Gabapentin for Peripheral Neuropathy User Reviews (Page 2)

• Wally
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 11, 2013

"I was diagnosed with idiopathic peripheral neuropathy 8 months ago. My neurologist first prescribed Cymbalta. It had no effect. He then prescribed Neurontin (initially 300mg). After 1 day I notice relief for the pain in my hands, arms, feet, and legs. I was also able to sleep through the night. I am presently taking 600 mg. After 2 weeks on Neurontin the pain is not gone but is 75% reduced."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 28, 2012

"I was recovering from alcoholism and I couldn't sleep because of inexplicable pain in my legs. I may have been masking the pain by drinking before I decided to quit. In any event, the pain was driving me crazy and after 3 months I relapsed just so I could sleep. Finally my doctor prescribed Neurontin and the pain was gone. I slept soundly and now I haven't had drink in 5 years. So you could say Neurontin saved my life."

• seren...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 14, 2020

"I'm aged 81 and have peripheral neuropathy (leg dragging, feet numb) + canal stenosis and herniated discs (L4/5). I'm frightened of getting this 'saddle anaesthesia' I think they call it, but I try to stay active. I've been put on a low dose gabapentin (100mg at night), to titrate upwards. I'm now on 200mg at night and l00 mg. a.m. No effects as yet, am I being optimistic/impatient/? There doesn't seem to be much clinical research on the over 80's - it just seems a case of trial and error. Anyone with similar experience?"

• Magri
• April 22, 2012

Neurontin (gabapentin) "I have peripheral neuropathy, my arms, hands, legs and feet are all affected, my legs and feet get ice cold. I have been taking Neurontin for 4 years now. For me it's not working I was taking 1800 mg a day. I had to call the doctor the other day the pain was so bad and he changed my dose to a higher 1800 mg a day. It's been 3 days and the pain level has not changed."

• slotiac
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 11, 2019

"Gabapentin made me feel drunk when I started taking it, became incontinent at night and also lost sense of balance & coordination. I have stopped using it and now seek other remedies for my feet, legs and hands neuropathy. Herbal remedies are next to be tried."

• JayMN
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 29, 2017

"I was prescribed Gabapentin for nerve entrapment related pain. I'm 31, slightly overweight, but otherwise healthy according to my last round of physicals. I also am not diabetic. My doctor recommended 300 mg, three times per day. Gabapentin made me tired, forgetful, imbalanced, temperamental, emotional, dizzy, decreased my short term memory and ultimately made me sluggish in thought. The only thing Gabapentin did not do was relieve pain. I gave it 30 days before discontinuing. It took two months before my thoughts and memory were no longer sluggish. (I literally had delayed speech, slurred speech and developed a stutter.)"

• young...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 30, 2013

"I found out I have a pre-cancer which is damaging my nerves. I'm 37. I could barely walk do to pain in my legs. Mostly hips and knees. I also have intense shooting pains in my legs, wrists and sometimes back. I was having to take Vicodin. The Dr started me on 300mg 1/day and to increase by 300 mg every week for the next 3 weeks. When I first took it I got extremely ill with severe nausea, vertigo, dizziness. I stuck it out and every time I went up on the dose it would take 3 days to feel better. It paid off. It gave me a lot of life back. I stopped limping, I stopped having shooting pains. My numb areas got smaller. As a plus, I have dealt with migraines for 25 yrs and they're better. Also off Vicodin! Give it a month to really feel better!"

• Princ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 11, 2013

"For years I had itchy ankles. Maddening. Treatment by MDs, dermatologists and podiatrists was hydrocortisone ointment. Worked briefly. Then a year ago I started having symptoms of neuropathy in my feet. Neither podiatrist nor MD could fix it. Went to neurologist. An eye-opening meeting with use of tuning forks and the like. This man knew his job. Put me on gabapentin, 100mg X 3 daily. The foot and leg pain diminished and changed character. It's still there but I can live with it. But the years-long itching disappeared totally. I sent him a fax about that. Downside, have noted mood changes and had to apologize to wife for being a jerk. I am 82."

