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Can Gabapentin make neuropathy pain worse?
Neuropathy | Last Active: Apr 15 7:27pm | Replies (312)Comment receiving replies
Hi John.. My first experience with Gabapentin didn't help at all.. BUT.. I was also taking Magnesium at the same time..
Now that I've been on Gabapentin again, without also taking Magnesium... it is a real blessing that it helps so much.. I do take around 1800 mg/day and my doctor said that is about the maximum dose that is effective.. It does have a half life of around 6 hours, so I take it that often.. Night time for me requires 3 pills to keep me pain free for those 6 hours and I can sleep well at that.. Otherwise my feet wake are in way too much pain for any rest.. Just a bit more info.. Magnesium cancels out the Gabapentin!
Replies to "Hi John.. My first experience with Gabapentin didn't help at all.. BUT.. I was also taking..."
@hotfooted
Neurontin never had any effect on my Neuropathy or my Seizures up to the then considered max dose. As far as your doctor stating1,800mg a day is the maximum dose he is mistaken. Although that may well be the most effective dose for you it’s not true for everyone. Like I said It wasn’t until my brother started taking 3,600mg that he got any significant relief. 3,600mg was the maximum dose but I believe it’s been raised to over 5,000mg but that doesn’t mean others don’t take more. I knew someone who took 7,000 mg. Neurontin/Gabapentin is a drug that can be increased as long as the person is able to tolerate any side effects. I admit 1,800mg is often the highest dose that most doctors are willing to give for Neuropathy however to say it is the maximum dose is definitely inaccurate.
Take care,
Jake
I take 3600 mg of Gabapentin each day, but also take Mg supplement. This is the first I heard of Mg cancelling effect of the drug.
Is there a report on this in the literature?
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I had some neuropathy and leg cramps but they went away without any pills for pain, because I couldn't tolerate the pills, including gabapentin. My sister took Neurontin and only got worse because she would not control or change her eating patterns. My improvement has come with a low carb diet and some exercise, but not enough due to my back surgery. My question to those who are relying on doctor recommended meds, what are you eating? Have you seen any improvement with diet changes? Have you seen a nutritionist or studied all the nutritional information that is available on the web for help? Is there something else going on, such as a pinched nerve or spinal stenosis that may cause pain? I know what pain suffering is like, as my arthritis in my knees and back affected me for many years until I yielded to surgery. I learned about inflammation and am much improved, but wish I had begun the eating changes earlier in my life.
I urge those who rely on pills, which do not cure, to consider diet which can decrease issues immensely in time. Dorisena