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Can Gabapentin make neuropathy pain worse?
Neuropathy | Last Active: 2 days ago | Replies (374)Comment receiving replies
Hi John, I have a rare vascular disease (fibromuscular dysplasia), and have wondered if the FMD has been a contributing factor in my progressing nerve pain. What started in my feet and hands is now all over. In fact, when I climb the stairs, not only do my legs hurt, but my diaphragm burns. There is a condition called vasculitic neuropathy that I’m wondering has any connection with FMD. Doctors say all our pain has nothing to do with FMD, but it makes no sense that we all have the same pain, and we keep getting brushed off. It’s infuriating and we suffer in silence.
Right now, I’m taking 5 different anti-seizure medications on top of 1200 mg of neurontin, as well as 5-325 norco. It’s way too much, a stab in the dark/not targeted therapy. . . And not helping. I had 5 cerebral aneurysm, and had 2 brain surgeries to clip 3 of them. I now have trigeminal neuralgia, my neurologist thinks the surgical scar is causing that, I disagree. I started feeling that pain immediately after my surgery, because I had to stop taking my oxcarbamazapine for my surgery, so I noticed the pain. When I started taking my meds again, it went away but it’s not working anymore. My doctor has increased the dosage so hopefully it helps ease the symptoms.
Nerve pain sucks.
Replies to "Hi John, I have a rare vascular disease (fibromuscular dysplasia), and have wondered if the FMD..."
That is why I got a prescription for more physical therapy because those people know how to work on pain areas and produce some relief. It doesn't solve all problems, but it certainly helps my body and I skip all those pills because I have mild symptoms of problems.
I also get relief from massage and oriental needles which don't hurt at all. Dorisena
@hyeary
6 Anticonvulsants, I'm surprised you know when you're coming or going. Which meds are you on & at what dosage?
Do or did you have seizures or are they used as a seizure preventive, which to me seems like overkill or are they for neuropathy and other conditions? Could you elaborate?
Take care,
Jake
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Hi @hyeary, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Nerve pain does indeed suck. I just wish we could "wish it away". I have no experience with Fibromuscular Dysplasia (FMD) but do think you are asking a good question that hopefully someone can shed some light on or provide an answer. I did find some information that may be helpful.
Fibromuscular Dysplasia of the Lower Extremities: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3595825/
There is an older discussion that has entries from 2019 if you go to the top of the discussion and select "Newest to Oldest" for order of the posts in the discussion.
- Fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD): https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/discussion-fmd/
The following link by @kariulrich in the above discussion has some useful links for FMD organizations around the world and a study from 2016 - Living with FMD Quality of Life Study: Diagnosed and living with fibromuscular dysplasia: A qualitative inquiry
- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/discussion-fmd/?pg=4#comment-109309
Do you mind sharing how you found Mayo Clinic Connect?