Pain ..... Been pretty bad and the results of my back mri have shown
only normal weear and tear. Went to the pain clinic today and it seems
to have changed since 4 years ago when I went before. I have
ME/Fibromyalgia plus arthritis and detached nerves in arms so all in
all the pain can get pretty bad. It was suggested that I went away and
had a look at taking PREGABALIN  to try to numb the pain and other
symptoms down. I don't want to take opiates. 

I was on Gabapentin years ago and it really screwed with my head so
want to know if anybody else is taking it and how they have fared with
it. Apparantly I have Neuropathic pain. i have 2 weeks to make up my
mind. 

Temprance

"Temprance"  wrote in message 
news:n8k2p3pgsp0j09li0l4t2ab82jlnhbn6c1@4ax.com...
> Pain ..... Been pretty bad and the results of my back mri have shown
> only normal weear and tear. Went to the pain clinic today and it seems
> to have changed since 4 years ago when I went before. I have
> ME/Fibromyalgia plus arthritis and detached nerves in arms so all in
> all the pain can get pretty bad. It was suggested that I went away and
> had a look at taking PREGABALIN  to try to numb the pain and other
> symptoms down. I don't want to take opiates.
>
> I was on Gabapentin years ago and it really screwed with my head so
> want to know if anybody else is taking it and how they have fared with
> it. Apparantly I have Neuropathic pain. i have 2 weeks to make up my
> mind.
>
> Temprance

I also have neuropathic pain from damaged nerves at C6 and a bruised spinal 
chord, also have chronic pain from lower back where discs are degrading. 
Pregabalin didn't help one bit, neither did Gabapentin.
The only thing that helps me is Fentanyl patches, and they take the edge off 
the pain to a level where I can manage - but I'm never not in pain.
Night Horse

Responding to Temprance...
> Pain ..... Been pretty bad and the results of my back mri have shown
> only normal weear and tear. Went to the pain clinic today and it seems
> to have changed since 4 years ago when I went before. I have
> ME/Fibromyalgia plus arthritis and detached nerves in arms so all in
> all the pain can get pretty bad. It was suggested that I went away and
> had a look at taking PREGABALIN  to try to numb the pain and other
> symptoms down. I don't want to take opiates. 
>
> I was on Gabapentin years ago and it really screwed with my head so
> want to know if anybody else is taking it and how they have fared with
> it. Apparantly I have Neuropathic pain. i have 2 weeks to make up my
> mind. 
>
> Temprance

If you have fibro there will be few choices other than opiate based
medications available. Of those available, Oxycontin seems to be the
most consistantly useful. Combined with Oxycodone liquid for pulling
yourself out of med drop-out pain flares, this can be an effective
pain management system, but:

The biggest problem with opiates, apart from how they shift your 
capacity to be aware of various body functions, is how they affect 
the digestive system. With opiates you will find they mess things up 
by effectively anaesthetising the digestive system, leaving you 
having to "manage" things with diet, laxatives etc. Its a trade off. 
Ongoing pain trauma and all the knock-on results of that, or living 
with a semi-disfunctional digestive system.

If you do chose the opiate route, be aware that there is often a
"Wuhoo!" stage as the pain suddenly drops. "I can do anything! 
Wheeee!" Until things level out that is. Then you get to pay for
whatever you thought you'd be doing from then on. Not good. Not good
at all. Some drop the meds at this stage thinking they've stopped 
working, but whats actually happened is an up, and then a down, 
before the settling in. YMMV.

One thing that happens far too often is that doctors prescribe 
anti-depressants. While this might be required for a FEW people who 
do have an associated problem that requires such treatment, MANY 
peple do NOT need this, and find its been used as a chemical cosh to 
shut up a patient who won't stop complaining. That, and there are 
some dodgy recommendations from drug companies that doctors can 
sometimes refer to and think they are VIABLE recommendations. They'r 
enot. They are drug companies trying to get doctors to prescribe 
their products when they were not needed. It sometimes works. You'll 
need to be at least as clued up as your doctor to keep an eye on 
them.


FWIW: Many doctors DX Fibro when they can't figure out what else
something might be. This results in other conditions not being dxed. 
You'll need to read up on and learn about this sort of thing
yourself, just to be sure. Also, with a dx of Fibro, some doctors sit 
back and leave it at that, again, failing to spot other treatable 
conditions.

The downside of Fibro is that you will be in essence treating 
symptoms. The upside of Fibro is that in essence you will be treating 
symptoms. 


For more, I'd recommend you surf alt.med.fibromyalgia
Expect crankyness, expect bickering, expect flame spats, and expect 
trolls. Ther are some good and clued-up people use that group though.
And watch out for the "Cure for FMS!" scams.



Hope this helps a bit.

