Quote:
Originally Posted by mrsD
The advantage of Nortriptyline (and its parent compound amitriptyline) is that there is a study showing this drug increases
nerve growth factors. Nortriptyline is the active metabolite of amitriptyline.
The down side is if you have prostate, or glaucoma problems,
then it is not a good idea for you.
Gabapentin does NO healing...it is for symptoms only.
Doctors like to give gabapentin because it is not metabolized by the liver so it does not interfere with other drugs.
But the downside is that it is only marginally effective, and a new metastudy analysis found it only effective in about 30% of people.
I think you should start investigating some supplements and see if they will help. I don't recall if you have started that yet?
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I made the request for gabapentin, and don't know what My Neuro would have suggested first. I do like to have a beer or glass of wine at bedtime, and since Nortriptyline is normally taken at bedtime, I'm not sure how that'd work. LOL. I did tell my Neuro that & he said he didn't think one beer or glass of wine would matter much for either drug.
Since I finally got close to a working dosage, I think another 300-600mg of Gabapentin would have me feeling reasonably good. I don't know how the Nortryptyline would compare, although my buddy reports similar odd feelings, like my own, going thru the feet, while getting used to the med.
I take a Centrum Silver equivalent, 800mcg folic acid, 100mg B1, 2,000mcg B12, 50 mg B6, and 900 mg of ALA. I tried the more expensive Benfotiamine (300mg daily) for about 3 months & decided it wasn't worth the expense, since I didn't feel a difference. I started the ALA way before seeing a Neurologist, & it eliminated the 'crawling' feeling in my feet & lower legs & slightly reduced my pain. I didn't give my Neuro a chance to explain, but he said he didn't like ALA. He did recommend Folic acid to me, as my homocystine level was high.