Neuropathy: Anyone have any experience with gabapentin?

Posted by sjhedcon @sjhedcon, Mar 21, 2020

I have loss of feeling in my feet and tingling sensation. My doctor prescribed gabapentin. I read the side effects and decided not to take this med.
Anyone have any experience with gabapentin?

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NJ Ed | @njed | Nov 26, 2023

In reply to @johnbluffside "Yes horrific side effects and weaning off of this rx is horrible!!!" + (show)

You are right. I was able to get off in about 5 to 7 days but I was only on 300 mg daily. Even that small amount, I did feel it. Don't like it at all.

johnbluffside | @johnbluffside | Nov 26, 2023

In reply to @njed "You are right. I was able to get off in about 5 to 7 days but..." + (show)

Per Dr no problem can quit taking SO glad I did NOT listen to the dr it took me almost 30 days of a schedule recommended by my pharmacist and still horrific!!!
Pharmacist seem to know way more when it comes to rx.

amyturner | @amyturner | Nov 26, 2023

I was taking 500 mg x3 and felt “stupid”. Couldn’t win at scrabble! Severe numbness , burning feet . referred to a podiatrist & found arthritis in feet. Got cortisone injection & now feet are still numb but don’t hurt. I cut back to 300 mg x2 & see definite improve in my thinking. I am 77

gregd1956 | @gregd1956 | Nov 26, 2023

In reply to @lc22002yahoocom "Feet and lower leg swollen 2 years. Skin of them now stiff. Just recently burning pain..." + (show)

Swollen is in the top feet, but is not bad - just a little swollen. Pain in your heels? No, but on a little feeling and parts are gone my feeling. Over the last 2 years when I hit my butt and added pain on my legs, can’t walk enough, or cutting the grass is gone… my walking balance is done and falling down is here. Yes, I’ve got a lot of doctors, including my TBI accident (11yeaes ago) for everything I wanted to see if what I can

lc22002yahoocom | @lc22002yahoocom | Nov 27, 2023

I have to look at my legs and feet to know I have neuropathy there. (for over 2 years) I have no pain. I just have a feeling of skin tightness, (and have) redness) of the skin on my lower legs. Occasionally, I scrape legs a little to remove its dead skin. Feet are so swollen I can only wear wide slippers. Foot soles have 'burned' only a couple of times. Goes away when I walk. I have feeling in legs & feet, no numbness.
Balance only effected somewhat by my neurological disorder Essential Tremor (full body) shaking. So I use a walker when going from here to there. Legs & feet have not been examined by any doctor.

lc22002yahoocom | @lc22002yahoocom | Nov 27, 2023

In reply to @lc22002yahoocom "I have to look at my legs and feet to know I have neuropathy there. (for..." + (show)

I forgot to mention that my lower legs are very swollen, not just my feet.

wander3314 | @wander3314 | Mar 15 1:55pm

If you are careful not to provoke excruciating shocks you may be able to calm the nerve and let it heal. I did this for eight days and TN 1 went away. This is not easy but doable. TN 1 pain is the most awful pain I have ever experienced.

shell22 | @shell22 | Mar 15 3:40pm

I've been taking gaba now for a year. Started out with the 300mg capsules for chronic back pain and sciatica due to Stenosis and degenerative disk disease. I ended up having to take the max dose of 3600mg a day just to be able to move with little pain. I didn't have to keep track of the time to know when my next dose was due which is a problem for me, I knew when I started feeling pressure pain in my tailbone that it was wearing off. I ended up getting the gaba in 500mg so I didn't have so many pills to take. And I myself have not had any issues or side effects from it. Thank God, Gaba has been a complete life saver for me. I ended up getting off of it for about 5 months with no pain before I had my 3rd back surgery, my 2nd fusion (Jan 30th 2024) and now I am back on them to help lessen nerve pain and numbing in my lower legs. To date I am taking 2800mg to 3400mg of gabapentin a day along with my 2nd dose pack of Medrol and using Vicks vapor rub about 4 to 5 times a day on my legs just to tolerate the nerve pain until they heal.
Maybe if you don't get along with gabapentin well and you need so help easing nerve pain, you can try using vapor rub and see if that helps. Best of luck.

richinmind | @richinmind | Mar 15 10:23pm

Didn’t work for me

Chris Trout, Volunteer Mentor | @artscaping | Mar 16 1:21am

In reply to @richinmind "Didn’t work for me" + (show)

Good evening @richinmind, welcome to Connect. So gabapentin was insufficient for what you are trying to handle. Would you take a few minutes to describe what type of neuropathy you have? It would also be helpful to know which medications you found helpful.

If you have had some tests that help define which form of neuropathy you are dealing with, would you list them? I have small fiber neuropathy, SFN. A skin biopsy discovered my diagnosis. At this point, I have been seeking freedom from pain, tingling, and numbness in my hands, arms, feet, and now legs. Some days it even feels like my entire head is numb.

If you would like to begin reading about this condition while you wait for a more informed response please try the following links:
https://neuropathycommons.org/. Neuropathy Commons
https://www.foundationforpn.org/. Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy

May you be free of suffering and the causes of suffering.
Chris