Has anyone here tried Gabapentin for nerve pain?

[LongLiveRafiki]

I've been taking gabapentin for nerve damage for 7 years now. It helps immensely with the burning/tingling pain. For me, it doesn't completely get rid of the pain, but it allows me to function and put on clothes without crying. I did have some strong side effects in the beginning, but the pain relief made it worth it. I started taking a 300 mg capsule 2x/day and had powerful muscle spasms, shaking, dizziness, and blurred/double vision. When I switched to 600 mg tablets, the side effects became miniscule. Over the years, we did play around with dosages of 300 mg tablets and 600 mg of capsules, but for whatever reason, I have strong side effects with anything less than 600 mg 2x/ day and when I take any dosage of capsules. It has to be tablets.

I currently take 1800 mg/ daily, though I've taken 2700 mg at times and was told it's safe up to 3600 mg/ daily. I also take cymbalta for bone and muscle pain and Meloxicam for inflammation. I had a scary out of body feeling reaction initially when starting cymbalta, but once the dosage was corrected (the prescription was mislabeled as double what it should have been), the side effects went away and my pain and stiffness declined.

Not every medication will work for everyone, and sometimes you have to play around with the dosage and form (capsule, tablet, etc) to find what works best with the least amount of side effects. Other non-medication things that help a lot with my nerve pain are using a TENS machine and having my physical therapist perform dry needling on the affected area.

 

[kirstenb1]

I have it for post mastectomy nerve pain, but I haven't tried it yet. I keep reading about dreadful side effects, and trying to wean off it, and it scares me worse than my pain. Although, I'll say my pain is getting better, so my decision is easier than someone who has bigger pain issues. Good luck whatever you decide, OP!

 

[jetskigrl]

I took it at various dosages for over a year prior to my neck surgery (we kept upping the dosage to try and get more relief for me). I didn't have any problem with it making me sleepy or side effects at all. It definitely wasn't a cure all for the pain either though, but it did back it off a bit.

 

[Julie's Haircut]

I went to my doctor yesterday and he asked if I was still taking Gabapentin. I didn't even remember him prescribing it for me. He said he wrote it when I had shingles last fall.

I took it for maybe a week or so and I suppose it helped. Don't remember any adverse side effects. I checked when I got home and there are still about 40 of the 60 capsules in the bottle.

 

[DisneyOma]

Geez, you guys are making it sound like Gabapenton is equal to shooting up heroin.

I’ve been on Gaba for probably 10 years? I take 900mg a day. I have been told by my neurologist that I can take 1800 a day. I have zero side effects. It does help with my nerve pain.

I started out on 100 and for the first week I had a three hour nap after taking the pill lol

Take the pill, the change in how you feel will be worth it.

Because it is:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3404313/

https://drugabuse.com/library/gabapentin-abuse/

https://www.necn.com/news/new-engla...Potential-Killer-on-the-Street-489258151.html

 

[kimblebee]

Because it is:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3404313/

https://drugabuse.com/library/gabapentin-abuse/

https://www.necn.com/news/new-engla...Potential-Killer-on-the-Street-489258151.html

Ok, well, you keep thinking of it that way and I (and others on this thread) will see it as the way to get out of bed some mornings.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

Gave me massive hives including my face,lips,eyelids.
Still searching for a natural method for relief of neuropathy symptoms.

Find a Nautropath. I take a bunch of stuff for my neuropathy, the cymbalta was the final thing. They’re thinking I might be able to wean off if it in September after only taking it for 6 months.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

Because it is:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3404313/

https://drugabuse.com/library/gabapentin-abuse/

https://www.necn.com/news/new-engla...Potential-Killer-on-the-Street-489258151.html

Tons of medications can produce feelings of euphoria, especially when they are taken at higher than recommended dosages. Tons of people have substance abuse issues and will try anything to get their next fix. Tons of medications are abused and used by those who weren't prescribed it to get high.

None of these negate the fact that medications, when prescribed by a doctor for a particular condition and taken in the correct dosage, can help people manage their medical conditions.

 

[mrsstats]

I was just prescribed for shoulder pain and piriformis muscle pain. It helped but I stop after 3 days. I don't like how I feel in the morning with dizziness and it caused weight gain. Unless the pain gets unbearable again I think I will just live with the pain.

 

[Jaya]

I've been on Gabapentin for about 2 1/2 years now for peripheral neuropathy. It was prescribed for me to take it 4 times a day. I started out with 3 times a day and then moved down to 2 times. When I have a flare-up of pain, I'll up it to 3x or even 4x for a while and then work back down again to 2x. My neurologist approves of me adjusting the dosage as needed.

I haven't had any side effects, no sleepiness, no mood changes. I can't say it works perfectly but it definitely cuts down on the pain.

I believe that it's not good to stop it "cold turkey" when you've been taking it for a long time; you should ease off it instead.

 

[DisneyOma]

Tons of medications can produce feelings of euphoria, especially when they are taken at higher than recommended dosages. Tons of people have substance abuse issues and will try anything to get their next fix. Tons of medications are abused and used by those who weren't prescribed it to get high.

None of these negate the fact that medications, when prescribed by a doctor for a particular condition and taken in the correct dosage, can help people manage their medical conditions.

