Gabapentin and Pregabalin

[B534967]

Hello All,

I have posted about my problems with RLS and my adventure in finding a solution... so I have worked with my neurologist first increasing my dosage of Gabapentin to 1600 mg prior to bed, splitting the dosage to 600 at 8pm then the remaining 900 mg at 9:15. It worked but I wanted to work with Pregabalin as it appears to have a better results. Again working with the neurologist I tried 200 mg before bed and slept like a log -- however my spouse said though I was sleeping I was also flopping around like a fish out of water. I contacted the neurologist and he suggested maybe it was a dosing issue so I took 400 mg before bed and again slept like the living dead and again my spouse said I was again flopping around and in addition that morning I had what I can only describe as brain fog that lasted approx. 3 hours.

Now I am going to back to the Gabapentin trying : 600 mg at 7:30 or 8 mg then the 900 remainder at 9 or 9:30 hoping of course a full nights sleep and no flopping.

Just wanted to share with y'all

B534967

[Hidden]

Wishing you good luck

[B534967 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks! B534967

[dklohrey]

Appreciate your update. I weaned myself off of ropinirole (victim of augmentation) about four months ago and have been using gabapentin since. I was at 1200mg of gabapentin with little improvement in my sleep. I have now been weaning myself off of gabapentin and will be going on pregabalin in the next couple of days, at 150mg. I consider myself fortunate in that I was able to use ropinirole successfully for about 20 years.

[MATTIELUKE]

Thank you. Info was very helpful. I need to find a different doc to see if I can get better treatment I don't sleep much. I can tolerate the daytime symptoms, but night time is touch.

[B534967 in reply to MATTIELUKE]

I had been on Ropinirole and had to deal with the augmentation, getting off it was difficult and will not take it or anything like it again... best of luck to you, we all have different experiences soI truly hope you find something that will work out for you. B534967

[Aaanon]

Hi I am on 300mg of pregablin I take the whole dose about 2 hours b4 bed then I take my prozac 25mg as I get in bed.Every single medication you take other than pregablin will actually make your rls worse. Caffeine and alcohol will also trigger it and stress too. Cannabis and pregablin are the only 2 things that work. Downsides to pregablin are many...it has it's own hate page on facebook which clues you in.

[B534967 in reply to Aaanon]

Thanks for your input, I appreciate it - B534967

[B534967 in reply to Aaanon]

I have found relief, last evening I took 800 mg Gabapentin at 8:15 then 1100 mg at 9:30 and slept the entire evening (9 hours) without the spasms, kicking or thrashing of rls - wonderful.B534967

[Kayakcarole]

I have just started Gabapentin after my televisit with Dr Buchfuhrer. He started me on 300 mg. I am 5’1” and 120 pounds. The first night I slept like a log, no movement at all. But I did have a morning drug “hangover” for 5 hours. After the 2nd night my next day hangover lasted all day with several trips back to lay in bed from extreme lethargy. I decided that 300 is just too high a dose for my small frame, so I reduced to 200 mg. Had a terrible night. Upped it to 250mg, another bad night with a massive morning headache.

I also read here that Magnesium interferes with Gabapentin so I took that hours before.

Anyone else have such terrible morning headaches after Gabapentin? I can’t imagine increasing the dose.

[Parminter in reply to Kayakcarole]

Hi Kayak, did Doctor B say why he chose gabapentin over pregabalin?Are your 'hangovers' continuing?

[Kayakcarole in reply to Parminter]

Hi Parminter. Yes, he said to begin with Gabapentin since it was the least expensive. Then if that didn’t work try Horizant (Gabapentin Enacarbil ) next. If that didn’t work, then Lyrica. If that didn’t work, then opioids.

I was on the Gabapentin 300 mg for 3 - 4 weeks. Aside from the fact that it didn’t stop my RLS, it gave me a terrible morning hangover that lasted several hours. I’m just not cut out for pharmaceuticals I guess.

I just took myself off the Gabapentin completely. I now take 2 doses of 2.5 mg LDN ( low dose Naltrexone) during the day and evening and take a good puff of cannabis at bedtime and my legs are very tolerable all night long. On occasion I might need a 2nd puff in the middle of the night. Dr B had told me that the thc in smoked cannabis was far more effective than the thc in an edible. It really works. It stops my legs within minutes.