• egg
• October 5, 2013

"I have been taking Gabapentin for 7 months while awaiting surgery for a laminectomy, nerve decompression, sacrum tear and impinged nerves L3-S1. While I still require Oxycodone for pain relief, Gabapentin relives 80% of my nerve pain. I can't tolerate Lyrica so we started on 900mg-1200mg in hospital due to severe dis-coordination. Regular dose is now 2400mg per day. Side effects are occasional lethargy, some forgetfulness and about 3kgs weight gain but I wouldn't be walking now without Gabapentin! If toleration is a problem, titrate up slowly because its so worth persisting with!"

• PomLuv
• December 31, 2019

"I was prescribed gabapentin three years ago for sharp stabbing pains in my feet and hands that would wake me up at night; hard to get back to sleep. Eight years prior to that I herniated three lumbar discs and also diagnosed with severe lower back arthritis. I started with 300 mg before bedtime and it helped tremendously but I would be dopey until noon next day so doctor suggested cutting back to 100 or 200 mg daily. I backed off to 100 and it was not effective enough so went up to 200mg dose and that was the sweet spot. It has also helped with back pain at night resulting in better sleep."

• BobBk
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 13, 2015

"Gabapentin is great for nerve pain. I am a recent amputee due to a fracture that would not heal in my ankle. My surgeon prescribed it for phantom pain. It seemed to do the trick. I take 100mg bid, at breakfast and again at bedtime. I don't take any painkillers what so ever. Pretty good for an amputation that most people would think as being painful."

• Richard...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 15, 2015

"Extreme peripheral neuropathy in both legs from knee down. Without drug I have extreme burning sensation and muscle cramps in those areas. I had been on 60 mg. Methadone for about 20 years for joint and muscle pain. When I first took Gabapentin I got side effects of extreme nausea, headaches, and general around not feeling well so I stopped taking the Gabapentin. A new doctor insisted I stopped taking the Methadone pending an electric neural stimulator insertions to my spine. I detoxed from the Methadone at 5 mg. a week and after twelve weeks I was off it. When I started taking the Gabapentin it worked superbly, problems reduced about 90-95%. Shift to 40-50 mg. Percocet per day took care of joint/muscle pain about as well as Methadone."

• hisgirl
• March 27, 2012

Neurontin (gabapentin) "I've had neuropathy for around 8 months. My first dose of Neurontin (300mg) made me feel very "loopy" for several hours. So loopy that I only took 150mg 1x a day for the next two weeks. I had a couple of good days on it and sometimes the medicines took the edge off my pain. But it didn't take the pain away fully and made me extremely moody and act out of character. I have two genetic diseases that makes me sensitive to medication so that might be why Neurontin was not effective for me."

• dori
• June 21, 2016

"My doctor has me taken 1800mg a day and its still not helping me with my pain. I can't go out cause my legs hurt as soon as I stand up. My arms hurt I have trouble doing house work basically all I do is stay home. I hate gabapentin"

• JimWi...
• March 19, 2016

"Have bad periheral neuropathy in feet - with periods of intense burning pain and last few months pain/numbness was getting much worse, especially at night. Wasn't excited about using gabapentin because of all the possible side effects listed. Finally went to Doctor who prescribed 300 mg at bedtime, but instructed could do 600 mg if necessary. Took for first time last night, 300 mg didn't seem to make much of a difference in pain so after about an hour, took another 300 mg. I was very surprised this morning at how much the burning pain had subsided! Am feeling a little sluggish/mellow today, hopefully that won't be a lasting side effect after my body gets used to the drug."

• 1st...
• October 9, 2017

"I am 70 years old and as a result of hockey injuries I have a degenerated disc in my lower back and developed neuropathy in both my legs and feet. During the day time my feet felt like they were on fire and I had severe prickly sensations and at night I had involuntary muscle contraction in my legs that got so bad my kicking became violent. I could usually tell when it was going to happen, but I couldn't stop it. My Doctor prescribed me a 30 day trial of 300 mg twice a day. Within a couple of days I noticed a definite improvement and within a week I was no longer having the neuropathy symptoms other than an occassional tingling in my toes. In addition my lower back pain subsided and the arthritis in my shoulder and hip joints. I'm happy."

• peddie
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 10, 2013

"My leg pain was beyond #10. 2 days of 300mg 4 times a day I felt SUCH a relief from the pain. I told my Dr. it is a miracle. A few minor side effects like dizziness and weird feelings in the feet. BUT I would not want to live without gabapentin."

