Gabapentin dosing

Please tell me more about your PN. What areas does it affect and are you in constant pain?
I take 300 mg three times a day. When I started I was not actually in pain but rather I suffered constant numbness and tingling in both feet and calves. I think my sleep improved but now after several prescriptions, my sleep is disrupted because I'm very uncomfortable. It's now more like pain in the form of a deep, deep aching that I want to be able to just shake out. My PCP has conveniently labeled this Restless Leg Syndrome. I wonder if I should ask for another referral to a Neurologist. I did not stick with Neurology the first time around due to an insurance change. I did have a negative EMG but was told at the time that it didn't rule out small fiber neuropathy and I did not have a skin biopsy. I was told that whether that came out positive or negative, the treatment for my symptoms would be the same. I wake up each morning in pretty tough shape, but once I motivate and move I can still walk without issue.
It seems that Gapapentin does need to be titrated up and I'm wondering if it's time.
I'm also tempted to wean off all together to see if it really did make a difference.

I suffered severe Hair loss. A major parts of my Pains easy as long as I can move around dancing. Gabapentin causes you to lose balance in dancing, to be completely off. This Frightened me enough to wonder: What else am I losing, that I may not be-able to regain and causing other problems in the future, if I continue taking the Gabapentin. I must say it helped and harmed more. Even tried the lowest dosage an my hair would pull out with one pull. I have not found one to prevent my complications as now. If someone knows of alternative please share?

I was on Gabapentin for several years as much as 2400mg per day.
At one point 2 years ago I was hospitalized for surgery, and they never gave me my Gabapentin a,l the while I was there.
It was then I noticed I didn’t feel any differently without it and my feet and legs were still numb and tingly.
So I decided along with a new neurologist to discontinue Gabapentin for good.
Did nothing for me.

Hey guys @cecelia19 to all of you,

- GABAPENTIN PAIN MEDS? -
I use the 1600-1800 med, per day.

- HOW ABOUT THIS MED USAGE? -
If I’m right about this med, changes different ways of 1) pain or 2) anti-seizure. Wasn’t this med was made for pain? Didn’t the med started for brain-injuries from the early 2000’s?

- HERES MY USE OF THIS MED? -
Well, for me, was not pain uses. After my bicycle 12 years ago, I became a TBI member. That pain of that med didn’t do anything of pain. That gave me an anti-seizure that breaks part of my brain and loss of earlier memories & thoughts and others like:
A) brain injuries,
B) cancer inside that brain,
C) born loss of that part of their brain,
INCLUDES of falling down, playing football teams, accidents, or doctors needs of other people.

Thx guys,
Greg D. @greg1956
->->->->->->->< -< -< -< -< -< -< -< -<
PS: could you imagine, spending time in our “Connect MAYO Clinic” of people like me, our needs/wants/helps and many of workers, helpers, pro-folks, past written, and on…

I'm taking 900 mg at bedtime, none the rest of the time. It allows me to get a good night's sleep.

The carbamazepine and duloxetine manage your pain well, then? I’m so afraid that nothing is going to work for me.

i have had it for 14 years and am now up to 200 mg 3-4 times a day and 600 at night along with Tramol and non THC CBD oil ... Right now that is doing nothing so I am here looking to see how others manag. I have to use voice to text as typing is too painful.

Welcome @ieeeee, It's good to see that you have already connected with @heisenberg34. Sorry to hear you haven't found much relief for your symptoms yet. Connect is a good place to learn what has helped other members. You are not alone in your search for answers. Here is a list of discussions and comments from other members looking for what helps with neuropathy - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/search/?search=neuropathy+what+helps.

Another great source of neuropathy information is the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy - https://www.foundationforpn.org/living-well/.

You mentioned you have had neuropathy for 14 years. Do you mind sharing a little more about your diagnosis and other treatments you have tried?

OK, you asked for it. Fell skiing hard on my lower back and buttocks in 2016. I had several epidurals and nerve ablations in the fall of that year. Neither helped. I had several orthopedi surgeons scan my MRI and told my to just learn to live with the pain. So, I set out to be my own, best advocate. In July of 2017 I went to a private practice neurolgist who spent and hour and a half assessing my issues(yes, an hour and a half). She ultimately prescribed trmadol, diclofenac K, and Gabapentin. After a couple of days adjusting to the dizziness, I actually was feeling better. Pain dropped from a 7 down to about a 2. Amazing. But, I still had some bad days. I was directed to an orthopedic surgeon who oredered another MRI. He told me that I had spondylithesis at L5-S1. No other MRI had reveled it before. he recommended spinal fusion. Being rather naive a the time, I went ahead. After the healing process, no improvement. Chalked it up to the good, old, "Failed back urgery syndrome". Very convenient.
In 2018 I was diected to a neurosurgeon who recommended a SCS trial. Never heard os such a thing. I had the trial done in the office of my pain specialist. It dropped my bad pain from a 7 to an 8. Felt great. I went ahead with permanent impalnt. Only 50% pain reduction, but enough to become functional, back to cycling 30-50 miles a week, working around the house. Even back to gentle skiing.
Then in 2021, the SCS stopped working. Pain returned with a vengeance. No more cycling. Still somewhat functional, though. In April. 2023 I had a pain pump trial, which dropped pain significanly. Went ahead with permanent impalnt. After innumerable adjustments of output, no pain mitigation. We moved to another state in August of 2023. Got a new pain doc to manage my pump. After 8 or 9 months, I practically begged him to try other avenues of treatment or to reach out to colleagues for advice. No good. He knows all. I finally had the old SCS hardware removed in May of 2024 in order to have an MRI, which revealed nothing extraordinary. In June I went to a new pain doc who recommended a trial of a new SCS, since the old one had given me relief fo several years. So, I will be having that trial in about two weeks. My current pain level is at about an 8 every day. I am not able to walk very far, can't cycle, can't work in my shop. Pretty much confined to sitting at my computer and recliner, or strtched out on the old bed, watching TV. Tried at home PT, but it only ramps up the pain even worse, There you have it.

I am so sorry to hear this. Is it possible for you to travel to Mayo Clinic? Their Rochester clinic is rated number one in neurology. I’ve accompanied family members there eleven times and we’ve always left there feeling like we’ve gotten the best of care.