New to Neuro Talk
 

Hello, my name is Karmala. I was diagnosed with MS on Oct 17, 2007 at the ripe age of 44. I am now 48 and still changing meds and getting new pains. I thought my first flare was a sign to chill and go for the no stress thing and all would be fine. I evidently was incorrect. I am now suffering with lower back pain that I cannot control without medication that makes me feel like a zombie. Has anyone here taken Gabapentin?

I have not taken Gabapentin, but just wanted to welcome you to the community! You came to a good place. Sometimes it's a little slow here on weekends, so if you don't get a response right away, don't think you're being ignored!

Welcome Karmala :)

I was diagnosed at about the same age and for a year I had a stiff back all over and it was before I knew it was MS. I wasn't treated for it, but it only lasted for a year and then it was different symptoms. So yours might be temporary which is a good thing. I haven't taken that medicine but I took one for migraines called Topamax that made me dopey and those lasted nearly two years and then stopped. So try to get through it and hopefully your back will improve and you can cut down on or stop that medicine.

Welcome!
 

Hi and welcome to NeuroTalk! I was the same age as you when I was diagnosed in 2005. :)

I've taken Gabapentin before and it really didn't do much except make me feel light-headed and made me gain all sorts of weight. :( That was several years ago and I have since stopped taking it.

What kind of symptoms are you having? I've had so many different ones. Some stay and some come and go. Everyone's different.

Glad you came to join us. This is an awesome group of people! :)

Hated Gabapentin. Didn't help and made me a zombie.

I do Vicodin, never makes me feel anything but sleepy at bedtime. MS meds take a lot of self - experience and tweaking. MS takes a lot of tweaking.

Welcome Karmala, nice to meet you. :)

I take Gabapentin, 3x300mg, it works as expected with no side effects. It is expected that the 'zombie' thing will pass with a little time. There are many medications that are used for various pains, it is a Trial and Error sometimes to find the right one.

Welcome Karmala! Nice to "meet" you.:)

Yes, I was on Gabapentin (neurontin)for unrelenting, drive me crazy, icy-burning paresthesias over large portions of skin. I have no idea if it worked because I couldn't think on it which meant I couldn't work. I eventually had a 3 day course of steroids for the problem and put gabapentin on my "no can do" list.

Best to you,
ANN

hi karmala and welcome to NT.

i've taken G but but it didn't work well enuf for me.
i switched to Lyrica and have done well on it.

sorry you're having a rough time.

Hello Karmala
 

Welcome to Neruo talk. Hope you get the infomation you need here. You have found the right forum, and there are alot of folks that have MS that can respond to you. My cousin has MS, so I know just a little bit about it. I know of the medicine you speak of. Alot of people feel "drugged and dragging" while taking it. Sometimes it goes away, and others are unable to function well on it at all. Many are started at a lower dose, and gradually increased. In my case, I hated the medication, and I took it for neruological problems associated with my cervical spine issue. I felt just horrible, so I asked my doctor to allow me to stop the Med. Keep close touch with your doctor and do tell him all you are experiencing. I do hope some resolution and pain control can be found for you. There are pain specialists that deal with MS. I wish you all the best as you go forward with your care. ginnie

I didn't try Neurontin, but tried Lyrica, which helped PN remarkably but made me feel like I had trouble breathing. I am usually better off without drugs, even if struggling with symptoms, but sometimes I find a drug which is just right. Zyrtec, for instance, an anti-histimine, helps with itches. As others say, a lot of tweaking is necessary if taking drugs or supplements.

Hello and welcome. I tried gabapentin and WHOOO! it was not a good fit for me. I felt horrible on it, and after 3 weeks of feeling like I was walking thru jello I told the MD to take me off it. He agreed my side effects were more severe than most and perhaps It wasnt a good fit for me.

Loads of folks say they get used to it, and my cousin takes it like its pez. I have no idea how she is able to walk, but she says now without it, she is struggling and really needs it.

I hate all these drugs! I just want to wake up and find it all went away.

btw, I was dx in my 40s as well.

Welcome to NT...
I used to take it for neuropathic pain...just make sure not to take yourself off it...you have to wean yourself off gradually.
Have you gotten som physical therapy? I have back problems which include spasms from MS. I find that my stretching routine really helps.
Keep us up to date on what's going on...

Dragging up an old thread here, sorry.

Does anyone know why you can't take antihistamines or opioids at the same time as Lyrica/ neurontin/pregabalin/gabapentin?

