Burning mouth

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AndyS

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Guys

For the last few years I have had trouble with sore mouth and gums. At first it was picked up as low B12 and this seemed to sort it.

To cut a long story short..... The sore mouth and gums came back with a vengeance about 18 months ago and no Doctor or Dentist could help.

I saw Nurse Practitioner at surgery last Friday, she thinks its 'burning mouth syndrome' - apparently can be caused by the diabetes if blood sugar levels have been high for some time. She's prescribed Gabapentin, starting on a low dose 100mg gradually increasing to 600mg a day.

I was wondering if anyone else has come across this. From what I can gather this medication is used primarily to treat epilepsy but found that it can be helpful in helping with pain from damaged nerves which burning mouth syndrome is?

I found this on the http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100001829.html website,
What is it used for?
Nerve pain (neuropathic pain) in adults, for example due to diabetic neuropathy or following shingles (post-herpetic neuralgia).

Regards

Andy
 
Hi Andy, I hadn't heard about this before. I suppose it makes sense that neuropathy can manifest itself in many ways and affect people in many different ways. As I understand it, gabapentin is a fairly normal medicine to prescribe - hope it does the trick.
 
Hi andy, I've never heard of gabapentin being used for mouth pain but I guess neuropathy can manifest there too. I take 900mg a day for my feet at the moment 🙂
 
Hello Andy
You're right, Gabapentin is usually used for nerve pain of whatever type, which includes neuropathy. Don't see it much as an anti-epilpetic drug these days, there are better drugs for that availible i suppose. Generally the mjor advice is not to stop taking the capsules abruptly. If you're type one it might lead to false positive ketone results, if you do get one, mention the Gabapentin to your doctor.

Rachel
 
Hi

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated :D

Andy
 
hey andyS i have diabetic neuropathy and i have just been perscribed gabapentin too. i have been told to increase it gradually to three times a day. so far i have been taking it a week and dont really notice much difference but i will give it time.
as for your burning mouth i have not experienced that although i experience buring feet.
hope this helps xx
 
kittle one said:
hey andyS i have diabetic neuropathy and i have just been perscribed gabapentin too. i have been told to increase it gradually to three times a day. so far i have been taking it a week and dont really notice much difference but i will give it time.
as for your burning mouth i have not experienced that although i experience buring feet.
hope this helps xx
Click to expand...

Hi Kittle One

I stopped taking the gabapentin yesterday. I felt like someone had taken a baseball bat and hit my knees and elbows, the pain was indescribable. I checked the possible side effects and its listed as a common one.

You your having less problems with it

Andy x
 
RachelT said:
Hello Andy
You're right, Gabapentin is usually used for nerve pain of whatever type, which includes neuropathy. Don't see it much as an anti-epilpetic drug these days, there are better drugs for that availible i suppose. Generally the mjor advice is not to stop taking the capsules abruptly. If you're type one it might lead to false positive ketone results, if you do get one, mention the Gabapentin to your doctor.

Rachel
Click to expand...

Hi Rachel

I'm type 2. I was scratching my head for a minute trying to work out what a false positive ketone result was, I have heard of it a few times, not sure what it is though 🙂

Andy
 
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