neuropathy question

mraymond · #1 (**permalink**) 09-17-2008, 06:53 PM

Hi, I'm new to this forum. I have neuropathy, too and was prescribed gabopentin which is generic for neurontin I think. It has made a little difference in the numbness, but my feet still burn and are uncomfortable and I have been getting sores which don't heal quickly. Once I get my sugar levels under control I have been told that will help with the neuropathy. They are better now than at first, but I'm not noticing a huge amount of improvement. Has anyone had experience with this?

Mary

cyberus · #2 (**permalink**) 09-17-2008, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mraymond

Hi, I'm new to this forum. I have neuropathy, too and was prescribed gabopentin which is generic for neurontin I think. It has made a little difference in the numbness, but my feet still burn and are uncomfortable and I have been getting sores which don't heal quickly. Once I get my sugar levels under control I have been told that will help with the neuropathy. They are better now than at first, but I'm not noticing a huge amount of improvement. Has anyone had experience with this?

Mary

Gabopentin (which is generic Neurontin) is what I take, and my doc had me taper up to 800mg 3x day, which after I got there and had been on that dose for a couple weeks it took care of the burning/tingling. Doc said that like metformin it takes time to kick in, if you've been on it for less time than that it may still kick, if longer maybe the dose needs adjusting?

mraymond · #3 (**permalink**) 09-18-2008, 08:14 PM

Thanks, I'm on only 300 mg 1x a day of gabopentin, so I guess I need to ask about it. I forgot at my last appointment on Sept. 4. In fact, I mentioned to my doctor that my feet were erupting with sores and he didn't even want to look at them -- I guess because a podiatrist is treating them. Perhaps I should ask the podiatrist about the gabopentin, but he was kind of abrupt when I asked if there was anything to do about the numbness and tingling and he said to get used to it and learn to live with it.

I had another appointment today and have to go in again next week just so he can look at and clean up the sores, but they aren't healing very fast.

mary

notme · #4 (**permalink**) 09-18-2008, 08:20 PM

Your dose of neurontin is tiny. I started using neurontin and was taking 500mg x2 daily. After a few weeks, I went up to 1000 mg x2 daily and it was working well. The pharmacy decided to change me to gabopentin and it did not work for me. When I asked the pharmacist, he said that sometimes that happens with neurontin and to ask my doctor to prescribe name brand only, not generic. It took awhile, but once back on neurontin for a few weeks, the pain went away.

Talk to your doctor about increasing your dose to twice a day. Also talk to your doc about generic vs name brand.

I take other generic drugs with no problem. For some reason, gabopentin did not work for me.

mraymond · #5 (**permalink**) 09-19-2008, 09:27 AM

Thanks, Nancy. I will talk to him about changing the dose or changing from the generic.

Mary

vickie53 · #6 (**permalink**) 09-19-2008, 09:36 AM

I wasn't able to tolerate the neurontin, my Doc put me on Lexapro and it has helped with the burning and pins and needles feel. I also take a pain medication when it so bad I can't handle the pain.
My feet also get sores on them and it is painful to get shoes on. I have noticed when my sugar levels are better, it does help with some of the pain.

kmac · #7 (**permalink**) 09-19-2008, 10:42 AM

I think that the last thing that any of us need is a caregiver of any kind who becomes abrupt when we ask a question. Try to ignore the abruptness and ask your questions anyway. How stupid for that person to make you anxious by being abrupt!--and leaving you with unanswered questions about your health. Don't they know that anxiety will raise your bs levels? I find it really difficult to ignore when someone who is supposed to be helping me mistreats me like that. Lectures from friends on how I "should" ignore it don't help much either. In an ideal world we could just find a new nonabrupt replacement when someone is abrupt with us, but sometimes things like doctor shortages and insurance rules make that difficult if not impossible.

Hang in there and find out what you need to know to look after your health the best you can.

Kathi

mraymond · #8 (**permalink**) 09-19-2008, 03:30 PM

Hi Kathi,

I agree, that the abruptness was pretty nasty. He has been nice lately, though and there are no other podiatrists close by -- we live in the country. I'm having lots of issues with my feet from sores to a toe cut off years ago by a lawnmower that has erupted and he is being conscientious about that. I am not used to going to any doctors at all and it is hard to know how to respond.

Mary