Arachnoiditis: Looking to talk with others

I have been told by others who use gabopentin that they have memory loss. I so far only take three doses of 200 a day

I've been on Neurontin (gabapentin) for 9 years. I tried it when I was working before this but could not function. However after a failed cervical surgery that left me without the ability to move my arms for 10 months, I was able to adjust to the gabapentin. Each time my physical status improved (truly telling my mind to move my arms regardless of permanent sensory damage), pain increased and I increased the gabapentin. I had a difficult 4 or 5 years as I tried various medications and struggled to get mostly full use of my arms. I now take 2600-3200 depending upon what I've been doing and function without the "fog" and memory lapses. I'm very active. Fortunately, I was 65 when this all happened and had a working husband so I could afford medications and not working, etc. My entire spine is a mess with degenerative arthritis, bone spurs, foraminal stenosis, etc. But I'm completing family genealogy, taking care of our grandchild on occasion, quilting, gardening, etc. The best advice I received was to use my brain to tell my body what I want it to do. I have little if any feeling in my hands but am typing! Also, vary activities and find your strengths and weaknesses. Some motions cause me little pain, others can cause severe cramping. I'm also on 45 mg of Baclofen every day for the cramping and spasms. I've tried Lyrica, Cymbalta, and most of the others but find that Gabapentin and Baclofen together with Ibuprofen works the best for me. Good luck to you. Not easy to find what works best for you and then to adjust to it.

So happy for you Patricia!
That was my life five years ago. Despite the diagnosis of three very painful conditions : CRPS and arachnoiditis and also degenerative disease with several herniated discs etc that I still have. I was just like you still a happy camper enjoying family and grandkids and I actually I am still a happy camper but in a a scooter or wheelchair, I was
holding two jobs ( Montessori school teacher and an evening job at the Houston Symphony) But on September 14th 2016 driving my way home after working at a concert, a young guy crossed the intersection on red light, destroyed my car and caused me a displaced fracture in my sternum( breast bone )
From there there was a chain of events. I was back at work six weeks later but then came one after the other : costocondritis, L1L2 severely herniated disc ending up in surgery, dislocation of both jaws, electric shocks and excruciating pain in the right eye and eyebrow ( MRI showed a vein and an artery pressing on the trigeminal nerve ) that led to the trigeminal neuralgia diagnosis, a relentless TN that led to two brain surgeries and gamma knife surgery because it had left me without my ability to speak, I can relate with your arms, I can speak now, it lead me to many ER visits and admissions, in the meanwhile all of my joints were swollen and painful and I started having little clots and that led to the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis with positive rheumatoid factor, and RA usually presents with other autoimmune conditions so I also have Hashimoto’s disease and scalp psoriasis.
These days I am having severe sciatic pain in both legs, sitting up is a ceremony haha but I went to Phoenix for my grandson’s
BD ( I am in Houston) and to Austin three times my daughter is there with two other grandkids. My point is that I agree with you, despite everything that is goi nag o in my body and the horrendous pain of TN my wheelchair, cane and scooter have become amusement for the kids. I give them rides in the scooter, and the play Broadway musicals with my cane.
Let’s keep our heads up and let’s keep our spirits high. The opposite is nothing but living in death.
Not an option

I've been on Neurontin (gabapentin) for 9 years. I tried it when I was working before this but could not function. However after a failed cervical surgery that left me without the ability to move my arms for 10 months, I was able to adjust to the gabapentin. Each time my physical status improved (truly telling my mind to move my arms regardless of permanent sensory damage), pain increased and I increased the gabapentin. I had a difficult 4 or 5 years as I tried various medications and struggled to get mostly full use of my arms. I now take 2600-3200 depending upon what I've been doing and function without the "fog" and memory lapses. I'm very active. Fortunately, I was 65 when this all happened and had a working husband so I could afford medications and not working, etc. My entire spine is a mess with degenerative arthritis, bone spurs, foraminal stenosis, etc. But I'm completing family genealogy, taking care of our grandchild on occasion, quilting, gardening, etc. The best advice I received was to use my brain to tell my body what I want it to do. I have little if any feeling in my hands but am typing! Also, vary activities and find your strengths and weaknesses. Some motions cause me little pain, others can cause severe cramping. I'm also on 45 mg of Baclofen every day for the cramping and spasms. I've tried Lyrica, Cymbalta, and most of the others but find that Gabapentin and Baclofen together with Ibuprofen works the best for me. Good luck to you. Not easy to find what works best for you and then to adjust to it.

I’m so sorry for all that you, I - we - go through. It all just feels so weird. For me, PT seems to exacerbate the FEELING pain. I am not saying it makes things worse, but I feel more pained. Today I am depressed. I am 72 and alone. With respect and appreciation for your shares - JEB

<p>Has anyone been treating Arachnoiditis with a pain pump?<br />Also, comments needed for how helpful is pain pumps?</p>

I was taking 600 mg of Gabapentin a day...(I had a spinal cord injury from degeneration)..And while I don’t believe I’ve experienced any memory loss........I did experience water retention and swelling in both of my legs. When I complained to my doctors and their nurses, they didn’t believe it was coming from the gabapentin. They thought my swelling was due to either too much sodium or other reasons… (I’ve never had swelling in my life for any reason) Anyway, I weaned myself off of the gabapentin over the course of two weeks, and as of now I wake up every day with absolutely no swelling in my legs or my feet. So, don’t be surprised if you eventually have swelling and take it from me it’s most likely due to the Gabapentin.