Nerve pain... any thoughts on Gabapentin ?? Help.
Posted , 19 users are following.
Hi everyone! I am25 years old. I have been posting a bunch about my nerve pain so I will briefly explain my sensations: burning, nerve ache especially hands and arms, bug-like internal movements consistently, pins and needles on and off, feels worst when I actually wear clothes I feel my symptoms more than when i’m wearing short sleeve and shorts. The tests that I did: mri, NCT, EMG, EEG , blood test for any type of deficiency, some neurological blood test for some protein ..all came back normal.
My doctor wants me to try gabapentin and these are the doses ;
Gabapentin 100 mg oral capsule
1 capsule once a daily x3 days
1 capsule two time x 3 days
1 capsule two times x 1 month ..
My question is are those doses okay? Any thought on gabapentin ? Did anyone ever have bad symptoms? Is this safe?
Please let me know before I decide on starting to take it. I appreciate it xoxo
0 likes, 65 replies
donald12062 nicole00
Posted
They are not safe ! Don't take them !
maura47257 nicole00
Posted
Sorry to hear you are also suffering from this horrendous complaint.I just think others dont realize the intensity of the pain unless they have it themselves.Can so relate to this group and get support.I also was on gabapentin and really was hopeful it would help.But it made my head so foggy nd I felt so confused and forgetful.I hated the side effects.No pain relief either..Now on pregabalin and as yet no relief after 3 weeks..Desperate to get some relief.I know everyone is different.Hope it works for you though.
kennyatw nicole00
Posted
I have peripheral neuropathy in my feet and rheumatoid arthritis. The doctors just gave me gabapentin which does nothing for the chronic pain. I was on nortriptyline also but stopped it about a month ago. I have been on the gabapentin for about 8 months but have stopped taking it because that does nothing either. I am the same without it as I was with it. Now I just take Kratom or CBD which works just as good on me
kennyatw nicole00
Posted
It's been a couple of months since I've been on here. I'm gonna try the wild lettuce extract seeing as though my doctor will only give me gabapentin and baclofen. They aren't helping with the chronic nerve pain with me
donald12062 kennyatw
Posted
I tried the gabepitin and it did nothing for my neuropthy pain in my feet and toes !
It did however put 30 pounds on me which I didn't need !
Today, I had a nerve stimulator put in me on trial basis where everything is on the outside of body except for the leads that are inserted in my spine !
I immediately had about 80% less pain !
Tomorrow might be different in that I might have more pain but I can turn up the intensity of nerve stimulator !
I go back in 1 week to have it removed and the doctor goes over all the information with me and if the nerve stimulator is still helping a lot to lessen my pain, I'll go back in another week and have it permanently implanted !
howard71454 nicole00
Posted
Every body has different reactions to medications, and I tried gabapentin awhile back, and had no reaction at all. Its good to try it at night, just in case it makes you sleepy, and like other meds like this, can cause weight gain. It didnt help me at all, and sometimes it helps, but a higher dosage is usually needed. I went the route of other meds for nerve pain , lidocaine injections with and without cortisone, radio frequency nerve ablation, spinal cord stim, cbd oil caps for pain, and more recently, sacral nerve procedure, all to no avail. My pain is stinging, burning pain in my abdominal area, right side, and hope you find some thing for relief. good luck, howard
Peonygirl1 howard71454
Posted
Hi HOWARD Just read your comment re weight gain. I have been oxymorophone for chronic nerve pain have gained 20 lbs. Wonder if its the culprit. Have thytoid issues also and was getting ready to fight with my dr over dosage. Do know if all opiate based meds cause weight gain? Thanks, maybe I am closer to understanding whats going on with me.
pippa58442 Peonygirl1
Posted
Check the medication leaflet to see if weight gain is a side effect of your nerve pain drugs. A lot of these meds for nerve pain can cause weight gain. I would come off these medications slowly to see if your weight gain resolves. I have chronic neuralgia, but I take nothing for it and can live perfectly well even with the pain. For me, having all these side effects would not be worth it and would give me more problems on top of the neuropathy. I told my doctor straight out that I didn't want low dose anti depressants and listed all the side effects that concerned me. He tried to fob me off and played the bad reactions down, but in the end he accepted my decision to refuse them.
If you have an under active thyroid, this causes weight gain too.
Peonygirl1 pippa58442
Posted
thank you Pippa.
howard71454 Peonygirl1
Posted
Hhey peony, yes oxymorphone can cause weight gain, and not sure of the thyroid meds can cause weight gain too. you can always check online re side effects. And i know many antii depressants used for nerve pain can cause weight gain too. Formerly was in the medical profession, and many drug side effects a greatly under estimated by docs and big phharma too. Right now with me, its more the pain causing less /to almost no exersize and lack of sleep from it with anxiety and then noshing in bed with my weight gain. Its hard getting answers for alot of our problems. good luck, howard
Peonygirl1 howard71454
Posted
hi Howard, thanks for your reply. I too cant be active and insomnia is prevalent for me. Did too much yesterday and was in horrific pain for hours. I sure wish there were other medications that are not opiates that could help. I cant take the ibuprofens etc they wreck my stomach. Man I hate being overweight! My best wishes are with you Howard. I am sending hugs.
howard71454 Peonygirl1
Posted
My pain is the right side of my abdomen, and its prevented me from even taking out dog out, so he gained weight too. I may try bike riding this spring to see if that hurts, and will try a stationary bike first . Where is your pain? ! and have you tried any pain mgmt docs? No luck for me and 4 tried, but only takes one with the right answer to help. take care peony, howard
Peonygirl1 howard71454
Posted
Hi again, yes I have done it all. Fusion surgery L345, spinal cord implant plus every nerve block, chroprctor, physical therapy available. Still had to resort to opiates for any relief. I have nerve damage in the discs metioned above and I am in constant pain without the meds. I am grateful for the medical help I have received but sure wish there were other options around. Hope you are having a good day!
pippa58442 nicole00
Posted
I would ask your doctor about the dosage because few of here have enough medical knowledge to answer that question. Google the side effects of this medication so that you can decide whether or not to take it. Some find gabapentin doesn't work and others can't tolerate the side effects which can be nasty. I have the same neuropathy symptoms as you but clothing doesn't aggravate it ; cold, damp weather does trigger it and warm weather completely takes the pain away. I was offered low dose anti depressants but refused them because I felt that medication could give me even worse symptoms than the neuropathy itself. I decided that it was not worth the risk for me. Instead, I have learned to tolerate the neuropathy and accept that there is no cure and that any remedies on offer have temporary effects if they work at all.
maura47257 pippa58442
Posted
Hi there,I havn't been on here for a while.So glad to note your comment about hot weather easing your pain.I continue to be so troubled with ongoing pain in both feet .I have given up on gabapentin and pregabalin,hated side effects.I continue to take amitriptyline at night.Just wondered does anyone have any thoughts about coping with a long haul flight whilst suffering nerve pain in feet?Would be so grateful if anyone has coped with this as I'm anxious bout this prospect and undecided.thanks
pippa58442 maura47257
Posted
I was on a long haul flight to Arizona, and once the seat belt signs go off, you can get up and walk about which helps with circulation. At that time, I didn't have neuropathy but you are advised to walk about on long haul flights to avoid DVTs.
maura47257 pippa58442
Posted
Thank you for your reply..I think yeah for me now I am trying to get to a stage of tolerating the pain and accepting this condition.Just so anxious incase long haul flight would aggravate it.Thanks again