Gabapentin and Amitriptyline

Primary progressive MS
1

Hi Guys Can anyone tell me what dosage you think I might benefit from, at the moment the doctor has given me 20mg of Amitriptyline and 200mg of Gabapentin at night, but I am still in a lot of pain, can’t keep my legs still they are also always freezing even under the covers, and I have to keep turning over every 30mins at night as my legs hurt so much,can anyone help. Deborah

2

Hi Deborah, it really varies person to person hon. You just have to try juggling it till you get a dosage that suits you.

Be careful though. These are strong drugs. Check on the user info what the upper dose is… and check with your GP if you are going much higher than you are now.

I’m on 35 mg of Amitriptyline (10 mg in morning & 25 mg in evening). That’s quite a low dose and just about keeps my pain under control… but people are on much higher doses.

I was on Gabapentin but can’t now remember dose (btw some people think Gabapentin’s ‘sister’ drug… Pregabalin, is better).

Both of your doses sound pretty low and if I were you I’d go up a bit on one of them and see if it helps. You could safely double your Amitriptyline dose to 40 mg a day and see if it helps… but maybe have a word with GP or MS nurse first.

Hope that helps,

Pat x

3

Hi Deborah, That is very low for Gabapentin. I was on it for a while and was on 300 mg x 3 per day. You can safely go up to 3600 mg per day but only under the direction of your GP in safe, slow increments. Hth, Teresa xx

4

Thanks Guys for your advice, I will call and speak to my Doctor on Monday. Deborah

5

I’m at moment on 75mg amitriptaline at night I don’t know if that’s high or not

6

Hi

I was taking 2900mg of gabapenting and 30mg of baclofen.

I started off feeling ok, but kept getting upped but felt out of it and sleeping all the time! Plus pain was just as bad with it as without. So stopped, felt so much better felt me again. Tried a few other things for the pain but nothing seems to work, or the drugs just were not for me.

Tried acupuncture but no change:-(

So I’m not going to bother for now I live with pain with or without drugs so for now going to carry down the no drugs route seems to be right for me. Although I no that’s not the same for everyone.

7

Hi Deborah Had neuro last week and discussed this problem,I’m on 30mg amitriptyline at night and have same problems and he told me to try and up dosage by 10mg for 6wk and 10mg again for 6wk,if still have problems may try gabapentin but everyone different and try to discuss with neuro or nurse if possible Be well Steve