What do you guys do to deal with the shooting pain? It seems to be the worst at night. The pain is excruciating. I have tried the Mortons lotion but it didn't help.

The Morton Lotion is more for burning and tender skin. The shooting pain is usually one of the symptoms treated with Gabapentin. Good Luck, Ken in Texas.

I have just ordered the mortons lotion. How much can you use at once? I want to put it on my feet, back of calves, above knees, biceps and pretty much all over my back. Will this be too much? Can you "overdose" on this?

I would start with a quarter's diameter....amount....and just do your calves and ankles-- 1/2 of it on each. A little goes a long way. If it does not work, do it once more at the end of the day before bedtime.

Next day, do your arms... you can rotate areas of the body each day. Once the magnesium gets inside you it will move around some, and as time passes, you should not have such dramatic symptoms.

Try and eat foods high in magnesium, like beans, almonds, etc.

Are you still breastfeeding?

Where are these shooting pains? Are they in the upper thighs in the front and to the sides? There is a specific sensory nerve called the lateral femoral nerve that when agitated shoots down to the knee area, but never below that. It comes from the lumbar spine between L4 and L5, and goes thru the abdomen and exits along the side of the upper thigh/groin area. It can get compressed in several spots along its path. This is called MP (meralgia paresthetica).

Thanks. No, unfortunately I stopped a long time ago.

The shooting pain is only in my feet, both of them. It starts on the tops of the feet and continues underneath.

I have to say today was the worst day I have had in the past month since this horrible ailment started. My feet have been throbbing all day and shooting pain. I took the gabapentin as prescribed 600 in the AM and 600 in the PM but it does absolutely nothing. My precaution for Lyrica is being held up by the insurance company. I'm hoping with all my heart that lyrics gives me some relief. I unfortunatley have to take some Percocet tonight to help the pain. I hate myself for taking it! It has been 3 weeks straight of taking it at night just to sleep.

Just for my own info, doesn't it take a few weeks for gabapentin to build up an be effective? Would u expect releif in a few doses. ?

NO, Canagirl, Gabapentin works pretty quick. What takes the time is building up to the right dose. If you start at 100mg then you might not get any relief, but it's not because you haven't taken it long enough, it's because it's not enough medicine per dose. You just don't want to start at 300 or 600 mg per dose at a time.

I strongly suggest you use the magnesium lotion on your ankles and tops of the feet. Morton Epsom Lotion.... a nickel's size amount on each. Do it at bedtime, since that is when you get your pain. Morton's is inexpensive and works wonders for many who use it. Locally it is at WalMart and Walgreen's and online at Amazon.

Look at how you lace and tie your shoes. Too tightly will compress the nerves and the tops of the feet are where the nerves are near the surface of the skin.

Lidoderm patches applied on the tops of the feet will quickly numb any shooting pain. 1/2 patch is all that is needed on each foot. This is an RX solution, and some insurance will not pay for them unless you have a shingles diagnosis on file.

The Morton's lotion works well.

There are websites that demonstrate alternative lacing solutions:
This is a wonderful resource for people with foot pain:
http://www.northcoastfootcare.com/

This is their lacing page:
http://www.northcoastfootcare.com/pa...echniques.html

Near the bottom of this page shows the nerves on the top (dorsal) part of the foot in yellow. Compress this large yellow nerve with too tight shoes and lacing habits, leads to compressive pain and damage.
http://www.northcoastfootcare.com/foot-anatomy-bones/

If you have high insteps this is even more critical.

I use elastic laces now, which "give" with movement and bending, and only buy tie shoes with very thick padded tongues.
This helps tremendously, for me.