Welcome! My daughter and Mom have been on Gabepentin and it worked wonders for them. They had to go through the adjustment phase of getting used to it. It's not fun feeling like a jombie but it passes.

Apparently mixing opiates with Gaba-based medications can decrease the effects of the opiates and enhance the effects of the Gaba-based medications.

Below is a summary of some information from a drug research site:

When Neurontin (gabapentin) is taken along with hydrocodone (a.k.a. Vicodin), it decreases the bioavailability of the hydrocodone by up to 22%; while the bioavailability of Neurontin (gabapentin) is increased by 14%.

When the two types of medications are taken with a time frame between the doses the interactions of the medications can be emphasized or altered in unpredictable ways. If an opiate (such as morphine) is taken first and then the Neurontin/Gaba-based medication is taken a couple of hours later, the opiate will be on its way to reaching peak plasma levels when the Neurontin is just entering the bloodstream. That scenario can leave the opiate's effects unchanged, but the Neurontin (gabapentin) bioavailability may be increased by as much as a whopping 44%.

Similarly taking naproxen (a.k.a. Aleve) increases Neurontin's bioavailability by 12-15%, while there is no apparent affect on naproxen's bioavailability.

It is uncertain if this type of bioavailability effect carries over to the artificial opioids, like Demerol or buprenophine.

As each person's reaction to Gaba-based and pregabapentin medications is highly variable when these medications are taken by them selves, combining them with opiates has the potential for making a real mess of things.
That isn't to say that they can't be taken together (fairly often they are), but one needs to be supervised fairly closely, at least at first by an MD/pharmacist.

Overdose symptoms of Neurontin and other Gaba-based medications is a strong possibility when combined with opioids; and the first sign of this would be enhanced CNS depression.
It is interesting to note that some doctors refer to Neurontin by its rather unkind nickname (morontin) which describes its general mind slowing effect.

Antihistamines might have the same or similar effect on bioavailability when taken together with the Gaba-based medications.
It appears that a great deal of caution should be used in combining the Gaba-based medications with anything.

Welcome and glad to meet you - Tshirt is forthcoming (once we design one and figure out how to pay for it, argue over color, sizes) and we will teach you the secret handshake soon! {as you can tell we can get a little goofy around here)

As for neuontin, it gave me a bit of space cadet feeling which gradually wore off after 2-3 weeks. Do not stop it cold turkey as this can cause problems. Patients are generally weaned off it. Hope it helps you!

Currently taking it...other than a few days of "whoo hoo, where are my legs & do those hands belong to me," I'm not having much problem with it (my family has a history of weird side-effects & mine are: not feeling hungry & not being able to tell if I am full after eating--makes for small meals, when I remember to eat).

I was started on 1 capsule (300 mg.), after a 2 wk period, it was upped to 2 capsules a day. I didn't want to take anymore until I was sure that it wouldn't make me funky. It' now been upped to 3 capsules a day (900 mg.). I have a hard time remembering to take them; but am adjusting now.

I don't like taking pills...never did. However, I like the symptoms of itchiness, numbness & crawling feelings on my face, ears, hairline & back less. It works for me.

Never have taken it for pain.

Erika, thank you thank you thank you so much.

Just what I needed to know and put so simply.

I've only taken two 75mg capsules and whilst they gave me freedom for the 8 hours they were in my system, the 'coming down' effect is absolutely awful. i could quickly become addicted to these pills.

Is it worse to Not take pills and have pain, or to Take pills and be dependent on them but be pain free?

I have NO idea what Lyrica is doing ot my brain!! woke up this morning feeling like an evil Dragon!

thanks Erika
 

Now I know why I didn't like Neurontin. I do take a low dose of Morphine. I didn't like how I felt on both of them together at all! I got very depressed, and felt just terrible. Have PN and maybe first stages of RSD, that is why it was prescribed. I didn't last a week on a low dose. I actually felt sick. Thanks for the medical information. I have also heard not everyone can take it even without narcotics. ginnie

Aren't we all a bunch of useful informative people!

Took Lyrica yesterday at lunch time. Today; I've been an absolute COW! Moody, down, angry, snappy and yuck. I've actually felt a heavy gloom hanging over me.

On the other hand I know that little pill can take away my pain. The temptation is huge...

Isn't it just awfully saddening when that doesn't happen.

