Hiya
Does anyone know if there are any interactions between Milk or Magnesia and Gabapentin if taken together? I know that it is advised to take indigestion remedies 2 hours before or after taking Gabapentin but am wondering if the same rule applies of Milk of Magnesia.
Thanks for your help.
Shazzie xx
I am not sure on this Shazzie, but I think that the problem is not one of interaction. I guess that it is the effect of the Milk of Mag on the stomach acid. If there is no acid, then the capsule will not disolve. All that the BNF says is that an antacid will affect the absorbtion of Gabapentin.
I went off Rennies and changed to Gaviscon tablets (much different composition) and have no apparent problems when leaving only an hour between them.
Geoff
Thanks Geoff. I will do that then.
I think it’s the magnesium that is the issue, so as it’s milk of magnesia I think we can guess what’s in it!
Like Geoff, I think it’s an absorbtion problem. These antacids are supposed to “line your stomach”, aren’t they, so not so good if you’re meant to be absorbing a drug that way.
I forgot to ask about magnesium supplements, as I assume the same constraints would apply, but it’s academic now (for me) as I’ve decided to stop stupid Gabapentin. Never’s a long time, but I won’t be trying again for some time. Tried twice now - first time was admittedly a stupidly low dose. But I’ve not been at all convinced of the benefits of the higher dose either. To me, if you’ve got to really scratch your head and think about whether it’s doing anything, the short answer must be NO.
I don’t want to just keep doing successive “trials” of ever-higher doses, when I really haven’t had any indication it’s helping at all. If I could confidently say: “Yeah, it’s helping, but I think it needs a bit more tweaking”, I’d persevere, but I really think I’m trying to kid myself it’s helping.
The only thing it’s made a difference to is numbness/pins and needles in my fingers when I’m lying down, BUT I never took it for that, and in fact, didn’t much care about that symptom. Of course, now I’ve had a few weeks free of it, I’m noticing it more now it’s back, but I’m determined not to keep taking a drug for a symptom that didn’t originally bother me. If it helped with the painful feet (the original target) AND tackled the pins and needles, the latter would be a bonus, but it wasn’t my reason for taking it, so I don’t think it’s a good enough reason for staying on it, either. I need a symptom to be more than just a nuisance, before I want to take permanent medication for it. Pins and needles weren’t to me - especially as they hardly ever happen when I’m awake and up and about. It’s pretty much only when I’m asleep (does anyone understand how that works - sensory symptoms only when asleep? I’d have thought that when the neural pathways are damaged, they’re damaged always - what is it about going to sleep that makes it worse?)
Tina
xx