I also have similar problems. At first I was on Neurontin 1200mg, 3 times a day. Then they started me on Amitriptyline, so I could go down the Neurontin to 1200mg twice a day. The last time I saw my Neurologist, he was so concerned about the weakness of my limbs so he wanted to decrease the Neurontin to 1200mg/day.
But, since he knew my pain could be disabling (he encouraged me to stay in grad school), he started me on Cymbalta, which is approved for ttreatment of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathic pain (so we speculate that it will also treat my neuropathic pain). It's still too early to know whether Cymbalta is effective. I've only been on it less than a month, and started in very low dose, for fear of side effects.
Besides neurontin and cymbalta, I'm also on Amitryptilin, Depakote, Propranolol, Amantadine, and almost all of them cause me to gain weight. I had to buy an entire sets of cloths. There is only one pants that could still barely fit me, and even the top shirts don't fit me anymore. It's very alarming because weight gain put me in to great risks of other diseases.
We don't really know much about how these drugs work, but it works for me so far. I get my "life" back, with bunch of limitations, of course. But only very few people knew that I have serious neurological conditions. I look healthy to general audience.
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Originally Posted by beth
I have thoracic outlet syndrome (compression of nerves to arms and hands), permanent nerve damage, and RSD/CRPS type II, with central sensitization, all of which leads to a high level of neuropathic pain. I was on Neurontin a couple of years ago and it helped quite a bit with the burning and shooting, electric-type pain I experience, but I developed rare kidney side-effects and had to discontue use.
So I was very interested in the development of Lyrica, (Pregalbin), the "newer generation" of gaba meds, with supposedly a lower side effect profile due in part to a much lower dosage schedule. I was eager to try it, and happy when my neurologist RX'd Lyrica for me in July.
It has helped a GREAT deal with the burning, shooting and stabbing pains, which I had expected and hoped for. So far, at the lower dose, 200 mg day Lyrica vs 3000 mg day Neurontin, no kidney/bladder issues have appeared. My neurologist wants me to go up another 100 mg day, but I am hesitant, in part because I am afraid those issues might reappear at a higher dose, but also because of the other major side effect I had hoped would be resolved, and wasn't, the weight gain problem.
Since July I have gained 15 lbs and gone up 2 waist sizes, similar to my weight issues when I started on Neurontin. This may not sound like much to some, but I am petite, 5"2, and normally gain 3-4 lbs. a year. I am a Misses size 8, but am now forced into size 12's, and at this rate will be in size 14s or higher by year end. And the MOST exasperating thing is I have very little appetite - usually a small slice of Danish with my coffee lasts me until a small supper, or a light evening snack.
It's really a Catch-22. The med DOES benefit me, enough that I can't see going off of it because of the weight gain. But I DO hate the extra weight, and from my experience with Neurontin I know it will only continue to rise the longer I'm on Lyrica.  |