Been on ametriptoline and gabapentine 7 years. Once you are on ametriptoline it is for life. Gabapentine is a good drug if there is such a thing.
I suffer chronic migraine and extreme spinal stenosis; surgery 7/11.
Try the Gabapentin stay away from ametriptoline . It’s medical fly paper ; once you’re on that it’s for life . Many side affects and mental concerns from ametriptoline.
Gabapentine eases pain and is much less addictive.
Try biofreeze and ice.
sorry for you pain, know your not alone . If you can get out and see people, walk or hit the gym : these are great distractions .
if you can exersize: to my amazement my wife recommended kettle bell swings , they help.
good luck.
Don’t be afraid of decompression surgery on the back. Be sure you use a neurosurgeon not an Orthopod.
Minimally invasive techniques shorten recovery to 4-6 weeks.
Tony
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Whilst I appreciate your perspective for things it is important to remember that different medications affect people differently. Many people have good results with amitriptyline including myself. I have been on it for 18months and am just coming off it now. Using different medications now and didn’t see need to continue amitriptyline. Am reducing slowly and main symptom seems to be more tiredness than usual.
I have significant serious spinal issues and would be extremely wary using dumbbells for exercise. I have had physio from a specialist spinal physio and whilst we have worked on my core she definitely hasn’t suggest anything like weights.
One thing I have noticed different from UK to USA is health care in general. Here there is a significant hesitancy towards spinal surgery. I note you mention using neurology surgeon which I concur with but patients here don’t get a choice - unless they have private medical insurance. You are seen by team that gp refers you to and then only after some time having difficulties. In my case I needed emergency surgery and that was after many, many months struggling and with a history of intermittent back issues. My surgeon was a neurosurgeon and I believe did his job well but sadly I continue to have significant issues which are likely to be for life now. 😞
It definitely sounds like you are doing as well as you can and I hope that continues for you.
I appreciate your comments on ametriptoline; it sounds like you are using other drugs to ween off it. I refuse to do the drug dance neurologists have never been on these drugs and do not know about weening off any drug. There has never been a study for weening off drugs . Drug companies are not interested in you getting off their drugs. A British neurologist did his thesis on this subject and can be found on utube . Good luck on your taper I’m imagining you are trading a devil you know with one you don’t know. Drug companies out right lie about what there drugs do and ametriptoline is the best example .
Private research says it rewords your brain it doesn’t raise serotonin !
These companies need to be sued and perps jailed for the lives they ruin.
As far as U.K. medical system, I am very sorry you have no choice on you care providers or their qualification. That amazing to me . I guess I need to be more greatful for our Medicare system. Saw 7 othopods all wanted fusion and full lami. Both Neirosurgeons offered minimally invasive solutions no fusion. Studies do not support fusions as much, it’s controversial .
Less is more in spinal surgery for many reasons.
Good luck, let me know how that taper goes and what drugs you replace the ametriptoline with?
For anyone who read your “patients here don’t get a choice”. We do. We can choose which hospital we are referred to and we can ask for a particular surgeon. The downside of choosing a popular surgeon is that it might increase waiting times. Some GPs explain the choice. Some don’t. I have used 5 different hospital trusts over the nearly 13 years since I broke my neck. I asked for each one because I had reasons to believe they were the best for what I was doing. Leeds for the initial treatment and my first surgery. Mid Yorks for pain management. Sheffield for installation of a spinal cord stimulator and Liverpool for another aspect of pain management and the John Radcliffe in Oxford for a particular diagnostic test. Patients have the RIGHT to choose their hospital. GPs generally don’t tell you and automatically refer you locally. Just put your foot down.
Certainly,anyone suffering from Restless Legs Syndrome will want to stay well away from amitryptiline -- it is a hideous medication and has caused people to actually commit suicide through desperation.
Using kettle bells and weights for us oldies is just coming up as being advised-- but be very gentle and sensible!!!
I have now been on amitriptyline but low dose so far for my nerve pain. I can’t take gabapentin, pregabalin I have bad side effects. I have been on amitriptyline before and had no issues with it and no side effects or addiction.
I also have spinal stenosis and suffered with migraines. I also have a lot of other medical issues.
I had the daith piercing done 5 years ago and honestly it was a game changer. I went from having migraines for 3 weeks out of the month every month to now very few (I’d say one every few months if that).
