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.

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@jakedduck1

@helennicola
Zonegran from the people I've heard from take it as an adjunctive medication for Focal Epilepsy. Most of whom report many of the seizure meds typical side effects. Zonegran does have many potential side effects like all other Anticonvulsants. That's not to say all people on it will have those effects. I have been on these types of meds for over 50 years for seizures. Believe me there is no one super drug without side effects for it's main use of seizures or Neuropathy. I was the Antoconvulsant Dilantin for over 20 years and didn't notice any significant side effects until a few years later when the Neuropathy started. So even if side effects aren't noticed that doesn't mean they are not causing damage.
Take care & remember if it sounds too good to be true it most likely is.
Jake

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leonard, she did say she had to take the pills (4)3xday but it took all of her pain away which had been extreme. She said her neurologist considered this the best choice for neuropathy. I agree “if it sounds too good.....” etc. Helen

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@helennicola
I think it’s great that it works so well for her. I’ve never taken it because I never had much of a problem with focal seizures. I don’t have the neuropathy pain any longer just the numbness. But for anyone who does have the pain and is willing to try an anti-convulsant it might be worth a shot or if Gabapentin doesn't help perhaps try the Zonegran.
Thanks for mentioning it.
Jake

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@tigreyes2004

Has anyone tried lyrica & what kind of side effects did you have. My dr. wants me to go on it but i don't want to bc i heard too many bad things about it. Any feedback would be appreciated.

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@tigreyes2004, I tried Lyrica many years ago. I could not tolerate it because it made me dizzy and I had to hold onto something to make my way around the house. I don't know why your doctor prescribed this, i.e., I do not know your health condition. This must work for some, but it was not for me! Best wishes, @joybringer1

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@joybringer1

@tigreyes2004, I tried Lyrica many years ago. I could not tolerate it because it made me dizzy and I had to hold onto something to make my way around the house. I don't know why your doctor prescribed this, i.e., I do not know your health condition. This must work for some, but it was not for me! Best wishes, @joybringer1

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@joybringer1
Hi
Thank you for sharing. I am not taking it but most of the doctors try & push it on me & I say no. I am taking 300 mg of Gabapentin in the morning with 30mg Cymbalta & at night another 300 mg. of Gabapentin. I notice as time goes by I have to keep increasing to be able to function & I really don't want to do that. I have Idiopat Neuropathy, Stage 3 kidney disease, pancreitis, gastritis, copd, & abdominal adhesion's. I'm 70 & feel like a 100. I am getting depressed bc I'm a fanatic with housework & I can't keep up anymore.
I have heard bad side effects on the Lyrica & plus you gain wait so I will stay way from it. Thank you & God bless
Genie

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I have just started Zonegran that was prescribed by a new pain doctor. No bad side effects yet, but also no relief yet.

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@cwallen9

I have just started Zonegran that was prescribed by a new pain doctor. No bad side effects yet, but also no relief yet.

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hello @cwallen9 .... oh never hear of Zonegran before.... may i ask how long you have been on it ... be nice if you could get some pain relief soon. Good that you have not had bad side effects yet... have you had any side effects even minor? Am afraid I always go on line to check new meds out but sometimes this means then I am too afraid to take them... especially if they list eye problems as a possible side effect as I already have Glaucoma so don't think I should try these... but Clonazepam I do take has side effects tookto but at least I get some sleep. Sometimes we have not much choice... Best of luck. Take care, J.

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@lacy2

hello @cwallen9 .... oh never hear of Zonegran before.... may i ask how long you have been on it ... be nice if you could get some pain relief soon. Good that you have not had bad side effects yet... have you had any side effects even minor? Am afraid I always go on line to check new meds out but sometimes this means then I am too afraid to take them... especially if they list eye problems as a possible side effect as I already have Glaucoma so don't think I should try these... but Clonazepam I do take has side effects tookto but at least I get some sleep. Sometimes we have not much choice... Best of luck. Take care, J.

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@lacy2
Hello J,
We always have a choice. I had sleep difficulties too and tried Ambien. It wasn't effective for me so I quit taking it and I figured I’d sleep when I needed to but this was risky since lack of or poor sleep is frequently a seizure trigger in Epilepsy.
I decided to used all the proper sleep protocols which I believe reset my Circadian rhythm. So my days of staying awake for 24 to 120 hours are a thing of the past for the most part anyway.
“Am afraid I always go on line to check new meds out but sometimes this means then I am too afraid to take them.“
You take Klonopinin but are fearful of other meds? You did know your Clonazepam & Gabapentin can both cause multiple
eye-related side effects, right?
Have you tried magnesium for sleep? I'd try that before taking a chance on such a powerful drug as Klonopin. I suspect your a woman and if so you may already be deficient.
Take care,
Jake

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@jakedduck1

@lacy2
Hello J,
We always have a choice. I had sleep difficulties too and tried Ambien. It wasn't effective for me so I quit taking it and I figured I’d sleep when I needed to but this was risky since lack of or poor sleep is frequently a seizure trigger in Epilepsy.
I decided to used all the proper sleep protocols which I believe reset my Circadian rhythm. So my days of staying awake for 24 to 120 hours are a thing of the past for the most part anyway.
“Am afraid I always go on line to check new meds out but sometimes this means then I am too afraid to take them.“
You take Klonopinin but are fearful of other meds? You did know your Clonazepam & Gabapentin can both cause multiple
eye-related side effects, right?
Have you tried magnesium for sleep? I'd try that before taking a chance on such a powerful drug as Klonopin. I suspect your a woman and if so you may already be deficient.
Take care,
Jake

