1. < Neuropathy

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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fisbo | @fisbo | Oct 11, 2022

Do you mean l
pregabalin?

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nervylady70 | @nervylady70 | Dec 18, 2022

I had several surgeries in 2020 to repair badly broken arm bones. After the last surgery, which required a bone implant, I was left with chronic nerve pain. This pain NEVER STOPS. It can range from low (good days) to very, very bad.
I have tried everything. Gabapentin, Savella, opioids, massage, acupuncture, capsaicin, Voltaren, lidocaine patches, therapy, hypnosis. What works best is cannabis, but the side effects are not practical (dizziness, confusion.) Lidocaine gives temporary relief -- 30 minutes. My surgeon sent me to a Pain Clinic at a regional university hospital. They told me nerve pain is "all in the brain" as the nerves are firing with no real reason. They also recommended lidocaine patches and positive thinking. Before all this I was THE most positive person.

I have considered suicide and will probably follow through in the next 5 to 10 years, as my doctor and surgeon have explained that the pain is incurable. Although not depressed -- I love life --- I am very discouraged.
My Gabapentin dose at present is 2700 mg a day. Sometimes 3000, But even this dose doesn't seem to help much -- if at all. A friend with diabetic neuropathy says her rheumatologist is taking her OFF Gabapentin, saying it can actually exacerbate nerve pain. I never heard of this, but have been lowering my dose. Has anyone
heard of this? Have any doctors investigated this? Thanks...

REPLY
5 replies
Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Dec 18, 2022

@nervylady70

Yes, but it’s extremely low. Possibly under 1% of people taking gabapentin may get worse neuropathy.
Gabapentin isn’t a very powerful anti-convulsant and it’s difficult to overdose on it. The most I’ve ever known anyone to use was 7000 mg a day however, it was only at that dosage that the man received relief. My belief is people who don’t get relief may not be taking enough. But when do you decide how much is enough. I took 3600 mg that was no help.
I may have taken 4200 mg at one point, but I don’t remember for sure. I didn’t want to take any more because I was on so many other much more powerful seizure medication’s.
Take care,
Jake

REPLY
pacodennis | @pacodennis | Dec 18, 2022
In reply to @nervylady70 "I had several surgeries in 2020 to repair badly broken arm bones. After the last surgery,..." + (show)
@nervylady70

I had several surgeries in 2020 to repair badly broken arm bones. After the last surgery, which required a bone implant, I was left with chronic nerve pain. This pain NEVER STOPS. It can range from low (good days) to very, very bad.
I have tried everything. Gabapentin, Savella, opioids, massage, acupuncture, capsaicin, Voltaren, lidocaine patches, therapy, hypnosis. What works best is cannabis, but the side effects are not practical (dizziness, confusion.) Lidocaine gives temporary relief -- 30 minutes. My surgeon sent me to a Pain Clinic at a regional university hospital. They told me nerve pain is "all in the brain" as the nerves are firing with no real reason. They also recommended lidocaine patches and positive thinking. Before all this I was THE most positive person.

I have considered suicide and will probably follow through in the next 5 to 10 years, as my doctor and surgeon have explained that the pain is incurable. Although not depressed -- I love life --- I am very discouraged.
My Gabapentin dose at present is 2700 mg a day. Sometimes 3000, But even this dose doesn't seem to help much -- if at all. A friend with diabetic neuropathy says her rheumatologist is taking her OFF Gabapentin, saying it can actually exacerbate nerve pain. I never heard of this, but have been lowering my dose. Has anyone
heard of this? Have any doctors investigated this? Thanks...

Jump to this post

I am taking 1200mg daily of gabapentin. It seems to have the effect of producing random thoughts that connect with erroneous past memories, and I have a startled reaction to seeing them in my minds eye. This causes me to feel stress and feel suffering/pain. I think that is what it is designed to do. (create distance from our immediate pain response). But it is haphazard and I do think it can increase our suffering if we can not work with it. Some people are more sensitive than others of course..........just a theory. 🙂

REPLY
chifney | @chifney | Dec 19, 2022
In reply to @nervylady70 "I had several surgeries in 2020 to repair badly broken arm bones. After the last surgery,..." + (show)
@nervylady70

I had several surgeries in 2020 to repair badly broken arm bones. After the last surgery, which required a bone implant, I was left with chronic nerve pain. This pain NEVER STOPS. It can range from low (good days) to very, very bad.
I have tried everything. Gabapentin, Savella, opioids, massage, acupuncture, capsaicin, Voltaren, lidocaine patches, therapy, hypnosis. What works best is cannabis, but the side effects are not practical (dizziness, confusion.) Lidocaine gives temporary relief -- 30 minutes. My surgeon sent me to a Pain Clinic at a regional university hospital. They told me nerve pain is "all in the brain" as the nerves are firing with no real reason. They also recommended lidocaine patches and positive thinking. Before all this I was THE most positive person.

I have considered suicide and will probably follow through in the next 5 to 10 years, as my doctor and surgeon have explained that the pain is incurable. Although not depressed -- I love life --- I am very discouraged.
My Gabapentin dose at present is 2700 mg a day. Sometimes 3000, But even this dose doesn't seem to help much -- if at all. A friend with diabetic neuropathy says her rheumatologist is taking her OFF Gabapentin, saying it can actually exacerbate nerve pain. I never heard of this, but have been lowering my dose. Has anyone
heard of this? Have any doctors investigated this? Thanks...

