"after 3 weeks of excruciating sciatic pain, due to herniated disc at l5-s1, i was prescribed gabapentin. i was scared about the side effects so i only took a third of my daily dose, alongside naproxen and codeine. i noticed a change in my mood, very tearful and low also. the pain got worse, so i gave in, took the gabapentin as prescribed, continued with codeine and naproxen and then the pain became manageable within 3 weeks. i&#039;m no longer on any drugs now apart from gabapentin. my mood is better and i am sleeping better. the pain hits me when i walk for 5 minutes, especially going up a hill. or when i sit/stand for too long. but my quality of life has improved with gabapentin. i am having surgery next week as the disc herniation is large."