Can Gabapentin make neuropathy pain worse?

My neuropathy has been getting worse. I am a diabetic type 2 and I take gabapentin 300 mg twice a day, however I have been having to take 600 mg two tablets before bedtime. I am convinced that the increased dosage is contributing to worsened neuropathy.
Best regards,
Jim Miller

Hello @jmicoumiller48, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I'm not sure it makes it worse, it's just that gabapentin (neurontin) is a seizure medication and treating neuropathy is one of the drugs prescribed for off label use - neuropathic pain being one of them. Not sure it this is helpful but may give you an understanding that you are not alone.

Neurontin: Over-Hyped And Underwhelming: https://www.acsh.org/news/2017/12/26/neurontin-over-hyped-and-underwhelming-12242

You may also be interested in another discussion where members have shared their neuropathy stories - Member Neuropathy Journey Stories: What's Yours?: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/member-neuoropathy-journey-stories-whats-yours/

Are you able to share more about your neuropathy diagnosis? Is it diabetic neuropathy?

After a bad experience with gabapentin a few years ago, I am to the point where I take nothing for pain and my neuropathy is about gone and forgotten. I credit diet and some stretching for the improvement. I do have numb hands at times and my chiropractor thinks it could be carpel tunnel syndrome but I just exercise the hands and go on with my daily life. I have gone back to playing the organ and forgetting about pills. I can get out of a chair or couch pretty well these days after four years of recovery from back surgery, which I think is related to the neuropathy. Yes, my feet are cold so I must wear socks to bed.
Then I have a hot spell at 2:00 a.m. and remove the socks. So I can't offer much help with the pain but suspect rainy weather does not make for a very good day. I avoid pills that don't cure anything and right now my blood pressure pills are not doing much to help, so I have to have another session with my primary doctor who will change the meds for that once again, and if they make me feel bad, I will reject them. I work on my diet and have lost maybe five pounds this year. It's not much, but it is the only thing that helps. I am trying to eat more potassium rich fruit without raising my blood sugar. I can keep the numbers down very well these days, but must remember to resist my family and friends who don't appreciate my style of eating. Diet is everything these days.
Dorisena

@jmicoumiller48
Hello Jim,
Why are you taking 600mg at night? How long have you had Neuropathy? Are you having any side effects from the medication?
Take care,
Jake

I take Gabapentin during the day and Lyrica at night -- I couldn't live without them. They calm my nervous system so that it stops giving me false pain signals. When I feel like I'm standing in a bonfire and swarms of wasps are stinging me too -- but there isn't any fire around or wasps either -- that's my nervous system giving me false pain signals. I wish it would tell me that I'm getting a massage when there is no massage therapist around -- maybe one day it will. Peggy

I had hyperesthesia and neuralgia from an MVA. My Dr prescribed neuroNtin and about 20 minutes after taking it i would have excruciating pain in all
Of my nerves. The only relief I have found has been from elavil. The dry mouth has been minimal compared to the hyperesthesia and fasiculations. Elavil controls most of my
Symptoms but periods of high stress cause me to have a bit of serotonin syndrome, i have to lay off the elavil If my stress gets too high for long periods

I want to be friendly but honest. I know little about your conditions and don't have the right to speculate anything that could be helpful. Dorisena

@bettygruberrn
You may have had an allergic reaction to the Neurontin. Allergies to Anti-Convulsants are very common. I believe only Antibiotics have more allergic reactions, penicillin mainly.
Jake

Hello @bettygruberrn, I would like to add my welcome to Connect along with @jakedduck1 and other members. You mentioned Elavil controls mot of your symptoms but periods of high stress cause you more problems and you have to stop taking the Elavil.

Have you had a chance to discuss the high stress symptoms with your doctor?

I was taught that depression is anger turned inward. If the stress problem is caused by you, change it. If the stress problem is caused by others, mediate it or get away from those causes. Simple to say and often impossible to achieve because of the financial cost or the loss of self esteem which means starting over. Also I find that certain meds drug me and I can't stay awake or function. Some drugs also make me hyper and I don't need that as I am by nature and training very ambitious. If you discuss depression with your doctor, he or she will likely put you on meds. It is better to get some counseling or else make a change for your benefit and good mental health. Most of the time we know what is the best thing to do. We just need the courage and support to do it. I stayed in my marriage for 50 years and should have left years earlier. I quit my only paid job after three years and suffered financially. But my health improved. Depression meds have not been a first choice for improvement, however I have seen wonderful results with meds for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I have also seen good results for certain meds in young students. But in later years, choose a different life and eat better.
And get some lab tests to check for symptoms, which we all are doing. Dorisena