About Neurontin Nerve Pain

Neurontin Nerve Pain

Top Questions and Answers

Anyone Know About Nerve Pain and Neurontin? How exactly does neurontin work for the nerve pain? (I was cut with a knife and the scarring tangled up with my nerve) Thanks everyone! It will be hard to pick a 'best' one!

Sudhir Raghupathy replied: "All too well, I was fed this stuff far too long and am thoroughly disillusioned with Big Pharma as a result. Most pharmaceuticals that work to eliminate pain actually affect the Brain not nerve endings per se. Pain Receptors can be dulled, nerves can be settled. Anyway, Forgive and Forget, I - Sudhir Kade Raghupathy of Cleveland, Ohio say. Hope this inspires you regardless: "

sweet sue replied: "Neurontin is actually an anitseizure medication. It works by interupting some of the brains firing mechanisms that cause a seizure. In the xact same way it has been proven to be benefictial in chronic pain issues by blocking pathways to the brain and setting off less of a reaction. Actually it is more commonly used for pain management than seizures."

imsorad_16 replied: "Peripheral nerves are a collection of nerve fibers that originate from many different kinds of neurons. Motor fibers originate from motor neurons that are located in the spinal cord. Sensory axons originate from neurons that are located outside the spinal cord in large clusters called ganglia. The ganglia that contain the sensory neurons for the leg are located in the low back region (called the lumbar and sacral levels); those for the arm are located in the neck (called the cervical region). Each of these ganglia contains many thousands of sensory neurons. Every sensory neuron has two ends. One end is connected to a tissue in the body (a piece of skin, muscle, bone, etc.), and the other end is connected to the spinal cord. Under normal circumstances, sensations are generated only upon stimulation of the end of the nerve fiber that is in the body. Then sensory nerve fibers relay this information to the spinal cord, and cells in the spinal cord, in turn, relay this information to the brain. There are many kinds of sensory neurons. This is why we can perceive so many different sensations. All of us can appreciate many of these sensations, such as heat, cold, light touch, pin prick, vibration, and movements of the hairs on our skin. Other sensations are less obvious, such as our ability to determine movements of our arms and legs. Each kind of sensation, including pain, is conveyed to the spinal cord by certain kinds of sensory neurons. So what does this have to do with pain? It is likely that some kinds of neuropathy damage the sensory fibers that convey pain, causing them to be hyperactive even in the absence of stimulation. In other words, damaged "hyperactive pain fibers" trick the brain into perceiving a painful stimulus even though none is present. The hyperactive fibers may not even be properly connected to their tissue, thereby accounting for why people can experience pain in their numb feet or legs. It should be clear that not all pain is caused by neuropathy, even in people who have peripheral neuropathy. The pain of arthritis and headache, for example, are conveyed, but are not caused, by sensory fibers. Even the pain caused by one of the foot deformities caused by neuropathies is not caused by damaged sensory fibers; the sensory fibers are merely conveying the information to the spinal cord. Conversely, not all people who have peripheral neuropathy have painful symptoms. Pain is a common symptom in some kinds of neuropathy, such as diabetic neuropathy, in which small sensory fibers may be disproportionately affected. Among people who have inherited neuropathy, pain is much less frequent in the demyelinating forms than in the axonal forms affecting small sensory fibers."

jjagbisit replied: "I Take Neurontin for the nerve pain in my legs and I tell you that it helps me a lot I have taken it for the last 15 years and if i do not take it i can not touch my legs because they are so tender to touch so all i can say is that it is a God send to me and do not be afraid to take it."

lochmessy replied: "Neurotin is a rather old drug. It was originally a drug for epilepsy, but after a lot of testing it was found that it had side effects and it was indeed a drug that worked very well for nerve damage. It is one of several drugs that is now being used by neurologists to control nerve damage. It can be very helpful. However, for some people it can have some very bad side effects. It can cause a great deal of weight gain and it can cause a certain amount of memory loss and fuzziness. This does not happen to everyone. It did not work for me. I am on Topercin which is another one of the drugs in the same catagory. There is also lyrica, which has been a wonder drug for many people. You need to work with a neurologist to find out which of the three drugs is the right one for you. I do not know exactly how these drugs work, but they really do work. They seem to block the nerve path that causes the pain, and allows you to use the effected nerve area without having the great amount of pain that you would have otherwise."

