RE: MRI results- help please - amitriptiline

[Guest guest]

I can take amitriptiline at a low dose with no side effects and I am super

sensitive to meds. I take 20-30 mg per night. You can go up a lot higher than

that which would still be lower than doses used as an antidepressant (at low

levels this drug is used for pain). When I first went on it I did notice it

helped my leg nerve pain a bit -- but now my nerve pain is basically gone

post-surgeries unless I walk too far or stand too long so I don't know if the

drugs are having any effect -- and I'm not about to find out as the last time I

tried going off it my headaches increased dramatically -- which is why I went on

the meds in the first place.

This med takes weeks to take effect and must be started at a low dose. Jenn's

advice is great -- there are so many meds out there that work differently for

different people. What an ordeal trying to find one that works for you however.

Dee

To: tetheredspinalcord

From: jlbobin@...

Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2011 23:23:27 -0500

Subject: Re: MRI results- help please

,

Still no idea what the knots could be, but the pain you describe in your

legs sounds like neuropathy. That is what the neurontin should control. If

your leg pain is that bad, cutting the neurontin will probably make worse.

IMO, it sounds like you need to find a different med to treat your

neuropathy. Treating neuropathy is tricky. There are so many meds out

there. Unfortunately, they generally have lousy side effect profiles.

Also, most of them have to be started at a low dose and gradually increased

until the therapeutic level is reached, which can take about 2 weeks. So,

after spending 2 weeks in pain only to figure out that the med doesn't work

or the side effects are not tolerable, then you have to spend another 1-2

weeks tapering the dose down before you can try another one. Neurontin is

one of the most common Rx used for neurontin. It has a good track record of

working.

Neurontin was the first med I was prescribed. I slept 20+ hours a day.

That is no quality of life. I have tried every med out there and only one

(Cymbalta) kinda worked. It helped, but I just can't afford it.

Ultimately, I had to just stop taking a med for my neuropathy and learn to

deal with it. If I could find one that would work and I could afford, I

would finally be able to continue tapering my narcotics down even further.

Frustrating position to be in.

There are many anti-epileptic Rxs that are used, including: Depakote

(valproic acid), Tegretol (carbamepazine), Keppra, Topamax (topiriamate),

Gabapentin, and I'm sure there are some I'm missing.

Tri-cyclic anti-depressants are also used. They have a good track record of

controlling pain, but they also have lousy side effect profiles. But if you

can take them, they should work well. Another benefit is that they are

CHEAP. Some commonly used ones are imiprimine, amitriptyline (brand names

Elavil, Endep and others) and nortriptyline (brand names Pamelor and

Aventyl). I would say that imiprimine and amitriptyline are probably the

most commonly prescribed for neuropathy.

I wish I had a simpler answer, but unfortunately it is just a matter of

doing the long process of trial and error.

Jenn

>

>

> Hi ,

> Thanks!

>

> Well I have the back pain, but that's controlled.

> Been getting horrible all over muscle knots and pain, I feel like I am

> bruised everywhere.

> My massage therapist is stumped, I have so many knots he barely touches my

> legs/calves/feet and I scream. My hips are even worse.

> I do take magnesium

>

> Then I have the whole electrical pain down my legs and arms now, also

> traveling to feet, which are hypersensitive. I sleep with my feet off the

> bed, with covers off, can't have anything touch them.

>

> I am cutting Neurontin to 300mg x 3 a day, and the steroid on the 21st

> along with more testing if needed.

>

> Honestly the knots are the worst.

>

>