Connect
← Return to Do not take gabapentin, makes it worse
Discussion
Do not take gabapentin, makes it worse
Neuropathy | Last Active: May 7 9:32pm | Replies (70)Comment receiving replies
I have chemo induced neuropathy with numbness and no pain. I am concerned about taking gabenpenton. I used it for two months and stopped because it didn't do anything for me, My last visit to my primary Dr., they pushed it saying it would work and to give it time. The oncologist told me it works for numbness 50% of the time. I said 15; No 50%. I told him it sounds like one of your miracle drugs like the opioids ya passed out like candy. He called in a prescription and said take or don't whatever you want to do. I called the American Cancer Society and they also recommended it but no guarantees. On a bunch of facebook groups, most people who have taken it say stay away it doesn't work. I don't want to get caught up in their pharmaceutical culture if I can avoid it. WHO DO YOU BELIEVE?
Replies to "I have chemo induced neuropathy with numbness and no pain. I am concerned about taking gabenpenton...."
Well if Gabapentin works 50% of the time, I wasn’t in that 50% because it did nothing for the pins and needles in my feet and legs.
Gave it over a year, and nothing!
Same with me. The Drs don’t know, just use what works for you , if anything, and learn from your experience John Aust
Connect
Welcome @jeffclaussen, Sorry to hear that you have the neuropathy numbness from your chemo treatments but I'm happy to hear you are not having the pain also. The numbness is bad enough by itself. I have seen zero research that gabapentin helps with numbness and I have not heard anyone with the neuropathy numbness say it helped but there may be someone out there with a positive experience. Before I was diagnosed I had been dealing with the neuropathy numbness that started in my toes and had been in my feet for more than 20 years. I decided to see if I could get a diagnosis and/or treatment. My primary care doctor gave me gabapentin which I took for a month and it did absolutely nothing so I stopped taking it. At my next appointment I discussed the gabapentin with her and that it didn't help. She went away for a few minutes and brought in others on her Mayo Clinic doctor team. After a few short minutes of talking to me about my numbness symptoms they all concurred that gabapentin does nothing for numbness. I shared my neuropathy journey in another discussion here - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/comment/310341/.
I think you might find the following discussion helpful:
--- Chemotherapy-induced neuropathy: What helps get rid of it?: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/chemotherapy-induced-neuropathy/
Another thing that might be helpful is discussing supplements that may help with your doctor. Here's some information that explains more:
--- Dietary Supplements in Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: A New Hope?:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8838672/
Have you looked into any complementary or alternative treatments?