• itsme
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 12, 2020

"I've been on Gabapentin since 2008. Transverse Myelitis caused nerve pain in both feet and cramping. Started with 6 pills 300MG per day. Then few years later went down to 2 pills per day. Now up to 4 pills per day. I don't think it works anymore and I knew this would happen eventually. I could increase but I don't want to gain weight. Gabapentin numbs the nerve pain and lets me work and walk and keep up. At night before bed though is another story. I want to cut my feet off. The burning sometimes cramping is really bad. I could heat up a room with my feet. I'll look up other meds and find a better neurologist. Also changing my diet. I'm still young so I need to find something to help. Decades of pain are not fun to look forward to. I'm glad the drug worked this long. I'll also find some cbd oil to take now too."

• Toong...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 4, 2013

"Gabapentin really helps pain in my arms, legs and feet. I have been on Gabapentin for 2 years on and off. Took ages to get used to tight band feeling round head, vision problems and weight gain. The worst side effect is constipation and bloating. Sometimes I feel as if I can't breathe because I'm so bloated. Trying to keep taking them so that I can sleep at night and walk without so much pain in my feet."

• Chronic...
• January 23, 2019

"I started Gabapentin in 2010 with 400 mg 3X's daily. It worked tremendously for me. If I missed my dosage each passing hour my pain level increased. Once I took it again after an hour, the pain decreased. My pain management doctor eventually suggested increasing my dosage 100mg each increase until I took 800mg 3X's day in 8 yrs. Then I noticed a sudden loss of memory when I spoke. At 800mg's I became tipsy and began back stepping. Also, I felt the increase dosage wasn't meeting my need. I suspected a connection with the high increase so I decreased back to 400mg. At which time the negative effects ceased and the results for pain relief remained equal to the increased levels of Rx. which current is not sufficient because my Dr said that I eventually bottomed out and the Rx no longer served their purpose in my treatment regimen. I still take Gabapentin but I'm searching for something else."

• Agita...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 10, 2016

"First and foremost I have been taking Gabapentin 100mg daily and it knocked about 75% of my symptoms out. The bad started after 5 months. Massive instant mood changes, feelings of wanting to hurt others for no reason were the worst. I had people tell me I was 2 diff people minutes apart. Needles and pins, burning slowly returning. Going back to dr to change it or somehow just deal with the pain. I'm a passive person and I was becoming a monster. I will live in pain instead of being a saint one minute then a monster minutes later. Love the relief but not the side effects."

• Baubee
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 23, 2014

"I have Multiple Sclerosis and all that comes with it. After some years of easy going I suddenly found my feet would feel like they were on fire so I arranged an appointment with my Neurologist at the local MS clinic and was prescribed Gabapentin 5% in Lipoderm. This is a creamy compound the chemist has to make each refill order and it does take a couple days notice. Anyway, the very first time I applied the lotion to the feet the pain, which was so severe I would cry in agony, dissipated rapidly and was gone within 15 minutes. I use 1 ML twice a day to the feet and am pain free. I can not say it does anything to the numbness of the toes and bottom of feet but there is no pain to that so it is not a problem."

• Brian
• December 17, 2015

"I've been on Neurontin for over 2 years now, 3200 mg daily / 800 mg four times daily. It is the only medication that effectively controls the idiopathic neuropathy in my feet. Lyrica was totally ineffective. I experienced serious "brain fog" fatigue and short-term memory problems when I started Neurontin but these side effects are now manageable. Neurontin has restored my quality of life to near normal."

• jen...
• June 7, 2016

"Chemo induced neuropathy... 300mg 3x a day. didn't help, got worse. Upped dose to 600mg 3x a day... got WORSE. backed down to original dosing. Fett and toes completely numb, hands numb and now pain shooting and from finger tips to elbow feels like in a vice. joints in fingers have unbearable pain. Gabapentin NOT helping. Looking for alternatives..."

• Julia
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 20, 2018

"I've taken Gabapentin for about 15 years now. My doctor swears it will help my idiopathic neuropathy. I've been taking 800 mg and if it is helping it's only minimally. I've got so many other issues now I have no idea if it's from the Gabapentin or new conditions. I'd rather have a drug that treated the cause instead of symptoms."