i have been prescribed 300mg gabapentin by my neuro. starting once a day then to increase to 3 times a day.
does anyone else take these?
tam x
Tam
I’ve been on Gabapentin for quite a while now. I started on a fairly low dose and have been slowly increasing (or titrating).
I’ve not had much trouble with side-effects, which is what I feared. In fact my experience has been fairly positive. They have reduced the frequency of the stabbing pains in my feet, and much relieve the spasticity in my leg. They don’t seem to have stopped the Hug, but I’ve been advised to increase the dose a little more and maybe they will.
Prior to Gabapentin I was on Amitriptyline, which didn’t agree with me at all.
Hope you find them OK,
Ben
I have been on Gabapentin for two weeks now. I started on 100 mg twice a day.
I am now up to 200 mg three times a day. My ms nurse is phoning me next week to see how i am doing. As she said she will tell me when and how to increase the dose. I haven’t noticed any difference with the level of pain yet.
I am also taking 70mg Amitriptyline at night as well.
Been debating whether to start Gabapentin for Neuropathic pain. On the top doses of Pregabalin and Baclofen now and take Tizanadine and Amitriptalyne as well.
I was on Amitriptaline but really struggled to wake up. Not good with a 22 month old.
I’m back on Nortriptyline as was prescribed Indometacin and Omeprazole but made headaches worse an left side of face went numb. Been waiting since November for nouro to decide what to go on.
If anyone has any idea of getting rid of headache then please let me know.
For me it did neither harm nor good.
My neuro put me on 100mg three times a day, which, unbeknown to me, was an abnormally low dose.
Unsurprisingly, it had no effect at all, and my GP said straight away it was too low, and had me gradually increase to 300 three times daily.
I persevered with this for a month, but still noticed no difference (good or bad). I didn’t want to be taking stuff for the sake of it, if I wasn’t feeling any benefit, so tapered back off again.
Tina
x
I thought Pregabalin and Gabapentin were effectively “either/or” drugs, with Pregabalin essentially being a newer and more expensive drug, which, however, works on very similar principles. So I can understand being recommended a switch from one to the other, in case you are more responsive to one, but can’t really see the value in taking two such similar drugs.
Has it been explained what the point would be of keeping you on both, instead of replacing the Pregabalin?
Tina
hi tam,
i was on gabapentin years ago, while it didn’t do a thing for me, i know that it helps a lot of other people. i would advise you to tell your neuro/gp if they aren’t helpful, once you’re up to the full dose, and have given them a few weeks test run (assuming that you’re not experiencing any problems, which you should let your doc know about). the problem with these meds is that each of us has to find what works for us as individuals. however there are a wide variety of options available so you’ll get there. just keep your medics informed, be that your neuro, gp or ms nurse. i found a combination of pain meds works for me, so i’m attacking it from all sides, the key to the success being pregabalin.
sorry if this sounds obvious, but, always increase or decrease any meds as advised by a doctor. i hope you find what works for you soon.
wendy x
Apparently not, MS Nurse suggested either Gabapentin or Duloxetine for the remainder of my Neuropathic pain. Discussed with GP and I will try to stay the course on what I’m taking now. If it gets worse/more frequent will add in Gabapentin.
I am on Gabapentin and Amitryptaline together, for around 6 months now.
4 bad relapses last year knocked me off my feet and the neuropathic pain coupled with frequent visible spasms, untreated were too much.
Gabapentin has really helped with the spasms, I started on 100mgs x 3 times a day and tried to put it up 100 mgs a week, that dazed me out, so I pushed it to a fortnight and it works without feeling too dopey. I currently take 400mgs x 3 times a day and there are/were some side effects. It increases your appetite, so be mindful in what you are eating or you can gain weight easily, there is a bit of hairloss in the beginning too.
Amitryptaline works flawlessly with Gabapentin to form a dream team for me, I take 20mg (2 tablets) around 7pm at night and get a fantastic sleep as a side effect, it marries in with Gabapentin for flawless pain relief. The downside is that if you don;t take it at least 12 hours before you want to wake up, you can wakeup hungover or find it hard to rouse yourself. It also makes me sleep like the dead, which I like as MS naturally makes me an insomniac.
Take it slow on the Gabapentin, that’s the best advice I have.
hi all sorry been a bit hectic here.
i am waiting for the results of a full mri i had last week and also waiting to go for an EMG because i keep forgetting things.
my daily pills are now gabapentin 800mg x 3
baclofen 10mg x 3
citalapram 40mg x 1
propranolol 10mg x 3
amitriptyline 100mg x 1
diazepam 2mg when required
co-codamol when required
I still havent had a diagnosis and they arent really saying anything at the moment but by my symptoms and the drugs i have been prescribed add up to ms i think. i would love to know your thoughts on this.
tam xx
I can only speak to Gabapentin. The recommended MAXIMUM dose is 3600mg per day.
I am on 900mg x 3 times daily, and my neuro wants me to scale this back to the point where the pain starts to come through.
This is to happen after he has written to my GP, and is then to be titrated down by 1 capsule per week.
The reason for this is that he thinks it may be responsible for some of my fatigue (saw the mention of fatigue on one Gabapentin product leaflet, and it disappeared from the next one).
Geoff