I had a neuro appt last week and mentioned how dissapointed I was not to be better. i've done all I should. food, drink, jabs, exercise, the lot.
The fact that I can't make myself better breaks my heart.

Hi Off in the distance
 

Hello, I wish all of us could make ourselves well. I too tried Neurontin and could not take the drug. The depression that followed me was horrible. I don't know which is worse, the pain or the depression. Now I have to tell my doctor about it. Hope you feel better today. ginnie

Yes, it is both sad, heart breaking and frustrating as well.

I have found that when these emotions and thoughts take hold, that it helps to remember a couple of things:
1. "I" am not my body, just as I do not have a disease...the body does.
2. If I didn't do all the things that I do to help the body stay as healthy as it possibly can, that the situation would likely be much worse.

Thus, after doing all that I should as you say, I can rest in the relative emotional-mental comfort that some things are beyond my control but their effects can be mitigated to some degree through intelligence and wisdom.

I wish you peace of mind that despite all the symptoms of this disease that play out in the body, that "YOU" can not be made better; for 'YOU" are already perfect, have always been and will always be that...just as you should be.

With love, Erika

Amen!! I know exactly how you feel. :hug::hug:

Good advise Erika..:hug:


WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO kARMALA? LOL!!

Who?

:eek:

Ummmmm the starter of this thread..:D:p:D

Hysterical {{shaking head}}:eek::o

I too had an awful time with neurontin...thought I was going to do myself in after being on it less than a week. Also tried Lyrica which made me very dizzy..almost vomiting. Recently, I have had bad muscle/bone pain in my legs..wanted to cut my leg off! Being that I had bad reactions from the two meds listed above, my neuro put me on Flexorel (sp?) for one week. After my first day on it my pain was gone...it was like a dream cuz my pain had been constant...mostly at night, waking me up and not being able to go back to sleep. My neuro said I can stay on it for only one week, maybe two at most. I'm just afraid that my pain will return..I've read where this can happen. I am a bit aggitated on this med, but am sooo happy to be sleeping through the night. I have read where this med has been given to many fibro patients and some ms patients for spacticity.

I get spasticity relief from taking magnesium in a large dose, as recommended by a neurologist. Without it I would never sleep. I take 1000 mg a day divided into two doses, one a lunch and one at dinner. I can take them any time, don't bother my stomach because I get good brands at the health store. The cheap prescription a doctor gave me here (not the original doctor) gave me indigestion. When I have been in the hospital without magnesium I have been awake and spastic and jerky all night. Might help you. Doc gave this to me when I could not take Baclofen or Zanaflex.

I am going to look into the magnesium! My neuro and rheumy didn't mention that to me. What brand do you buy? I have acid reflux so I don't want to deal with the indigestion part. Thanks

If you get the Morton Epsom Lotion, you don't need much oral at all. Available at WalMart and online at Amazon.

Carebear, I am sorry I didn't answer in 2012.. I must have been offline for a while.
I take a combo of Cardiovascular Research Mag Taurate and a combination capsule (several kinds of Mag) from Twin Labs. However, my new doctor thinks I can take less if I drop the calcium, as my calcium is high on the metabolic panel. They never told me to stop taking calcium before, even though I was tested years ago for parathyroid disease (which causes extra calcium in the blood--I did not have parathyroid).
I am looking for a new form of mag so I can take less, as it is causing diarrhea more than it did, since I upped the dose to control leg/foot/hip spasm and jerking.
I want an oral type, the one from Ancient Minerals is too expensive because it has a high shipping cost.
When I tried Lyrica I couldn't breathe well. Was this because I was also taking Demerol at the time? I had just been released from the hospital after a bad case of Shingles. The Lyrica was magical for the Shingles, even in a low introductory dose, but I still felt a tightness in my breathing muscles in my diaphragm. Now I read here that one can't take opiates with gabapentin/neurontin/Lyrica. Well maybe that was the reason, I was taking two things, one an opiate. I was still in pain from the Shingles after release from the hospital, and I was on a walker for two months. Then my husband died just when I got off the walker. Everything was so bad that I lived in a sort of spiritual dream world then, just waiting to join my husband in Heaven, but it's been 5 and a half years since he died (and I got over Shingles). I had a pain in my midsection all the time for a year, grieving for my husband, whom I felt was my other half.

I don't take demerol often, so when not taking it maybe I could take Lyrica. Hoping a change in magnesium and reduction of calcium will take care of the neuropathy in hip, leg, and foot (which is where the Shingles was, too.)