While I have no personal experience, I have a very close friend that has taken this drug for a while for his sciatica pain. for him it does a pretty good job of alleviating pain but nothing for the underlying condition. I hope it works for you.

 

Yes, three 600 mg pills with dinner every night. Worked well as a pain killer along with cortisone shots every three months or so. After I had back surgery, namely two new discs "installed" along with a titanium plate screwed into L-3, L-4 and L-5, the gabapentin and the cortisone shots were not needed. But the recovery took some time. In my experience, there were not a lot of doctors doing back surgery. Try a search in the Castle Connolly web site for a list of highly recommended doctors. These are specialists that are recommended by other doctors.

Good Luck. Michael

 

Have you tried a Chiropracter?

 

I was injured in 2005 in Iraq and when I got home has my L5-S1 fused. Two disc above had issues and three discs in my neck hand issues but not bad enough to operate. Over the years my medication changed and when I switched all my meds to the VA they took me off Lyrica and put me on Gabapentin. I have recently been taking 2400 mg. it was 1800, but they increased it when I was having more nerve pain issues from my neck.

Over all the medication works great for me and had less side effect compared to Lyrica.

About 2 weeks ago I had the first of two surgeries to fuse L4-L5. The next will be in about 6 weeks. I anticipate we will change my medication after the surgery and recovery to see what my body can handle.

 

I was injured in 2005 in Iraq and when I got home has my L5-S1 fused. Two disc above had issues and three discs in my neck hand issues but not bad enough to operate. Over the years my medication changed and when I switched all my meds to the VA they took me off Lyrica and put me on Gabapentin. I have recently been taking 2400 mg. it was 1800, but they increased it when I was having more nerve pain issues from my neck.

Over all the medication works great for me and had less side effect compared to Lyrica.

About 2 weeks ago I had the first of two surgeries to fuse L4-L5. The next will be in about 6 weeks. I anticipate we will change my medication after the surgery and recovery to see what my body can handle.

Mind me asking what side effects you were experiencing with the Lyrica ?

 

Terry, my wife, also my shooting partner has been on 2700 mg a day for severe sciatica pain in one leg. As others have said, it's working well as a pain reliever at night and somewhat throughout the day. Does nothing for the root cause.

Best of luck to you.

 

Until I stopped them altogether a week ago I was taking 900 mg per day. Helped a LITTLE with the nerve pain but made me too goofy to be able to work. I had to cut back to 600 mg.

Good luck. FWIW I lived for years with terrible episodic pain due to bad lumbar discs until I got a home traction device (not inversion, lying flat). Never had to go to a doc or chiro again.

 

My wife got me a lumbar traction device as well, unfortunately for me there was too much damage in L4-L5 for me and it actually caused more pain. She was able to sell it to one of her patients. She is an Dr. of Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture. So I do get free acupuncture any time I want .

 

I used to shoot in pain. A constant screeching noise in my ears...

...now my wife stays at home

 

Terry--don't take medical advice from this BBs. Period.

 

Gee, ya think ?

 

I have been shooting with back and leg pain for 3 years. I have sciatica pain in both legs.

Well some folks may be right about getting medical advice from a list, but here is some that may help you.
Look at a Medtronic web site and also get a Pain Specialist Doctor. I have had back pain and sciatica pain shooting down one leg over a period of time. I now have a Neurostimulator implant and it has blocked the sciatica pain. It doesn' t seem to do anything for my back but it certainly works for the severe sciatica nerve pain. You have to go through serveral hoops to get this procedure as the medical insurance company doesn't like to spend the bucks .My shooting still sucks, but I have returned to Instruction.
Don

 

Those medicines dulled my senses and put me in a “foggy” mental state … something I do not need help with. I had to stop them. The juice wasn’t worth the squeeze.

 

Terrible for me. I started shooting 3 years ago, recovered from a BK amputation and was on 1800mg of Gabapentin. I went off because my eye/hand coordination wasn't that great when taking it. Been off for a year now and I feel much more in sync shooting targets.

