[BellaLea]

I've just been placed on Neurontin with the dose being tapered up. I am also on Fentanyl patches for intractable pain (since 2005). I'm only on 300mg a day for be tapered up to 2400mg. I haven't been given MS diagnosis yet, but MY neurologist said that I have the nervous system of an "80year old" This dose seems kinda high to me & worried about how it will effect my ability to function at work. Last week I have had to start using a cane because my balance crapped out. I think the dose is too small to be causing me to weeble and wobble. I wonder if I'm having an exacerbation?

Anyone else take a high dose of Neurontin along with pain meds? I'm worried I won't be able to function with one more med put in my pile. I already sound like a rattle when I walk.

[tkrik]

I take Neurontin (generic - gabapentin) but not that high of a dose. I only take 600 mg - 900 mg a day. It helps me quite a bit. I take the 600 mg at night before bed and 1 300 mg during the day if I have nerve pain.

The dose (2400 mg) may seem high but it really isn't. It seems to me that's an average dose. I have found that I can get by with 600 mg - 900 mg a day and it helps my nerve pain.

[Starznight]

I didn't know that gabapentin was the generic for neurotin, but it's a med that my pain mgmt doc switched me to, currently at 300mg 2x a day, but said the ceiling on it was 3600mg, so 2400mg while it sounds like a lot might not be too bad.

As far as functioning altering side-effects go, I haven't noticed any clouding of the brain, dizziness, drowsiness or weakness. It's actually made me feel like I might be able to return to the work force after far too long of an absence.

Granted that's just my experience with it, everyone will be different and I do have an exceptionally high tolerance to medications and even alcohol. (Never been a cheap drunk bright side is I'm too poor to be an alcoholic though ) but then again the goal of the medication should be to kill the pain and not the brain. If it's doing both, I generally ask for something else or a change in dose until a balance can be found, it's never fun playing pill bottle roulette or pharmacy grab bags but I like to think of it as a treasure hunt.

[BellaLea]

Thanks for the help. I'm on a large dose of Fentanyl patches for chronic pain and I think I may have to take a lesser dose. I got up to 900mg and started having balance prob and dizziness, as well as vision problems which is causing me to miss work, so guess I need to taper up slower.

[Debbie D]

I would think that both drugs would have side effects of sleepiness, dizziness and trouble walking. I was on gabapentin-didn't do much for neuropathy, so I went off of it.

[Strhuntrss]

Originally Posted by BellaLea

Thanks for the help. I'm on a large dose of Fentanyl patches for chronic pain and I think I may have to take a lesser dose. I got up to 900mg and started having balance prob and dizziness, as well as vision problems which is causing me to miss work, so guess I need to taper up slower.

Hi Bella,

I take gabapentin (Neurontin) 300mg-2 capsules 3 x day, so that is 1800mg a day. I space mine out. 2 in the morning, 2 in the afternoon and 2 before I go to bed for nerve pain. And I take Baclofen 1-2 every 8 hours for muscle spasms. I also take Ultram (tramadol) 2 every 6 hours for pain.

I recently found out that not only do I have RRMS, I also have a degenerating spine from the neck to the sacrum. And I might have to have surgery on my back for crowding of nerves in the S4,S5 and S1 area.

I am seeing a neurosurgeon on Nov 4th to see what we want to do. It is affecting my left leg pretty bad and I have issues with my going to the bathroom.

I asked my MS Neuro if this was my problem all along and its not MS.
He said he wished he could tell me no, but not, the lesions are associated with MS.

So now I have to see where I go from here.

Ahhh, just another day in paradise lol