New Member here. Already learned a lot about B12. I imagine this has been asked before but can anyone direct me to previous posts or provide information on making homemade topicals for Neuropathy? Especially what type of carrier cream or oil to use and how much gabapentin to mix in (and how). Also would be interested in other topical recipe suggestions.

I have mild Neuropathy and have been prescribed oral Gabapentin (So far the cure is worse than the disease - makes me loopy). I'm aware there are other meds (lyrica, etc)… but the Gabapentin pills are cheap (my insurance insurance is bad) and I want to try topicals. I've had the prescription creams with gaba. in the past but have also found the prescription compounds to be very expensive. Thanks in advance

Welcome to NeuroTalk:

I don't think it is wise to make your own topical gabapentin.
The bases used for topical pain management are especially designed to carry drugs thru the skin into the bloodstream.

There are ratios of how much to use per gram of final transdermal cream, and you will not be able to measure that.
The drugs used to make these are pure powder without the fillers that tablets and capsules have.

It is best to have a doctor write a compounded order and have a compounding pharmacy mix it up for you using their special base. Some of the bases they make, and some they purchase.
Once gabapentin is mixed it is best kept in the fridge and has a short shelf life. (compounding pharmacies have references to explain storage life and conditions. ) This is why they tend to be expensive.

Welcome snowman0157.

about Morton's Epsom Salt Lotion. The tops of my feet used to get so tender at night I couldn't stand anything to touch them. This lotion worked in about 5 minutes. Good Luck, Ken in Texas

Yes, that Morton Epsom product is nothing short of a miracle IMO.

I use mine every day on various problems. Works every time.

A couple of weeks ago my middle toes woke me up in huge pain... BOY I was surprised. So I rubbed the Epsom lotion on my shins and ankle and part of the knee, and in 10 minutes everything settled down.

I really think that we get micro circulatory blockages, and the magnesium lotion restores blood flow and the pain goes away because it was ischemic pain, not pure nerve pain.

Dr. Sarno discusses this in his books. Here is the wiki to explain:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tension_myositis_syndrome

I believe it might not be just "psychogenic" but also due to inflammation and inflammatory cytokines affecting circulation.
The magnesium in concentrated lotion form releases this blockage, and for me lasts more than one day in fact. I rotate my application to wherever I have pain or stiffness. If I am going good, I use it just on my inner wrists and arms to lower my blood pressure, which it does very well too.

after 20+ years of treatment for excruciating sciatica which included a laminectomy, the only thing that "cured" me was a one hour visit to dr. sarno. i know it may sound nuts but i arrived at the appointment almost doubled over with back pain and once i realized that my anger & hostility produced a chemical reaction similar to that seen in migraines, ulcers, etc. i walked out of his office totally pain free & remained so for many years.

now when i feel a sciatic attack lurking, i think of what psychogenic stuff is going on in my life & am able to ward off a downward spiral & thus eliminate a descent into full blown sciatica. i have given his best book (to my mind) to friends with very good results. it's called "mind over back pain."

if you have tried the conventional rx route with poor results, check out dr. sarno's no drug approach. no cost, no side effects, wth!