Sounds like your chickens give you a lot of joy Cyclelops, it's our pets (animals) that help us get through this thing PN. I have 2 dogs and 2 cats and would not be without them.

doc put me on 300mg lyrica and 25 mg amtryptoline first day. was in la la land for a week. Stopped cold turkey, no problem because I didnt know about side effects. I can still up or down dosage of anything without much grief. Folks dont try this at home!!!!

Oh, I have 3 labradors too! I have had some pretty large menageries! Yes, my animals do give me a lot of joy. So do my kids and grandkids.

This Neurontin thing is just making me question the law of physics in general!!
It's obvious that it hasn't helped one iota with the pain.....and I've been a border-line bipolar mess since I've started this!
I've read on a couple of the other forums here at NT something to do with 'Depression Induced Neurontin'......and it's no secret I've battled depression for years.....
But GOODLORD I've had 2 episodes during this 6 week trial, one was a complete mental breakdown in which I truly wanted to DIE. Just SICK OF IT!
And 2 wks later I am beginning to feel another mental decline!
I'm tapering off this stuff.
I'm sick of being a medication guinea PIG

Oh yes, not to mention the complimentary 2 week titration packet of SAVELLA my doctor wanted me to try!
And yes, I've read the nightmares, so just peg me stupid and call it good.

.............good morning ? ....

Rrae,
I can certainly relate to the Neurontin induced depression. As I described in my last post on this thread, Neurontin led to a feeling of hopelessness that I've never experienced before. The good news is that my mood rapidly returned to baseline after I discontinued it. By the way, I was told to just stop the Neurontin because I had only been taking it for 17 days, however, within 24 hours of stopping it I had the worst headache that I've ever experienced. I am currently finding some relief with low dose Elavil. I hope you feel better soon. Take care, Liz

OK, I will plunk away with this cast....at least a few of my fingers are free....

MY CURE for chronic pain is a good solid bout of acute pain....the I think I am gonna die kind. Now things dont seem so bad....well, for a while. I am just glad the hand-bone pain has subsided to a dull roar.

Then, of all things...my kidneys dumped on me.

I am off everything but my trusty vicodin, and the smallest titch of pramipexole I can handle. I think if I had left things up to the docs, I would be freaking dead. PN seems the least toxic option, au naturale.....ugh. For me to have neurontin work, I would be a puddle....just a blob in a low spot...a miniswamp witout a name.

pardon the errors.....I am in a cast, in pain and acidotic.

Good grief!

Good to have you back at NT, but didn't expect that your kidneys would go plop and you'd be in acidosis land. Do you know what happened?

One thing that's still 100% intact is your clever sense of humor. And you're probably right - if you'd left everything to the docs, you might have found yourself in a new, very small home. Great that you know as much as you do.

Hope the pain give up the ghost at least somewhat.

Sheltiemom

Oh DEAR! What's up with the kidneys Cy??
Not good!
I'll check out your other thread (Surgery/Speedy Recovery) in case you explained there, so you don't have to repeat.
Glad the bone pain is subsiding......just please take it easy! And, like Sheltiemom says....don't lose that sense of humor!

Thank you lizziebeth for your reply....glad you're doing better on the Elavil.

I didn't got much worse on Neurontin as well. It was a period of deep realization and zombification at the same time. Aches I had never had before and Neuropathy got much worse. I fear that this is what most people go thru, but are not so lucky to come to the realization that the medication only begets more medication. When I stopped the Neurontin, I was able to create a baseline from where I could identify what triggers my pain. Once I identified my triggers, I was able to avoid them more and more. I noticed that leaning this way or sleeping that way set it off. So now I was able to avoid the triggers and pain. As well I developed a routine and began walking as much as possible.

I will admit at the time I was taking the Ayurvedic herbs- Bacopa and Gotu Kola which was tremendously helpful coming off the Neurontin as some of its effects mirror that of Neurontin. But, those herbs also combat oxidative stress, lift mood and most importantly don't make you worse. Later I realized the importance of antioxidants and supplements in combating this thing. Although my regimen has changed much over the past 2 years, one of my most helpful supplements has been Pomegranate Extract. I think it is the Nitric Oxide stimulation(circulatory) it affords in addition to its role in combating oxidative stress.

Oh, it's just the same old hypokalemia, hypocalcemia, low bicarb, high chloride, normal anion gap thing=distal renal tubular acidosis.

Only thing that worries me is the doc wants me to stick with ivig, and my thought is that at this point...that is not a good idea.

I feel like poo, and am up 10-20 times per nite too pee.....so, between poo and pee....that sums it up.

I am off to see some renal and endocrine wizard next to see how much iatrogenic damage they can cook up.

I had the sense not to take that huge increase of diltiazem they ordered fir me, two weeks ago....some little birdie told me not to....good think or my calcium would have dumped....

Oh, and I am also off to medical genetics....can hardly wait.

The surgery went well....but was quite painful...akin to putting one's hand in the tracks of a Sherman tank.