 

Terry- I say again , I have made a hell of a living winning cases against bad doctors, and I will always say "ask a doctor."

Your back problem seems to be way beyond what a chiropractor can help. Again ask a doctor. In fact , get a 2d opinion if need be.

Good luck to you.

 

Your back problem seems to be way beyond what a chiropractor can help. Again ask a doctor. In fact , get a 2d opinion if need be.

How do you know "if need be" before you get the surgery or other treatment?

Talking to lots patients on BB's who have been through similar situations can help immensely. Lots of them here.

 

Just my opinion. I am not gonna go thru my whole history here. Find the best back specialist that you can and fix the cause of the pain. Chronic pain and pumped full of stuff to dull it is no way to live. If you want the name of a spine specialist, pm me. Surgery was life changing for me. I wish it had been done much sooner.

I been thru pt a few times. I got more out of Hatha Yoga than I ever did from pt. Just a thought. Best wishes.

 

Treatment should come in steps. If nothing works then surgery and PT after are the final steps. Nobody should be living in pain.

 

A few tips from bitter experience.1. surgeons want to fix you w/ surgery. It's how they think.
2. pain mgmt docs want to give you meds. It's how they think.
3. so talk to several people.

 

That is how they get paid.

 

Terry, I have had 5 back surgeries, the first four helped somewhat but still had back pain just not as severe. A Nuero Surgeon did my last, finally talked me into a fusion. Solved my back pain. Had my first one in my 20's had my last one in my 70's went through a lot of pain for a very long time.

Buster

 

To all that have responded, thank you. I have been dealing with sciatica pain in my left hip/leg for about six months, wakes me up at night and the pain is there daily but not too severe. Usually when it wakes me up at night I take 600mg of Motrin. I have a routine yearly doctors appointment in a few week and was thinking I’d mention my sciatica pain but thanks to your medication comments I’m going to let it go as long as I can.

 

I have found that the gel Voltaren to work on the arthritis in my knees (along with cortisone)

 

Terry, been reading your posts here for a couple of years. I don't know you, you don't know me, don't know the extent of your back issues, and am not a doc. I very much agree with Sera on most things this one in particular.

Here is my experience. Twenty years ago I had sciatica so bad down one leg I could not walk. Found a wonderful neurosurgeon that did a microdiscectomy (L3, L4). He also told me that I would be back because of spinal stenosis. Two years later he did the same on the other side only lower (S1, L5). Both surgeries were successful. BTW, must run in my family because my Mom and Dad and both my brothers had similar. I just turned 80, shoot Sporting and Trap 2-3x a week (15,000-18,000 shells a year), fly fish and in general enjoy a very active retirement. I only take drugs for BP and heart arrhythmia.

Find a doc that specializes in backs, get a second opinion if that makes you comfortable, and stay in physical shape. There is hope.

 

I just turned 80, shoot Sporting and Trap 2-3x a week (15,000-18,000 shells a year), fly fish and in general enjoy a very active retirement.

80 ? Now you're eligible for ATA Sub Jr

 

There you go again.

 

Terry,

With similar back issues, I feel your pain! My sciatica makes for short vehicle trips, which limits my range for shooting venues. Having said that, I hope both of us get some relief so we can shoot together again in the near future!!!

Demi

 

Gabapentin and Neurontin are names for the same thing and are used "off label" for pain control. Even at 2400 mg a day it had zero effect on me pain wise or in any other way that I could discern. It does give relief on others, however, and is also used on dogs, etc. OTC pain meds also do absolutely nothing for me either, unfortunately. Having had four major spine surgeries along with severe arthritis I know where of I speak and can sympathize with your problems.

 

I’ve been dealing with old shoulder and neck injuries myself, and recoil really messes with me some days. Aside from switching to lighter loads, I’ve started using bulk HHC distillate in the evenings after long shooting days. It doesn’t make me loopy like some stuff, just helps dial down the aches and lets me sleep better. Definitely made it easier to stay consistent without feeling beat up the next day.

 

I got almost NO relief from it and is bad for your Organs so I stopped!!