gabapentin works but pregabalin doesn’t?

[707twitcher]

Sorry to keep asking similar questions, but thanks for everyone’s patience and helpfulness.

I’m in the process of lowering my buprenorphine dose while adding gabapentin/pregabalin. I’ve been able to lower buprenorphine dose from .4mg to about .15mg while adding 1800mg gabapentin (in three 600mg doses 2 hours apart).

Twice I have tried switching over to pregabalin. Once I split between the two - 900mg of gabapentin and 150mg of pregabalin. The second time I completely switched to 300 mg of pregabalin. Both times I felt that the pregabalin was doing nothing for my RLS symptoms and I had to take more buprenorphine to get relief - back to .4mg in a few additional doses.

I know people have different side effects under the two medications. But I haven’t heard of anyone having dramatically different effectiveness for RLS.

Anyone else experience this?

[Joolsg]

Yes. I was initially prescribed gabapentin and Oxycontin for my RLS. The gabapentin didn't do anything. It gave me severe diarrhoea!I switched to pregabalin and it definitely helped reduce RLS and helped to sedate me so I could sleep.

So we do all react differently to the different meds and they can work for one patient but not another.

[SueJohnson]

That is strange. I haven't heard of it.

[Julesjewels]

I switched from Gaba to Pregablin about 2 months ago and the change seems more effective.... especially the later dose taken 1 hour before bed time (200mg.... after taking 100 mg at 6 pm). It does make me sleepy.

I am titrating off the last .5+mg of Pramipexole but going more slowly due to debilitating restless legs that literally require repeatedly banging my legs on the floor (resembling a horse's behavior in a stall). Not sure the Pregablin helps during this Pramipexole reduction. Nothing helps much except an occasional 1/2 dose of xanax to help calm me as the activation of leg movements is stressful.