Quote:
Originally Posted by 72daywmn
Ok, so I'm here to find info about the best possible options for pain relief for sciatica/neuropathy/possibly fibromyaliga
....
I used to take Neurontin for unrelated trigeminal neuralgia and headaches before this happened, and it worked for a while then had to be doubled, then doubled again, until it made me fall asleep if I stayed still for more than 30 seconds, so I quit taking it.
....
I've been interested in a TENS unit and/or ultrasound therapy, but without knowing anything about them or really how to use them, I'm scared; plus I don't know what brands, etc are the best if they do work?
....
I hoped someone here could offer the wisdom of their experiences. Please?
|
Hi 72daywmn,
My wife suffers from Fibro & nerve impingement. She had been on gabapentin (Neurontin) a while back and had a similar experience to yours, but our orthopedist recommended (prescribed) she try it again on an 'as-needed' basis for flare-ups, and it's working very well for her that way. He said that since she'd been on it before without incident, the risk of any adverse effects would be minimal (and he uses it this way himself). The best(?) part is that the dose she requires is usually only 1/3 of what was initially prescribed, so it was reduced, and she's not plagued by drowsiness, etc. but she can titrate up a bit if necessary (very seldom).
This is not something to try on your own; this is something to discuss with your prescribing doctor.
There's nothing to be scared about with a TENS unit - many/most run on a 9 volt transistor battery. They do, AFAIK, require a prescription, and a little orientation from a PT might be advisable/helpful. We have an Empi unit, and it's been just great.
Doc