I to have been diagnosed with MP, and today is a bad day for me.

About 6 years ago, I had an 'itchy' spot on the outside of my lower right thigh, that just wouldn't go away. This progressed to an odd numbness that was hyper sensitive to touch. The only way I could describe the numbness is that it was numb inside my leg quite itchy on the outside. This went on for about 5.5 years gradually getting worse, till my whole right thigh was bothered by it. The only relief I could find was taking lots of Advil and 'dealing' with it.

This past spring I finally went to the Dr. about it. At 1st she thought it was a deep varicose vein, so I went to a vascular surgeon, who did an ultrasound. Nope - that wasn't it, but he thought it could be my back - so he scheduled a MRI. That showed a slight problem in l5-s1. So off to the Neurosurgeons I went. The 1st one said I needed a fusion surgery, but wanted me to loose some weight, and go to PT first. So I started PT, South Beach diet, and went for Cortisone shots - which did nothing for me.

My second opinion thought it could be MP, so he sent me to see a Neurologist, who did the nerve conduction study. I was diagnosed with MP in August of this year. Then, I had a third opinion with a Neurosurgeon, who confirmed MP.

Now, I know what's wrong with me, and I've been put on several medications. I started out on 300mg, of Gabapentin twice a day, that increased to 3 times a day, then that increased again to 600mg three times a day. This was too much for me, because I was constantly dizzy. I have since been brought down to 300mg of Gabapentin in the morning, along with 30mg of Cymbalta (for pain as well), 300mg of Gabapentin in the evening, and 600mg of the Gabapentin before bed.

My question to all of you is, if you have a bad day, do you play with your meds? Or just 'tough it out'? I'm never pain free, but I do have good and bad days. I just don't know if I should play with my evening or night doses or leave them alone. If I talk to my Dr. they have told me I can up the does if I need it, but I don't know if I can do this on a day to day basis, or if it will have no effect. I know what the Dr. is telling me is "based on clinical research", but I want to know from someone who has taken the meds themselves.

Thanks in advance.