Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Support Group
Deep-vein thrombosis, also known as deep-venous thrombosis or DVT, is the formation of a blood clot ("thrombus") in a deep vein. It can be caused by something preventing blood from circulating or clotting normally. Join the support group if you are coping with DVT and find others who are going through the same challenges.
Hello all,
This is my first post here, suffered DVT in left left Dec 6 2011, after a double masectomy due to breast cancer and chemotherapy. I also developed nueropathy in legs and hands from the chemo drugs. My legs are in horrible pain from small fiber nueropathy and my left leg is crazy in pain from both clot and nueropathy! I was prescribed nuerontin and it really has not helped me at all, in fact I think I am allergic to it as I keep breaking out in a weird rash when I get hot, or in the sunlight.. also its made made me gain about 20 lbs!! I feel like Im in a bad dream! Anyone have these symptoms, rash,weight gain, no pain relief?
This is my first post here, suffered DVT in left left Dec 6 2011, after a double masectomy due to breast cancer and chemotherapy. I also developed nueropathy in legs and hands from the chemo drugs. My legs are in horrible pain from small fiber nueropathy and my left leg is crazy in pain from both clot and nueropathy! I was prescribed nuerontin and it really has not helped me at all, in fact I think I am allergic to it as I keep breaking out in a weird rash when I get hot, or in the sunlight.. also its made made me gain about 20 lbs!! I feel like Im in a bad dream! Anyone have these symptoms, rash,weight gain, no pain relief?
What I noticed was increased edema and pain in both legs. I took the neurontin in the late afternoon because it made me loopy although my dr. wanted me to take it throughout the day. After taking it the leg edema and pain would subside but the drug was what was causing it because the rest of the day was when I had the edema and pain. It was getting so bad I decided to get off it. I had done some research on it and discovered a long list of potential side effects including, edema as well as dvt. It can cause rash and it is a photosensitive drug so perhaps that's why you are getting the rash in the sunlight.
I think it can work for some people but I also know it has a long list of strange side effects.
I would talk to the dr. about the side effects and if you aren't getting relief from it perhaps it's time to find an alternative. Good luck!
It really does make people very spacy. In the clinic where I work, Gabapentin is the only drug that made me advise a client not to drive home, and many of our clients are on some serious meds.
Also note: Wiki says to go off gabapentin slowly, as you would with a benzodiazepene. I was unaware of that; talk to your doctor if you consider reducing dosage. Also, the tolerance curve is really steep.
If you can tolerate a narcotic and use it responsibly, I think they are better for pain. But some people can't, and many people disagree; I know my psychiatrist uses Gabapentin occasionally for severe pain.
As far as narcotics go, I think Norco 325/5 is most effective, and has a flat tolerance curve. I have never needed to increase the dose and never use it more than once a day. The one time I had dilaudid, the tolerance curve was brutally steep... I'd say it was only half as effective after three or four doses. Very strong narcotic, very dangerous.
You made a very good point about weaning off gabapentin gradually. I had horrible withdrawal effects trying to get off it. I called my neuro surgeon, who is my pain dr, asking for a lower dose pill so I could reduce my daily dose gradually. He refused and said, just stop taking it. I weaned myself off it with the 300 mg pills I had but it took about a month.