Hi all.
Just wondering if a change in medication for CPSP can change how you feel mentally and physically ( strength and stiffness) ?
So at the moment, I’m currently on 1800mg gabapentin for the stroke pain, which isnt working, and waiting for an appointment to see my old stroke consultant
At the moment I feel mentally and physically good apart from said pain. Really frustrating it really is holding me back and taking that next huge step forward and a return to normal life for me
If the consultant changes my medication( eg perhaps puts me on pregabalin) can it affect my mental alertness and muscle stiffness/ limb movement?
I do know coming off medication can leave you with withdrawal symptoms, cos I felt like a zombie for a while when I came off amytryptoline to go on to gabapentin
Cheers
Joey
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I don’t like to talk about medications much simply because what works for one person often does not for the next. For example: Cymbalta or Wellbutrin work for anxiety/depression for me, but others need Xanax or Prozac. Morphine kills pain for most people but doesn’t do diddly squat for me. If it is helpful in any way… I still take Gabapentin but have just finished a round of lowering doses from 1800 to 900. I don’t take it for pain, but rather they were hoping it would help with the optic nerve damages. If it is a pain reliever, it is a poor one for me. Hasn’t helped with any of my pain, and seems to be a culprit in my thick, foggy brain and constant sleepiness. Since dropping dosages, I have finally been able to stay awake. Now having more trouble sleeping, but I think/hope that will work itself out again and allow me to go back to doing more. The prescriber told me to drop 100 mg per day each week to get back down, but pharmacy would not fill Rx even after she spoke with them three times, so I gave up and lowered 300 mg per day and intend to wean myself from it completely. I have had a little more dizziness and brain fog during the drop, just as I did during initially taking it or boosting the amount. I have been at 900 mg for two weeks now and those symptoms have subsided back to the level I was before. (I still have dizziness due to sight and vestibular issues not attached to medications).
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Thank you Loshy
My CPSP hasn’t been managed very well by my doctor. So the lady from stroke association who’s been helping me said it should have been sorted by now( I’ve had it now for about 4 months) and contacted my old stroke consultant, so I’m now waiting to hear from him for an appointment
If it wasn’t for the CPSP o know I’d be ready to start driving again, tho I need to work a bit more on my strength and fatigue, before I can I think about returning to work
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I was on the highest dose of Gabapentin for a few years for CPSP, which did help, but made me very tired (nearly fell asleep at the wheel a couple of times). I finally reduced the dosage and stopped completely in February. I don’t feel so tired, but the stiffness and accompanying soreness has gone up drastically. I think I may have to go and bother my GP to see if she can suggest something else, because I feel as though it is hampering my efforts now. 
Blimey! What’s the highest you can have?so now you don’t have any at all?
How long since your stroke?
2700mg a day (I rattled when I walked!) 
I had my stroke 9 years ago next week