Lisa
@techi
@techi
Posts: 349
Joined: Jun 18, 2017
Gabapentin use for neuropathy
I just want to know if anyone has used or is still using gabapentin for neuropathy. I had foot surgery in 2015 and l had nerve pain so my surgeon put me on gabapentin and it wasn’t once a day or twice a day. He said 3times a day.. So this Monday on the doctors Dr. Stock was talking about the gabapentin and how he was taking it after his surgery and he read about people who were trying to wean themselves off off it and it was hard to do it and if you are taking an opioid it intensify the opoid has anyone had that problem. Because l sometimes take tramadol and l always ask if it’s an opioid and everyone says no but when l went online they said it was so l am trying to not take them and when l went to the doctor this week l told them l am only taking the gabapentin 2times a day because l forget the third dose. I told her l am only use to taking meds twice a day so l want to know if anyone had a reaction or difficulty get off gabapentin?
ridefreetw
@ridefreetw
@ridefreetw
Posts: 3
Joined: Mar 02, 2018
Posted by @ridefreetw, just now
I experienced this after a dose increase of Gabapentin. My Dr immediately lowered me back down to my 300 mg dose. She prescribed Lyrica to help calm down the receptors in my mouth, to let my mouth heal.. I also practice homopathic medicine and I gargled with peroxide for 1 minute, baking soda and water for 3 minutes. I did this 3 times a day until my mouth started to get better. Hope this helps somebody.
cbrackle
@cbrackle
@cbrackle
Posts: 47
Joined: May 02, 2017
I'm wondering what it's like stopping Gabapentin. I'm just tapering on it, I'm up to 200mg three times a day, and I don't think I will be able to tolerate it. I'm starting to have cognitive problems. I'm not thinking clearly and I think I'm a little unsteady on my feet.
Jim
Jim,
I had severe cognitive issues with Gabapentin, but have been taking 1800 mg of Gralise for years now w no cognitive issues (at least as far as I can tell – my wife might have s different view).
Now that I have been on disability for 2 years they are “allowing” me to go to Medicare in May. I’ve looked thru the plans and they have Gabapentin in their formularies but not Gralise. Not sure what I will do since the out of pocket cost would be $1800/ month.
No longer is housing the highest expense in life, healthcare has overtaken it with a vengeance.
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superwife
@superwife
@superwife
Posts: 11
Joined: Aug 21, 2016
I have been using Gabapentin for at least 15 years & it keeps my neuropathy subdued & totally bearable. I have cut down my 4 a day to usually 2 & at times have gone off just to test. No trouble going off except that the symptoms return & they're not bearable. I have been told by more than one neurologist that
I could take a considerably higher dosage w/o difficulty – but have not needed to.
My current (1 year ) difficulty is 2 small unhealing open wounds on my ankle – & no=thing seems to get a healing response for incredible pain. Did think brief laser treatments were the answer but had to stop for distance reasons (will be returning soon). Compression wraps the wound specialist relies on have done nothing for wound closing. If anyone has any answers to this I'd be so grateful.. Wound spec.diagnosis is atrophy blanche – but there doesn't seem to be a section for this on our Mayo groups. Help!!
Supermom
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robertlclark
@robertlclark
@robertlclark
Posts: 29
Joined: May 24, 2016
I have been using Gabapentin for at least 15 years & it keeps my neuropathy subdued & totally bearable. I have cut down my 4 a day to usually 2 & at times have gone off just to test. No trouble going off except that the symptoms return & they're not bearable. I have been told by more than one neurologist that
I could take a considerably higher dosage w/o difficulty – but have not needed to.
My current (1 year ) difficulty is 2 small unhealing open wounds on my ankle – & no=thing seems to get a healing response for incredible pain. Did think brief laser treatments were the answer but had to stop for distance reasons (will be returning soon). Compression wraps the wound specialist relies on have done nothing for wound closing. If anyone has any answers to this I'd be so grateful.. Wound spec.diagnosis is atrophy blanche – but there doesn't seem to be a section for this on our Mayo groups. Help!!
Supermom
Hello Superwife, I have been taking Gabapentin for several years at 400mg x 4 daily. I have a rash (no open wound) on my Neuropathy leg and my dermatologist prescribed a topical cream (Triamcinolone Acetonide) and that helps my irritation. Not sure if that would help your open wounds but I hope you find a solution. Bob
I have been using Gabapentin for at least 15 years & it keeps my neuropathy subdued & totally bearable. I have cut down my 4 a day to usually 2 & at times have gone off just to test. No trouble going off except that the symptoms return & they're not bearable. I have been told by more than one neurologist that
I could take a considerably higher dosage w/o difficulty – but have not needed to.