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               -----------.|.-----------

Temprance wrote:
> Pain ..... Been pretty bad and the results of my back mri have shown
> only normal weear and tear. Went to the pain clinic today and it seems
> to have changed since 4 years ago when I went before. I have
> ME/Fibromyalgia plus arthritis and detached nerves in arms so all in
> all the pain can get pretty bad. It was suggested that I went away and
> had a look at taking PREGABALIN  to try to numb the pain and other
> symptoms down. I don't want to take opiates.
>
> I was on Gabapentin years ago and it really screwed with my head so
> want to know if anybody else is taking it and how they have fared with
> it. Apparantly I have Neuropathic pain. i have 2 weeks to make up my
> mind.
>
> Temprance

Hi Temprance,

I've also got fibro, arthritis plus lower disc, ligament problems from an 
accident at work 19 years ago.   The pain clinic pharmacist put me on 
gabapentin 900mg for nerve pain, but I had too many side effects so lowered 
me to 600mg. The shooting pains came back, but tolerable.  Now the trouble 
is double vision, verticle and horizontal.  I've got new glasses to correct 
this, although it's still a problem when I'm tired.
  2nd Jan, against pain clinic advice I decided to come off the gabapentin 
to make sure it was this that was causing the double vision.  I only made it 
down to 400mg and within a week the shooting pain was unbearable.  I'm on 
MST too and was topping up with oral morph which caused it's own problems 
(lets just say constipation was an understatement!)
I'm back on 600mg gabapentin and the shooting pains are tolerable again and 
I'm hardly taking any oral morph (bit scared, to be honest).  I'm back at 
pain clinic on Monday, seeing consultant so am waiting for "we told you so" 
lol.
I know pain managament is a terrible thing to decide on, I certainly didn't 
want to start morphine in my 30s.  I think you need to look at the quality 
of your life.  I didn't feel my life was acceptable as it was and if the 
opiates allow me to do just a little bit more and at the moment still allow 
me to drive then it's the right decision for me.
Don't feel rushed though, I took years before giving in, it's a big decision 
and it has to be your own.

Hope this helps, good luck
Ali


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On Sat, 19 Jan 2008 16:52:35 -0000, "welshie" 
wrote:

>Temprance wrote:
>> Pain ..... Been pretty bad and the results of my back mri have shown
>> only normal weear and tear. Went to the pain clinic today and it seems
>> to have changed since 4 years ago when I went before. I have
>> ME/Fibromyalgia plus arthritis and detached nerves in arms so all in
>> all the pain can get pretty bad. It was suggested that I went away and
>> had a look at taking PREGABALIN  to try to numb the pain and other
>> symptoms down. I don't want to take opiates.
>>
>> I was on Gabapentin years ago and it really screwed with my head so
>> want to know if anybody else is taking it and how they have fared with
>> it. Apparantly I have Neuropathic pain. i have 2 weeks to make up my
>> mind.
>>
>> Temprance
>
>Hi Temprance,
>
>I've also got fibro, arthritis plus lower disc, ligament problems from an 
>accident at work 19 years ago.   The pain clinic pharmacist put me on 
>gabapentin 900mg for nerve pain, but I had too many side effects so lowered 
>me to 600mg. The shooting pains came back, but tolerable.  Now the trouble 
>is double vision, verticle and horizontal.  I've got new glasses to correct 
>this, although it's still a problem when I'm tired.
>  2nd Jan, against pain clinic advice I decided to come off the gabapentin 
>to make sure it was this that was causing the double vision.  I only made it 
>down to 400mg and within a week the shooting pain was unbearable.  I'm on 
>MST too and was topping up with oral morph which caused it's own problems 
>(lets just say constipation was an understatement!)
>I'm back on 600mg gabapentin and the shooting pains are tolerable again and 
>I'm hardly taking any oral morph (bit scared, to be honest).  I'm back at 
>pain clinic on Monday, seeing consultant so am waiting for "we told you so" 
>lol.
>I know pain managament is a terrible thing to decide on, I certainly didn't 
>want to start morphine in my 30s.  I think you need to look at the quality 
>of your life.  I didn't feel my life was acceptable as it was and if the 
>opiates allow me to do just a little bit more and at the moment still allow 
>me to drive then it's the right decision for me.
>Don't feel rushed though, I took years before giving in, it's a big decision 
>and it has to be your own.
>
>Hope this helps, good luck
>Ali


I think I will probably try it but they will start a lower dose as my
stomach is damaged from non steroids. If I could gert the spasms and
pain in arms down especially the detached Ulnar Nerves then I might
cheer up a bit. I've noticed a slight difference in the muscle spasms
from the Robaxin after4 days. But, with ME and Fibro it's always one
day at a time. 

Watch this space.

T