Can Gabapentin make neuropathy pain worse?

Thanks for insight I’m at my end of answers more questions then a appealing
Fix . I’ve seen 4 Neurologist the I e I’m currently seeing has been helpful in answering but says no cure just have to deal with it . That’s easier said then done when your a prisoner in your own home

I am new and not sure how to post a question so I am sorry if I am doing this incorrectly. I just started on Gabapentin 300 mg at night 15 days ago and it has allowed me to sleep helped lessen my widespread whole body dysesthesia (face and every part of my body that started suddenly in Jan 2021) somewhat but had to still put CBD cream or combination of Sarna Original or Sarna Sensitive over most of my body during day. Doctor added 100 mg Gabapentin at 8am which I took this morning and now my pain is completely different and worse. Burning is a combination of an intense burn and prickling. Has anyone else had this when first going on additional doses and if so does it get any better?

Hello @marenew - Welcome to Connect. I have no experience with dysesthesia but I'm hoping other members will be able to answer your question. @nanna and @dablues have mentioned dysesthesia in other discussions and may be able to offer a suggestion.

Have you discussed the worsening of your symptoms with your doctor to see if they might have a suggestion?

As this is the first day of taking the additional dosage I have not called doctor yet. My nerve burning started as neuropathy of the feet and progressed up the legs and then over face and down the front of my body back to the feet!!! All tests negative by neurologist and no underlying medical or auto immune cause. I could deal with the feet neuropathy but the whole body nerve burning is reason why gabapentin was ordered.

There is no outward appearance so doctors don't seem too concerned but it gets very uncomfortable especially around the ribs ...when it tightens up it feels like someone is sitting on my chest and I feel like I cannot breath and when it takes over the whole left side of my body I get unbalanced. It never leaves but some days are worse than others. The only offering of help is gabipentin and if I take it at night it causes me to not be able to think straight the next day. I have read you could get surgery and cut the nerves which I would be up for around my ribs.

Have you tried IVIG? I have not tried it but heard it works on others. It is expensive without insurance, perhaps your doctor can help you get coverage if you don’t already have it.

Jake, I get exactly the same thing. It is listed in the gabapentin side effects that it can cause pain in lots of areas - increased aches and pains, side pains, chest pains etc. I’ve jumped up to 2,700mg a day and I’ve experienced way more pain and side effects. Before I bumped the dose up my episodes of higher pain lasted hours but now they’ve dropped. My regular spasms are shorter and my bouts of severe pain only last about an hour now. I’m way more clumsy and foggy in the brain though, so I’m not sure what’s better 😅. I’m sure it’s a side effect that a lot of us get. My other half says I’m in more pain since upping. Maybe it’s best sometimes to have another set of eyes.

Maybe Gaba isn't the right med for you. I don't see how it could make pain worse since all it is capable of doing is relaxing the nervous system. Doctors have increased my doses of Gabapentin over the 3 years that I've been taking it because Neuropathy gets worse as we age so it takes more medicine to combat it. Peggy

Maybe Gaba isn't the right med for you. I don't see how it could make pain worse since all it can do is relax the nervous system. Doctors have increased my doses of Gabapentin over the 3 years that I've been taking it because Neuropathy gets worse as we age so it takes more medicine to combat it. That's just me, we're all different and there are several different types of Neuropathy. I hope you find a medicine that helps. Peggy

I've read everyone's post with interest, since after upping my dose of gaba to 1800 (per my physiatrist) I am in worse pain than on the 900 a day--shooting pain. But I had no pain initially with the 900, but then had burning pain, like when I began. I've now been on the drug for a month. The phys. gave me an epidural shot for sacro-iliac joint (not new to me), and then my pain got much worse. Is it a coincidence? I'm seeing my neurologist for alternatives to gaba. Please--can others chime in on what has worked for them after gaba? Or how do you all handle the even-higher doses? Has that alleviated the pain for you? Am I taking the med wrong? As you may be able to tell, I'm desperate and feel hopeless. Thanks, Frankie.