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I've had neuropathy in my feet for several years. they zing and zap and twitch all day and night and for the most part are pretty numb. Today I've been in horrible pain with cattle prod like shooting pain in my right heel. it doesn't go up my leg but it has been pretty constant and debilitating to the point i really should not have been driving.
I have had rx for methadone for 20 years but don't take it regularly- maybe once or twice a week depending on my activity level. today I've taken it twice in 4 hours but no relief in sight. it is not muscular but definitely nerve pain. I haven't been to a pain doc in years because pain clinics just want to give narcotic rx and send you on your way. is there anything new in the way of neuropathy pain treatment? any suggestions for something NOW? it is so bad I want to chop off my foot---but I won't.
Neurontin is specifically for nerve pain. Gabapentin is the generic. In plain terms, it calms the nerves so they don't respond as often or as strongly. It can be quite sedating so start it at night. I was prescribed up to 600 mg 2xday but I usually took 300 mg at night.
Also, I take 3-4 grams of L-Argenine daily. It was suggested by one of my docs to increase blood flow to my feet, which helps with neuropathy. My feet do feel better. I get it at my grocery.
Thank you Southern Belle. I do have some neurontin which was prescribed for sleep aid. I guess I didn't realize it was helpful for nerve pain as well. Just took it and hope it kicks in quickly. as I'm about to jump right out of my skin. many thanks.
I take alpha lipoic acid - recommended by doctors for people with diabetes (which I have). It is a powerful anti-oxidant and helps with neuropathy. It is recommended to take it with L-Carnitine for best results. It is not toxic, and you can take fairly large doses if you already have nerve damage. Keep in mind it might take awhile before you see results. You can get this at a Vitamin Shoppe, drugstore or grocery.
When I was on chemo, I had horrific neuropathy in my hands, feet, and parts of my legs. Folic acid worked for mild neuropathy (I was prescribed a fairly high dose) and neurontin mostly worked when it got really bad. I took neurontin 3 times a day and worked full time, so there are dose regimes that don't knock you out.
I have had the Neuropathy numbness and pain in my right foot/leg and now starting with the left foot.
Yesterday read about the L-Argenine and Neurotin so tjhis A.M went to the Pharmacy in Rosarito where I live and took one tablet 600mg of Neurontin. As I'm typing this my foot feels more relaxed and the pain has subsided.
THANK YOU very much for the info and will give my results re any improvement.
On 2nd thought feel a bit light headed so next time will take 1/2 of the 600mg tablet.
Pharmacist had different strengths and I asked for the max that he had.
I have neuropathy from diabetes and they put me on Gabapentin. I don't remember the dose at that time, but through the years my neuropathy got worse, so at another doctors appointment, I'd let them know what was going on and the Dr would kick up the doseage.
The one thing about Gabapentin is that you can take it once a day and it doesn't make any difference when it is taken. It is a very long acting medication. When you first take it, it takes 3 or 4 days to get up to par. That means you cannot take it occasionally, but rather, take it on a strict regiment. You don't feel the effects immediately.
As I said, through the years they have upped my doseage, so now I am on 2700mg per day. They give me 300 mg capsules so just so I don't have to take a handful of meds, I take 3 at breakfast, 3 at lunch and 3 at supper. I could take all 9 at once, but I spread it out. It really works great.
Last edited by ElkHunter; 08-24-2012 at 08:38 PM..
Little update. The Neurontin 600mg did work in about 15 mins and my foot/leg felt better rest of the day. Was able to walk a bit more normal with less of the constant numbness....increased feeling in the foot helped my sense of balance rest of the day. Also my back spine (Laminectomy Surgery) was more relaxed with walking and bending over was easier.......great improvement.
15 tablets at $47.80 was a good investment......no complaints here.
Did look up info on Neurontin for it's usage and dosage, side effects etc.
so now I am on 2700mg per day. They give me 300 mg capsules so just so I don't have to take a handful of meds, I take 3 at breakfast, 3 at lunch and 3 at supper. I could take all 9 at once, but I spread it out. It really works great.
My mother was taking this much neurontin and she was like a zombie all the time. how do you function with that much? I was taking 300 mg at night to help me sleep and the other night when I was ready to cut off my foot I took another 300 mg and I eventually got to sleep. The pain subsided the next day but i still have a few really big zaps.
What causes this kind of pain to show up for 24 hours like a bull out of the shoot and then it goes away just as suddenly? Is it high blood sugars? Random? anything I can do to keep it from happening again?
One thing about neurontin is that you are supposed to work your way up to higher doses. I started on a very small dose and over a month worked my way up to the max dose - and let me tell you, I was having shingles-level nerve pain on my hip and thigh, so my doctors were getting me up there as fast as they could! Maybe starting at too high of a level accounts for function level?
A few months after chemo ended, I was weaned off of it, but I was at the same level as what ElkHunter took. I worked full time, started grad school on top of work 2 weeks after ending chemo, and was still functional (just slept... a lot... but was doing that because of the chemo beforehand).
Neurontin is DEFINITELY a drug to speak to both your endo (or onc, if for chemo neuropathy versus diabetic neuropathy) and a neurologist about to get the right dosage.
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