NeuroTalk Support Groups - Gabapentin effectiveness over time

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- - Gabapentin effectiveness over time (https://www.neurotalk.org/peripheral-neuropathy/222736-gabapentin-effectiveness-time.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick Winter (Post 1154568)

Unfortunately one of the side effects of gabapentin is actually neuropathy. For me the side effects are enough that I only take it once i get home from work because I want to be as clear headed as possible in the workplace and behind the wheel of my car ( I took Lyrica at a very low dose for a week onceand ended up in a car accident). Was a shared fault deal but still made me reassess that stuff. Gabapentin seems to allow me to sleep as I take a "gababomb" at night taking 900-1200 before bed and that basically is my daily dose in one shot. My experience is going much higher in dose than that doesn't really give any more relief but way more side effects.

Do you get relief the next day from taking it the night before?

I've also read about Gaba causing neuropathy or making it worse for some people. I really wonder why. I've even read about people taking it just for anxiety or insomnia, and reacting with nerve pain. One of the reasons I haven't tried it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tunaboy (Post 1154672)

I believe the relief does hang over all the way into the next afternoon. But every time I go on this drug I want off of it . If I do go off of it I find myself having to return to it because of the pain level.

I would say if you can avoid taking it to do so. It's a masking drug. It isn't a cure. It attempts to trick the brain to not see the pain signals that are being sent from the nerves. But there are clear side effects and I really think it's a survival issue. For some they have no choice but to take it. It's not something I think anyone should be on long term. I found Lyrica got rid of a lot of the pain but it was an awful drug to take, total zombie time, walking around like Frankenstein and cymbalta made me literally want to end my life.

Quote:

Originally Posted by canagirl (Post 1154640)

Currently not the best diet. However, for over 5 months I had an excellent diet, organic fruits and veggies, nithing out of a box or can. Nothing fake, only meat, fruits, veggies. Spices and herbs. No gluten, dairy, no carbs. And it made zero difference. None, other than making me more miserable. I'm thinking of going back to this but it's hard since I didn't notice a difference before.

I notice a difference in the food myself but I am not pain free either way. A milder low carb no dairy diet is the best tolerated for me but it is miserable like you said. Oddly enough I have felt caffeine helps my pain which goes against what everyone says to do.

Anything artificial, sweetener, coloring, processed anything, etc... Those can take my sfn to another level though. I can go from a mild burning to an intense electrical buzzing that will have me house bound for days. I assume sfn affects everyone different.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick Winter (Post 1154705)

Is it the same pain level prior to starting it or worse?

MSG can be a huge trigger for symptoms. It is an inorganic glutamate salt, and stimulates the NMDA pain receptors.

It triggers me hugely. Also too much nutrasweet... with its aspartic acid should be avoided. It is also a NMDA agonist.
Some supplements have aspartate in them... avoid those too.
Magnesium aspartate is one example.

Having adequate magnesium levels works as an NMDA antagoinst though, and that is why magnesium is so helpful for PNers and diabetics.