My current (1 year ) difficulty is 2 small unhealing open wounds on my ankle – & no=thing seems to get a healing response for incredible pain. Did think brief laser treatments were the answer but had to stop for distance reasons (will be returning soon). Compression wraps the wound specialist relies on have done nothing for wound closing. If anyone has any answers to this I'd be so grateful.. Wound spec.diagnosis is atrophy blanche – but there doesn't seem to be a section for this on our Mayo groups. Help!!
Supermom
I have used BOIRON NATURAL CALENDULA CREAM .. then I put wet patch on top of it, the kind used for burns . CURITY NON ADHERENT STRIPS OR SQUARES . Then dry bandage on top. It work great for me .. I will try and send pictures
HI Jim. I live in Australia and the first symptoms of peripheral neuropathy I had were probably 15 years ago but very minor and not diagnosed until 3 or 4 years ago. The neurologist claims that I got it from diabetes which I didn’t have until 4 years ago. Go figure! My GP put me on Lyrica which I was on for perhaps 4 or 5 months. In the meantime my wife searched the internet for remedies and found http://www.realhealthproducts.com who do a “Nerve Support Formula” which has Vitamin D, B1, B2, B6 & B12 in it. I ordered some and they contacted me asking what medicines I took. They got right back to me when they saw I was taking Lyrica and told me to look at the side effects on drugs.com. I did and was amazed to see that some things that had recently been affecting me were due to Lyrica. I can’t remember them all but included blurred vision, large bags under my eyes and weight gain. It is also suspected of possibly causing the symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy!! I went to see my GP and told her of these Nerve Capsules and side effects of Lyrica that I was having. She gave me her blessing to try the nerve capsules but to wean myself off the Lyrica. I did that and blow me down if the capsules gave me just as much relief as the Lyrica. I kept increasing the dosage which helped even more but got to the stage where it was costing me $170.00 Australian a month which we really could not afford. so back to my GP and she put me on Endep (Amitriptyline) 25mg and that was as good as the large dosage of the Nerve Capsules and less than $10.00 per month. It was increased to 50mg tablets 12 months ago. I take it at night because it can affect your driving.
Is Endep available in the USA?
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pfbacon
@pfbacon
@pfbacon
Posts: 360
Joined: Sep 24, 2018
I am taking gabapentin (9 a day), and lyrica, and tramadol … I wouldn't want to quit gabapentin, it relaxes my nervous system so the pain is less and it has no side effects that I know of. Thank you all for sharing your information and experience … it helps me also to get a clearer picture of what I'm dealing with. Peggy
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Lisa Lucier
@lisalucier
@lisalucier
Posts: 4010
Joined: May 11, 2017
Is Endep available in the USA?
Hi, @mikkig – welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Wondering if you have neuropathy, and if so, what type?
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Parus
@parus
@parus
Posts: 2474
Joined: Jul 14, 2017
Hi, @mikkig – welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Wondering if you have neuropathy, and if so, what type?
Hi, yes I do have neuropathy. "Diabetic nerve pain",is what I have been told. 1800mg/dy Gabapentin.
Liked by Lisa Lucier, Parus
Parus
@parus
@parus
Posts: 2474
Joined: Jul 14, 2017
There may be a better group/thread to ask this about neuropathy. I still read about what others experience with this uncomfortable problem. I can take the 400 mg. PRN and only if I am not going to be around others as it does mess with my psyche and I can become cruel with no control over my tongue. Anyone else have this problem with Gabapentin???
I have no idea what causes the discomfort. So many things trigger it and I fear driving as when it hits I cannot feel the steering wheel or gas pedal. I have to be able to drive!!!
Okay, enough drama. Does anyone with thyroid issues have difficulties when the medication dosage changes-with neuropathy. Since I do not always have thus it may not be appropriate to label it neuropathy. What I experience is not the same as stress that can cause numbness in a person.
I am learning still.
pfbacon
@pfbacon
@pfbacon
Posts: 360
Joined: Sep 24, 2018
Gabapentin doesn't make me sleepy so I take it in the morning. Lyrica makes me sleepy, I only take it at night. Peggy
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@ridefreetw
So sorry that have not received relief from your pain, it is crippling to live with. I was on able to walk following a motorcycle accident and Gabapentin made me 90% pain free. I still have a broken back and I still have to receive surgery but with the Gabapentin I was able to get up and get back into living a little. Hope they are able to find something that helps you hang in there.