Peripheral Neuropathy - Amitriptyline & Gabapentin & Pregablin tablets

luminated

I have Peripheral Neuropathy of the legs (amongst many other things:cool:) and for which I have been on Gabapentin for some time but find myself very intolerant and suffer considerable side effects.

Some weeks ago my GP said I could lower the dose, of the Gabapentin, if I also took Amitriptyline which was a disaster as one small Amitriptyline tablet knocked me out for several days and took a further 4/5 days to feel it was out of my system.

So now my GP is saying it may be worth switching from Gabapentin to Pregablin to see if the latter would have less side affects.

Iwondered if anyone had any advice for me or expereince of any of these tablets?

taliwillow

Hello,

I'm sorry but I don't have any experience of the tablets you are on but as these are tablets my Dr has just suggested that I take I would be interested in hearing about whether they have helped with your pain and what side effects you have experienced?
If you don't mind telling me of course.

Taliwillow

Starrystarrynight

I recently started taking Pregabalin, prescribed to try to help get chronic pain in my foot under control. I've tried Amitriptyline and Gabapentin without success and some side effects, but the side effects of the Pregabalin have been much more pronounced. I've found that all of these medications give me what I can only describe as restless legs, and the Pregabalin has been the strongest of the lot. Haven't slept much since I started taking them.
Sorry, not a very positive experience to share :-( I'm sure it won't be the same for everyone and I hope you find the right medication.

luminated

taliwillow wrote: »

Hello,

I'm sorry but I don't have any experience of the tablets you are on but as these are tablets my Dr has just suggested that I take I would be interested in hearing about whether they have helped with your pain and what side effects you have experienced?
If you don't mind telling me of course.

Taliwillow

I am so lucky as I don't really have pain as such with any of my health problems. The Gabapentin was for my legs as I found the worst symptom was my feet felt hot/cold and I couldn't tell which. Separately they would get very cold in the normal sense. The Gabapentin has helped significantly with that but not the underlying problems of leg/legs & foot/feet numbness tingling, loss of sensation and generally not really feeling at all normal.

I think the side effects are worsening my balance problems but which I already had suffered from for many years before, cognitive problems but again I have suffered from for several years & made my walking even more difficult.

luminated

Starrystarrynight wrote: »

I recently started taking Pregabalin, prescribed to try to help get chronic pain in my foot under control. I've tried Amitriptyline and Gabapentin without success and some side effects, but the side effects of the Pregabalin have been much more pronounced. I've found that all of these medications give me what I can only describe as restless legs, and the Pregabalin has been the strongest of the lot. Haven't slept much since I started taking them.
Sorry, not a very positive experience to share :-( I'm sure it won't be the same for everyone and I hope you find the right medication.

Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences. I have a history going back for a very long time of intolerance to many medications. I am really dumb as I did write them down, on each occassion, but over the years kept losing the list:o

Elle7

I'm on pregabalin - the worst effect is definately the cognitive problems it gives. I was on gabapentin before, and the problems are definately worse on pregabalin. My balance has also gone downhill, and it has made my temperature odd - I randomly start to shake and shiver, or burn up. I also get restless legs, and have started having to take other medications to cancel this out.

I also find it has affected my sleep badly - I am usually very resistant to tablets, Amitryptiline never helped me get to sleep, but this makes me completely exhausted for days at a time, or tired but unable to sleep.

I'm trying to come off these now, but I'm even having problems with that...I haven't found many people who don't suffer from the things I suffer from with these tablets, so I'm hoping there will be some other tablet without them. I hope you find something which suits you soon.

All the best,
E x

luminated

Elle7 wrote: »

I'm on pregabalin - the worst effect is definately the cognitive problems it gives. I was on gabapentin before, and the problems are definately worse on pregabalin. My balance has also gone downhill, and it has made my temperature odd - I randomly start to shake and shiver, or burn up. I also get restless legs, and have started having to take other medications to cancel this out.

I also find it has affected my sleep badly - I am usually very resistant to tablets, Amitryptiline never helped me get to sleep, but this makes me completely exhausted for days at a time, or tired but unable to sleep.

I'm trying to come off these now, but I'm even having problems with that...I haven't found many people who don't suffer from the things I suffer from with these tablets, so I'm hoping there will be some other tablet without them. I hope you find something which suits you soon.

All the best,
E x

Thanks Elle7 for sharing your experiences.

TrixieB

Hello

I have been prescribed both Amitryptiline and Gabapentin for nerve pain/muscle spasm in my leg in recent weeks. Amitryptiline didn't do a thing aside from keep me wide awake!
gabapentin - horrid stuff - took it for just 3 days and had such awful side effects and a 200% increase in my original pain and constant chronic muscle spasm in my leg that I almost took an OD just to be able to be pain free> also had the effect of feeling I was burning up but still feeling shivery as mentioned above which have only just realised could be that too.
Am now on Diazepam with no ill effects and while it only has a very mild sedative effect on me it's just enough to relax my muslce cramps and tip me over the edge into sleep. have you tried that?

luminated

TrixieB wrote: »

Hello

Am now on Diazepam with no ill effects and while it only has a very mild sedative effect on me it's just enough to relax my muslce cramps and tip me over the edge into sleep. have you tried that?

Thanks for your suggestion and I will raise it (tactfully) with my GP when I see him in the next day or two.

I just wish the beneficial effects of medicine/s were as quick to kick in as the side efects do.

TrixieB

gosh yes! I've just been reading up on your condition - wondering if I may have this too, GP says it's probably a slipped disc causing it but I can't recall doing anything to actually kick it off, plus other early symtpoms I've had for a few years at least - something to mention to him maybe and rule it out!
Whatever you end up on here's hoping that if there are side effects it's only minimal!

morledge142

i have been on gabapentin for a year and think it has been great to dumb down the pain.


i also have dosulepin to help sleep but have to take it early enough as it takes 2/3 hours to kick in and help me sleep.

i still have off days where cant get to a managele levlel but much hapier.

i take itfor fibromyalgia and works for that but still have pain in a couple of key areas such as wrists and back from a car crash.