Anyone currently on gabapentin…

[Painfullydone]

my pain management consultant has suggested pairing gabapentin with either amitriptyline or duloxetine to get the best out of both pain killers. They have synergistic qualities when together.. is anyone currently on a these or have any experience with it? Looking for any advice or feedback please? 💖😚

[Festival66]

As part of my cocktail of medication I am on Gabapentin and was originally paired with amitriptyline but am now on duloxetine. Firstly, even on a small dose for pain management rather than depression, I found that amitriptyline over a period of time even more debilitating, which was not ideal after just losing a leg. Had no such side effects after swapping to duloxetine. With regards to how effective they are all I can say is I personally didn’t think they were bringing much to the table and due to the amount of medication I was on ask to start weaning myself of them. I was wrong. They must have been doing something because as soon as I started to reduce the levels I was on the pain started to increase and now if I have a bad fall and land on my stump the first drug that is increased is the gabapentin to help cope with the increased nerve pain. I wouldn’t say the benefits and effects are wow I can really notice the difference, but over time they help and if you then took them away you would notice the difference. Hope that’s helps a little and you get some comfort from your pain soon x

[Painfullydone in reply to Festival66]

Thank you so much for your feedback! I’m sorry to hear about your falls and struggles! I hope you’re doing well now 😊 definitely isn’t easy to figure out which meds are helping when you take such a combination! 🙈 I’ve often thought the same and wanted to stop using them but like you said that’s when you notice the difference without them! I have heard people say amitriptyline wasn’t a good match for them. Did it make you sleep much? I’m glad you’ve swapped and found better relief from the duloxetine! Xx

[Festival66 in reply to Painfullydone]

What I found with amitriptyline was that the longer I was on it the less functionality I had during the night. It was like being paralysed, nothing worked and because no-one told me it was a drug whose benefits developed over time I continued to take the medication at the same time I was given it in hospital, which was about 11pm. A few months down the line I found that I couldn’t come round in the morning. I was slurring, could open my eyes, couldn’t move my leg, which was quite scary. I don’t think it made me sleep more but I think it made me sleep more soundly.I have to say it took months for them to get a medicinal cocktail that worked to a point where I could function, still in pain but at a level I could cope with, as when I has my amputation I had two young children of 4 & 6 and I already felt like I had missed out and didn’t want to miss any more. My children and family have been my reason to fight, even when it all just seems too hard and too much.

Hope you are getting your medication sorted and your pain a bit more under control. Take care 😀

[Trenholm]

I have peripheral neuropathy and am only prescribed amitriptyline. It doesn’t stop the pain but knocks me out so I can sleep.

[Painfullydone in reply to Trenholm]

Thank you for replying! I hope you find better pain relief in the future 🙏🏼 xx

[flamenca1]

I am on Pregablin (sister to Gabapentin), I am on highest dose 600 a day and 1 Amytriptylene at night. I want to try and lower the Gabapentin but it is not easy. At the moment if I drink any alcohol I feel ill the next day. A case of your damned if you do and damned if you don't.

They both seem to work well together.

[Painfullydone in reply to flamenca1]

Thank you for the info! I’ve considered switching to pregab after taking gabapentin for so long and building up a tolerance! Have you always took the amitriptyline or was that added at a later point? I’m just wondering how effective you find the amitriptyline. Thanks lovely xx

[Defenders]

Hi, I have written very recently about Gabapentin and me. I don’t take Amitriptyline, the Neurologist stopped it, but I have been on Gabapentin for 2 years. This medication should be titrated up (start at 100mg and increase slowly). Your doctor should explain this when prescribing. I suddenly had life changing pain in my legs, with electric shocks which meant I just couldn’t function! This was caused by the severe degeneration of my lumbar spine. I don’t have that pain now on Gabapentin but it doesn’t help the peripheral neuropathy in my lower legs secondary to a Quinolone antibiotic, namely Ciprofloxacin!! Hope this helps.

[Painfullydone in reply to Defenders]

Hi thank you for taking the time to reply!! 🥰 I’m glad the gabapentin has helped you! Can I ask why you stopped taking amitriptyline? Also do you feel different now it’s been took away? I’m sorry you had such an awful experience with pain in your legs! I hope it’s more under control now! Take care xx

[Defenders in reply to Painfullydone]

Hi, I was taken off Amitriptyline straight away by my Neurologist (first appt), because she said, of it’s definite link to Alzheimer’s disease. She said, no such link to Gabapentin. Other Consultants may feel differently. You take care too. xx

[Painfullydone in reply to Defenders]

Ah okay I see! Well thank you for the message lovely, hope you’re well 😇 xx

[SLDunse]

I'm on that cocktail Gabapentin Duloxetine and are supplied with Amitriptyline if needed. Prefer not to take Amitriptyline too often makes me feel out of control, woolly and thirsty. Restrict them to weekend if I had a bad day. Get some rest. Do get better results with first 2 together. But I am on a lot more other (14) day (17) night.

