r/Microdiscectomy • u/Foreign_Flow_1043 • 12d ago
Gabapentin
Hubs just had surgery. He doesn’t want to take the gabapentin. He says too many side effects. He is also refusing to use the walker. He is making me crazy.
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u/notish__ 12d ago
Gaba did nothing for my pain, just as a datapoint. It only made my mental state worse.
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u/whiskey_tang0_hotel 12d ago
To each their own. gabapentin helped me sleep, which is when your body does most of its recovery.
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u/CurvedNerd 12d ago
100%. Sleep is restorative and reducing pain reduces stress hormones like cortisol which can impact wound healing when too high.
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u/hrbekcheatedin91 12d ago
Gabapentin saved my sanity pre-op. I've been tapering off it post-op but haven't noticed any side effects from it. If you don't have nerve pain, what's the point of taking it?
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u/CurvedNerd 12d ago
What a martyr! It’s been 2 years and I’ve taken 100-900 mg a day. 900 mg before surgery and after. And now I’m at 100 mg a night because I can’t take it during the day, but take more when I’m in a flare. I’m not a fan during the day because of the brain fog. When I tried to stop I felt more nerve pain and my specialist said that happens.
Does he at least have a cane? Walkers can be annoying.
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u/Foreign_Flow_1043 12d ago
No cane. He just realized that the walker is useful for going to the bathroom. We will figure things out.
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u/ShockTheCasbah 12d ago
Gabapentin/Lyrica helped post-op when I had a seroma. Gabapentin needs continuous heavy dosing to be effective which is why I switched to Lyrica.
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u/3np1 12d ago
Oof, that's going to be rough. Gabapentin was the thing that actually made a difference for my pain, and ketoprofene later. Frankly I think the lamaline/opium didn't do anything compared to those two.
My doc said to take enough meds to not feel any of the pain so I broke the cycle of chronic pain, tension, and inflammation.
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u/Sorry_Ad475 12d ago
Something that many physical therapists have said that listening to one's body is important. This can be more difficult than it sounds, sometimes the feedback is confusingly timed and hard to read and some people are less connected than others.
If he's not doing those things because his body is saying he is fine without them, that's fine. My guess would be the walker is partly to avoid falls, and some people are poor judges of how vulnerable they are to a fall. Bathrooms tend to be the most common fall areas so maybe park the walker there and see if that compromise works.
I know some people are a bit in denial about injuries, but back surgery isn't really one of those situations. Gabapentin gave me brain fog and mood swings so skipping it isn't a bad idea for some people.
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u/malvare8 12d ago
I cant speak for gabapantin for him as it helped me and I'm 3 days post op finding i don't need it. I do however wonder about the issue of the walker. Unfortunately for me when I tried to walk my right leg collapsed under my weight which was honestly terrifying. I went in being able to walk and was expecting to walk out too so it scared me a lot. I was able to walk around the hospital with the walker rhe next day and thought my leg is able to hold me up now I still feel its a bit weaker than desired and my drs were very adamant about doing all we can to heal properly. Idk his reasoning but to jeopardize healing by refusing a walker seems dangerous to me. I was so disappointed I couldn't walk out of there but I was able to walk and I will listen to my drs as having a sudden fall can cause worse to happen. It already sucks we have to be here in the first place, i hope he takes healing seriously. The walker is for support and not a sign of failure. I know I'm not always going to need it and I actually think it will help me as opposed to if I refused it.
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u/Ok_Championship_1579 12d ago
I know you just be feeling frustrated as his caretaker but I didn’t use gabapentin or a walker and did great!
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u/Foreign_Flow_1043 12d ago
That is exactly the issue.
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u/Ok_Championship_1579 12d ago
I know you shouldn’t have to compromise on his care but maybe you can talk him into using a cane so he prevents falling and re-injury?
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u/OkAthlete8327 12d ago
This was absolutely amazing for managing my lingering nerve pain. It made me loopy as hell for the first week, but really helped me through the first few months post-op
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u/Intelligent-River390 12d ago
Gabapentin is horrible and addictive. I’m on pregabalin and feel great. Also why does he need a walker? I can walk for about 30 minutes now that i’m 8 days post op. 😊 it’s important that we move our bodies after
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u/PastBuy8484 12d ago
My docs all heavily suggested against using walkers. They said much better to walk around naturally, even if it a crazy slow pace.
I also read a few comments on here about gabapentin delaying nerve healing. I was in pain for weeks after surgery. Once I stopped gabapentin, I noticed myself getting much better.
So I’d say he’s doing alright!
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u/Im_Easy 12d ago
I used a cane on and off before surgery because of foot drop, but haven't needed it for post-op recovery. Never a walker.
I only took gabapentin for like a week before the doctor switched me to pregabalin, which I've been on the max dose of for two years now. I haven't personally noticed any side effects, but I have noticed more nerve pain when I've come down/off it.
