Jess--
I am still on Elavil (in addition to Neurontin). My current dose is 20 mg but I've been on as low as 10 mg and as high as 30 mg. With the Elavil I did a lot of trial and error to try to find a dosage that helped with the pain, but with the least amount of side effects---ithe goal being quality of life. Side effects wise, it usually makes me sleepy (& depending on the dose I might have other side effects such as grogginess, cognitive problems, etc), but I take it right before bed to minimize that and any other side effects I may have.

As for the Neurontin, when I first started it, my target dose was 900 mg and I stayed at that dose quite a while (or slightly more when I had some new pain). About four months ago my former neuro and my current one have made a lot of changes (my former neuro decreased it, current neuro increased it) and I am currently at 1800 mg. We didn't increase it so much for the nerve pain factor, but rather for the seizure factor (in the beginning no one expected it to help my seizures as I was on a "pain dose" vs an anti seizure dose; but it did help both).

Normally, the dosage is lower for people using it for nerve pain vs seizures; same with Elavil and depression--- a lower dosage for people taking it for pain vs people using it for depression.

I am glad you are tolerating it well--thats a wonderful thing. I have some side effects from it, (but I am also on many other meds for various neuro issues, so....) but just taking things day by day, making adjustments when I need to, working with my doctors, figuring out ways to combat side effects and achieve the best possible quality of life (balancing benefits of the meds and the side effects they bring).

Hanging in there and keep trying-- whether it be a different dose or a different med. I understand how frustrating it can be.

Good Luck and Keep Smiling --- L2L