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

@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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I am very fearful of that Lyrica. I have heard so many negative things that I won't chance it. I know everyone is different but my track record isn't very good.
My dr. told me Gabapentin was more of downer & make you sleepy & then when you take the cymbalta it's an upper. Usually it has got me functional but lately I am in so much pain.
Thank you Jake . I appreciate your help.
God Bless
Genie

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@jakedduck1

@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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morning... jake thanks, the phone call with clinic dr. she said take 2000 vit d a day. I think that is 2000 ui of D3... my spouse takes it as suggested by pharmacist so we are sharing til i get some. She said B12 was just at bottom of scale but did not say how much to take... these are short phone calls with results etc., so I didnt think to ask. Husband had some multivitamins and i took one each last 2 days but had reflux last night so not sure.... MY note was about my spilling a drink - not alcohol - on my pill box and melting the halved Rivotril/KLONAPIn so i was short before next prescription and my newish dr said he would not refill early!!!! I do not abuse meds in fact on very few considering... but as living on bed moved to left side so i could see downstairs , right handed and have p.n. one day tipped my coffee enough that it spilled over open pill contained as i found it hard to open the little lids, melting a few Rivotril and even Zoloft as was on it at time, not any more.... later in office he berated me in front of people in waiting room saying I was mismanaging my medications .. i explained wht happenbed and he said; i dont care if you dropped them down the toiled, you are mismanaging your medications! So this dr when I started seeing him year before after leaving my other doctor of 20 yrs., just continued the 90 rivotril every 3 months and same with zoloft without even asking why i was taking it or even if i was taking it or selling it on the street corner!!! i have never spilled anything on my meds but then again i had never 'taken to my bed' in my life before.... My pharmacist came to my rescue and fast forwarded the prescription a week or less. Another time in front office he balled me out about something else in front of new receptionist.... another story too long for here, and i didnt make a complaint but phoned the College of physicians and surgeons Ontario and discussed, they were very nice and i kept it low key, they called him and next appointment he discharged me from his practice at 76. A few months later he left the province. We have a site here called Rate MDS and I did notice some negative comments made by patients.... so now i go to a walkin clinic speak to a nurse and then the doctor, from another part of the province comes on screen. So far so good and i get copies of all reports. I was always polite and honest with that doctor who was a newbie.... why he was so hard on me after dishing out pills like candy i will never know.. and there are more stories but not relevant here. i must say tho I do notice a change in how doctors speak to me now i am older.......... oh well. And yes would love to get off Rivotril but cannot do it alone and need my sleep more than ever

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@lacy2

morning... jake thanks, the phone call with clinic dr. she said take 2000 vit d a day. I think that is 2000 ui of D3... my spouse takes it as suggested by pharmacist so we are sharing til i get some. She said B12 was just at bottom of scale but did not say how much to take... these are short phone calls with results etc., so I didnt think to ask. Husband had some multivitamins and i took one each last 2 days but had reflux last night so not sure.... MY note was about my spilling a drink - not alcohol - on my pill box and melting the halved Rivotril/KLONAPIn so i was short before next prescription and my newish dr said he would not refill early!!!! I do not abuse meds in fact on very few considering... but as living on bed moved to left side so i could see downstairs , right handed and have p.n. one day tipped my coffee enough that it spilled over open pill contained as i found it hard to open the little lids, melting a few Rivotril and even Zoloft as was on it at time, not any more.... later in office he berated me in front of people in waiting room saying I was mismanaging my medications .. i explained wht happenbed and he said; i dont care if you dropped them down the toiled, you are mismanaging your medications! So this dr when I started seeing him year before after leaving my other doctor of 20 yrs., just continued the 90 rivotril every 3 months and same with zoloft without even asking why i was taking it or even if i was taking it or selling it on the street corner!!! i have never spilled anything on my meds but then again i had never 'taken to my bed' in my life before.... My pharmacist came to my rescue and fast forwarded the prescription a week or less. Another time in front office he balled me out about something else in front of new receptionist.... another story too long for here, and i didnt make a complaint but phoned the College of physicians and surgeons Ontario and discussed, they were very nice and i kept it low key, they called him and next appointment he discharged me from his practice at 76. A few months later he left the province. We have a site here called Rate MDS and I did notice some negative comments made by patients.... so now i go to a walkin clinic speak to a nurse and then the doctor, from another part of the province comes on screen. So far so good and i get copies of all reports. I was always polite and honest with that doctor who was a newbie.... why he was so hard on me after dishing out pills like candy i will never know.. and there are more stories but not relevant here. i must say tho I do notice a change in how doctors speak to me now i am older.......... oh well. And yes would love to get off Rivotril but cannot do it alone and need my sleep more than ever

