need info on neurontin please!!!!!! - Pain Management Message Board

rlcowboy · 08-26-2003, 10:13 PM

Hey, I need some good info on Neurontin and possible side efects. My story. I had spondylolisthesis grade 2, I have a 55% slipage in my lower back so I finally had to have surgery at the end of march,spinal fusion with some rods and screws inserted.Well its been around 5 months since the surgery and have more pain now than ever so I was sent to a pain managment doctor and had a myelogram and was told I had alot of scar tissue and that was causing the pain and that because of that the test was real hard to read, so I was put on oxycontin 20mg 3 times a day. after two months of taking it some family members convinced me that I would be addicted and that it was "bad news" so stupid me stopped taking it all together and flushed what I had left, well needless to say I had some withdrawal feelings and went back to my pain doc and told him.He seemed a little mad at me from stopping without telling him and for doing it without tappering so he gave me a Catapres patch, that helped and I was ok in like 3 days but my back pain got real severe. Well I thought It would get better with time but It did not, I had to take off work and just lay on heat for 2 weeks, so I called my ortho doctor and told him I stopped my oxycontin and was in bad shape, so he put me back on percocet6 times a day and ordered a discogram, went to get results next day and found that all 3 discs above where I had surgery were degenerative and one was hurniated and now since the discogram I was having crazy severe leg pain in both.He told me after the fusion heals I will need another surgery to fix the 3 discs but he would have to go in from my front this time because of the hardware and I told him I had to go back to work or loose my job so he put me back on the oxy 4 times a day and I have been taking the percs 3 or 4 times a day.Ok, saw him last week and he told me untill surgery I needed to go back to pain managment and he also prescribed Neurontin 6 times a day, just started taking it and it really makes me sleepy, so I just take 2 percocet a day about 8 hours after Ive taken the oxys and I take the neurontin when I get home cause then I can rest. I dont know how my pain doc will react when I see him Sept 4th and I tell him Im back on the oxy because at that time I will be about out and will need another prescription, Im worried he will not give it to me since I stopped last time I was seeing him and had those withdrawal feelings?If he doesnt I WILL NOT be able to continue to work. So I called my ortho docs office today for refill on my percocet and the lady that answered the phone treated me like crap, saying "we just dont keep giving this stuff out" I noticed my doctor had tryed to call me when I was asleep late today so I dont know if he does not want me to take the percocet anymore since he gave me the neurontin, but there is no way I can take that stuff at work, Im sorry so long, but does anyone have any suggestions, please! and more info on Neurontin?

Autumn Angel · 08-26-2003, 10:32 PM

Hi Cowboy..I dont have alot of info on neurontin but my PM doc wanted me on it too but it wasnt covered by my plan and I had to pass. He was gonna put me on 100mg but I dont know how often. It is an anti seizure med used for people with seizures BUT it is also used for treating nerve pain. I get these shooting pains in my head and behind my left eye from my CP condition and the Pm said the neurontin would help those. I was to still take my percocet though. So I never got to take it

maybe it would have helped me but for my plan to cover it I had to have an actual seizure disorder and he told me it was expensive. As far as I know any seizure med makes you tired you should keep doing what you are doing and take it when you can rest or tell your doc you need deceased mg of it for when you are at work. My Pm wanted the Neurontin to work in conjunction with my percocet...not one instead of the other. Try doing a search on it and you will probably get alot of info but thats all I know about it sorry. Just wish I could have been able to take it myself. Take care and God bless.
Autumn.

candibee27 · 08-27-2003, 09:56 PM

hey there~ I have been on Neurotrin for about five months. I love it. It has kept my pain level at controled level until just recetly. I have been taking 800 mg/6 times a day. I had to work up to this amount, by the way. But I am on it as a mood stablizer, not for pain control. It had a "drunken" effect on me until I became use to it, maybe for the first week. But this would not be enough to control the pain I am sure that you are in. I have just been put on the Duragesic patch, due to my chronic back problems because the neurotrin isn't enough. I too am very concerned about becoming "addicted" or "dependent" on any medication because I have gone through withdrawls before, but I know that I can't function with out it at this point. But I have been told no addiction or withdrawls from the neurotrin. Good Luck and let me know if you have any questions~
Candi

candibee27 · 08-27-2003, 09:59 PM

By the way~ I forgot to tell you that the Neurotrin doesn't stay in your system. You must take it every six to eight hours or it will not work. The only side effect is that "drunken" effect that will goaway after you are on it for a week or so~
Good Luck~
Candi

Autumn Angel · 08-27-2003, 10:14 PM

Thats true Neurontin isnt a narc it is a seizure medication but it helps control nerve pain in conjunction with the other meds you take possibly giving you better pain control or allowing you to take less of the opaites. Take Care.
Autumn.