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Allodynia and Gabapentin

Posted , 3 users are following.

Positivity87
Positivity87

So I'll try to keep this brief but for two years I have been suffering with a burning pain on the top of my head that has been pretty much relentless. I have had an MR I and a CT scan which haven't showed anything. I have also had an MRI of my neck which showed that I have a disc bulge at C5 to C6 but again this is apparently isn't causing the pain.

I eventually got referred to the headache clinic who told me this sounded like allodynia and recommended I start gabapentin. This was two months ago and I have worked my way up from 300 mg a day to 1800 mg a day. It has done absolutely nothing but since last week I have had a proper headache not just the burning that I cannot get rid of. I have had four days off work now because I just feel like I wouldn't be able to function. My consultant is away and the secretary recommended that I just go down to a lower dose of the gabapentin so I am now on 1200 mg but the headache is persisting. It varies between a burning pain and I squeezing pain and moves from the back, to the top and forehead.

I went to see my GP who didn't really seem interested and gave me naproxen which hasn't done anything.

First of all I would like to know if anyone has suffered with allodynia on their head and how they treated it secondly has anyone tried gabapentin and feels like I do and thirdly can anyone give me some advice because I am going crazy!!

Thanks in advance!!

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • lindaInez
    lindaInez Positivity87

    Posted

    have you checked about subutex? My friend takes it for his back pain (no disc in back) and it helps more than opoids. I would ask your doctor about it. Beats the headache, they will drive you nuts. BTW, gabapentin helps my HA.
  • lindaInez
    lindaInez Positivity87

    Posted

    I reasearched occipital neuralaga, it fits all my symptoms, maybe ask you GP about that, only it's also trated with the same meds.
  • sunct7
    sunct7 Positivity87

    Posted

    Keep on at your consultant for something that works for you. The Migraine Society say GPs have 4 hours training in headache. It's technical but have a look at http://www.ihs-classification.org/en/ for headache types. It sounds like the pain comes from the occipital nerve and you can have a nerve block on this. Might be worth persuing? Stay strong.
    • Positivity87
      Positivity87 sunct7

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply! I don't really want to be on medication at all.. It scares me, especially now the Gabapentin has made me so Ill! I'm gradually reducing it by 100mg every few days but my head is killing me. Not the normal burning pain I've been suffering from but the throbbing head pain on the left side and nausea so I do think the Gabapentin is causing it.. I hope so anyway as after an MRI and CT 18 months ago I'd like to hope nothing has changed!

      I did think about nerve block or Botox. I want to get these horrible tablets out my system and start again!

      Thanks again!!

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