gabapentin switch

[auldreekie18]

Currently on 1800mg and 2 tramadol at night not working to well want to do a straight swap to Pregabalin 300mg or a patch taking to many tablets for same effect need to get rid of muscle pain will discus with Doctor tomorrow like your great advice on this thanks.

[SueJohnson]

You can certainly do a straight swap to pregabalin. And you could then try increasing it by 25 mg every couple of days if that isn't enough to control your RLS.

[Retren]

I am so sorry you are in this state I have been on tramadol for a number of years the side effect is to keep me awake but would rather that than RLS which I have had for 70 odd years it has become worse with age I take 2 50 mgm of tramadol sometimes more my neurologist has kindly given me a backup of oxycodone in case I run out.I have to avoid certain foods no coffee etc.The whole thing is a nightmare but we all battle on hope this helps.

[SueJohnson in reply to Retren]

Have you had your ferritin checked?

[auldreekie18 in reply to SueJohnson]

Hi Sue Dr was in yesterday and said to increase Gabapentin from 1800mg to 2100 which I did last night and was up 3 times with R.L.S she also thought i might have Parkinsons and have to go to hospital for test for underlying conditions , was thinking taking the Gabapentin during the night when R.L.S. wakens me instead of before bed what do you think that is when I need it to sleep .

[SueJohnson in reply to auldreekie18]

Are you taking it in divided doses of 600 mg each 2 hours apart?

[auldreekie18 in reply to SueJohnson]

Yes but still up 3 times at night . last ferritin check was 158.

[SueJohnson in reply to auldreekie18]

I guess you could try it with one 600 mg dose. Although usually if it works, it works all night. Possibly you need even more - if that is the case I would switch to pregabalin which doesn't need to be taken in divided doses but can be taken all at once. To switch, divide the gabapentin dose by 6 to get the pregabalin dose and then add 25 mg every couple of days to increase it. The maximum is 600 mg.

[wildlegs]

I’m 77 from USA and have been taking Tramadol for my RLS for about 15 years now. I started with 100 mg but after 5 years my doctor upped it to 300 mg and it worked great for about 7 more years but then I moved to another state and it was hard to get any doctor to prescribe Tramadol because it’s now considered an opioid. I finally got one to give me Tramadol again but only 100 mg. That didn’t work very well so they gave me 1 mg of Pramipexole plus the 100 mg of Tramadol and that combination has been working well for four months now. My night time walks have stopped for now. All I can do now is hope it last. Good luck to you, maybe some day they’ll find a cure.

[auldreekie18 in reply to wildlegs]

Only taking 50mg Tramadol at night maybe that is too low but worried about augmentation if I could get 7 years i would be happy to stay on it for ever ,al the best to you we just try and carry on.

[wildlegs in reply to auldreekie18]

I’m not a doctor and anything I mention to you is only because it works for me. I would see if your doctor would give you 100 more mg of Tramadol. You know what helps and what doesn’t, try it if doesn’t work after a month try more or something else.

[auldreekie18 in reply to wildlegs]

Hi Dr was in 3 days ago and said I knew more about R.L.S. than she did thought I had Parkinsons which I do not sending me for tests , told me to take 6mg gabapentin 6 -8- 10 hrs and increase from 1800mg to 2100 mg plus 1 Tramadol before bed did this for 3 3 nights up 3 times during the night with R.L.S and bad muscle pain so thought about it and took 3 Tramadol 1 with each dose of Gabapentin and cut back to 1800mg never up once last night slept 6 hrs woke with mild R.L.S. which managed in bed got up at 9am legs feel good a little leg muscle pain so taking 1 tramadol at breakfast see what happens ,instead of increasing the Gabapentin it was the tramadol which needed to increase so will tell the Dr who listens to what I say ,if it stays like this I will be happy .thanks for the advice hope you are doing well God Bless all sufferers .

[LotteM in reply to auldreekie18]

Well done, auldreekie, to listen to your body and gut feeling and play around with the combination of meds. I hope that this concoction of meds will work longtime for you!