Nortryptiline

[Ktchard]

Hey there guys i had bad side effects from gabapentin that was prescribed for pain iv also taken pregabalin in the past that also made me shaky and off balance so the gp i saw today wanted to try nortryptiline as iv also tried amitryptiline which made me like a zombie s iv noticed nortryptiline is used for neuropathic pain off label iv been started on 10mg a night & going up to 20mg after one week i also have to gradually stop the gabapentin i dont know how i will feel stopping the gabba or starting the nortryptiline any advice please would be great thanks ☺

[Mrs-Darling]

I got the shakes big time when I started Pregabalin but my GP gave me something to counteract them which worked very well but knocked me for six. I only had to take it for a couple of weeks though and after I finished taking them I no longer had the shakes. It's worth asking for something like that (can't remember name at moment but will have a dig around in my medicine box to see if I can find it) just for a couple of weeks if Pregabalin is something that works for you.

Edited to add it's Primidone which is prescribed for essential tremor. It worked really well for me.

[Sazntef]

I've recently been moved over to nortryptiline from Amitryptiline and at the 50 mg level. Waiting for the pain reduction to start but not having much effect so far. I'm definitely not a zombie in the morning, which was the doctors aim as you can be on higher levels without drowsiness and have the pain reduction into the day time too.

Hope it's helping x

Sarah

[Ktchard in reply to Sazntef]

Early days for me sazntef but im experiencing some nasty withdrawral symptoms from the gabba & thats with only dropping one dose at night even with the nortryptiline i bearly slept last night really not looking forward to dropping to 0 hope it gets better as the nortryptiline builds in my system thanks kind regards katie ☺

[Ktchard]

I do hope you too get some relief too sarah xx

[onamission]

I take 50mg of nortryptiline at night for nerve pain it is not licenced for this but works well. I have been taking them for about 5 years and was prescribed them by the Dr at the pain clinic

[Ktchard in reply to onamission]

Im glad they work for you, just hope i get some good results thanks xx

[Ktchard]

Do you find it difficult to get to sleep they are not as sedating as amitryptiline. Maybe its the gabapentin withdrawal making it difficult to sleep x

[onamission in reply to Ktchard]

I find when I'm due for a spine block I don't sleep so well but they don't knock you out I wish they did sometimes

[Ktchard]

Yes i could do with some kind of sleeping pill only when needed i think☺i have 2 facet joint injections in cervical spine in December have you ever had them & if so do they hurt?

[dougie1916 in reply to Ktchard]

hi ktchard i have had 4 and dint feel a thing i hope that it works for you cause it did not work for me

[lowlife]

As long as its done properly over time you shouldn't have any further side effects as one just slowly replaces the other. Give it a few weeks on your new one so that your body gets used to it and you may find that any side effects go. X

[lowlife]

As for the injections yes they do hurt but nothing that you can't cope with. My first two worked well for my back pain but leg pains were still there. It was nice to have relief but they only lasted a couple of months then i had to get used to the pain all over again when they wore off. Hope they work for you as a lot of people are long term pain free. Hope your one of them.

[earthwitch]

Nortryptilline is the same group of meds as amitryptylline, so it could make you feel the same initially. The groggy effects do wear off quite quickly though as you get used to it. Start at the lowest dose possible, and only increase when you feel you have got used to it and are tolerating it OK. Also take it at night a full 12 hours before you want to get up in the morning, to give time for the drowsy effects to wear off. You might also want to start it on a Friday night to give you the weekend to get used to it a bit. Most folk seem to get over the negative effects (of amitryptylline) within a couple of weeks.

[Ktchard]

Thanks all x

[Ariadne1925]

I came off this as I felt so tired on it, not as bad as amitriptiline though. I took a 10mg as a one off last night and have slept so much today. Not sure whether to give it another go and see if the effects wear off. It did help sleep but not so much pain, but I'm struggling with sleep due to high pain levels. Plus sleepiness was the only side effect which is great compared to other anti depressant drugs used for pain.

Gabapentin is tough to come off, I did it cold turkey and it's the worst withdrawal I've ever had. Supposedly it's similar to diazepam withdrawal so you could follow the same advice on tapering and supplements - I bought magnesium, for example.

[Ktchard]

Yes I do feel sleepy on nortrypyiline but better than the side effects from gabapentin. Il give them a few months to work if no relief Il come off xx