Thank you Doc for your response to my question. I started with a 300mg dose of the neurontin. I was to begin with one cap daily but the pain has been so incredibly intense that my doctor had me start the dose twice daily instead. I do know about the site Drugs.com and use it often. I was a hospital Pharmacy Tech for several years before becoming disabled so I keep a close watch on my medicines. I feel that a pharmacist is a much better resource for the pharmacology of drugs than a doctor is as docs only receive very few classes in med school on the subject. My ex-husband is also a clinical hospital pharmacist as well...
The issue that I often have is that I seem to often have what my doctors have called my reactions to drugs as "paradoxical effects". Very often I react oppositely to what the drug is supposed to do for me. I'm not so sure if I'm explaining this well right now as I am on alot of meds but I do know now after what u have explained to me that the first dose I took must have been what took the pain away. Why it isn't working now I can't explain. I think my doctor is confused by the fact that nuerontin is also used to treat depression and it does take a few weeks to take effect in those cases.
As of tonight I do feel somewhat better but for some reason the pain seems to come and go. I can only hope that eventually it leaves for good. Thank you also for the warning about the dizziness and fatigue. I am falling asleep without notice and very weak in the legs but have been all along since this happened to me. I use a walker and a cane now. Have a shower chair and nursing services, and I suppose my doctor felt that at this point I am so debilitated it was worth taking the risk of the side effects to try and stop the pain and keep me from being hospitalized. My biggest fear is a collapsed lung due to the depressed respirations at this point. I do have COPD and am also still a smoker. I have tried desperately to stop the smoking but can't seem to quit no matter how hard I try. I think this may be due to the PTSD that I suffer with as well. I do keep up with my inhaler now and make certain do several deep breathing excersises each time before I go to bed for the night. I've been told this will help to prevent collapsed lungs from occuring. Hopefully I can avoid that problem.
I want to thank you and everyone else here on NT for all of the great support and information. I have told my VNA nurse about this site and she is relaying the information to her sister who also suffers with fibromyalgia among other things. She was very pleased to have the information as was I. I hope you and your wife are well and happy... Thanks again. Sweet Pea.