United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

OK, just got put on Neurontin a couple of days ago. So far I am still in increadible pain. Anyone else ever take this, does it help? Also it was my upper arm that was affected by the BPI, only now my forearm and wrist are starting to become quite painful as well. I go back to the neurologist the first week of Jan., but I thought I would ask here...can this actually travel and knock out my whole arm?

How many milligrams are you taking? Probably 3 times a day, right? Neurontin helps Carrie cope with the pain. Your doctor is possibly starting you on a low dose, as they did with Carrie. The first dose size did little, but they finally got it right.

Hi Gidget,

BP injuries are funky. The pain signals from your brain are going to be all over the map since things aren't normal anymore. The perception of pain location can be pretty unpredictable - and some people's sensation of it can be like their hand is on fire, put in boiling oil, fresh cuts on the arm with a credit card scraping over them, etc. Bottom line - from what I understand, the perception of pain doesn't necessarily correlate to the specific nerves that are damaged.

In terms of pain control, neurontin seems to be the starting point of treatment. Usually people end up with a combination of meds, and since people are different in what works best, the process becomes one of trial and error. For this reason, it's best to get with an experienced pain specialist so you might more quickly find something that works for you. In addition to the meds, it will help if you stay distracted, get enough rest, things like that. There was a thread posted awhile back where people shared what worked best for them - maybe you can find it.

Take care & keep asking questions.

Ellen

If you scroll back on the posts there is a fair bit on nerontin.
Good Luck

P.S. The subject posted is "Oxycontin" they are the same thing.

Oxycontin is not the same thing as Neurontin, as far as I am aware.

I am taking 300mg 3 times daily, and today is one of those days I want to chew my arm off to get away from the pain.

I agree..Neurontin is not the same thing as Oxycontin.

I am on Neurontin 600 mg 4X per day. Have been on this since way before injury...md's used it for ? temporal lobe seizure order. I was kept on it for my balance of bi-polar and for my fibromyalgia. When it gets decreased, I see a big difference in all my symptoms.

Have found that ice on injury site helps immensely along with PT and now OT.

I do take Ultram 2 tablets every 8 hours and prn muscle relaxant..mainly for my neck.

Be patient, as I have been told and have found out, this injury is very slow and haphazard in healing.

Good luck, Pat

i also agree - oxycontin and neurontin are not the same. i know this because i've been on oxycontin for 2 years because my disability plan does not over neurontin. i've been told that neurontin is specifically for nerve pain, whereas oxycontin is a general purpose (albeit very strong) pain killer.

hugs,

jan

Oxycotin and Neurontin are two totally separate types of medication. Oxycotin is an opiate, meaning it comes from opium that is produced by a specific poppy flower. Opiates include morphine, heroin, opium etc. that are chemically used to make oxycotin, Vicadin, percacet,etc. It's main function is to decrease the sensation of "real" pain i.e. surgery, broken limbs and any other pain sensed by a working nervous system.

Neurontin (gabatril) is an anti-seizure medication that was first produced to help with epilepsy. It's function is to slow down the firing of spastic nerve signals which induce seizues. Neurotin is not classified as a narcotic where as oxycotin is.

Neurontin works on bpi pain by slowing down the pain signals that the torn nerves are constently producing in hopes of lessening the amount of pain being relayed to the brain. Oxycotin on the otherhand, tends to work on the "real" pain felt in the muscle and tissue that still has some nerve connection such as the pain felt in the shoulder and neck area due to the weight of the flail arm. Another example is the tension pain in the same shoulder/neck region due to continual tensing up as a response to the nerve pain (phantom?) felt in the hand and forearm which is common in Tbpi avulsions.

I hope that makes sense. The main point is that they are not the same drug or type of drug at all.
THANX LOVE SUSAN

Gabapentin (Neurontin) - I've been told by my consultant to take this, but am quite wary to do so. Does it relieve the pain, and what are the side effects?

Pete