DHsciatica and Gabapentin

It can take longer than two weeks to start working. I never quite got that far because I came out in a rash within days of starting the drug. I was started on the drug a few years ago because my right knee replacement never worked properly I always had "nerve" pain.

I hope it is not just a flimsy cotton sling he was given because there are slings available made of a spongy material which would stabilise the arm. Sorry the brain has stopped working and cannot remember the name!

Welcome back to GN moores.

DH had gabapentin prescribed for a trapped nerve in his arm after nothing else worked. He found it really did sort the pain. He had to build up the dose he took over three days and it took about that long to start working. He felt whoozy and lightheaded when he was on it, but anything was better than the excruciating pain he had been in before.

He was on it for about six weeks until he could have steroid injections in his shoulder and neck. He then had to phase it out over 3 or 4 days.

He had no real problems with it.

Hi, I have sciatica and my sympathy, it is excruciatingly painful. Mine started about a year ago, after a few A&E visits and GP appointments I was started on Gabapentin 100mgms three times daily. Your GP should have explained that Gabapentin should be slowly increased to a dosage that alleviates the sciatic pain. After a long time three months,It didn't touch my pain but I became increasingly sleepy and zoned out, irritable and anxious. I had to be slowly weaned off it. Talk to your GP about your DH options for pain relief. Chiropractic treatment has helped me, ice and heat. I can walk well and I now sleep fairly well. The exercises are helpful with pain control, I now take Ibruphen and the occasional paracetamol. I'm not pain free far from it and irrationally hope to wake up pain free every day, sadly not happened yet. Good luck and don't expect Gabapentin to be the panacea it isn't in my opinion. Plus it is addictive. Once again talk to your GP. please get as much information as you can and weigh up the pros and cons. I will never use Gabapentin again.

I've been taking gabapentin for nearly 3 years now. It was prescribed by a consultant for nerve pain in my back. It started to work after a few days and I've had no side effects whatsoever.
Sorry to hear about your husband's fall moores and hope he feels better soon.

Has your husband had an mri scan. I had the most excruciating back pain over a long period. Took prescribed medication, physio, injections etc but nothing worked to make me sufficiently comfortable. The mri showed that I needed extensive (almost 7 hours) surgery and I haven't looked back since

After years of back and leg pain, finally mentioned it to my GP as it was affecting my walking, had scan, have two ruptured discs in my spine and arthritic hip.
GP put me on Slow release Tramadol. Pain most of the time bones though I do still have back spasms.

I take gabapentin and have for a while. At first it made me feel sickly and weird but after a week or so I noticed a difference in the pain levels. I have had to increase the dose every few months and now take 1600mg a day. I take tramadol too, which were prescribed after the gabapentin, and the combo for me work.
So, OP, I'd say I noticed a difference in a week but the amount needs to be adjusted to suit the person, its not just a prescribe an amount and leave it at that kind of drug. If your DH was only prescribed on Friday he my find it takes a couple more days to kick in. If not go back!

All the best, hope he gets relief soon

Thanks everyone, that's really useful. He says the pain from the sciatica is worse than the fracture! GP said he would see us in a month to increase the dose. As PPs have said its early days yet so I suppose we are expecting miracles. Decompression for the spinal decompression would be the answer but because of all his other co-morbidities the surgeon is not keen on operating.

Sorry, should be spinal stenosis.