Neurotin quit working. What kind of meds do you use for neuro pain? Please help.

[maryonwheels46]

The pain is in my legs and started going to the to the top of my butt.The pins & needles are killing me. Sometimes, my feet feel painfully numb. I've been on neurotin for 10 years. I've tried Lyrica and stopped because I gained weight. I have even tried two 10mgs of loratabs and the pain still break through. I don't want that habit and I really don't like the way they make me feel.
I know this subject comes up all the time but I would like to ask, what kind of neuropathic meds do you all take? I've got to find something because it's hard to get out of bed and I don't make good company. What kind of life is that? You know you have to try this then that before you find one that works. Can anyone give me any idea's what yall use. Please.
Mary

[jaquie]

i started on topomax slowly at 50 mg for 2 weeks then 100 twice daily 2 weeks now 200 twice daily has taken it from a 9 to a 6 tried most of the others and nothing else even touches it everyone is different tho its the old trial and error thing i guss good luck

[David Berg]

Mary, just a few questions.
-Did you change anything, like to a different generic version, or start taking another med along with it?
-How much Neurontin are you taking?
-What are you taking besides Neurontin? Have you tried taking it along with a tricyclic antidepressant?

[roc21]

i have the burning/needles in my legs, feet,butt....sometimes arm...at times its pretty bad....but always there...its like a combo of having your bodypart fall asleep along with sunburn.... call me crazy, i take NOTHING!....never did...i just deal with it...rather have the pain than the long term affects of meds........

[Trinity]

I am on Lyrica, I had horrible side effects from neurontin. Lyrica for me has been a godsend.

[arndog]

Amitryptilline 25 mg at night and Lyrica 75 mg twice a day. My experience is like Trinity - Lyrica is a god send for me. I don't gain weight but I exercise like crazy and count calories and not eat bad fatty foods. I just can't see how the drug could make you gain weight if you were to exercise and count calories, but I am not certain. I have been up to Lyrica 150 mg 3 times a day and tolerated the side effects.
Let's hope that Pfizer continues to make this wonderful drug.

[maryonwheels46]

David, I have to get Gabapin instead of Neurotin. For several years I was weaning off Neurotin and I have got down to 400mg 4 times a day but I went back up to 800mgs and it didn't change anything. I think I have got use to it.
I haven't tried a tricylic drug with it. I have tried Flexeral.
I am at my wit's end because the pins and needles are everyday. I don't have a sci Dr that why I was asking for suggestions. Oh, I take Baclofen, Effexor, Loratab as needed and Valium at night to calm down the nerves and it was working but nothing helps now. I don't want to get on those Loritabs to often and the pain breaks through them anyway.
Mary

[David Berg]

David, I have to get Gabapin instead of Neurotin. For several years I was weaning off Neurotin and I have got down to 400mg 4 times a day but I went back up to 800mgs and it didn't change anything. I think I have got use to it.
I haven't tried a tricylic drug with it. I have tried Flexeral.

It might be worth considering taking an antidepressant such as a little Elavil with the Neurontin, that's a common combination for neuro pain. It doesn't hurt that the Elavil is cheap.

FWIW, I do know of a number of people who take higher doses of Neurontin (sometimes significantly so) when used for neuro pain, but that's a very individual thing and should only be tried with the full involvement of your doctor. Neurontin is a very serious drug and that sort of thing needs to be done with care.

[alan]

Pamelor (nortiptyline) reportedly has fewer side effects than elavil, and is also a tricyclic antidepressant.

[maryonwheels46]

I'm already taking Effexor so I wonder what a tricylic med would if I mixed it?
Mary

[dunwawry]

Mary,
I work as a nurse in community psych with those who serious and persistent mental illness. It is not unusual for our docs to prescribe antidepressants from two different classes. Plus your dose of the tricyclic would most likely be quite low, not in the therapeutic range for treating depression. For example arndog said he takes 25 mg. elavil. A typical initial dose to treat depression would be 75-100 mg., with increases as needed, up to a max of maybe 300 mg./day. My understanding is that for chronic pain the dose doesn't typically exceed 50 mg, but I could be wrong on that.

If your neurontin has stopped working, another option is to increase the dose. Doses of up to 6000 mg/day have been used, according to one doctor that I saw. I have taken 4800 mg/day myself at one time. I am unsure why you are taking it four times per day. It was designed to be prescribed three times daily, every 8 hours. But if it works better that way for you, there is certainly no harm, just seems like an inconvenience if not necessary, that's all. I am assuming your pharmacy didn't change the brand of generic they were giving you about the same time it stopped working???

But I am like Jacquie. Neurontin didn't help me. I have never tried Lyrica, so I can't comment on it. I use Topamax with really good luck, and it does cause weight loss which makes for a popular side effect (but of course, I would be the one who doesn't need that effect). But it can also have significant cognitive side effects too, hence its nickname of "dopamax". How people are affected is always individual. I am one who rarely has side effects from anything I take, went to 3600 mg neurontin in two days and was fine, although I do not suggest others do this, in hindsight, it was one of the dumber things I did. I found topamax to be one of the rare exceptions (for me). Do heed your doctor's advice about titrating up slowly. Another dumb idea, this time not so lucky. You can find my story about that on another thread. Us nurses don't take our own advice. My foot is still healing from where I dropped boiling water on it 2 months ago, and should have gotten medical attention (but it was a Sunday, and I really, really hate ER's.......... and going to the doctor, for that matter). Oh well, it's almost all better now.......

[maryonwheels46]

Yes, I wonder about Topamax. I like the thought of loosing weight but I forgot what it is for pain or antidepressant. duuhhh I upped my Neurotin.
OUCH, I still hurt
Mary

[NEWPARA]

Ive been injured going on 3 years the nerve pain didnt get bad until about 1 1/2 years after being injured.I would cosider my nerve pain severe.I am on my 4th pain doctor and its amazing they all do not understand nerve pain.
Ive tried neurontin,baclofen,flexeral,lyrica9150mg)hydrocodo ne,fentanal patch 100mg,and currentlyl lamotrigine 25mg2 pills 3 times a day.
None of these work at all.I keep hearing that people here say I just live with it. I seriously doubt these people that say they live with it have severe nerve pain. Good luck in finding help sorry I cant help.

[fishin'guy]

Well, Ive had Lupus for 30 yrs and the nerve pain just got to me. The neurontin was doing the job up to a point, like 4 yrs on it. Amatrip. gave me black hairy tongue, so it was to the Lyrica. It was great for about 4 yrs, but alas, it was causing swollen feet somthin terrible. I quit the lyrica and swelling, and weight is going down. So consider the weight gain,vs the pain .I don't need the pain meds so I'm ok cept for back fusion problems. Good luck to you.

[maryonwheels46]

yes, I tried Lyrica and I didn't see any difference except I really gained weight. I wake up in pain ( pins and needles or numbness) every morning and it is hard to get up and start my day.
Mary