[PlanningtoLive]

Is it possible to have these? I am normally on 2700mg/day but have had to stop taking it the last few days.

I can't get the tablets down anymore - they come right back up. I've tried taking them with milk, crushing them up and putting them in food, etc.......but nothing works.

Since I've missed the last couple of days it has been beyond description. I've been on it for the nerve damage to my leg; however, I was told by my pdoc that it is also used for anxiety (he may raise the dosage).

I tried talking to the pharmacy, but they can't run another prescription (unless for an increase) on my insurance till next month. Those tablets smell and taste so hideous!!

[ktp]

I'm no expert, by any means, but I would say "yes" it's possible.

My husband was currently taking Neurontin for nerve damage to his entire right arm with phantom pains in finger. He took it for I'd say two months and then just quit on his own because he said it wasnt working. Well the rebound nerve pain has been awful. Luckily, he sees a new doc in two days that will hopefully be able to help him with the pain.

Just wanted to weigh in since I know a little about Neurontin. Is there no way to give you the script in capsule form? Much easier to swallow, that's what my hubby was on.

Take Care and I wish you luck!

[ktp]

I forgot..I meant to add.

My husband was also on Nortriptyline (sp?) for nerve damage (which also treats anxiety) and had way better results with that, and the plus side to that is there is a generic which is considerably cheaper.

[PlanningtoLive]

Ktp, thanks. They have capsules, which go up to 400mg. The rest is tablets and the pharmacy gave me 600 and 300 in generic. Only brand name has the capsules in the 400 they told me.

I didn't mean the physical pain returning although it has........I meant more of the emotional/anxiety stuff that has surfaced. I've never been prescribed the Neurontin for that but the nervousness/antsy sensations are bad.

I'm beginning to think the Neurontin was helping with the anxiety side of things as well.

[PlanningtoLive]

What better results? I'm curious now esp. since I've been on Neurontin for quite some time.

Thanks.

[ktp]

The better results (drastically better) was with his anxiety/mood. He said they made him "feel" better. I'm sure with your nerve damage you know how the anxiety and depression come with chronic pain. It's an illness in and of itself. But he felt way better and I could even tell the difference in his mood on the Nortriptyline. He seemed happy. He said the physical pain was still there but he was able to do more. He said it's there but I don't care as much anymore. That's how he described it to me. This stuff is really good for anxiety. Well, in my husband's case and he's to the point where hardly anything affects him. The Neurontin did not have nearly the same effect, even when it was upped to 1200 mg.

He was on 900 mg. Neurontin (3 - 300 mg. capsules a day) and now just 2-25mg. capsules of Nortriptyline and it made a biggest difference.

Hope this helps !

[bptoo]

Hi Mary Alice,

I was on Neurontin 2400mg daily several years ago. I was using it as a mood stabilizer. It unfortuately didn't work. With my docs approval, we stopped it cold-turkey, and I experienced no withdrawals at all. From what I've read this is the case for most people. What does happen though, is most people experience rebound symptoms from the problems they were taking it for in the first place. In your case I would imagine you would've had increased nerve pain. But don't confuse that for withdrawals. Those being sweats, shaking, nausea, etc. It sounds like you may have developed a stomach problem that keeping you from holding the pills down. Have you spoken to your doc? They can always write your rx differently so that your insurance will cover it. As you can tell I've had experience will this I'm sorry your feeling so bad, and I hope you find an answer soon. One thing that might help is a liquid they make called Anti-Nausea Liquid. It really does the trick for me.

Good luck Mary Alice, you've been in my thoughts a great big ol' bunch lately!

Love you,
Greg

[PlanningtoLive]

{{{{{{{{Greg}}}}}}}}}}}}

I have had a great deal more pain in my back and my leg. I am considerably slower at work because my leg is hurting much more now. Soon I won't be doing much movement at all.

I talked to my pdoc today about this (he received my numerous phone calls and emails while he was gone) and he was going to call Walgreens and have them contact my insurance company about this development and see if they would be willing to reauthorize another month's worth of meds, only in the capsules. I have to call Walgreens tomorrow and see what happens.

The lithium has killed off most of my appetite and when I do eat/drink anything, it has this horrible metallic taste to it - which my pdoc says is a side effect of lithium. I am able to swallow the tablets of that, but not the Neurontin.

I've been trying to figure out why my anxiety/stress levels have increased so much and thought it had something to do with the Neurontin, although that isn't what it had been prescribed for. I guess it may have some bearing on it, but not most, according to the pdoc.

At least I'm still trying to figure things out, that's a good sign! lol.

Btw Greg, you are such a sweet person. Thank you for those thoughts..........

Mary Alice

[PlanningtoLive]

I think I shall email that drug name to my pdoc and see what he thinks of a change....thanks for the info!