Can Gabapentin make neuropathy pain worse?

Posted by cwallen9 @cwallen9, Apr 16, 2019

I started getting peripheral neuropathy pain about nine months ago in my feet and hands right after I received a cervical steroid injection. I started taking gabapentin about 7 months ago. I have gradually increased my dose from 100 mg a day to 1500 mg. I can't say that it has decreased my pain at all. In fact, my pain has gotten steadily worse. I was just wondering if it is possible that gabapentin can sometimes make neuropathy pain worse. My EMG and biopsy results are negative for short fiber neuropathy so far.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Neuropathy Support Group.

srush | @srush | Jul 12 6:11am

Gabapentin made me immediately and seriously depressed. I was surprised until I dug into the medical literature. This is a side effect of the drug for some people--not terribly uncommon but not often discussed. It also did nothing for my neuropathy. I find this drug worse than useless.

bgator | @bgator | Jul 12 7:17am

In reply to @harley22 "It makes your question a very valid one. I was on Gabapentin for several years upto..." + (show)

I will second that!

pizzagirl | @pizzagirl | 10 hours ago

I took this medication only once. 100 mg before going to bed. Three hours later I woke up with severe cramps in my legs and pain and tingling.. I was given the medication because I was experiencing some Pain in My big toe and the one next to it in both of my feet occasionally also, my calves would feel weak and sometimes stiff. I have been told before that I had neuropathy due to issues that I have in my back because I have stenosis and problems with my disc just multiple things. The pain and things experience from taking that one pill were ridiculous. I haven’t taken it since, but yet I am experiencing cramps and my legs. I have pain from my knee to my toes, which goes from like little electrical shocks and other things that I didn’t have before. I told my doctor wasn’t going to take this again, but what I wanna know is maybe I wasn’t supposed to be taking this. I want to know if this will go away by itself the reaction that I got from the medication and how long will it take to subside or is there something I can do to counteract?