Pregnancy Forums

Posted: 04 June 2008 at 9:38am | IP Logged

hi all, i've been put on gabapentin 300mg three times a day, have been on it for about a week.Does anyone have any experience of this and how long before i feel any better, the pain seems to be getting worse at the moment. I feel like i'm splitting in 2 if i'm not careful when i turn over in bed. My tailbone and that area are sore when i sit, and pain in pubic bone is really aching constantly with sharp shooting pains. I am really fed up at the moment

Posted: 04 June 2008 at 9:42am | IP Logged

I've never had gabapentin I'm afraid - although I think Tsena has so she might be able to help more.

I can sympathise completely with the pain though, It really can be agonising and quite scary when it really feels like you might split in two if you move wrong.

I hope it starts to work soon for you. In the mean time, lots of rest and lots of pillows.

Posted: 04 June 2008 at 10:18am | IP Logged

Hi hun

I did try gabapentin but found it had little effect but it can work sometimes, i wasn't on it very long 2 weeks max as i had horrific mouth ulcers that didn't go down.....

If you don't think it's working i suggest a trip to the docs..... are you taking other meds alongside the gabapentin?

Hugs hunny.....  i do find comfort in cuddling a hot wheat bag but it does little for the pain i just find heat soothing! lol

Posted: 04 June 2008 at 2:34pm | IP Logged

Hiya hun,

I was on Gabapentin for a while, eventually the dose was put up to 2000mg (500, 4 times a day) and to be honest I didn't think they really did anything except add to the number of pills I was taking in a day.. After about a year and half of taking them I was talking to my GP about my weight and how even though he gave me those yucky 'fat busting' pills, I wasn't actually losing any weight (probably because my diet wasn't particularly high in fat and since that's what they 'bust' it kind of defeated the purpose..).  When he said that, "yeh, that's probably the Gabapentin as they're well know for weight gain" I immediately decided to reduce them - rapidly!! I started a gradual withdrawal until I was off them completely as they weren;t helping the pain and the weight was making me even more depressed!!

The best mix for me was initially the Dihydrocodiene (sp?) 30mg, I had two of them four times a day along with my co-codomol (30/500mg).  I did have Vioxx (anti-inflammatory) which had by far the best effect but it was then pulled from the market and no other anti-inflam had really touched it.  The patches were good but when you get to a dose that makes a difference to the pain, you end up like a totally junkie and totally out of your face - not good!!.

I did find with the DF's (dihydrocodeine) that the longer you are on them the less effect they eventually had to the point that it was like someone else taking a paracetomol.  Sinec then, I've found Severedol to be by far the best one as I now only take that as and when I need to and since the surgery has been such a success, I fortunately don;t need to that often.  When it was bad, they gave me 12hr one which I took at night and in the morning and again that was great but for the life of me I can't remember what it was (roughly the same as severedol only time released).

I really hope you manage to get something sorted out hunni, you really can't go on suffering like this.. Have you ever had 'proper' x-rays or seen a pelvic specialist or anything?

Please remember too that we run a buddy system here (you might already have one - I haven't been about for a while) if you ever want to have someone in particular to speak to about it all.. we're obviously not medical professionals (saying that, we probably know more - in my experience anyway) but we do totally understand what this is like to live with and can hopefuly give you the support you need.. If you do decide it would help, just click on the 'buddy' tab at the bottom of the postings and someone'll get in touch.. (you will see who're buddy's for what underneath their name)

Take care hun,

Jen

Posted: 04 June 2008 at 5:55pm | IP Logged

thanks for replies, I am particularly sore today, the pubic bone is so sore my underwear hurts, my whole spine seems to be sore. No jenny i've never had any xrays or anything. I've had a belt and crutches, no physio throughout pregnancy, about 3 sessions last year and have just asked to be referred back, got my app through today. Having a lumber support fitted, was on 13th but had to change it as mums ct scan came through for same day. I've got an app with pain management, and also some sort of excersise classes at whiston hospital, I've got all these since i've found this site, it has been such a life saver. I'm really suprised that i haven't been sent for any sort of scan or xray, to be honest the gps at my surgery just look at me blankly,

thanks all

jackie x x