[marsha2306]

I have been told by 2 doctors that any more than 1200 mg of gabapentin in a single dose is no more effective than just 1200 mg. I’m assuming that’s why your doc is splitting the doses. What I am confused about is how you can sleep like “the living dead” but the flopping, presumably from RLS, doesn’t wake you up! I take 900 mg of Gabapentin at 8:30 pm and go to bed at 11. One important thing my Doc told me is not to go to bed until you’re really, really sleepy, not just really tired.

(My doc is Dr. Christopher Earley at Hopkins who is one of the leading experts in RLS)

[B534967 in reply to marsha2306]

What I am suggesting is that I slept completely unaware of my flopping, my spouse had to leave the bedroom due to my kicking and basically uncontrolled movement while using Pregabalin. I am usually really tired and ready for bed between 10 and 11 pm. I respect Dr Earley. And yes the reason I am splitting dosages is due to absorption rates. My neurologist is a specialist at Virginia Mason Seattle WA. Full diagnosis of RLS if that helps. Thanks for your input. B534967

[Josana13 in reply to marsha2306]

I am in desperate need of a doctor. Does Dr. Earley take video patients? There is not one single person that knows about Pramipexole withdrawal within 1500 miles of me.

[SueJohnson in reply to Josana13]

If he is with Johns Hopkins, it is not likely. I tried to get an appointment with any of their doctors early in the year and was told they are not accepting new patients. But of course, it won't hurt to try.

[Josana13]

I was prescribed Gaba 300mg x 3 times a day. I am so scared to take it because of the augmentation with having taken 1.5 mg of Pramipexole for almost 15 years. I have been taking one Gaba in the A.M. and don't take the other two. I am terrified of pills.

[B534967]

I am having no problem with the Gabapentin. I am sleeping a full 8 - 9 hours every night without any problem, of course due to my age I am up to a bathroom visit two times a night - different issue. I am taking a large amount of Gabapentin - 800 mg at 8:15 then another 800 at 9:30 and bed at 10 - 10:30 pm. Doc's say I should not have an augmentation problem as it is NOT like Ropinirole. My spouse is using Gabapentin for Neuropathy and has not augmented in more than 8 years - his neurologist has told him he can use more if needed and he is taking 600 mg three times daily as it is. So you should talk to your GP or your neurologist about it. Having a second opinion from a different Neurologist would be a good thing to do if your insurance will cover it. I hope this helps, I am so glad to be off Ropinirole and to be sleeping well. B534967

[IRL21]

I have suffered from worsening RLS in excess of 30 years. Roprinole was amazing at first but had to keep increasing the dose and I am now on 4mg modified release. Over recent years when this stopped being effective my GP added Tramadol which again worked for a while then stopped the Tramadol and took 2mg Diazepam up-to three times a day. After a long wait to speak to the Neurologist he suggested trying iron to see if that helped but it didn’t then to use a tens machine on my legs for half an hour three times a day which helps a little then to start on Pregabalin. What a nightmare this has been I can only tolerate 25 mg for three days which sub therapeutic before having horrendous side effects loss of balance blurred vision uncontrollable twitchy legs total insomnia etc etc. He wanted me to get up to 300mg this is not going to happen I have never felt so ill. I think what works for one doesn’t work for someone else all sufferers tiy have my deepest sympathy

[B534967 in reply to IRL21]

I completely agree and understand. Pregabalin was just too much for me, after two days I realized I was experiencing a sort of brain fog so I stopped taking it. I am now doing 800 mg Gabapentin at 8:15 pm then 1100 mg at 9:15 pm and am sleeping through the night. I've not had any augmentation with the Gabapentin - the doctor has told me I can add more if needed - and that it will not be anything like the Ropinirole if I need to come off - though we all know we will be on something for the rest of our lives as the RLS isn't going away anytime in my lifetime - sad to say. I'm 71 and so glad it did not hit me until my late 60's. B534967

[B534967]

Just an update - still taking 800 mg Gabapentin at 8:15 then 800 mg more at 9:15 in bed at 10:15 pm and sleeping through the night awaking around 7:00 am with no RLS symptoms overnight - no need for more/augmentation and no morning brain fog. I had tried Pregabalin and had flopping over night and brain fog in the morning. We are all as different as night and day, just wanted to put out an update. Best to each of you.B534967

[Dimples1957]

Has anyone else been prescribed Sifrol for RLS?