was distraught & hurt, too. Never underestimate the power of pray!

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bellaann | @bellaann | Oct 5, 2020
In reply to @amkhead "we have tried chiropractic, massage, Botox, nerve blocks, sent me to Cedar Sinai in Los Angeles..." + (show)
@amkhead

we have tried chiropractic, massage, Botox, nerve blocks, sent me to Cedar Sinai in Los Angeles for 1 week of testing with a neurologist, My list is long of things we have tried. I take morphine if my pain is 8-10. My pain is a 6 always, and I do get migraines over the headaches, and I take migraine meds, and migraine gone within a hour. Headaches are a severe pressure, get worse with ANY activity now. Lost my job of 10 years-and now fighting severe depression ( which I am getting help for )

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Have you ever tried a tense machine. Not a spinal stimulator, but the tense machine with patches. I love them. Cannot feel any pain and I am always in a lot of pain.

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1 reply
Mentor
John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Oct 5, 2020
In reply to @bellaann "Have you ever tried a tense machine. Not a spinal stimulator, but the tense machine with..." + (show)
@bellaann

Have you ever tried a tense machine. Not a spinal stimulator, but the tense machine with patches. I love them. Cannot feel any pain and I am always in a lot of pain.

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Hello @bellaann - Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Thank you for sharing your experience with a Tens unit. You might want to join in the following discussion and share a little more information on the type of Tens unit you have that helps you.

- TENS Units: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/tens-units/

Are you able to share a little more about your diagnosis and how you use the Tens unit to help with the pain?

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