[Painfullydone in reply to SLDunse]

Thank you for the message I really appreciate it! 👏🏼 do you mind if I ask what you suffer with? It’s great to hear the gabapentin/duloxtine combo works for you! Have you always been on the 2 together or did you start one then the other at a later time? Hope you’re well! Take care ✨ xx

[bookish]

Hi, I was on both Gabapentin and Amitriptyline for several years, along with Tramadol and either Venlafaxine or Citalopram. About 15 years total. I could never tolerate more than a tiny dose of Amitriptyline due to side effects and found years later than epi/genetically some have issues with the pathways used to metabolise some drugs (so they can have a disproportionate effect even at small dose with lots of side effects or no effect unless you take more) and I'm one of them. I did find it helped a little with pain and sleep. I came off everything over a period of several months 7 years ago (my choice) and having resolved some food intolerances and got vitamin and mineral levels better my pain is not what it was. Magnesium is supposed to work on the same receptors in the brain as Gabapentin and personally I have found magnesium supplements (on the skin) hugely helpful (including with pain and sleep). Some say that both Amit, and Gab. can deplete B12 and folate levels, as many drugs can (allegedly), and it turned out that I was very much in need of both, so my underlying problem was possibly being made worse while I was managing the symptoms. Neurologically things have certainly changed over that 20+ years, with some better and some worse. As with all things, what you take depends on what you personally are having to deal with and whether there is anything else you can do to help alongside. My best wishes to you.

[Emma2017]

I am on pregabalin and dihydrocodeine. Was on gabapentin before but had to switch to pregabalin due to side efffects with my eyes of gabapentin. I am currently lowering the dose of pregabalin, was on the highest dose and even 50mg extra. Problem is the body gets used to it and I felt it affected me plus I put on weight. I use it for referred pain. They tried me on amitriptyline first but the side effects were too bothersome. I read though if you can tolerate it then combined with a low dose of pregabalin or gabapentin it has the same effect on pain as a high dose of pregabalin but it might be better for the body. I am determined to get of pregabalin completely though. It has helped me but I don’t want to take it forever.

[Jenles in reply to Emma2017]

What side effects did you have with your eyes? I have some eye problems and have been taking Gabapentin in large doses for years (as well s a cocktail of other drugs) nd you’ve made me wonder…

[Emma2017 in reply to Jenles]

I all of a sudden could not see as well. Things became blurry and I could not focus well. I was always very good long distance but could not read or see long distance. I knew it had to be gabapentin so mentioned it. He took me straight off and switched me instantly to pregabalin and it got better.

[greekqueen]

Hi, I have been on a 25mg dose of amitriptilyne and a 1200mg daily dose of gabapentin and a 240mg dose of co-codamol for over ten years. No side effects, never reduced them and they work really well together, if I was religious Gabapentin would be my god 😍😄😂

[JennSp]

Yes I'm on Gabapentin and Dulix and Amy my cocktail of drugs for neuropathic pain

[mascotty02]

Hey Painfullydone, sorry for your pain, I had sciatica in my left hip, had all the tablets you are on and it didn't work the GP said he didn't want me to have anything stronger as they can become addictive, I told him I didn't care about that at this stage, I needed the pain to go away, I was at the point of doing myself in, seriously it was that bad, I have been through liver failure, throat cancer and testicular cancer and of all the pain the sciatica was the worse even after chemotherapy, in the end he gave me Co-dydramol 10mg/500mg tablets, although I have to order them when I need them, they have worked brilliantly and I got rid of the other drugs, hope this helps a little and hope you can control the pain, all the best Take care

Mark

[Poohbear_1]

They can be good for nerve pain wouldn't recommend driving on high doses.And they are highly addictive like pregablin they used to put me in a dissociative state but they effect people in different ways but all people will withdraw without them after taking them a while.

[JasonP]

I’ve read the other relies and I am no expert compared to everyone else posting here. The only thing I wanted to say was that I was prescribed amitriptyline to help with carpal tunnel pain. Before I could tell if it made any difference, it gave me a really thumping heart and high blood pressure, and I was told to stop taking it. Probably not a lot of help but something to keep in mind.

[Darob311]

I tried gabapentin then pregabalin both were making me fatigued to the point that I would sleep all day. They were also paired with amitriptyline. My neuro swapped me to duloxetine 80mg nortriptyline 100mg and baclofen 60mg. The baclofen is a gaba-beta agonist, whereas gabapentin and pregabalin are both alpha (not sure if this makes a difference? ). I don't sleep the day away and can walk easier, my hips feel significantly better on it. If I ever miss a dose, mobilisation is very noticeably like wading through concrete.To be honest though, even with this cocktail of 'tine's and' line's, because of the profound pain I experience without ever any remittance I asked my gp to refer me to sapphire medical. I now have 20mg thc oil and 50mg full spectrum cbd oil, and floss 17% (sativa flowers 'red spectrum') to vapourise. I can tell you, these additions annihilate pain and make the traditional meds seem to work better. I am able to do so much more now. It is a private clinic and costly for prescription and is assessed by a panel of doctors. It took many years to get to what worked for me, persist, don't give up. You know your pain, don't be fobbed off or it talked down by the specialists. Good luck.

[momander]

Hi,I have been on a combination of co codamol and gabapentin now for a good few years.I had a heart attck in may of this year and can no longer take naproxin. As my back pain was worsening, my gp put me on pre gabalin. Oh my goodness me!!! I have never been so ill in my life!!! I have not tried amitriptyline or duloxatine yet as it took so long to wean myself off the gapapentin to take the pre gab, then wean back off the pre gab to go back on the gabapentin again!!! Im still looking for a stronger pain killer with fewer horrible side effects. I hope you get some peace from your pain soon