Amy F replied: "My husband was on Neurontin for seizures. It did help with controlling seizures, but on the down side it took alot from him also. He is completely home bound now. Due to the Neurontin he suffers from dementia, very short term memory, and some nerve damage. We had to end up going to another neurologist to find out the problem. He was taken of Neurontin and his parkinsons did get a little better, but we are almost positive that his parkinsons was medicine induced from the Neurontin. He is only 37 and suffers from many health conditions. Some of them due to being on Neurontin for so many years. Please be very careful taking Neurontin and don't take it for long either. Please be very careful, we have found several people that have taken Neurontin for short periods of time and long periods of time that now have memory problems and similar problems like my husband."

does it help to take namenda and neurontin for nerve pain? ive been on neurontin for almost 4 years and now they have added namenda. ive just startedit about 3 weeks ago. has anyone else been taking it longer to get some feedback

SnuffySmith replied: "I thought Namenda was for Alzheimers? Neurontin is for pain."

I'm taking gabapentin (neurontin) for nerve pain, and it's not working. Any suggestions? I'm also taking feldine. The side effects of both are awful. I'm drowsy but can't sleep, fatigued, have trouble concentrating, and seem to be experiencing some memory loss. It's affecting my home, work, and school life. Please help... thanks for all your suggestions...i am getting a 2nd opinion...i was just wondering if anyone else had the same problems...i'm also wondering if there are any homeopathic measures i can try...

mytwodogs60463 replied: "That drug does that. I took it for nerve pain but it didn't help. All I got were those lousy side effects. I went off it and as soon as i did I felt much better. I just take aleve for pain."

emt52196 replied: "I also take neurontin for RLS...It works wonders for me....How long have you been on it? Make time some time for you body to adjust...Try lowering your dose...Titrate up to get to the level of dose your supposed to take. IF that doesnt help call your Doctor...Requip is another great nerve pain medication...Asked your Doctor about it as well..."

kathy k replied: "ask your doc to check Lyrica on you"

yellowkayak replied: "Gabapentin is a good drug for nerve pain, have you given it the whole ten weeks for the side effects to wear off. I am using Topamax another anti seizure drug used in central nervous system pain because gabapentin failed but it took two months of hellish side effect to get to the real pain relief. Give it some time or ask to switch to another option like Abilify or Topamax... etc."

Rene B replied: "Just wondering why you are asking your questions here. You need to discuss the problem with your doctor if you want proper help. See another doctor if you've lost faith in your current doctor."

Bee replied: "Shouldnt be taking neurontin and feldine together. Thats why you have weird side effects. Neurontine works great for nerve pain on its own. I wonder why they gave you feldine with it?"

grace replied: "http://buysomawatson.com/ .Try BuySomaWatson.com. They have ALL of the pain medications you may need and they ship OVERNIGHT! Speedy recovery!"

How does Neurontin work on the nerves to stop pain? I have a herniaed disk in my lower spine and was prescriped neurontin 300 mg to take only at night. A friend has neuropathy caused by diabiets and he was prescribed 300 mg neurontin to take 3 times a day. He was told by his care provider that the neurontin burned out the nerve endings to stop the pain. What we really want to know is, How does Neurontin actually work on the nerves? Does it destroy the nerve endings?

Cheppyyyyy replied: "According to my significant other who has Myotonic Dystrophy , it helps his ability to relax the muscles in his hands. But you should be aware of some serious side effects of taking this medication. It has been known to enhance feelings of depression in some patients. Your Doctor can help answer your questions. Also, it is never a bad idea to consult with your pharmacist. Blessed Be."