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Thanks JAKE. I just typed a hugely long response and deleted it.. I did find out a bit too late that Klonapin/Rivotril in Canada also raises eye pressure but dont know if there is more bad news about it and eyes.
2 weeks ago a doctor from the video clinic, as i dont have a family doctor, did blood tests and told me all ok, 2 days later phoned back had made error i am very very low on vitamin D, and low end of scale vitamin B12... I can ask for magnesium to be checked/

I was given, freely, KLONAPIN/RIVOTRIL for 15 years by 2 different family doctors no questions asked and when another dr took me off after my last 5 pills in 2018, cold turkey, i went into withdrawal and 75 at the time and depressed etc. etc. it was horrid and I couldn't do it. I read that people are almost licking their last pill its so addictive but no one, no one, no one ever told me it was habit forming. No one even asked me if i was taking it, if it was helping, just dished it out like candy!!!!

I dont want to be on it but they tried to kick me off with NO support and with other issues in my life I just cant do it, but if I find out it is doing more than raising my eye pressure I will try giving it up....but would need help.. thanks for caring. J.

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@tigreyes2004

@joybringer1
Hi
Thank you for sharing. I am not taking it but most of the doctors try & push it on me & I say no. I am taking 300 mg of Gabapentin in the morning with 30mg Cymbalta & at night another 300 mg. of Gabapentin. I notice as time goes by I have to keep increasing to be able to function & I really don't want to do that. I have Idiopat Neuropathy, Stage 3 kidney disease, pancreitis, gastritis, copd, & abdominal adhesion's. I'm 70 & feel like a 100. I am getting depressed bc I'm a fanatic with housework & I can't keep up anymore.
I have heard bad side effects on the Lyrica & plus you gain wait so I will stay way from it. Thank you & God bless
Genie

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@tigreyes2004
Hello Genie,
“I am getting depressed bc I'm a fanatic with housework & I can't keep up anymore.”
Since both Gabapentin & Cymbalta sometimes cause depression and tiredness, could that possibly be part of the above problem?
Since your on such a low dose of Gabapentin does it actually help?
Just because Lyrica causes problems with many people doesn't mean you will have any problems with it.
Take care,
Jake

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@lacy2

Thanks JAKE. I just typed a hugely long response and deleted it.. I did find out a bit too late that Klonapin/Rivotril in Canada also raises eye pressure but dont know if there is more bad news about it and eyes.
2 weeks ago a doctor from the video clinic, as i dont have a family doctor, did blood tests and told me all ok, 2 days later phoned back had made error i am very very low on vitamin D, and low end of scale vitamin B12... I can ask for magnesium to be checked/

I was given, freely, KLONAPIN/RIVOTRIL for 15 years by 2 different family doctors no questions asked and when another dr took me off after my last 5 pills in 2018, cold turkey, i went into withdrawal and 75 at the time and depressed etc. etc. it was horrid and I couldn't do it. I read that people are almost licking their last pill its so addictive but no one, no one, no one ever told me it was habit forming. No one even asked me if i was taking it, if it was helping, just dished it out like candy!!!!

I dont want to be on it but they tried to kick me off with NO support and with other issues in my life I just cant do it, but if I find out it is doing more than raising my eye pressure I will try giving it up....but would need help.. thanks for caring. J.

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@lacy2
Clozapam is classified as a Benzodiazepine but it's an Anticonvulsant. No surprise your vitamin D is low. Supposedly, 4% of Canadian’s are low. I don't believe that it's only 4%. Some statistics say 42% of people in The U.S. is deficient. I don't believe anyone knows for sure.
I am at a normal level now but have to take 2,000IU daily to maintain my level because of the bloody Anticonvulsants. We can improve our diets and eat vit D rich foods but our age is against us. Nothing we can do about that I guess. I imagine you were told to take a supplement. How much are you suppose to take? Magnesium plays an important part in vit D metabolism.
Your KLONAPIN/RIVOTRIL may make reading more difficult and cause blurred or double vision. It can also cause visual hallucinations. All sorts of fun things. I wear prisms in my glasses because one of my seizure medicines cause double vision.
The medical people haven’t told you about how difficult it is to come off of because they don’t now how to come off of it safely. We have the great pharmaceutical companies to thank for that because they don’t know themselves. They are learning from their patients, at least the doctors who are willing to learn.
All in all doctors really aren’t all that bright in my personal opinion, Especially when it comes to common sense. Not that I am any great whiz at it myself. In the hospital my blood pressure was high when a doctor took it. A few minutes later she trots in with a pill, “take this” I said “what is it” “it’s something for your blood pressure.” I tried to convince her that one blood pressure reading didn’t indicate I had hypertension.
You have to wonder if some of these idiots actually graduated from medical school.
I stopped taking my Klonopin and I didn’t have any side effects but I tapered extremely slowly.
I believe the best way to stop Clonopin and some other medications is the 5 to 10% method by using a compounding pharmacy.
You shouldn't have deleted your post.
Will take good care of yourself,
Jake

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