Gabapentin or Amitriptyline for sciatica..

[Suzyque]

Hi, I have been prescribed Gabapentin for extremely painful sciatica but they make me feel dizzy and unstable. I am 10 years post stroke so take other meds too. Just wondering if anyone else has found relief for sciatica with either Gabapentin or Amitriptyline which I take 10mg for back pain. Many thanks!

[Milkbottles]

I feel for you, unfortunately I have suffered chronic sciatica in both legs for the past 15 years and take both Gabapentin and Amtriptylene plus a great deal of opioid medication. In my case these have made little difference to my pain. Gabapentin increases appetite and can make you put on weight, amtriptylene makes me drowsy. Don’t let this put you off, everyone has a different experience, hope they work for you.

[Suzyque in reply to Milkbottles]

Many thanks for your kind reply, so grateful for your advise but sorry too that you have been suffering with sciatica for such a long time. I think I need to be patient which isn't easy for me but that's why I recovered so well from my stroke by keeping positive etc. This sciatica has made me realise that one has to accept whatever is thrown at you but also gives me the passion to say I am jolly well going to recover. Fingers crossed and hope you find relief very soon! Warm wishes and Happy New Year. Sue x

[FRreedman]

If any medication prescribed by your doctor, makes you feel unwell or uneasy, or appears to give you unwanted side effects, please tell your doctor so that they may prescribe an alternative who h doesn't upset you

[Suzyque in reply to FRreedman]

I totally agree with you as I have tried quite a few painkillers. My doctor said it's a shame that I cannot take Ibuprofen as she thinks that would work but unfortunately I cannot it doesn't mix well with my other meds. Hopefully I will feel soon that I am on the path to recovery. Many thanks for your kind response, wishing you a very Happy New Year! Sue x

[madge1979]

Amitriptyline can work very well indeed for trapped nerves ... and Sciatica..

I used it twice with great results for trapped nerve in neck and in groin

. .... pain gone !

But I have a wonderful friend who is a Sports Injury and deep massage Therapist

She is amazing ! .... and can rid people of chronic Sciatica in one Session ... maybe that would be a worthwhile investment for you to consider ... go on try it !

🔔🔔 🍾🥂 Happy New Year everyone

Mx🌹

[Suzyque in reply to madge1979]

Thank you for your kind comments, much appreciated! Yes, been taking Amitriptyline for a few years now which has helped with back pain so hoping it will do the same for sciatica, fingers crossed! I certainly will delve into the therapy as I had brilliant treatment after my stroke. Wishing you a very Happy New Year. Sue x

[Imthedoctor]

Hi

I've been on 50mg amitriptyline and had no relief, was put on gabapentin and told to slowly up my dose over a couple of weeks, when I was on 300 x3 daily I ended up with severe vertigo and sickness so had to stop. I suffered vertigo several years ago and have been fine since, the gabapentin had started to take the edge off the pain but I stopped taking it because I'm too scared I'll get vertigo again.

Hope this helps, everyone is different and responds differently to their medication. I'm just waiting for the pain clinic appointment so they can decide whether to give me an injection or surgery.

Good luck and happy New year 🎉

[Suzyque in reply to Imthedoctor]

Thank you so much for your kind comments, much appreciated. I feel too that although I feel Gabapentin might help with the pain but it's too much of a risk with the dizzy and unstable feeling it gives me. I have left side weakness due to a stroke so I have to be extremely careful when walking. Will have to be patient which is not me for sure but better to be safe than sorry! Wishing you a very Happy new year. Sue x

[Imthedoctor in reply to Suzyque]

Patience comes to you because sometimes there's no choice left except to be patient or sit on your bed crying at 3am...hope you find relief, and feel better soon

[Suzyque in reply to Imthedoctor]

Totally agree, I learnt that lesson post stroke as I was told I might not walk again. I had no choice as I was so determined to walk again. Ten years on and needed that reminder so thank you.

[Kingsley09 in reply to Suzyque]

Try pregabalin I was put on gabapentin and was hanging on to the furniture the vertigo was so bad dr changed it to pregabalin and it’s not perfect but it hasn’t given me vertigo

[Hidden]

Has any effort been made to identify and correct the cause of your sciatica?

[Suzyque in reply to Hidden]

Yes it was due to my medication for night cramps Quinine being reduced. I was fine for a few weeks then one night wham bang I had the most painful cramp in my left leg ever. Next day the pain started to affect my whole left side which is weak anyway due to stroke. My doctor thankfully has sorted the problem out with the Quinine. Hopefully will begin to recover soon! Wishing you a Happy New Year and thank you for responding. Sue x

[MjM2015]

Have you ever tried DMS for your sciatica? Prob not as it would have helped rid you of it.... please Google DMS massager.... my husband was really bad with it for little over a year tried everything possible till he came across a guy who done DMS and almost instantly he was pain free.... 3 years on he hasn't had anymore sciatic pain...

[Suzyque]

Ah thank you so much for your help, just looked it up and yes I feel it could help me too! I would much rather use the massager than take any more meds, cannot wait to try it! Thanks again, wishing you a Happy New Year. Sue x

[Hootan]

I was prescribed amitroplin for my ribs pain but never worked for me and gained weight