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I have idiopathic small fiber PN also with no pain and have had it more than 20 years before seeking a diagnosis in 2016, mostly because all of my prior PCPs had told me there is nothing they can do for the numbness I was feeling. My PCP in 2016 prescribed gabapentin ( I think it was 200 mg daily) but I stopped taking it two weeks after starting because it wasn't helping the numbness. Then after a short conference with my Mayo PCP and her team and a few questions about my symptoms, they agreed and their team lead told me that gabapentin doesn't help with numbness, only for the related pain with neuropathy.

Just a thought but I wonder if your retired surgeon friend may be onto something with drug interactions with gabapentin. I have read that there are some drug interactions with morphine listed as one of the drugs.

"Gabapentin can interact with losartan, ethacrynic acid, caffeine, phenytoin, mefloquine, magnesium oxide, cimetidine, naproxen, sevelamer and morphine. Gabapentin use is contraindicated in patients with myasthenia gravis or myoclonus."
-- Review about gabapentin misuse, interactions, contraindications and side effects:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5308580/