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@lacy2
I'm glad your doctor had enough sense to order the 25-hydroxy test to check your vitamin D. If I were you I’d ask for a bone density test also. In my unprofessional opinion, I doubt 2,000IU will bring your level up very quickly (depending on what it is) especially if you are on Gabapentin. You are on Gabapentin aren't you? If so, how much are you on. My memory is awful. Also, how much Klonopin are you taking. Although medication affects people differently I wouldn't cut your Klonopin in half. That's a large cut. I'd never do that. Chances are your doing okay now without any withdrawal effects depending on how high your dose was but I doubt you will manage another 50% cut. My Klonopin does was massive but I still didn't cut it that much.Did you ask why your B-12 was low? Hopefully your just not getting enough in your diet verses not being not able to absorb it. But regardless of the reason you need to get it back within normal levels. Years ago I had a B 12 deficiency and my doctor gave me weekly B 12 shots.
You much better off without that doctor. However, I wonder if he was legally justified in discharging you. I wonder if it could be considered discriminatory or abandonment.
Take care,
Jake

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@lacy2

morning... jake thanks, the phone call with clinic dr. she said take 2000 vit d a day. I think that is 2000 ui of D3... my spouse takes it as suggested by pharmacist so we are sharing til i get some. She said B12 was just at bottom of scale but did not say how much to take... these are short phone calls with results etc., so I didnt think to ask. Husband had some multivitamins and i took one each last 2 days but had reflux last night so not sure.... MY note was about my spilling a drink - not alcohol - on my pill box and melting the halved Rivotril/KLONAPIn so i was short before next prescription and my newish dr said he would not refill early!!!! I do not abuse meds in fact on very few considering... but as living on bed moved to left side so i could see downstairs , right handed and have p.n. one day tipped my coffee enough that it spilled over open pill contained as i found it hard to open the little lids, melting a few Rivotril and even Zoloft as was on it at time, not any more.... later in office he berated me in front of people in waiting room saying I was mismanaging my medications .. i explained wht happenbed and he said; i dont care if you dropped them down the toiled, you are mismanaging your medications! So this dr when I started seeing him year before after leaving my other doctor of 20 yrs., just continued the 90 rivotril every 3 months and same with zoloft without even asking why i was taking it or even if i was taking it or selling it on the street corner!!! i have never spilled anything on my meds but then again i had never 'taken to my bed' in my life before.... My pharmacist came to my rescue and fast forwarded the prescription a week or less. Another time in front office he balled me out about something else in front of new receptionist.... another story too long for here, and i didnt make a complaint but phoned the College of physicians and surgeons Ontario and discussed, they were very nice and i kept it low key, they called him and next appointment he discharged me from his practice at 76. A few months later he left the province. We have a site here called Rate MDS and I did notice some negative comments made by patients.... so now i go to a walkin clinic speak to a nurse and then the doctor, from another part of the province comes on screen. So far so good and i get copies of all reports. I was always polite and honest with that doctor who was a newbie.... why he was so hard on me after dishing out pills like candy i will never know.. and there are more stories but not relevant here. i must say tho I do notice a change in how doctors speak to me now i am older.......... oh well. And yes would love to get off Rivotril but cannot do it alone and need my sleep more than ever

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@lacy2, It sounds as if you are better off without the awful doctor. How dare he chide you in front of others. He surely does not understand confidentiality. It is interesting about your vitamin D. My doctor took me off that as it is in my CardioTab vitamin. He wants me and my husband to be in the middle of the scale. I was surprised because my last blood draw showed 60 in the vitamin D and he wants it more in the middle of the scale, i.e., at 50. I do as he says. He has helped me in so many ways and is always so kind to me. I don't know what I would do without him. May you have better experiences and have a doctor who truly cares about you. With all good wishes, @joybringer1

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HI JAKE and JOY Well vit D3 after a normal life have hardly been out of my bedoom and home for over 2 years so no sun and unfortunately have radiation damage to pelvis, as has spouse, and ibs-d for many many years so diet is plain hardly any fruit, hardly any vegetbles and nothing raw etc. etc. so i see how i got to this place. yes smart GoodDrs. clinic doctor got the vitamin blood test, why other doctors didnt in the past i dont know. yes only a low dose of Clonazepam 0.5mg at night but 15 years. Well this brand new dr was good at first but i think became disillusioned with profession or ? I am not the only one who was treated like this.... he has gone back to Saskatchewan so that's good. In northern Ontario and even further north some good drs but the are being lured here with $$$$ as what well off dr wants to live around a lake and bush when could be in toronto or ottawa living the good life!! I personally think there are so many diagnostic tools now and patients more aware of illnesses via internet etc and sooo so many medications the doctors cant keep up. WE can hardly keep up as patients! And covid hasnt helped... our city had optometrists closed and dentists for a while and an ENT phoned me last week, kind of hard to see in my ears with a phone, so I feel for them catching up. IT's really more their "attitude". Plus my ageing isnt helping and overlapping medical issues with a dash of depression and anxiety...so not a good mix. i think the dr said take 2,000 a day of Vit D but i thught i should start at 1,000...so maybe thats not enough? OH how i used to love salads, veggies, everything.. and now its sandwiches and chicken, spuds, carrots.... both husband and I have fecal incontinence from radiation and its horrible. But so many on here with even worse issues to deal with...bless them all..... thanks! J.

