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Can Gabapentin make neuropathy pain worse?

Neuropathy | Last Active: Dec 14 4:29pm | Replies (374)

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@jamesinsonoma

I believe Gabapentin has caused my very mild peripheral neuropathy in my feet to worsen. I've only been on 200mg 3x a day for 7 days and each day the pain has increased. I noticed that when I went to bed @ 9pm having taken 200mg Gaba at 8pm my pain continued until I fell asleep. When I awoke after 7 hrs sleep my feet had no pain. Then later in the day having taken 200mg @ 8am & 2pm the pain was unbearable. Then the next morning, no pain upon waking. I just stopped the Gaba this morning so it's too early to tell if the afternoon pain will return. Does anyone have experience with neuropathy stopping & starting like I'm experiencing? I had a pinched nerve at L5/S1 since Dec 2019. On March 30, 2020 I had surgery the successfully fixed the bulging disk and bone spur that was impacting the nerve. Some of the pain-all in my right foot & calf is due to the pinched nerve which is still healing but there was never any pain in my left foot until I started the Gabapentin. Although a nerve conduction test on both legs in Feb 2020 did show mild peripheral neuropathy in both legs. JamesinSonoma

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Replies to "I believe Gabapentin has caused my very mild peripheral neuropathy in my feet to worsen. I've..."

Hello @jamesinsonoma, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Thank your for sharing your experience with Gabapentin. Have you mentioned to your neurologist/doctor that your pain has increased every day since starting the treatment?

Since you mentioned you also had a pinched nerve at L5/S1 you may be interested in the Myofascial Release Therapy discussion started by @jenniferhunter -- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/

@james, When I was first diagnosed with SFN I was prescribed gabapentin 3xday. My pain was only at night in my feet and hands. I couldn’t keep a thought in my head on that regimen so I cut back to 200mg. 2hrs. before bed. I have since upped the dosage to 300mg. but sleep pain free through the night. I have noticed that if my feet/hands are not too bad right before taking gabapentin at night, the pain will increase for a while but then goes away which is weird. I am good most of the day. Nsaids and R-Ala lessens any pain which I take 2xday. I wish you luck finding something which works for you.