I hope the gabapentin continues to work for you and eases at least some of your pain
Hi all, how long can you take gabapentin for and what dose do people take? I have been asked by my GP to wean off them but then i feel my pain again , so i have started taking them again. I have L4/5 bulging dehydrated discs and been told by the neuro surgeon recently that i also have arthritis in my facet joints and that he cannot do anything for me. Regards Paul
Interested in all the posts . I have spondylolisthesis and some stenosis. It affects my legs rather than back. Just taking cocodamol at the moment , just twice a day. I see a spinal physio and have exercises. Suddenly just a few weeks ago excruciating pain in left leg like sciatica. In fact almost unable to walk without a walker. Thinking of going back to GP to ask for medication specifically for nerve pain . I think they are the meds spoken of here. The exercises are not doing anything though she gave me an exercise for sciatica. So really are they the sort of meds maybe I could be prescribed.
an mri can tell you if you have severe spinal stenosis.
When you get leg or butt pain on standing or walking and it’s relieved o with sitting and bending forward you have spinal stenosis.
You spondelosis is slipped disk and if you have lower back pain that usually calls for a fusion.
It sounds like you only have the leg and ciatica pain! That’s kind of good news. You should first try pain management and pt. If they fail a hemilamenectomy is the best way to go. 4-6 weeks recovery minimally invasive approach.
July 11 I am having that procedure.
Only use a neurosurgeon! They will decompress the pressure on your spinal cord in 60 min. This may be a day procedure or possibly over night.
My surgeon said as soon as you drink, pee and walk I will be free to go the same day.
Have been on gabapentine for years for chronic migraine, it works well with sleepiness side affect.
Good luck and stay focused to do what needs to be done to preserve your health.
Hi, had an MRI . I have moderate spinal stenosis. As I think someone else said here in UK you have to be really bad to have any procedure. First it is physio and painkillers. That is why I think a change of meds is needed at the moment. Good luck with your procedure.
Sorry the U.K. is socialized medicine, makes me grateful for our expensive but free Medicare system. Too bad so many younger people can’t appreciate their freedoms and that they are not free.
Taking any medication for conditions has different effects on individuals. I have spinal stenosis and arthritis in my left knee, my right knee was replaced two years ago. Personally I try to take as little medication as possible and have had success with more holistic approaches like acupuncture and massage. Any operation is invasive and should not be considered an automatic solution. We do what we have to do to get through the day sometimes.
However, I would like to remind people of the community guideline 2 'Post from your own experience' ("For me, this worked..." rather than "You should do this...") and guideline 3 'This is a space for peer to peer and emotional support' The community does not replace the relationship or advice given by your healthcare professional.
Please do not give medical advice on this forum to help us keep it a safe community.
understood, in the future I will use the the terms in my unprofessional option, and check with your Drs before following my option/advice.
BYW many seem to need steering on what to do next! Just because their doc doesn’t give that advice doesn’t make it invaluable.
I had to see 7 othopods who all required a full lamenectomy and 3 level fusion or refused to touch me. 2 Neurosurgeon , one had to be convinced one suggested it straight away, to just do a Hemilamenectomy 4-6 weeks recovery as opposed to 6 mo to a year recovery with lami and fusion. Through my own research reading the studies I discovered I didn’t need a fusion or a full lami. I realize in the UK you don’t have this freedom to choose. I can’t always tell what country people are in. The small piece of knowledge can be enormous benefit to others.
Sorry to say at 78 with great medical experience and working in a hospital as a volunteer Dr are just smart people that may or may not have ethics and are largely in my substantial experience money motivated.
Don’t have time to prove my case with my own cardiovascular problem and more; rest assured most 9 out of 10 are money driven more procedures = more $.
8 out of the 9 Drs I saw wanted to do more than necessary; all at expense and extended misery for me the patient.
Maybe it’s enough for this forum to advise readers regularly that these are unqualified options to protect yourself. People want fresh ideas. Just read what they write. If you can live with qualifications I have agreed to do I will continue to try and offer help ; if not I feel bad for these folks in need that you are stifling ideas and demotivating input.
Or worse encouraging contributors to share elsewhere.
It is of course fine for you to share your own personal experience generally - what's worked well for you and what hasn't etc. It is comments like 'stay away from amitriptyline' that would count as giving medical advice and telling people what to do, which is against the community standards. We would only advise people on the forum to take specific medical advice from health care professionals that they are under the care of. We do still encourage discussion of personal experience. I do feel I have been fair with taking time to explain the guidelines rather than resulting to bans or post removals.
I have linked the community guidelines below. They have been put in place to keep the community safe. I respectfully ask you to follow them, as I would ask everyone else. Please familiarise yourself with the link below.
I agree with you Tony, the Gabapentin ?I use Pregabalin) has been one of the best painkillers that does help. As for Amitriptylene, I absolutely detest the stuff! Even one of the professors who deals with one of my health issues says that it is a cheap & crude drug! It's evil stuff for me! No way will I take it again!Best wishes
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