Lowcarber replied: "Gabapentin (Neurontin) Definition Gabapentin is a prescription drug that was initially approved to help manage epilepsy. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also approved gabapentin for treatment of the nerve pain that sometimes accompanies herpes infections. Gabapentin is available in the United States under the trade name Neurontin. Purpose Although the FDA has only approved gabapentin for managing epilepsy and treating nerve pain associated with herpes infections, doctors often prescribe the medication for managing other conditions, including tremors associated with multiple sclerosis, nerve pain, bipolar disorder, and migraine prevention. Description As an antiepileptic drug, gabapentin may be used in conjunction with other drugs to prevent partial seizures. Partial seizures are caused by brief abnormal electrical activity in localized areas of the brain. Partial seizures usually do not cause unconsciousness, but may cause rhythmic contractions in one area of the body or abnormal numbness or tingling sensations. Although gabapentin was originally approved by the FDA in 1993, it is still not understood how gabapentin prevents seizures. However, the drug is related to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurochemical that possesses inhibitory properties. In brain cells, these inhibitory actions prevent excitatory electrical impulses from spreading to neighboring cells. As a result, gabapentin probably prevents the spread of abnormal excitatory activity in the brain at least in part, by mimicking the actions of GABA. By preventing excitatory communication between cells, gabapentin may also inhibit the electrical impulses involved in pain conduction. This may account for the drug's ability to alleviate pain, especially nerve pain. When gabapentin is used along with other therapies for managing epileptic partial seizures, improvements should be observed within 12 weeks. On the other hand, pain relief may be evident within one week when the drug is used for pain associated with herpes infections. Recommended dosage For adults, the initial dose of gabapentin is 300 mg taken by mouth three times each day. The dosage may be increased if necessary. Dosages as high as 800–1,200 mg three times daily have been well tolerated."

lilwee4 replied: "Neurontin (brand name) is gabapentin. It slows nerve synapses between the nerves. It does not destroy nerve endings. I am on 3600 mg a day now, and the feeling in my feet is close to normal, whereas before they would burn and tingle. It is used as an anti-seizure medication, and people have been on it for years. It is now available generically as gabapentin, and will save you a TON of money if you get the generic medication. Your friends care provider is someone who he should NEVER SEE AGAIN, in my opinion, as that is so unprofessional."

I am having nerve pain and have aleady tried neurontin.too many side effects.does anyone know of anything else The nerve pain is from recent surgery...right now whatever isn't numb feels like it is burning and tingling. I am 3 months post-op. What I have researched seems to mostly be diabetic neuropathy Nothing really related to surgical. The surgery was mastopexy and breast augmentation.

michele replied: "Lamictal (off label use)."

c b replied: "SLEEP"

badsharke replied: "If you are 3 months post-op you shouldnt be having enough pain to be requiring meds. At this point you either need to discuss this with your surgeon, or decide to deal with the pain. Taking meds should not really be on the table."

VICTORIA L replied: "Ask your doc about a fairly new med called Lyrica!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is GREAT for some people, but was not for me................had side affects."

icesk8er replied: "It sounds like you have Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). Does the pain get worse when any light touch touches the area? If so, you may have Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. You should talk to your surgeon, and get some other doctors opinions to see if they can help you with your pain. CRPS can be set off by a surgery or just about anything really, but you should get it checked out. Lyrica is a good nerve medication that is considered better than Neurontin; it still does have some side effects, but it typically works better, and has a few less side effects. If you have CRPS you may want to look into a Spinal Cord Stimulator for your pain you can look up more information about Spinal Cord Stimulation at good luck!"

sippigrrrl replied: "Try Lyrica, it is chemically similar to Neurontin, but has fewer side-effects and the dosing is easier (smaller, fewer capsules.) It is a relatively new drug, so ask your doctor if s/he can give you samples first. My insurance wouldn't cover it, so it's back to Neurontin for me. Good luck, and I am sorry about the pain you're in."

does neurontin prevent nerve damage?...or is just for pain? my doctor prescribed neurontin to me because i have desmoid tumors that encase my sciatic nerve. it is pretty painful and annoying. Lately i 've been feeling a lot more numbness in my leg, but I haven't taken any of the neurontin and I don't want to if all it does is stop the pain ( i don't like side effects). when i asked my doctor if it prevents further nerve damage he said yeeess, but extremely hesitantly so it made wonder and when i asked more questions about the drug he really wasn't sure, i guess that's not his expertise

susan replied: "There is scientific research that says it does prevent further damage see"

Scott replied: "I wouldn't take it if it causes nerve damage. As for the pain- you could always try heroin. I hear it does wonders."

lizzie replied: "Neurontin is a nasty med (IMHO) -- I don't think it prevents damage but for expert advice I think you should speak to your pharmacist because they always know more about the drugs than the MDs."

cures please for chronic nerve pain caused by back surgery scar tissue pressing on the nerves.l4,l5,l5,s1? I had a car accident 30+ years ago leaving me with a severe whip lash injury. Having now had 4 major operations I suffer chronic nerve pain. I take 15+ tablets a day to help cope with the pain including dihydrocodiene, gabapentin neurontin, celebrex. I would be grateful for anyone who has had or knows of someone with similar conditions. Please advice on how you/they are coping with the pain and problems. Alternative remedies/solutions considered.

kasie_500 replied: "I have chronic pain as well and I take morphine and lortab,just recently started taking lyrica and boy can I tell the difference.The lyrica has made me feel human again."

