How Does Gabapentin Work?
 

There is no narcotics in it but after taking 800mg i feel kinda "high" :winky:

My 2nd dose in the afternoon of 800mg seems stronger as i guess the mornings dose is still slightly affecting me.

How does this medicine work.Does it numb nerves in the brain / feet or something different?

Can doing 1600mg's - 2400mg's per day wreck havoc on my body,brain,organs?

Thx for any insight.It helps with my foot pain although it does not take 100% of the pain away doing 800mg's twicw per day.Thinking of calling my Dr and asking him to increase to 3 times per day.

Hi there, I know that everyone is different, so what may be good for one person is not good for another. And sometimes it just takes time to get adjust to the gabapentin.

For me, it was bad and I was on the low dose end. I gave it time and still wasn't able to adjust to it. I was put on Lyrcia afterward and it is so much better for me. It cost more for me because my insurance makes you pay higher price for brand names.

Some people do bad on Lyrcia and do good on gabapentin. Really just have to listen to your body.

Trish :wink:

It is in the classification of an anti-seizure medication.
It was first developed for epileptics.
It stops the jumbled signals from the damaged nerves in PN,
send to the brain.
It has something to do with the GABA, but is beyond my ability to interpret.
It says in the literature that the exact method is unknown.
Lyrica is in the same classsification.
Neither is classified as a pain medication. It diminishes symptoms.
Used along with pain medications such as opiates. or synthetics, like Tramadol(Ultram) - they work very well to control both symptoms and pain.
Many of us take a 'cocktail' of meds.

Nide is right, I do take pain pills with the Lycria. I think Lycria is suppose to be a little stronger, but I don't understand this because I could not take the gabepentin.

Hope Nide was able to help you.

Trish :confused:

Gabapentin and Lyrica are mysterious drugs. Basically the way they work is still not understood. But the general public does not know this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabapentin

I had a discussion recently with my doctor about this.

He told me Gabapentin came first and Lyrica was an "upgrade." Why they work is unknown.

I've never taken Gabapentin. I tried Lyrica but it didn't help and I gained weight. I started Cymbalta - worked like a charm for a week. I stopped taking it when I got sick (unrelated). I'll be starting up on it again shortly - after I get past a certain event at work (after the shuttle lands).

Why Cymbalta works is unknown.

I usually just lurk here at PN. It's just the most recent extension of the MS I've had for 22 years.

Tom

"...It has something to do with the GABA, but is beyond my ability to interpret...."

If you read that link, or insert- then you know why I said this :eek:

but thanks for trying Mrs D :rolleyes::):D

Thx all so much for the info ;)

Sadly i am calling my Dr this morning asking him to up the dose to 800mg's 3 times per day instead of twice per day.

I have had "some" relief but not enough yet :confused:

He was going to put me on Lyrica but the Gabapentin is much cheaper and i highly agreed with him ;)

Thx again..

I am a 45yr diabetic with stage 2 kidney disease and severe diabetic neuropathy. My current neurologist has me on 4800mg a day my pharmacist at first did not want to fill the prescription until he verified it with the doctor.

One neurologist told me that the benefits of the drug stop after exceeding 2400mg also updated change in label of these types of medications.

http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/...ders/UCM100190

I am currently up to 4800 mg a day and suffer from short term memory loss, hand tremors, weight gain, foggy head, dizzy and hot flashes see link below. I am in the process of switching to a different neurologist and considering switching to cymbalta or lyrica. My new neurologist has suggested trying Anodyne therapy (never suggested to me from my previous neurologist) he also ordered an arterial ultrasound to check my circulation.

http://epilepsy.emedtv.com/neurontin...e-effects.html

As the dosage of Neurontin increases, less is absorbed. So one can reach a point where really high doses do very little.

One thing I am worried about is that Neurontin IS excreted whole via the kidneys. If you have reduced kidney functions, you may not be excreting it properly.
This may lead to it building up in the body.

[quote=COLBEYMOORE;562269.............. My new neurologist has suggested trying Anodyne therapy (never suggested to me from my previous neurologist) he also ordered an arterial ultrasound to check my circulation[/quote]
Good
Go to www.lizajane.org
for a complete list of all the tests for causes of PN.
(plus a lot of other good stuff) Its a site only for PN
written by PN sufferers along with LizaJane.

A good doctor would make sure your creatinine clearance and serum creatinine are in the normal range before giving really high dose Neurontin or Lyrica.

Many people function at normal levels with one kidney.
You can ask for a renal panel at your next appointment.

1200/day is 4 times LESS than 4800mg/day!

I am back on neurontin. Have increased to 2100 split 3times a day and I do my increase at night. Inititally with each increase I have some side effects but they wear off. I just have to do my increases slow. I was told that to help pain it is 1800-3600 for most. Now for me my doctor and I may get this all crazy but the pain from the condition has been for so long it is now in my brain but I have RSD too so it may be in terms of that. Anyhow this med helps for the brain to not process the pain like rewire. WHere as narcotic pain meds actually make the brain process pain more in the long run if taken super regular. Now this is just for me and I know some who have been greatly helped with narcotic so I don't want anyone to think I am saying don't. Everyone is different and even as needed I have to sometimes or I will want to chop my leg off but for a regular thing I don't.

I thought of amputation as a last resort, once -but then
was reminded about 'ghost limb pain'.

Ye 'jes cain't win fer losin'....

No I am sorry. I meant that as a figure of speech because the pain was so bad. No if the limb were cut off you would have phantom pain. So it would be the same but without a limb. I am sorry that I confused you.

Daniella I am one of them that do need pain pills. Even though I take Lycria it is not enough. Sometimes Lycria and the pain pill together is not enough, I have many days like that it seems nothing works, but then I start getting some relief for some reason. Just never know which days will be good days with some relief.

Trish :grouphug:

phantom pain as with so many things in life damned if you do and damned if you dont.

I have slowly reduced my dosage (got tired of side affects) I only hope the side affects will go away. I live in a small town and thought it was best to travel to a big city for better care..in my case it was not.
Every appointment I told my former neurologist about the hand tremors and memory loss and he never mentioned is was due to the medication.
I selected him because he was supposed to be the best in his field.,..well I guess he has far too many patients to keep track of. Each visit with him he made me feel like a new patient and he would refer to me as a Mr instead of Mrs in our emails.
I have learned a very good lesson..and have now found a neurologist in my home town (small) but he is very thorough and my first visit told me alot and had more suggestions or hope.
I have a pending SSDI claim and I only hope switching doctors will not affect my case.