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Can Topamax Be Taken In Place Of Gabapentin?
Question: i have diabetes and peripheral neuropathy . i was taking 1200 units of gabapentan to help reduce the pain but lately it just seems to have stopped working. A Pain Control Nurse practitioner that i see recommended switching to topamax. as we lowered the gabapentan and increased the topamax the pain levels increased. the jump from 100 units of topamax 2 times a day to 200 unit of topamax 2 times a day took away some of the pain. the nurse who recommended the topamax said never to go over 200 units 2 times a day. My primary nurse practitioner has never used topamax and is using the other nurse as the expert. I cant go on as it stands. i am in near constant pain unless i take my oxycodone often. I am nearly always cold, my mouth is often dry and i XXXXXXX starting to see spots out of the corners of my eyes. so would increasing the topamax help or is there another drug that would work? XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
several possibilities.
Detailed Answer:
Neuropathic pain spawned an entire industry because it is severe pain that either requires large, unsafe doses of narcotics or reasonable doses of quite safe nerve pills. Diabetic neuropathy, however, has a far less successful track record than other forms of neuropathic pain (25% success for each drug as opposed to over 70% for treating shingles for example).
Anti-epileptics including gabapentin and pregabalin, lidocaine like drugs (lidocaine patch), nerve blockade, spinal stimulation through stress hormone pathways (amitryptalin and cymbalta), direct stimulation of the spinal nerves with TENS and spinal stimulators are most of the available methodologies.
several possibilities.
Detailed Answer:
Neuropathic pain spawned an entire industry because it is severe pain that either requires large, unsafe doses of narcotics or reasonable doses of quite safe nerve pills. Diabetic neuropathy, however, has a far less successful track record than other forms of neuropathic pain (25% success for each drug as opposed to over 70% for treating shingles for example).
Anti-epileptics including gabapentin and pregabalin, lidocaine like drugs (lidocaine patch), nerve blockade, spinal stimulation through stress hormone pathways (amitryptalin and cymbalta), direct stimulation of the spinal nerves with TENS and spinal stimulators are most of the available methodologies.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi Dr Wachsman, thank you for your response. You didnt mention Topamax, is that because you dont recommend it and may i ask why?
Brief Answer:
Its ok......
Detailed Answer:
it's a top rated drug for migraine and quite safe,
I just got into the habit of lyrics or gabapentin.
amitryptiline works in a different. way and can be used with it.
there isn't a strong reason for not using topamax,
Its ok......
Detailed Answer:
it's a top rated drug for migraine and quite safe,
I just got into the habit of lyrics or gabapentin.
amitryptiline works in a different. way and can be used with it.
there isn't a strong reason for not using topamax,
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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