Gabapentin: one of the most common pharmaceutical drugs prescribed for nerve pain in the SCI community. Love it or hate it, we ALL have either had partners who have been on it, or have heard about it at one point on this journey. It is used to quell nerve pain, something that haunts many SCI patients, but, does your partner REALLY know they need it for pain? And, are you fully aware of the side effects that it has? Have you been fully informed on the benefits and the risks? What experiences have others had on this medication? These are the questions we had ourselves early on in our partners injuries….
If your partner is taking Gabapentin (or Lyrica.. similar mechanism)
We get into what Gabapentin actually is and its mechanism of action, side effects and black box warnings, our personal stories about Gabapentin, and first hand stories shared by women in the WAGS community about their partner’s experiences on this drug. We are firm believers in critical, objective thinking and the “more you know” type of attitude toward life, and the things we learned from other WAGS about the real side effects of Gabapentin were very surprising. We HAD to share these stories with all of you.
We discuss the importance of learning from others in the community, and the frustrating issues in the medical system that make it hard to have a personal, customized experience navigating medications like this after SCI.
Stay tuned for our NEXT episode where we discuss some natural alternatives to Gabapentin and solutions for nerve pain you may have not thought of yet!
Disclaimer: We are not doctors obviously, just critical thinkers who like to question everything and do our own research. We also like to inform members of our community and help one another to make informed choices. This episode is meant to be informative only, and encourage you to dig deeper and ask more questions yourself into areas you may have not been aware of. If this episode intrigued you, please ask your trusted physician for more information or talk to them to voice your concerns. We also should note that because this drug is highly addictive with contraindications, if you or your partner have chosen to wean off of it, PLEASE do this with extreme caution and medical supervision. Contact your doctor for all your questions and for more information.
This episode is sponsored by Robyn Wishart of Wishart Brain and Spine Law, the official legal advocate of WAGS of SCI. To learn more about what Robyn does for our community and how she can help you, visit our website here
This episode is also sponsored by Rolling In Paradise Sales, a WAG/Quad owned business specializing in adaptive equipment of all kinds including everyday wheelchairs, sport wheelchairs, off-road mobility, shower chairs, lifts and accessories! They are also a VA Approved business. Support your local WAG of SCI and visit John and Annalisa via their website HERE today!