Is this normal?
 

I am reducing my intake if Gabapentin and replacing it with Lyrica, but my feet have gone from intense burning to intense chilling, they are so swollen and sensitive I don't know where to put them. Yesterday I reduced 900mg of Gabapentin and replaced this with 200mg Lyrica( I have been tapering since Friday) I also can't sleep, it is 3 am and although I am intensly tired I cannot sleep for the pain. Should I just give up the notion of Lyrica? Any advice will be greatly acceptable. Work tomorrow morning is looming and I don't know how I will get through the day :(

Could it be circulation? I took gabapentin for 6 months but I do not remember if affected circulation or not. But I do have the problem of cold/swollen limbs - my case it is my hands and forearms. My neuro says that when my pain increases in my arms, my body will react and will decrease circulation to area that is in pain and therefore cause the increase inswelling and cold chill/freezing feeling. Perhaps your body is reacting in a similar manner. I don't know? Sorry your so bad off. Wishing I had more to offer.

Just replying is enough Adelina, thanks.I do feel it is circulatory, at times there doesn't look as if there is any blood in my feet and then others when they are so swollen that a pin could burst them. The joys.........

Gabapentin and Lyrica both cause fluid retention in some people.

When feet swell, they can hurt from nerve compression.

When my left foot swells, (my old surgical foot), it aches. And my scar throbs. I haven't found my trigger yet for this, but using my laser pointer on it seems to fix it for a while until the next week or 2 and the swelling begins again. The doctor is stumped and just gives me a blank look. And two foot doctors just said, lymphathic blockage etc from the surgery?

I know is sounds strange, but my 5mWatt laser on it for about 10-15 minutes reduces the swelling. I discovered this when playing with my cats laser pointer toy, and so I bought a stronger one for my foot. Now they come and vie for it when they see me doing my foot while I watch some TV ! LOL

Thanks Mrs D.
 

I guess I need to get the diuretics out again - it is so long since I have experienced this swelling.
I called my GP today and he said keep going with the reduction in Gabapentin and he has prescribed Tramadol to get me through this next few weeks.
I have just had 2 weeks holidays, why did I wait until I was back at work to switch......?

RE: Great Idea
 

Lyrica sounds just right for you as it helped me after 20 years of suffering:wink:

Thanks
 

That is good news, fingers crossed it will have the same effect, I can't go on at this level of pain:(

RE: Help is on the way
 

You cant just go from 900mg of Neurontin to another drug. In this case Lyrica.
50mg-100mg a day or you will experience withdrawal. If Lyrica is your choice then stay on Neurontin until you gradually get off it and then hit a higher dose of Lyrica.
Good Luck

Malawigirl has stated just above:
Anyone discontinuing gabapentin, should be tapered by the doctor and supervised carefully. The higher the dose, and the longer one has been using it, should have a longer taper. But there is not much information on the net giving strict taper schedules, so one must be sure their doctor is informed on how to do this. Some people come down 100mg a week. But that is only an average. It may vary from person to person.

Mrs D, my doc wants me to come off 2400mg per day in a week, at the rate of 300mg per day- I am in day 3 and it isn't pleasant- I am going to maintain this level for a few more days- I have loads of gabapentin so willtake my time. My GP is so young she must just be out of med school and had to look up a book to see if switch was possible! I dont have a lot of confidence in her experience.

I think that is too fast.

Most doctors, even for opiate or benzo withdrawal go too fast as well.

I think you can slow that up, so you will feel better. Different people react in different ways.

Like SSRI drugs, the Big Pharma Dudes, never really gave doctors or patients withdrawal or discontinuance information!

This is all I could find:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15898970

Suggesting a SLOW taper like with Benzos.

My GP is so young she must just be out of med school and had to look up a book to see if switch was possible! I dont have a lot of confidence in her experience.[/QUOTE]

Hi mawlawigirl, I sometimes wonder what is worse someone new or someone who has been around a long time. Some docs with a lot of experience don't want to hear anything we have to say or suggest. Honestly, I give a doctor credit when they say I don't know the answer to that but I will get back to you. It shows their honest
I have been through having to wean off some meds to be placed on others. It is really tough. I feel bad for you. Hang in there it ended up being worth it for me. I don't think I realized just how bad this got until I was weaning off. :hug:

I think a doctor who looks things up.... it far "better" than one who won't.(because of ego or arrogance).

HA! Okay, so I have this nice little automated laser play-thingy for my kitties. They My kitties) are one of the only things that have kept me sane for the past couple of years. One of them is a bit insane; her name (appropriately I think) is Cleopatra, who really, really loves the laser toy. She's the sort that is probably half feral - you know the one that is biting you at the same time it is licking you. But I made sure she wasn't around and turned on the toy (it does make a distinct buzzing noise when on) thinking to try the laser idea. Aiming the machine at my forearm and setting the toy and the end table, I reclined against the couch and glanced up at the t.v........OUCH!!!!!!! 4CLAWS AND 2 TEETH entered my arm so much for reducing my pain today :p !!!

The lasers they make for cats are not strong enough.

My laser was very inexpensive... 2.89 free shipping on Ebay.

It appears at least 4 times brighter than the laser cat toy we have.

Cats do love the laser though...I really understand that.
Lucky for me my two youngest ones (1 yr and 4mos kitten) are polite when I do myself. They wait next to me and know I will shoot it off for them soon. Houdini the kitten is less patient than Weez, so I try and do my treatments when they are napping. But they know the little box and the noise the top makes when I open it...so they show up sometimes anyway! LOL:p I really like my laser. I've used it alot for other things too. It seems to be very good for swelling, at least for me. I do my ankle of the swelling foot and the lymph drains off by the next day usually.

I agree with Mrs D that docs should admit what they dont know, experience will equip this doc with the day to day knowledge that she needs.
Thank goodness for tramadol, 2 wee tablets yesterday gave me a pain free night and the best sleep for months - it felt like I was sleeping on marshmallows - and then the dreaded alarm call wasted that :p
Thanks everyone for their support, when the chips are down you know where I am.

I am so glad you had some pain relief and sleep last night. Hope it keeps working for you. Those alarms are pain in the neck