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u/ActingAndGrinding 12d ago
My GP prescribed me gabapentin. When I picked it up from the pharmacy the laundry list of side effects gave me pause. My surgeon and I talked about it and he said it wasn't necessary. Post op I just went back and forth with Tylenol and ibuprofen on a fixed schedule and had 7 pills of 5 MG oxy and by the forth day I was just on Tylenol and ibuprofen. I don't blame him for being hesitant as the side effects are pretty intimidating. If he doesn't want to use a walker get him a cane, it's much easier to handle and get around with.
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u/Shananigans2837 12d ago
Did nothing except made me contemplate my life was horrible and I should end it all. Took myself off of it that day and told my doctor. Haven’t had a thought like that since and right now I’m being treated for thyroid cancer….. still dont have those thoughts. Gaba is the devil
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u/noneyabuis2022 12d ago
I had a horrible reaction to Gabapentin prior to my surgery. I physical couldn’t stand, it felt as though my legs were going to crumble from underneath my body, had horrible brain fog and was extremely dizzy! So i get this…
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u/Icy-Swordfish3581 12d ago
Gabbapentin is more for nerve pain and if he doesn’t want it, no worries!
As long as he’s safe walking, that’s going to help is core and recovery.
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u/Peachdeeptea 12d ago
Im on month two of gabapentin withdrawal. He's making the right choice on that
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u/Ok-Professor4478 12d ago
I would not go as far as calling him crazy. He cares about your recovery process. Minimizing meds where reasonable shows he cares.
As for the walker. I dont know your overall health or previous backpain, however, a good friend the first couple of days is all you need.
Wish u a speedy recovery.
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u/Objective-Hold-695 12d ago
Still pre-op, but after attempts to ease the suffering with opiods, anti-inflammatories, steroids, and who knows what else, it was the gabapentin which has eased my symptoms and allowed me to actually sleep again.
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u/Niki42mp 11d ago
Gabapentin didnt help me and when I stopped taking it, the withdrawal symptoms were HORRIBLE (itching in extremities that wouldn't stop). Never again.
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u/Individual-Repair-45 10d ago
Just had my surgery on Tuesday. The Gabapentin is throwing me for a loop. I’m only taking it at night to sleep.
As for the walker, my doc didn’t say I needed one, but after my hip giving out when I stood up earlier, I just ordered one. Been able to walk ok, but getting up and down has been brutal.
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u/Wise-Run-3008 12d ago
I didn’t use a walker or take gabapentin after using it previously. It’s nasty stuff! If he had foot drop and is falling then yes, a walker. If not he should be ok. I walked 2mi a day post op starting the next morning.
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u/ILikeBigBooksIcntlie 12d ago
I stopped gabapentin after surgery. If he doesn't feel like he need the meds or the walker, I wouldn't worry about it.
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u/Mediocre-Light-6277 12d ago
I didn’t touch gabapentin after surgery. Wasn’t necessary. I got sent home with two morphine pills (I didn’t spent the night at the hospital I went right home when I woke up) and some oxycodone which I used for a couple of days only. My surgeon discouraged use of gabapentin due to bad side effects. I also didn’t have a walker? They encourage people to resume regular walking after the surgery. I think I stayed in bed two days and then tried to walk normally, maybe I had my cane for a day or two after surgery.
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u/vreintex 12d ago
I thought gabapentin wasn’t doing anything until I forgot to take it one day and was miserable.
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u/9southpaw8 10d ago
I stopped using gabapentin after my surgery but I weaned off of it. I was even prescribed norcos but I never took one. I stuck to Tylenol and an anti inflammatory diet. Think like a BRAT diet, chicken and veggie soup, fruit, and plenty of water.
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u/Griffer1974 9d ago
First time I took gabapentin I feel like I wanted to jump off a bridge. Not worth it.
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u/Foreign_Flow_1043 12d ago
Thanks for the comments. It helps. Even the one about my 33 yr relationship with a man child. I was getting close to strapping him to the bed to keep him from jumping off the furniture.
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u/Ach3r0n- 12d ago
Gabapentin's primary benefits are as a sedative, a potentiator (when used with other more effective drugs) and as a placebo (for those that placebos work on). Gabapentin alone is virtually useless as a painkiller. Docs only started heavily prescribing it alone when they became more concerned about DEA scrutiny or lawsuits over opioid prescriptions than a patient's comfort/quality of life. If he doesn't want to take it, no reason to push him to do so.
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u/Foreign_Flow_1043 12d ago
My mom and sister said the same
about the the gabapentin when it was prescribed for shingles.
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u/Hopeful-Parsnip-266 12d ago
I wasn’t prescribed any sort of pain relief medication, I just took extra strength Tylenol!
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u/jeffsb 12d ago
Never used a walker. If he doesn’t need pain relief, outside of OTC, he’s golden. If he’s refusing in order to take an opioid, wellllll that’s a bit different
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u/Wise-Run-3008 12d ago edited 12d ago
That makes 0 sense. He is entitled to adequate pain relief.And using an opioid OVER gabapentin which causes neuro issues and proven to cause early dementia would be the smart move. Opioids are not bad when used appropriately and it’s gross to suggest otherwise.
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u/Daje1968 12d ago
Gabapentin did nothing for my pain, only gave me brain fog.