Skin burns while taking Gabapentin! Does yours?

Posted , 28 users are following.

I've been taking Gabapentin - 800mg 2x's a day -

For a good 4 months. I have been on this drug for over a year. I'm trying so hard to get off of this poison! Yes, it did help my pain in the beginning but I'm so ready to get off of it now! My skin will burn so badly and I don't know if it's from the Gabapentin or something else. Every time I try to lower my dose I feel the " withdrawals from HELL " come on and I pop a pill to feel a little bit better. I know it's gonna be a looong battle getting off this stuff. Just wondering about the burning skin! Or am I just super sensitive, which I am- but whew, this drug is devilish! Thank you all!

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  • Posted

    I have the same thing. The burning hit my vaginal area first and then throughout my body. I also have swelling in my vaginal area along with the burning skin,my legs etc.

    My throat is swollen too. So you're not alone with the terrible side effects that's for sure

    • Posted

      Did the burning go throught your body or did it just stay in one spot? Did it ever go away? I reallh hope your feeling better.
    • Posted

      Hi Liz. I am wondering how you are now. I tried tapering 900 to 300  too fast. I had to go back to 900 in a panick. Did the burning in vagina feel like a prolapse type of feeling? Almost like something could fall out? 
  • Posted

    I can confirm this is a real symptom. I started taking for nerve pain from a car accident bad it's been two weeks! I started to get burning in my feet, legs, and vagina. Thought I was going crazy. I'm off this drug it has to be something better than this.

    • Posted

      Did you mean you took the meds for two weeks or you've been off for two weeks?  I've been taking it for two weeks (only 400 mg a day total), but I've been noticing burning in my face so I googled it and found this site.  I'm taking it for anxiety.  I'm wondering since I've only been on it for two weeks if I'll have withdrawals if I slowly wean off or if I could just stop.  I'm taking it while my lexapro gets in my system.  Also take klonopin.

    • Posted

      I took it for two weeks and noticed the burning. Haven't had it since so I'm positive it was the medication. It also can cause massive weight gain do to a STRONG craving for food. Some get lucky and lose weight but most don't. The burning wasn't tolerable for me. I spoke to a neurologist who told me this was not a symptom! Well I went to a new doctor once I got BCBS and he told me many get the burning sensation from this medication due to the the way it works on the nervous system. I'm taking something natural for pain right now and it's the only thing that works for me besides strong pain meds. Since hey treat everyone like an addict now I prefer to skip those and use natural medicine with working out. 

    • Posted

      Oh and talk to your doctor about getting off this medication especially with your history and drug combination. I would not want to give you bad "advice." 

    • Posted

      Did the burning ever go away? Did u taler off the Gaba or did you quit cold turkey? 
    • Posted

      How long did the burning pain last for you? Did it stop right after you quit taking the med? Did you wean yourself off? I was just wondering because I took one dose and two days later the burning started all over my body and has left since. It’s been about a week. 
    • Posted

      Hi. wondering what happened? Are you ok now? I'm having the burning I'm having it in the vagina too. Its making me feel like something could fall out.  

  • Posted

    Eight years ago, I was prescribed an apothecary cream with gabapentin as one of the ingredients. I got hives where I applied it. Since there were three different medications in this cream, I didn't know which one I was reacting to.

    A month ago, I was put on gabapentin to help lessen my manic episodes. Two weeks into taking a low dose 100 mg, 2xday, I started to feel burning in my feet, hands, vagina and also developed the symptoms of a systemic Candida infection. I smelled sour! I had two day period of reaction after taking diflucan - some toxic load reaction of sorts that felt like the flu.

    Everything seemed to get better except the burning. The burning got worse as I got to the time to take my next dose, which is strange. My breath and BO didn't smell sour anymore, but like metal and fecal matter. Turns out I developed a UTI in the last week. I am waiting for the rest of my tests results, but I realize these symptoms started after being prescribed gabapentin.

    I stopped taking it cold turkey two days ago. I am a little bit more depressed, but the burning has lessened. My take on this is I am allergic to it and it messed with my immune system.

    I don't suggest to anyone to go cold turkey like I did, especially if you are taking a higher dose than I was. However, if you are having side effects since starting gabapentin, you may want to go talk to your doctor immediately about getting off it.

  • Posted

    I have been taking the Gabapentin for a month now. My feet, hands , face and mouth burn, I went to the neurologist today and he wanted to up my dose. I am taking 600mg at night only. It is very annoying and hurts. 
    • Posted

      Hi Jill.  You might be okay, but I would try to get off slowly if at all possible.  The fact that you're on Klonopin can complicate things.  It is a Benzodiazapine and if you want more information from people who have experience with Klonopin, join the benzo buddies site.  As far as Gabapentin, the burning can be horrible and can get worse if you go off fast from a high dose (which yours wasn't), but even low doses can be problematic for some.  I would advise to be as cautious as you can, but work to get the dose lowered and get off.  Best wishes!!

  • Posted

    We need to first understand to the medical community we are lab rats

    They want to take us off of short acting meds like benzos and opiates and put us on things they are perfectly happy to keep us on for the rest of our days. They claim Xanax and valium are fast acting and that's why they are so addicting. Maybe it's because they work . I do not want opiates and don't want Gaba either. I am also on Seroquil. They replaced my valium with it and cannot sleep without it. I tried going from 400 mgs to 375 and waking up every 30 minutes in a cold sweat. Now how is that better? The valium made me feel normal at least. It's laughable they try to convince us of the latest drugs to replace the ones we were on because they are addicting.. They claim these will work better because they build up in your bloodstream . They have to keep increasing these meds as well. Hey, the way they see it, this way it's steady income. We should all quit and make them starve...

  • Posted

    I’ve been taking 600 mg of gabapentin along with steroid injections for back pain and started having burning/stinging sensation in front and back and was wondering if was from gabapentin.
    • Posted

      Did you take the gabapentin by itself first to see how you reacted, or did you just start right off taking the steriod shots and gabapentin both together?  I know for people who are already getting a bad reaction from gabapentin (or benzodiazepines) or their withdrawal, they caution NOT to have steriod shots if you can avoid it because the shots can exacerbate an already bad reaction (or it can bring back symptoms/withdrawal symptoms -- like burning -- that have already dissipated).  Maybe for you, the combination can CAUSE burning as well.

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