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Does Gabapentin help with nerve pain created by have had open heart surgery when they crack your chest open?

I had open heart surgery and have a problem with numbness and sharp burning pain across my chest. It has been diagnosed as nerve pain from the nerves across my chest that were cut opening my chest to perform the bypass. I was put on Gabapentin for it and have been told that if it still exists after 1 year then it will be permanent.

Public Comments

1. im surprised they put u on gabapentin. it works on some nerves, however,gabapentin is used for epilepsy to manage seizures. another generic name for gabapentn is neurontin. ive had 7 by-passes, but they gave me hydrocodone. i also have a numness in my chest, and it is permanent. but its not life threating, just somethink we will have to live with. i had mine 7 yrs. ago. hope this helps. god bless
2. Yes, it will work on nerve-damage pain. I had bypass 8 months ago and after 6 months got my sensation back in right chest. Never really had much pain except with coughing the first few weeks, but occasionally musculoskeletal-type pain with movement, lifting, etc. How long ago was yours?
3. I have not needed to have my chest cracked open yet though it is a distinct possibility. What I suffer from is fibromyalgia, which causes body-wide pain. In July /07 the FDA approved Lyrica (a close cousin of gabapentin) for the treatment of fibromyalgia. I couldn't believe the difference it made overnight! I used to wake up feeling I had been hit by a locomotive. Suddenly, I felt like dancing! I am getting the aching and stiffness again, however, so I am going to ask whether I can go higher on this drug. Perhaps you should ask for the maximum, too. Just be sure the doctor takes you up higher gradually.