Gabapentin

A quick update on my numb leg situation that's been ongoing for 5 months now.  I had the nerve conduction study a month ago at hospital which was a painful experience. They inserted fine needles straight into the muscles/nerves in my leg and then sent an electric current through them to test the reactions. I'm still waiting for the results - as per usual the NHS works at less than a snail's pace.  I was at my wits end last week and went to my GP to ask for help. He has sent me for an MRI scan on the lumber spine and my appointment came through for March 4th (another month of waiting)  Meanwhile, he has put me on gabapentin 100mg to take at night. He offered me this originally but I declined because he said it was for nerve pain. I don't have pain just debilitating numbness when I sit down for more than 10 mins.  He persuaded me to try it this time because he says it will relax the nerves affected and may just ease them away from the point where they are trapped.

I have read on here that a few people take this tablet and I wondered how long they take to work? The leaflet says one to two weeks but that's if you take a high dose (it's also used for MS and epilepsy)  I'm also panicking already about the MRI scan - I don't like enclosed spaces. I hope they let me go in feet first instead of head first :( 

Not sure where this post will end up..?  Community Stories Wall comes and goes on my computer like an old ghost!  When you log in you can only see the last 10 posts but if a few people chat about one post, that area is full in no time and there's no way of finding posts before that or where to put new ones.  I know you can click on 'your discussions' but if you are only following a post rather than posting on it,how on earth do you find it?  Pleeease can we have the Community Wall back?  Without it, the whole site is very 'bitty' and confusing.

Hi Brenda ,

Provided they don't need to scan your head there is no reason to include your head in the scan . Feet first should be okay. 

If head is needed then some of my patients have taken Lorazepam about 45 minutes before the scan.

Fingers crossed you get some answers. Might be worth contacting the consultant secretary or department secretary to jolly them along. 

Couldn't agree more about the website. 

Hope you have a good day 

Kay x

 

I also have a lot of trouble with the logic of this site. The old forum worked and I dont know why it was thought fit to completely revamp. Above all, this site is important when we are recently bitten and not thinking at all clearly.

Regarding the MRi I firmly shut my eyes (blindfolds  are availabe if you prefer) and do not open them until I am out. I ahve been in four different machines and they do vary, Come to rural Essex and the latest MRi is almost totally "open". Go to lousy London and theirs were quite good as they were partly open, you can see out and they have mirrors to help the open feeling. And their choice of music was much better. Private hospital scanner was no better at all.

So I now just close eyes.

Best wishes

Colin

 

Thanks Kay and Colin for your replies.  Fingers crossed, it will be feet first but I will ask for a blindfold as this sounds a good idea as well as headphones.  Other than that, to quote one of my daughter's sayings I will just have to 'Man up and deal with it!'  Hoping someone sees this who takes gabapentin..? Would like to know how long it takes to work.

Good Yorkshire grit required.

I am sure you will find an excellent time to reply to daughter.

Sorry, I havnt come across gabapentin. I imagined it was five rain coats.

 Colin