Can Gabapentin make neuropathy pain worse?

@frankie7 Your post stopped me in my tracks. I am not a fan of Gabapentin and yet I know that it takes away the numbness in my hands, wrists, and arms. Probably helps with pain there also. I cannot take it during the day as I get woozy and dizzy. So we (neurologist and I) moved Gabapentin to bedtime only and I have tapered off it with my clinician's approval. So now I only take 600 mg at night. What did I replace the rest of it with? Medical cannabis. I have been using it for pain control for several years now.

I can moderate the dosage as needed. I use different dosages as well as different types for different situations. My diagnosis is small fiber neuropathy and I am now aware of the progression that occurs. It is very challenging.

May you be free of suffering and the causes of suffering.
Chris

@frankie7
Hi there,
I've taken gabapentin several times. Initially right when it first came out to help my seizures, it didn’t. I took the maximum dose of 3,600 and had no side effects but the seizures continued. I didn’t notice that it helped my neuropathy pain either so I discontinued it. later I took 1200 mg and then I either upped it to 1800 or I took it out of raider gate, again no effect on seizures or neuropathy. my brother cakes 3,200 mg and it helps him substantially. eventually I started using the fentanyl patch which helped my neuropathy and my pain syndrome.
Believe it or not Gabapentin actually is one of the most frequently prescribed medications for epilepsy patients. It actually has a low side effect profile compared to other seizure medications although not the lowest. Your side effects are dependent on how quickly you titrate to the dose the doctor is recomendimg. Also side effects decrease over time, usually several months, give or take.
For me opiates helped the most. I no longer have pain only numbness which combined with seizure meds is a balance catastrophe nearly everyday.
Have you tried Lyrica? I know people who take it for Fibromyalgia although when I talk to people about it most don't like it including myself. I filed a complaint with the FDA regarding it.
Take care,
Jake

Thank you, Chris. Your comment is very helpful because it shows me that gabapentin can be tailored and that I have alternatives. I see a neurologist for the first time this Friday. I will ask him about cannabis. I am glad you wrote to me before my appointment. Thanks again for your information and your good wishes. Wishing you the same.

If you don’t mind me asking Chris, I’m wondering how long you were taking Gabapentin before your numbness decreased? I’ve been on it about 1.5 years now, but the first year was for liver pain. After my transplant I had tapered off for about a month, but started it again for neuropathy pain. My numbness keeps getting worse though, although it does help some with pain, especially the sharp pain. And, it puts me to sleep. I take 200-300 mg just at night. When I used it for liver pain I also used medical cannabis. Unfortunately I can’t now do to interaction with one of my anti rejection meds.

Thank you! Athena

Oh Oh....I missed this question. Let's see......how long was I on Gabapentin.....I think it was quite quickly. That is why I worked on the side effects with my neurologist.

Chris

Thanks Chris!

@lacy since you are interested in connecting with members on CLONAZEPAM, I might suggest you join the following discussion to ask this question in order to have more members familiar with epileptic drugs and already talking about the COVID-19 vaccine as well.

- Covid-19 vaccination & Epilepsy:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/covid-19-vaccination/
Feel free to copy your post (highlight and use CNTR C and paste it (CNTR V) into the new post in that discussion so we can keep this discussion on topic. Thank you!

5 years out on my diagnosis of PN and trying to avoid Gabapentin or any other drugs to date but realize, this won't be forever. Does gabapentin slow down the progression of PN?

For me, Gabapentin greatly reduces the sharp nerve pains I have in my feet and lower legs. It also helps me to sleep better. I have not found it to reduce general foot discomfort, numbness, and tingling.

I have managed to keep my dose relatively low, 200-300 mg in the evening, as like you I have concerns with medication use. Gabapentin is highly prescribed for neuropathy, but everyone reacts differently.

There are other discussions on medications people on Connects have tried, including Gabapentin, so you might take a look at these. I believe @artscaping can offer insights as well.

Good evening @windsorchris. And thank you @athenalee for your attention and response. The question about progression is on the table fellow travelers on this PN journey. My own opinion and personal experience are that my SFN, small fiber neuropathy, has progressed considerably more this last year. The all-over pain, when occurring, also seems more intense which limits my activity. I have to take into account the fact that I am older with more normal aging discomfort. I have also been hospitalized with kidney stones and am preparing for a TKR on my right knee in a couple of weeks.

When you read about SFN and realize that we have fewer and fewer nerves that can work for us and that nerves simply take longer to regenerate, it doesn't seem likely. I think nerve regeneration may be the direction the scientists are taking to find a solution but this is just my voice. Does anyone else have an answer or at least an opinion?

Chris