Pregabalin v Gabapentin

[Bowie4eva]

Hello again everyone, please forgive me if this has been dealt with a million times before!

I am currently on 300mg of Pregabalin per day, and it works sometimes, but I get RLS day as well as night and I have put on a ridiculous amount of weight since starting it.

My MS consultant suggested I try Gabapentin instead of Pregabalin. I was a bit cynical about this, but read somewhere that it might be better weight-wise?

My questions are: (1) Will stopping Pregabalin and switching to Gabapentin make a difference weight-wise? (2) Can you just replace Pregabalin immediately with Gabapentin, or do you have to wean gradually off Pregabalin first? My GP thought the latter, but like so many UK doctors, their knowledge of this is less than reliable!

All advice as ever gratefully received! Thank you so much.

[SueJohnson]

You can switch directly. The equivalent amount of gabapentin is 1800 mg. Take it 1 to 2 hours before bedtime as the peak plasma level is 2 hours. Since you need more than 600 mg take another 600 mg 4 hours before bedtime as it is not as well absorbed above 600 mg and the final 600 mg 6 hours before bedtime. If you take magnesium even in a multivitamin, don't take it within 3 hours of taking gabapentin as it will interfere with the absorption of gabapentin and don't take calcium within 2 hours for the same reason .

Gabapentin is less likely to cause weight gain, but it still can for some.

[Bowie4eva in reply to SueJohnson]

Sue, you are a star as ever. I will change to Gabapentin and see what happens! Thanks so much for this advice. X

[Joolsg]

You don't have to wean off. You do a straight swap.Some NHS health sites give 3 options. Straight swap. Gradual reduction and replacement, or reduce one first and then start the other.

But, follow the straight swap approach.

[Bowie4eva in reply to Joolsg]

Thanks Joolz x