A couple of questions, if I may

[hyphenate]

Has anyone here who has fibro tried out Neurontin (gabapentin) yet? I'm going to try it to see if it makes any kind of difference. Some say it works better than the Elavil and Flexeril, but I'm dubious until I know for sure.

Has anyone here ever had "tronchanteric bursitis?" I just found out that's what's been bothering my whole left side from the bottom of my ribcage to just above my knee. Great--just another problem to add to the list of things. At the very least, I can say to people I'm not very well, but since almost everything is below the surface, I'm still considered a hypochondriac anyhow. :shrug:

[mopinko]

1. i take it. it works for me.

i have been on and off it, and now on again. the first time i was on it i had about 2 weeks of mild euphoria, and huge drop in pain. but when it crept back in, i was given other nsaids, and ended up in more and more pain. when i went off all that stuff (after finally getting a dx) i went back on it. i still take flexeril. i take them both at night. i sleep pretty well, and no longer wake up feeling like a burnt pretzel. i am functioning way, way better. the doc that put me on it says it is a very safe med.
after a few months, since is was still having some low level pain, i started taking arthrotec, which does not seem to be causing the usual fibro rebound pain. i have very little pain most days now.

as far as your busitis, do they know for sure this is not fibro? did they do an mri, or other test for inflammation? it tends to be worse on the left side of the body. when i am having a bad day, it starts in my left armpit, and goes down my arm.

it is a suck ass disorder.

[hyphenate]

2. I hope I get a good response off it

because frankly, my strength and mental awareness are fading fast. I haven't had a single iota of energy for as far back as I can remember, and while some of it is depression related, there is a feeling that if I could get a grip on my pain issues, some energy might come back.

As far as the bursitis is concerned, it's definitely that, and not part of the fibro. The easiest way to know that is when you have bilateral symptoms, it's most likely the fibro, since fibro does everything in symmetry. If something happens on your right side, it'll happen on your left side as well (though not always at the same time), eventually.

By being very specific and being only in my left side, it's not likely to be related to the fibro.

I've had the fibro for 13 years now, and can usually tell what's related to that, and what's not. Like the OA in my wrists and hands and lower back do combine with the fibro to make my life completely and totally miserable, but at the very least, sometimes there is a remission of the fibro and that helps. But I've been so stressed the past four years that nothing is helping at all anymore.

The new symptoms were very specific and the condition description was so spot on that I was grateful to hear it wasn't something else! I'm going Monday for PT to see if it helps--they offered cortisone shots, but I try not to do that unless it's absolutely necessary. In this care, it might be eventually, but I'd rather try the PT first.

[Pharaoh]

3. I tried it

(neurontin)it really had no effect for me.............

yes they think we are hypochondriacs! :shrug: the bastards!