Doctors are prescribing it in place of opiods, but people are abusing it like opiods. Sorry if it touched a sensitive nerve for you, just pointing out what is happening with this one medication we are talking about.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

Doctors are prescribing it in place of opiods, but people are abusing it like opiods. Sorry if it touched a sensitive nerve for you, just pointing out what is happening with this one medication we are talking about.

The problem though is that a lot of medications are becoming harder and harder to get by those who actually need it because of the people who abuse it. People abused opioids and now they are hard to receive. Now people are abusing gabapentin. How long will it be before it too becomes almost impossible to receive for those who truly need it? What, if anything, will they switch patients to and will that work just as well?

I was prescribed tramadol years ago and it worked better than any pain med I've ever taken, with no side effects and no euphoric highs either. Then, it became news that it was being abused and now it's much more difficult to get a doctor to prescribe it. It's taken years and numerous new meds to find something that works for me only a fraction as well as tramadol did- and now I take 3 meds for this problem instead of the one, and have some side effects that I didn't have before.

Being allergic to several meds also makes it frustrating when abuse from others tightens up the ability to get certain meds. When I last had major dental work, the doc needed to prescribe me pain meds. I'm allergic to all 3 of the pain meds he offered. We went through a bunch of rigamarole and I had to sign waivers in order to receive something I could actually take because of how regulated certain opiods have become.

I fully understand why we need to crackdown on medication abuse and the black market selling of it, but there had to be a better way than making it next to impossible to receive for those who need it and aren't abusing it.

 

[kimblebee]

The problem though is that a lot of medications are becoming harder and harder to get by those who actually need it because of the people who abuse it. People abused opioids and now they are hard to receive. Now people are abusing gabapentin. How long will it be before it too becomes almost impossible to receive for those who truly need it? What, if anything, will they switch patients to and will that work just as well?

I was prescribed tramadol years ago and it worked better than any pain med I've ever taken, with no side effects and no euphoric highs either. Then, it became news that it was being abused and now it's much more difficult to get a doctor to prescribe it. It's taken years and numerous new meds to find something that works for me only a fraction as well as tramadol did- and now I take 3 meds for this problem instead of the one, and have some side effects that I didn't have before.

Being allergic to several meds also makes it frustrating when abuse from others tightens up the ability to get certain meds. When I last had major dental work, the doc needed to prescribe me pain meds. I'm allergic to all 3 of the pain meds he offered. We went through a bunch of rigamarole and I had to sign waivers in order to receive something I could actually take because of how regulated certain opiods have become.

I fully understand why we need to crackdown on medication abuse and the black market selling of it, but there had to be a better way than making it next to impossible to receive for those who need it and aren't abusing it.

Isn’t tramadol the best? I was on it after my hysterectomy last summer and it made my pain so much more tolerable. Like you, I’m allergic to meds (codeine) so finding something that works can be a struggle. I didn’t have any side effects from it either.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

Isn’t tramadol the best? I was on it after my hysterectomy last summer and it made my pain so much more tolerable. Like you, I’m allergic to meds (codeine) so finding something that works can be a struggle. I didn’t have any side effects from it either.

I must admit, I'm a little surprised. I had my hysterectomy 2.5 yrs ago and was offered vicodin, codeine, and ibuprofen- none of which I can take. They completely refused to prescribe tramadol... yet eventually prescribed percocet, which is much stronger, has more side-effects, is a more controlled drug, etc. That's how difficult tramadol is to get around here at least. I would have much preferred the tramadol than having to take 2 additional meds to lessen the side effects of the percocet.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

do you mind if I ask what dose?

100 mg in the morning and 200 mg at night. So extremely low.

My dad also tried it for pain and saw no change, but he also had no side effects.

 

[snapppyd]

I was just prescribed for shoulder pain and piriformis muscle pain. It helped but I stop after 3 days. I don't like how I feel in the morning with dizziness and it caused weight gain. Unless the pain gets unbearable again I think I will just live with the pain.

Weight gain in 3 days? yikes!

 

[snapppyd]

100 mg in the morning and 200 mg at night. So extremely low.

My dad also tried it for pain and saw no change, but he also had no side effects.

Ok, i was prescribed 300 mg. once at night. I have taken it twice so far, this morning the pain had moved to the other leg. I'm so confused.

 

[Kellydelly]

I was prescribed gabapentin for sciatica/bulging disk pain. I don't think it did anything for me. I took 200mg, one time tried 300. I think ibuprofen works better for me.

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

DSis was given gabapentin for neuropathy after chemotherapy. She said it didn't help at all.

 

[WDWBarb]

Believe it or not, my dog is on it. She was diagnosed with an inoperable nerve sheath tumor on her nose 2.5 years ago and they said it was the most painful cancer she could get. I wanted to do radiation but they said that the pain, even if the tumor shrank, would be unbearable. They prescribed Gabapentin for short-term pain relief (basically to give us some time to say goodbye) and she was like a new dog. The next day, she was 100% better and nothing hurt. So we went ahead and tried radiation and two years later, she's still on Gabapentin day and night and still very much alive.

On the flip side, it was prescribed to my daughter and she felt terrible. It messed with her head and made her so lethargic that she couldn't even go to school.