My dogs have arthritis and we give them gabapentin. It's done miracles for them. I was injured in a helicopter crash in New Mexico in the 70s while in the AF. I had compound fractures to both legs just below the knees and had a steel rod go through my groin and out the side of chest just under my left arm. I tried using the VA for treatments after I retired, but it takes six months to get an appointment and the hospital is 120 miles away. They never give me any input into when the appointment will be, they just send me a card telling me to be there at a specific time and date. I called to complain once and they took another six months to get me a new appointment.
They prescribed a medication for high blood pressure once and it made me really sick as soon as I started taking it. I called to see if I could get back in and they told me it would be another six months to get the medication changed. I gave up and bought private insurance.