I was put on Gabapentin for neuropathic pain 2 weeks ago. Does anyone know at what dosage it begins to take an effect? I’m only on 100mg twice a day and gradually being increased weekly and was wondering when I might start to get the effect from it? Neuropathic pain has been around a 6 on a scale of 1-10 but it’s been constantly effecting me down my left side in both my arm and leg. I have muscle pain as well due to tightness in both legs but it’s the burning sensations that I find difficult. Also am I allowed to take paracetamol? Not sure if it’s a side effect but I’ve had headaches since starting the medication.
Hello! I started Gabapentin on 900mg per day (3 x 300mg tabs) - I was told this was a very low dose!
I felt better after almost a week!! - with burning sensations etc down to almost nothing!
They - along with Baclofen - have been an utter life saver for me and I’m still on the same dose! Sorry I can’t be of more help! xxjenxxx
Hey,
I am on 300mg twice a day, so also more than you! I still have burning and pain in left side, but it is better than before i started them. Have been on them for 4 months now. Hoping that i they may let me up dosage soon.
I still have muscle tightness and pain but its not as bad as before i took tablets. You can take paracetamol too as i also get headaches, but again i’ve had the headaches from the start and taking the gabapentin hasn’t changed that! so i guess it may not be a side effect of them? But it could be for you if makes sense?
I got neuro appt on monday 29th so i have questions i need to ask about tablets so i can get back to you on what he says, maybe this would help? But as we all say on here, check with GP anyway as it good to have any changes on your notes, just in case!
Good luck and hope you feel better soon, sorry i cant help more!
xxxx Lea
The max dose is 3600mg a day so 200mg a day is a very titchy dose. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though: some people are very sensitive to some meds so it’s usually best to start low and build slowly so you can find the right dose for you and minimise side effects while you’re at it. If you’ve been on 200mg for two weeks, then it sounds like you’re overdue an increase in dose, but try not to be impatient and rush it. Hopefully you’ll notice a difference soon. Karen x
Hi Utterchaos,
You have symptoms just like mine, its nice to hear other people with the same pain, and we are not fine like we look, sick of people saying you look fine, if only they new. Mine has also moved to my feet so cant walk very far jue to the pain, got a power chair now. Can go where i wont to. Love the chair didn’t think i would ever go in one but its all good and don’t care one bit.
Got diagnosed 5 years ago im on
Gabapentinn 300mg 4x a day
Tegretol 200mg 2x a day
Amitriptyline 60mg At night Helps me sleep
Ask to see the pain management they will help and advise what you can go up to.
Good luck with the pain
Steve
[quote=MS23083M]
Hi Utterchaos,
You have symptoms just like mine, its nice to hear other people with the same pain, and we are not fine like we look, sick of people saying you look fine, if only they new. Mine has also moved to my feet so cant walk very far jue to the pain, got a power chair now. Can go where i wont to. Love the chair didn’t think i would ever go in one but its all good and don’t care one bit.
Got diagnosed 5 years ago im on
Gabapentinn 300mg 4x a day
Tegretol 200mg 2x a day
Amitriptyline 60mg At night Helps me sleep
Ask to see the pain management they will help and advise what you can go up to.
Good luck with the pain
Steve
Anyone else with the same ?
Hi,
I was on Gabapentine 300mg 3 x a day but these made me worse and i am now on something called Pregabalin… I am increasing the dose slowley as i made a mistake when first taking Gabapentin( Rizzo knows what im talking about LOL ) what i would say is take your time and your Dr should keep in constant touch if you have a good one to see how your doing and if your meds need increased things dont always work straight away i am still getting a lot of spasms in my arms and legs but trying to keep going these appear to get worse when i sit down and relax especially at night
Hope things start to get better for you soon
Mandy x
Hi I was on 300mg three times a day but was still having numbness in both feet and terrible pain in my right hand and arm, also had pain in groin on the right hand side. I saw my GP and he said to up my dose to 900g three times a day it is now a lot better much more bearable,I have also heard from someone who said it made him very tired,which for me is ok because it helps me go to sleep at night. Hope you get sorted soon. John.
Hi thanks for replies! My dose goes up again on Friday. I met my M.S nurse yesterday and he’s going to talk to my neurologist about the fact I’ve had no relief from the gabapentin and also about the relapse I’ve been having. From what I was told yesterday by my nurse it appears my neurologist is convinced of an m.s diagnosis but she wants the m.s specialist to see me first before I’m given the label. The visual evoked potentials are to add weight to the diagnosis. I guess my dose is low because I’ve not had the full diagnosis. The side effects seem to be improving now. I don’t feel quite as tired and the headaches have lessened. I’ve also got an eye test booked for Friday to check my eyes as requested by the neurologist. An eye test was way overdue and I’ve had black floating dots in my eyes for a while so it’ll be great to have those checked out too. I’m not entirely sure whether my eyes are affected yet. I had brief blurriness last year which resolved but I’m not sure if it’s just glasses I need now.
Another query - I received my letter from my neurologist appointment and on the letter addressed to the m.s specialist it said the working diagnosis remains as demyelination due to multiple sclerosis. Does that mean I’m labelled with a diagnosis of M.S unless they think of something else. I was told everything else has been ruled out by my m.s nurse (which includes scarier diseases thankfully.)
“Working diagnosis” basically means the current best (highly educated!) guess. Neuros come up with a working diagnosis and differential diagnosis (what it might be if the working diagnosis doesn’t pan out) when they first meet you and do the clinical exam. They send you for whatever tests are appropriate to test the validity of that working diagnosis and then revise it as more evidence accumulates. Your neuro is basically saying, “I think this patient has MS, but I don’t have the evidence to confirm it yet.” That’s my take anyway 
Kx