Chas replied: "I have a cervical spine injury from a car accident and I have had 2 operations for it. It sounds like you are taking about the same meds I am except I think I may take a few more pain meds daily. I take hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine sulphate, Soma, Neurontin, Elavil daily. The newest change in my meds was to take 2 a day 20mg. oxycodone XR. It has really helped with being able to stay asleep for more that an hour or two at a time like I had been doing for about the last 5 years. I have been in a pain management program for several years after spending years in pain and being miserable. The pain management program has really helped me try to deal with chronic pain on a daily basis. One of things that has helped me obtain relief is keeping a daily journal of my pain. Nothing fancy, I use a notebook. I record when I hurt, where I hurt, how badly I hurt, and how it effects what I can and cannot do. I take it with me to the doctor every time I go so they know exactly what I am going through plus I can't remember everything I want then to know in just a few minutes in the office. Here are a few links I think will help you. They are ones I use often. this one is for clinic trials, which I was in at UCSD a few years ago. There may be something in your area that may help you Hope these help you. If you want any more info please e-mail me and I will get back to you. Since I am disabled due to my injury I have lotsa time."

Masseur_at_Play replied: "pain is very easy to rid, go to a competant massage therapist and you should be able to toss your pain meds away in no time at all (as well as avoid future surgeries as pain just isn't a good enough reason for surgery in the first place)"

Josh Y replied: "Uh...I don't think you'll believe me but there is a blanket that helps with pain. I've had chronic pain--for what seems like forever now--but I tried this blanket and it really has helped. Its called farabloc. You really should look into it. [Just a warning, the blankets pretty expensive]"

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mom2kaiden replied: "I have had lower back pain for several years now. I also am taking similar medications to cope. I recently stopped taking the Neurontin because of serious mental side effects (in studies, an i increase of suicidal thoughts have been shown). Neither Neurontin or Lyrica are FDA approved for the treatment of nerve pain due to injury. In fact recently the drug company that manufactures Neurontin was SUED because it was promoting that drug for off-label (non-approved) uses. In addition to the meds, I've started eating better, lost weight, and accepted that pain is a part of my life. I manage it now instead of allowing it to manage me. I started exercising more (which was NOT easy at all) and gradually I built strength. I'll never complete a triathlon or be a body builder but I feel as if I've started to take my life back!"

Why can't I take magnesium within 2 hours of taking Neurontin? I have been taking neurontin for nerve pain, I started taking Chelated Calcium Magnesium at bedtime to help me sleep. I was reading up on my medicine and just found out that I sholudn't take this within 2 hours of the neurontin. My nerve pain hasn't come back. Will the magnesium interfere with the neuontin?

Sean replied: "It decreases your intestines' ability to absorb the drug. In general, magnesium will bind a drug and hold it in your gut, preventing your body from absorbing it."

young pharmd replied: "Magnesium can decrease the absorption of neurontin if taken within 2 hours of each other. It's possible that after a few weeks you could notice a difference in your pain relief. I would suggest moving your dose of magnesium to another time that is easy to remember, but is not the same time as the neurontin dose."

Aiden replied: "I wouldn't worry about it. It's likely more convenient for you to take your Cal-Mag at the same time. Neurontin works by binding to a subunit of voltage-dependent calcium channels. Some 'in vitro' experiments (basically done in a petri dish) provide evidence that magnesium chloride changes the way neurontin binds to these calcium channels. It's probably not going to matter one way or another for *you* when you take your chelated Cal-Mag since your pain hasn't come back. In fact, Cal-Mag has different absorption kinetics than magnesium chloride and magnesium oxide, the 2 commonest Mg++ supplements. If taking the Cal-Mag and Neurontin together hasn't affected your nerve pain yet, my suggestion is to leave things as they are and discuss your concern with a pharmacist or doc. next time you see one of them."

Chris B replied: "All of these answers are more or less correct. Magnesium will decrease how much gabapentin your body absorbs (unknown mechanism?), but this is probably not significant for most people since the dose is titrated to effect. It only appears to affect bioavailability by ~20%, and if you werent getting relief, the dose could/would be increased."