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PS No not on Gabapentin. J.

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I want to be kind and helpful here since I have experienced so many health problems in my family, but for the life of me, I wouldn't consider continuing huge doses of meds and getting more pain over time. A well meaning doctor doubled my pain medicine for a pinched nerve years ago and it shut down my brain to the point where I couldn't prepare Thanksgiving dinner. I suffered terrible pain through physical therapy and a sand bag on my neck hung over a door.
Finally my doctor sent me to physical therapy who cured my pinched nerve and I continued exercises for years after that. The prescription med that messed with my brain is now sold over the counter but I would not consider taking it. After my husband took opioids and the doctor doubled them for pain, I have wisely sought other help besides pills that have side effects and they don't cure anything. The medical world is getting better than in the past, but we still need to pressure for better treatments or a different approach to our miseries. I learned that pennicilin cured everything in my early years but now our bodies are resistant to antibiotics. I recommend we stop doing what doesn't work because it isn't going to do much later on, either. Dorisena

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@lacy2

HI JAKE and JOY Well vit D3 after a normal life have hardly been out of my bedoom and home for over 2 years so no sun and unfortunately have radiation damage to pelvis, as has spouse, and ibs-d for many many years so diet is plain hardly any fruit, hardly any vegetbles and nothing raw etc. etc. so i see how i got to this place. yes smart GoodDrs. clinic doctor got the vitamin blood test, why other doctors didnt in the past i dont know. yes only a low dose of Clonazepam 0.5mg at night but 15 years. Well this brand new dr was good at first but i think became disillusioned with profession or ? I am not the only one who was treated like this.... he has gone back to Saskatchewan so that's good. In northern Ontario and even further north some good drs but the are being lured here with $$$$ as what well off dr wants to live around a lake and bush when could be in toronto or ottawa living the good life!! I personally think there are so many diagnostic tools now and patients more aware of illnesses via internet etc and sooo so many medications the doctors cant keep up. WE can hardly keep up as patients! And covid hasnt helped... our city had optometrists closed and dentists for a while and an ENT phoned me last week, kind of hard to see in my ears with a phone, so I feel for them catching up. IT's really more their "attitude". Plus my ageing isnt helping and overlapping medical issues with a dash of depression and anxiety...so not a good mix. i think the dr said take 2,000 a day of Vit D but i thught i should start at 1,000...so maybe thats not enough? OH how i used to love salads, veggies, everything.. and now its sandwiches and chicken, spuds, carrots.... both husband and I have fecal incontinence from radiation and its horrible. But so many on here with even worse issues to deal with...bless them all..... thanks! J.

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@lacy2, I admire your attitude when you stated that others have even worse issues to deal with. Your issues seem terrible to me, but I realize you are doing your best to cope with them. It is awful when we have to give up foods we love and sometimes activities as well. I truly wish you'd your husband the best moving forward. @joybringer1

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@joybringer1

@lacy2, I admire your attitude when you stated that others have even worse issues to deal with. Your issues seem terrible to me, but I realize you are doing your best to cope with them. It is awful when we have to give up foods we love and sometimes activities as well. I truly wish you'd your husband the best moving forward. @joybringer1

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Please think of it as not giving up foods we love, but choosing food that make us well and happy. I think of my efforts as though I am winning the battle and I do better in the end. My husband has been gone fifteen years, so I can spend my efforts on myself. My husband would not work on his diet issues, so I feel victorious when I can make a difference. Pass the salmon! I may serve it along with the ham for Easter. Dorisena

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@dorisena

Please think of it as not giving up foods we love, but choosing food that make us well and happy. I think of my efforts as though I am winning the battle and I do better in the end. My husband has been gone fifteen years, so I can spend my efforts on myself. My husband would not work on his diet issues, so I feel victorious when I can make a difference. Pass the salmon! I may serve it along with the ham for Easter. Dorisena

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@dorisena
“I feel victorious when I can make a difference.”
You make a difference in many people's lives.
You helped me and my cousin who has diabetes. THANK YOU!!!
Jake

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