gabapentin

supagama
supagama Member Posts: 31
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hello everyone!

We are looking for a break away drug to help with the ongoing pain in my lower right jaw 8 months tx.  I have been on morphine and most recently, oxycodone, and while they keep the pain tolerable, in no way do I ever see a pain level less than 5.  My ENT and pharmacist want to try gabapentin, a drug that works on the nerves.  Has anyone used it?  If so, how satisfied were you with it?  Any other suggestions for a good breakaway drug?This pain is getting to be just about more than I can take!  Take care everyone.

 

Wendy

Comments

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #2
    There are people using

    gabapentin who have pain with neuropathy.  For some it works, for some it doesn't....but if there's a chance of being pain free, why not give it a try?

    p

  • GingerMarie
    GingerMarie Member Posts: 1
    #3
    My husband has been on

    My husband has been on gabapentin since his neck dissection and TORS surgery in November. They lowered the dose after surgery and then ramped it up again for radiation treatment (2700 mg per day). I'm sure his pain would be much, much worse without it. He took Oxy after the surgery but has tried to stay away from it since then only using it occasionally. Gabapentin doesn't make him 'high' like the Oxy or constipated. They will be lowering the dose again soon, it has to be stepped down vs. cold turkey. It will be up to him if he stays on a maintenance dose for a while think. I would definitely ask your doctor if the jaw pain is nerve related.

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #4
    Hi Wendy

    I used gabapentin 300mg but never did feel it did anything to help me with pain or reduce the spasm in the nerves just under the jaw. I also use a med called Lyrica 100mg and it did help some with the nerve problem.

    One thing to remember we will all respond different to medications so what did not work for me might be a blessing to someone else.

     

    Tim

  • Noellesmom
    Noellesmom Member Posts: 1,859 Member
    #5
    Helps Jim

    Jim has serious nerve damage from radiation. Pain doctor wanted to increase his dosage so he does not have break through pain.

  • Barbaraek
    Barbaraek Member Posts: 626
    #6
    My husband was on gabapentin

    for several months for nerve pain from the nasopharyngeal tumor. I think initially it did help with the pain. He did have several side effects from it including tremors. It was very difficult to wean off of it - we noticed an uptick in irritability, restlessness and anxiety as we decreased the dose. We finally managed to be off of it. He still had a rocky road with treatment and was on other painkillers also - among them hydrocodone, fentanyl patches and methadone. It took effort and patience but we finally are off all pain meds now. It's important to utilize pain meds to control pain and hasten recovery, but also be aware of the side effects and the time required to wean off when recommended to do so.

    Barbara

  • tommyodavey
    tommyodavey Member Posts: 728 Member
    #7
    Barbaraek said:

    My husband was on gabapentin

    for several months for nerve pain from the nasopharyngeal tumor. I think initially it did help with the pain. He did have several side effects from it including tremors. It was very difficult to wean off of it - we noticed an uptick in irritability, restlessness and anxiety as we decreased the dose. We finally managed to be off of it. He still had a rocky road with treatment and was on other painkillers also - among them hydrocodone, fentanyl patches and methadone. It took effort and patience but we finally are off all pain meds now. It's important to utilize pain meds to control pain and hasten recovery, but also be aware of the side effects and the time required to wean off when recommended to do so.

    Barbara

    Gabapentin

    I took it for nerve pain going down from my neck to my arm.  It did nothing.  But like others have said, people react differently to drugs so you can't take someone else's opinion as your own.  Just try it and see if it helps.  What it did help with was getting off the hydrocodone.  It seems to lessen the effects of withdrawal symptoms from opiate pain meds.  But then you need to taper that one too so you won't feel any discomfort.  No one told me that, I just quit and had no withdrawal symptoms at all.  

     

    It's always worth a try.  No harm will come of it by trying it so why not?  

     

    Time is what healed my nerve pain.

     

    Good luck with the Gaba,

     

    Tom

Discussion Boards