[zygopetalum]

Im sorry to keep whining about this, I just don't know what to do. I look at the SE for neurontin and I already have at least half of them from my acetalcholine-inhibiting Spiriva and I wonder what kind of a mess I'll end up with if I inhibit Gaba as well.

The burning in my feet has diminished to tolerable levels (right now anyhow) with less inhaled steroid but I still have other issues and I don't even know if they are nerve related.

I've read that steroids can become 'pro-inflammatory' after long term use. I don't know if that is what is happening but Flovent 'makes stuff hurt worse'. It seems like any little muscle soreness or arthritis pain becomes more painful than it should be. I was up late reading the other night and took it at 2:30 Am because I didn't want to get up early. I apparently slept on my face because I woke up with jaw pain. I've had symptomless TMJ for years but the pain was triggered by taking the med and then the warmth and 'stress' of lying on it. Does 'normal' neuropathy work that way?

I've mentioned before it causes tendon swelling and I have a lot of entrapment symptoms at higher doses. They aren't as severe either with a lowered dose but I''ve developed some achilles tendon issues. I walked last week and ended up having to ice my heels which helped but it still took a couple of days to recover. There may have been some nerve pain in there too, it always feels like someone chopped off my feet, sharpened the end of the tibia and Im trying to walk on that. I don't know if its just compression on the tibial nerve from tendon swelling, it hurts in the right places.

I haven't taken any aspirin for a long time because the steroid also irritates my stomach and it had little effect when I was on a higher dose of Flovent. I thought it might help the tendon inflammation and so tried it yesterday before I walked. It really helped, negligible tendon pain and less swelling.
I took another one later in the evening after I started getting some Muscle (?)soreness. I was delighted because I'm always numb and have altered sensations and it seemed to help that too, I felt pretty normal.

Then I took my evening Flovent. The only way I can describe the pain is that it felt like acid was injected into my nerves, it felt like I could feel every branch in my arms and legs. That lasted around 40 minutes and then subsided to normal pain levels. Apparently the steroid also blunts the pain it causes and aspirin affected that.

So, I recently read that neurontin is antiinflammatory and that it is also used for carpel tunnel. Is that true? Does it have an effect on muscle pain? Is what Im feeling just characteristic of neuropathy? Will neurontin actually stop whats happening or just cover it up so the med continues to irritate the nerves with who-knows-what-result?

I'm really hating my doctors right now.

judi

[mrsD]

Neurontin does not affect gaba directly. It is thought to affect calcium ions in nerve transmission.

Gabapentin was initially synthesized to mimic the chemical structure of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), but is not believed to act on the same brain receptors. The mechanism of action that leads to its rapid analgesic effect is simply unknown.

Some of its activity may involve interaction with voltage-gated calcium channels. Gabapentin binds to the α2δ subunit (1 and 2) and has been found to reduce calcium currents after chronic but not acute application via an effect on trafficking[40] of voltage-dependent calcium channels in the central nervous system.[41] Another possible mechanism of action, reported by Ben Barres and colleagues in Cell in 2009, is that gabapentin halts the formation of new synapses.[42]

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabapentin

I am not aware of any gabapentin effects on inflammation.

I use AlkaSeltzer original formula for pain and aspirin.... it is less likely to cause GI bleeding in solution, because it is absorbed so quickly. Generic form at WalMart is very very inexpensive.

Recent meta analyses of previous papers, have revealed that gabapentin does not work for everyone. Average success is about 30% of patients.

[zygopetalum]

Thanks, I knew that neurontin did not affect gaba directly but forgot. I'll try the AlkaSeltzer.

There isn't much information available but I've been reading about steroid hypersensitivity reactions, that may be a more accurate description than anything. Do you think there is any chance what I feel is vascular rather than nerves? It can cause vasculitis.

judi