Downhill: Hi guys. Some advice please... - Fibromyalgia Acti...

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HanLea profile image
17 Replies

Hi guys. Some advice please, my meds have been changed due to me struggling with pain and I wondered if anyone had any exprerience or advice on them? I have been put on Gabapentin 300mg caps and I can have max 2 a day in three days, Citalopram two times a day, Amitriptyline 10mg before bed and then cocodamol on top. I work at Sky and I just wondered about these meds with me driving too and from work and will they make me drousy in work. Any help would be great xx

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HanLea profile image
HanLea
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17 Replies
Janet28 profile image
Janet28

Hi HanLea I'm sorry you have been struggling with pain and hope the new medication helps relieve it. I will say that a lot of drugs that are prescribed for fibromyalgia symptoms are very similar and a lot of people take Amitriptyline, I've taken them for years. i take Pregablin, which is often called gabapentins sister drug. You will have to give them time and if you are driving,

I would advice you to take Amitriptyline early evening, so it has time for the effects to wear off, I take mine at around 8pm I still don't go to sleep till quite late because it helps relax your muscles, which helps with the pain. 10mg is a very low dose and is quite often increased when you get used to it & get on with it. It is normally a concoction of medication that help improve symptoms. I suffer with PMR aswell as fibromyalgia. You will know if you are ok to drive, it is not normally a problem once you have got used to them my friend.

I would advise you to not take codeine before driving, in fact all the meds you have been prescribed are likely to make you feel very drowsy.

Hope this helps.

Luv Jan xx

Greenpeace profile image
Greenpeace in reply to Janet28

Hi there HanLea ,

I read your post with interest as most of us on this Forum take strong Prescription Medications. As Janet28 rightly points out, that once we have been taking them for a while, our bodies get more used to them and a lot of the side-effects wear off.

Here is a link to the Government site that gives the rules about driving with Illegal, or Prescription drugs, hope this helps.

gov.uk/drug-driving-law

Take care.

GP. 😊😊

BlueMermaid3 profile image
BlueMermaid3

Hi there

I would recommend that you take the Amitryptyline at 6pm. That way you don't end up having that hung over feeling the next day.

I am not a medical professional, but I was just wondering if you definitely should be taking the Citalopram twice per day? It usually is only taken once per day.

It may be worth checking with your local Pharmacist about it.

Gabapentin is very strong and makes lots of people feel extremely drowsy to start with. This feeling will wear off but it can be a problem initially.

As Greenpeace has said, I would look into what the DVLA say about driving when taking prescription medications.

Perhaps try spacing the Cocodamol out so that you have a couple of hours between that and the other meds.

I hope some of this helps and you start feeling better in yourself soon.

Lu xx

I Hi there Hanlea Iwonderd when you would pop up again This is my advice but I'm not a Docter The Gabapenitin are two strong you should get 100 mg and 50 mg capsuials then you can cut down your dosage when you want Citlatropam are for sleep so should at night or ask your Docter Loranzipam there are addictive but work I sear by them Amitryptyne or for nerve pain and depression so don't get that as the . Gabapentin are for that too cocodimal are and over the counter drug they no good you need codrydamol 500 mg you can take them any time with no side affects Right my darling He is the list I think you should be takeing but I'm not a Docter 1 Pregabalin 100 mg and 50 mg 2 Codrydamol 500 mg and Loranzipam take three at night Antriptylyn get rid Plus you need Fenbid cream gel to rub in you pain 100 mg ask fo tee tubes By the way s Gaberpentin is the cheap vrsern of Lycra Send me a PM and I can help you more xx

HanLea profile image
HanLea in reply to

Would you recommend not taking the cocodamol being on the gapapentin xx

BlueMermaid3 profile image
BlueMermaid3 in reply to HanLea

Hi there

Do you mind me asking about the Citalopram?

I have taken this myself in the past, but only ever took it once per day.

Lu xx

HanLea profile image
HanLea in reply to BlueMermaid3

It says 'One to be taken each day for a week then two tablets once a day' 10mg xx

BlueMermaid3 profile image
BlueMermaid3 in reply to HanLea

I am sorry, I just wasn't sure if you had seen my question.

Many apologies.

Lu xx

loopy-liddy profile image
loopy-liddy in reply to BlueMermaid3

Hi I have and do take Citalopram, it is usual to take it in the morning and only once a day. I think it means to increase your dose to 20mg after the first week by taking 2 tablets together in the morning. x x

in reply to HanLea

Well I take Codrydamol which I believe are better than cocodamol What I do is take codrydamol during the day to help with pain and take Pregabalin at night and codrydamol too I siad to you I take Loranzipam and one person siad they are banned there not ! but may be you would be better off you ask for another sleeping pill from your Docter , having suffered from Fibromygia for a long time I can tell what members on the foriam have actually got the condistion and you I would say most defantly have So your suffering arnt you I feel for you being so young Why don't you try some Fenbid 40 cream 10% it takes away pain for around four hours so you can get to sleep Try massaging your painfull areas with Aveeno cream If you get to hot tub do that it's marvellous There are loads of things I can tell how I combat my Fibromygia including foods that help and are benifisial to you PM means I can give you List of all what I do I can't soon this area as people will pick holes in what I say I love them all but I don't always agree with them all xxx

in reply to

I agree with you apart from the Lorazepam...I don't know where you are but its banned in the UK for the very reason of the addiction and it's such a short acting drug that ppl start to need more and more of it

in reply to

Sorry Loranzipam it's not banned But I do agree it's addictive I siad Im nota Docter

TheAuthor profile image
TheAuthor

Hi HanLea

I personally think as with all medications that we all react differently to them. I would check out the very useful link that Greenpeace has given you. I do not take Gabapentin myself nor Amitriptyline as I have had issue with them. I take their sister drugs Pregabalin and Nortriptyline which I perosnally find better for me. I want to sincerely wish you all the best of luck and please take care of yourself my friend.

All my hopes and dreams for you

Ken

in reply to TheAuthor

Yea me too

jackie4ball profile image
jackie4ball

Once your body gets used to these meds they probably won't make you tired. You are on a low dose of Amytryptiline so that should be fine but as others say take it early as they take a while to kick in I used to be on 250mg a night and one minute awake the next completely gone. Gabapentin can initially make you freely but again once you are used to it it does have a tendency to make you gain weight. Citalopram is an anti depressant so should help you relax and with the sleep and the co codamol is for pain. If you find these help then it's worth giving them a go anything to be without pain. If you find you are still in pain I would go back to the Drs and see if there is anything else different you can try as what works for one doesn't work for all. Good luck and I hope you manage to get your pain under control. X

Reading your comments it just goes to show that we all act differently to medications, and what maybe right for one person may not be for another. It's all trial and error I'm afraid

in reply to

Yea I agree for those been diegnosed with Fibromygia

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