Jump to this post

Have you tried taking Duloxetin 60mg with Gabapentin? This combination works better than Gabapentin alone for me. Thanks to my VA doctors for this.
LorenB

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cbait | @cbait | Dec 19, 2022

I am taking 600mg per day I was taking 2700 mg per day. Started taking alpha lipoic acid 400 mg per day doing better started working on my balance standing on one foot in my bear feet I have tried standing on small pebbles it hurts like hell but my feet feel better afterwards

REPLY
johnmacc | @johnmacc | Dec 20, 2022
In reply to @nervylady70 "I had several surgeries in 2020 to repair badly broken arm bones. After the last surgery,..." + (show)
@nervylady70

I had several surgeries in 2020 to repair badly broken arm bones. After the last surgery, which required a bone implant, I was left with chronic nerve pain. This pain NEVER STOPS. It can range from low (good days) to very, very bad.
I have tried everything. Gabapentin, Savella, opioids, massage, acupuncture, capsaicin, Voltaren, lidocaine patches, therapy, hypnosis. What works best is cannabis, but the side effects are not practical (dizziness, confusion.) Lidocaine gives temporary relief -- 30 minutes. My surgeon sent me to a Pain Clinic at a regional university hospital. They told me nerve pain is "all in the brain" as the nerves are firing with no real reason. They also recommended lidocaine patches and positive thinking. Before all this I was THE most positive person.

I have considered suicide and will probably follow through in the next 5 to 10 years, as my doctor and surgeon have explained that the pain is incurable. Although not depressed -- I love life --- I am very discouraged.
My Gabapentin dose at present is 2700 mg a day. Sometimes 3000, But even this dose doesn't seem to help much -- if at all. A friend with diabetic neuropathy says her rheumatologist is taking her OFF Gabapentin, saying it can actually exacerbate nerve pain. I never heard of this, but have been lowering my dose. Has anyone
heard of this? Have any doctors investigated this? Thanks...

Jump to this post

Young lady. No , I don't believe that gaba can actually cause pain. I've had to gradually go up to max dose of 3600 mg daily which helps reduce my bad pain by about 2/3 now which is a blessing. Please consider this as well as r alpha lipoic acid, 600 -1200 mg daily and acetyl l carnitine 1000 mg 3 x daily. It's not in your head honey and shame on those who say it is. Keep reading and studying. Hang in there. Johnmacc

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smigal | @smigal | Dec 20, 2022

Yes Gabapentin can cause pain. When the pill wears off I get some pins and needles. Everybody is different.

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Sleepygirl | @alvamaeyaert | Dec 20, 2022

I’m wondering if anyone here had tried Neuropure brand of supplements?

REPLY
kimegraves | @kimegraves | Dec 20, 2022
In reply to @nervylady70 "I had several surgeries in 2020 to repair badly broken arm bones. After the last surgery,..." + (show)
@nervylady70

I had several surgeries in 2020 to repair badly broken arm bones. After the last surgery, which required a bone implant, I was left with chronic nerve pain. This pain NEVER STOPS. It can range from low (good days) to very, very bad.
I have tried everything. Gabapentin, Savella, opioids, massage, acupuncture, capsaicin, Voltaren, lidocaine patches, therapy, hypnosis. What works best is cannabis, but the side effects are not practical (dizziness, confusion.) Lidocaine gives temporary relief -- 30 minutes. My surgeon sent me to a Pain Clinic at a regional university hospital. They told me nerve pain is "all in the brain" as the nerves are firing with no real reason. They also recommended lidocaine patches and positive thinking. Before all this I was THE most positive person.

I have considered suicide and will probably follow through in the next 5 to 10 years, as my doctor and surgeon have explained that the pain is incurable. Although not depressed -- I love life --- I am very discouraged.
My Gabapentin dose at present is 2700 mg a day. Sometimes 3000, But even this dose doesn't seem to help much -- if at all. A friend with diabetic neuropathy says her rheumatologist is taking her OFF Gabapentin, saying it can actually exacerbate nerve pain. I never heard of this, but have been lowering my dose. Has anyone
heard of this? Have any doctors investigated this? Thanks...

Jump to this post

good evening nervelady-70,
sounds like your pain is severe and you are not getting relief from the gabapentin prescribed by your doctor. I am so sorry to hear that. I have been using gabapentin for about 1 1/2 years for severe CIDP. In the beginning the medication gave a little relief and I was noticing that I did not take the medication every 8 hours and if I missed a dose I could never catch up and get the pain under control. So what I did was take a dose at 5am, 1pm and a large dose at 9pm. usually prior to when the next dose is due I am just starting to feel a bit of discomfort. My doses have been adjusted several times but if I truly make an effort to take the pills on time I find I can tolerate the small amount of pain I have.
You mentioned that your pain was so bad that you once contemplated suicide, PLEASE talk with your doctor and tell them your thoughts, feeling and perhaps consider getting a second or third opinion. Have you ever asked you doctor to refer you to a counselor. Please let us know how you are and if you have any of your medications changed and if your pain improves. I hope things get better for you.
Kim

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