Neuropathy: Anyone have any experience with gabapentin?

Posted by sjhedcon @sjhedcon, Mar 21, 2020

I have loss of feeling in my feet and tingling sensation. My doctor prescribed gabapentin. I read the side effects and decided not to take this med.
Anyone have any experience with gabapentin?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Neuropathy Support Group.

I might have already posted my PN problem, but am posting once again.
I suppose I must be one of the “lucky” ones. I don’t have pain, but I do have numbness which is extremely uncomfortable.
I’ve had a total of 7 surgeries for my “adult onset scoliosis,” one two-day biggie when the doc put in the rod, then over the years, I had 6 revision surgeries. Of course, bracing as an adolescent might have nipped this in the bud but when and where I grew up (in the South during the 50s)), it was never identified, let alone treated. As long as I was eating, all was well!
I’m now 73, dealing with the effects of untreated scoliosis. I always tell people if you can avoid having back surgery, DO IT! In my case, however, by the time I was in m late 50s, my spine had curved pretty badly (11 degrees in one year), my doctor said, the time was nigh, so I did it, not really having much choice.
Ever since then, I’ve had pain in my lumbar region, mainly on my left side, the source of the scoliosis, As a result of all the nerve damage, voila! PN is now my constant companion. Trust me, I went through many days and nights of agony with the nerve pain. I took Gabapentin (max dose) many years when it finally dawned on me: Gabapentin was doing absolutely nothing for the numbness! All I have now with PN is, in fact, numbness and as you can probably guess, difficulty with balance. My balance is so bad that I took a very nasty fall back in February. I ended up breaking my hip (again, on the left side).
NOW, not only do I have the PN, with all the after-effects of all the scoliosis surgeries to deal with, I now have hip surgery, too! If I thought my balance was bad with the scoliosis surgeries and resulting PN, it’s pretty much non-existent with the hip repair.
I now use a walker, probably permanently, which is a real pain (so to speak) when we go anyplace.
Sooooo, after all the above history, I really need to know if there are any remedies for this awful numbness in my left foot? Every now and then, the numbness decides to affect my right foot, but very mildly.
As an aside, I’ve had very few medical professionals to admit that my scoliosis surgeries were “probably” the source of my PN. I find this kind of bizarre. I guess it’s all a part of the “white coat syndrome.”

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@steven120566

Kratom has been what really dampens down the pain for me. If compared to Gabapentin, its like a water gun versus a garden hose when it comes to squelching the pain . And in this case the water gun has much worse side effects . But it's complicated , you have to find a vendor the third party test their product , and you have to use only the unadulterated pure ground up leaf . Unfortunately because it's unregulated , you we'll find that there is a lot of product on the market that you may want to stay away from. you will find a lot of misinformation out there, as the FDA has not researched it. The FDA is trying to win a battle in the Press regarding kratom, but they do not use factual information. If you research the work of the University of Florida pharmacology department, you'll find the real story. I am not trying to be mysterious just telling you that without this product, my neuropathy problem had gone severely undertreated. With whatever type of treatments you receive I wish only the best of success to you.

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Thank you

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@cax75

I am severly allergic to lyrica and gabapentim ( anaphalaxis) for my idiopathic peripheral neuropathy. My friend claims that she gets some relief from lyrica. Is anyone on Cymbalta for IPN?

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I tried all of the above meds unsuccessfully, made me feel loopy. Just started Venlafaxine and very good results thus far. Night pain is gone, able to walk much better, so far doing well with half dose (37.5 MG) - supposed to double the dose after 14 days but I may stay at current dose until needed. Not a fan of chemicals but this drug is a nice reprieve. Time will tell!

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@intlguyct
I think your wise to stay at the lowest possible dose of this medication. It's a wicked medicine when trying to discontinue if you don't titrate slowly enough.
Jake

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Gabapentin made my joint pain worse. Also gave me brain fog. Now on Duloxetine. It controls the tingling, burning and flushing I was getting. Also no more numbness in toes.

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@johnbishop

Hello @sjhedcon, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. There is a another discussion that is similar to yours where you can meet other members discussing Gabapentin. You may also be interested in this discussion here:

> Groups > Neuropathy > Can Gabapentin make neuropathy pain worse?
-- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/can-gabapentin-make-neuropathy-pain-worse/

Are you able to share a little more about your symptoms and your diagnosis? Have you been diagnosed with neuropathy? I have been diagnosed with idiopathic small fiber peripheral neuropathy. I shared my story earlier on Connect here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/anyone-here-dealing-with-peripheral-neuropathy/?pg=42#comment-65985

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No I don't have neuropathy, but my best friend,has it.She just had a stroke,not sure if this caused her neuropathy.

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@dmoreci

Gabapentin made my joint pain worse. Also gave me brain fog. Now on Duloxetine. It controls the tingling, burning and flushing I was getting. Also no more numbness in toes.

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I took that drug second day I could barely walk and had double vision obviously that wasn’t the drug for me.

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@intlguyct

I tried all of the above meds unsuccessfully, made me feel loopy. Just started Venlafaxine and very good results thus far. Night pain is gone, able to walk much better, so far doing well with half dose (37.5 MG) - supposed to double the dose after 14 days but I may stay at current dose until needed. Not a fan of chemicals but this drug is a nice reprieve. Time will tell!

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I'll need to check withmy other meds for interactions. Also , what is the brand name for the drug? Iapprediate the suggestion. Yesterday I went to a Craft fair and between my neuropathy and degenerative disc disease, I had to go looking for a chair after 20min. That's after taking 1300 of Tylenol as I do every morning along with Cymbalta which is supposed to help with pain. Thanks and good luck with your neuropathy.

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I just checked and rhe brand is Effexor XR
I was on that and taken off with no result. Thanks anyway and excuse my typing errors' big fingers.

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@steven120566

Kratom has been what really dampens down the pain for me. If compared to Gabapentin, its like a water gun versus a garden hose when it comes to squelching the pain . And in this case the water gun has much worse side effects . But it's complicated , you have to find a vendor the third party test their product , and you have to use only the unadulterated pure ground up leaf . Unfortunately because it's unregulated , you we'll find that there is a lot of product on the market that you may want to stay away from. you will find a lot of misinformation out there, as the FDA has not researched it. The FDA is trying to win a battle in the Press regarding kratom, but they do not use factual information. If you research the work of the University of Florida pharmacology department, you'll find the real story. I am not trying to be mysterious just telling you that without this product, my neuropathy problem had gone severely undertreated. With whatever type of treatments you receive I wish only the best of success to you.

Jump to this post

I too have found kratom very successful in reducing pain and tingling. Been taking for almost one year. Years ago following a TBI was prescribed gabapentin for the extreme headaches at Bethesda (then Naval Hospital). It worked until one eye went the wrong way. Told to stop the gaba and 30 days later my vision was restored. Kratom I take following almost three years of tramadol. My neoropathy and some finger numbness was caused by a spinal cord injury. I’ve recovered quit well, neuropathy is the worst of it. Can walk again, but jogging is ugly. Not to mention some balance issues. Gabapentin was considered at first, but given bad results 10+ years earlier dropped. People don’t like to hear this, I always say push through it and it gets better. Maybe it’s from my 27 years military or my knuckle dragging years of Judo, it works for me and the Kratom is a big help.

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