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Gabapentin not effective for chronic pelvic pain in women without a diagnosis.

Lovetocycle76 profile image
17 Replies

shropshirestar.com/news/uk-...

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17 Replies
Yas45 profile image
Yas45

Hey have you been personally taking gabapentin as I have been on it since February this year. I have chronic pelvic pain and I’m being seen by pain clinic, neurophysiology, I did MRI and arthogram the other day as my left hip, my left leg and left bum hurts so much. And I was literally going to ask my GP on Monday to change the dose. What has been your experience with Gabapentin

Lovetocycle76 profile image
Lovetocycle76 in reply toYas45

No, I'm a man. I just thought I'd post this as I came across it and it's a fairly recent article. I'm still undiagnosed. Been suffering 18 years but which the last 2 and a half have been hell.

Yas45 profile image
Yas45 in reply toLovetocycle76

Hopefully you get diagnosed soon!! But the article was an interesting read and I need to think of alternative medication. Pregablin doesn’t work for me

Alaine1 profile image
Alaine1Administrator in reply toYas45

We put the article on here when it was released. It’s in the pinned posts section under GaPP2. Please also remember even though the trial found it ineffective for undiagnosed pelvic pain it doesn’t mean it won’t work for you so definitely ask your GP and if you like you can mention the GaPP2 study. I’ve got diagnosed pelvic pain and it’s not worked for me but has been great for my widespread pain from chronic fatigue syndrome. I’ve put the link to the article below

authors.elsevier.com/sd/art...

Lovetocycle76 profile image
Lovetocycle76 in reply toYas45

Thank you.

Karen1954 profile image
Karen1954

Never ever worked for me!!!!! Of course nothing had!!!!

Lovetocycle76 profile image
Lovetocycle76 in reply toKaren1954

Sorry to hear that, Karen.

Ailiesonkerr profile image
Ailiesonkerr

Hi I read article you posted which was very interesting....! I take Amytriptylline for pudendal neuropathy. Have you been taking Gabapentin? Wondered what your diagnosis was as given your tag name wondered if it was problem with pudendal nerve too?

Cardinal profile image
Cardinal

Not surprising to me. I tried gabapentin several years ago and got all the way up to a heavy dose and I didnt notice any difference in my pain level. What did/does work for me is a small dose of methadone. Takes the pain right away with no noticeable side effects (who knows if it's doing some type of hidden damage, but my usual blood tests at the doctor were perfect last month and I've been on it for near 10 years now). Xanax also helps if it's muscle related, only that makes me very drowsy.

Joolibee profile image
Joolibee

I think it depends on the cause of the pain and the individual’s response to any medication. I only ever had a loose diagnosis from the doctors, though it was accepted that the pudendal nerve was involved. ( A private physio confirmed my suspicion that it was pudendal neuralgia). It took several months of gradual dose increase for gabapentin to show any signs of helping me, but I now know that it does help me. It doesn’t get rid of my pain, but subdues it. I’ve avoided very high dosage and I’m not aware of side effects. If the pain isn’t neuropathic in nature, then I can see that Gabapentin would not work. My problem with that report is that it seems to assume that if you don’t have a diagnosis (and so many don’t), then Gabapentin definitely won’t work. A diagnosis doesn’t alter the cause of the pain. Gabapentin has recently been classified as a controlled drug due to misuse by some, so maybe doctors are being dissuaded from prescribing it.

Lovetocycle76 profile image
Lovetocycle76 in reply toJoolibee

It could be due to the cost as well?

Konagirl60 profile image
Konagirl60

I had a nerve compression injury. I took Gabapentin for three weeks and it didn’t help my nerve pain. It did make me very very tired and I felt too dopey to drive a car. I didn’t continue with it.

Alaine1 profile image
Alaine1Administrator in reply toKonagirl60

Hi,

Just to add for nerve pain as well as a lot of medications it’s recommended 6-8 weeks at least before any improvement is seen. I was told 12 weeks for both gabapentin and pregabalin (I’ve been on both).

Konagirl60 profile image
Konagirl60 in reply toAlaine1

Thank you. I had the surgery I needed and I’m ever so slowly getting better. I have done best with Nortriptyline.

Hope you’re doing well.

Alaine1 profile image
Alaine1Administrator in reply toKonagirl60

That’s good to hear about the noritriptyline. I take that alongside the pregabalin. Works great for the pain I get from chronic fatigue syndrome. I think sometimes the old medications are the best. Not great with the tiredness in the mornings from it but I’d rather the pain is dealt with. I’m ok, plodding along and doing the best I can.

Konagirl60 profile image
Konagirl60 in reply toAlaine1

Good to hear. Thank you for your response and all you do to help people on here.

Bradyy profile image
Bradyy

I think gabapentin helps, no side effects for me take 2 a day

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