Any new neuropathy medications? Does caffeine affect your neuropathy?

Posted by mikeoc @mikeoc, Nov 9, 2020

Does anyone know if there is new medication for neuropathy? I take pregabalin with a small amount of relief. Also I have noticed that caffeine causes a increase in my discomfort. So I feel that caffeine is a stimulant than a medication which works opposite should help? I just can not get a doctor to take this burning pain serious I feel they think it is in my mind. I have gone to some big name medical institutions like Mass General. No help they say other than SFN I am fine. Well the pain and burning like someone is rubbing my legs with steel wool and sand paper along with barbed wire my hands lose feeling and get cold. There has to be something more effective to treat people with this chronic condition that is always present and flares at times to make oneself miserable as a human can get. Tylenol aspirin Aleve no great meloxicam aspercreme voltarin all of slight relief when used a told. Please God let there be some real effective treatment

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Catcando | @catharbert | Nov 9, 2020

Hi Mikeoc. In case you've missed it, gabapentin does provide reasonably good relief depending on how well you can tolerate the side effects. I am a 76 year old woman and weigh about 116 lbs and not quite 5 ft tall. I'm not in very good health and I think that makes some side effects of medicines have more of an impact on me than if I was stronger, younger and in better physical condition. I take 600 mg 3 times a day. My doctor had me start off gradually adding more to get to this dosage and frequency. It was hard at first but got much easier as time went on. Sometimes I forget to take the afternoon dose probably I either took the AM dose later or there is a built up reserve of medicine in my blood. BUT if I fail to take it on schedule I may get an unpleasant reminder after several hours. If it isn't quite controlling the pain I take 1/2 of 50 mg tramadol tablet. Tramadol is an opioid and I try not to take it but 1/2 tablet a day is about average for me so I am not addicted. The side effects are some sleepiness and some dizziness but nothing I can't deal with. I find it important to get enough sleep every night or I have to take a nap or go back to bed after the morning dose. Bottom line: Gabapentin is an effective drug therapy for neuopathy when taken in sufficient amounts as advised by your doctor. If needed tramadol is an acceptable prescription pain medicine to help out. My neighbor manages with Tylenol arthritis OTC only. I hope you can find something that works for you. Give gabapentin a try and don't give up if you experience side effects, just back off a little and you can increase it gradually until you get to where you need to be. Good luck.

John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Nov 9, 2020

Hello @mikeoc, gabapentin is one of the commonly prescribed drugs to treat the pain symptoms of neuropathy. The Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy has list of the different treatments used for peripheral neuropathy that you may find helpful, as well as alternative treatments and therapies you may find helpful.

Peripheral Neuropathy Treatments - https://www.foundationforpn.org/what-is-peripheral-neuropathy/treatments/
Living Well with PN - https://www.foundationforpn.org/living-well/
Peripheral Neuropathy Research - https://www.foundationforpn.org/research/

You may also be interested in the following discussion:
Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/

Have you tried any alternative treatments or supplements?