Waves,
I like that the new neuro understands psychiatric meds.

M

things improving
 

migraine on its way out. related event occurred FINALLY thank goodness. i am pain free if i sit still. i still feel it if i move my head around... bend/tilt etc.

now what has been happening the past ohh 2 years is when the left side remits i get a right side headache, then they alternate rapidly. but usually the whole sequence takes three days. so since the left took that long i'm hoping whne this goes completely i'll be DONE for at least 2 weeks, maybe a month. hoping. anyway, tonight i only took 300mg of stuff, and that's it. tomorrow morning i'll do the taper math. now i'm too tired. Mari i saw your numbers and they could be right because mine were based on round the clock dosing which i didn't do on any given day. but i need to check.

i tell you though, now that i'm less doped up with gabapentin - i feel like i got run over by a mack truck. (that'ss pretty typical.) also i don't think i slept much last night. well good night. if i sit here i'll yammer on with my eyes closed and end up falling asleep on you! :D ...with the laptop on me! :eek::rolleyes:

nite nite :heartthrob:

~ waves ~

Dear Mari - gabapentin dosing is constant. few days exception. do not be alarmed.
 

I'ts less ad-hoc than "until after the neuro" and there won't typically be daily variations... please let me explain:

The current ad hoc bit is only for migraine TREATMENT.
This currently applies 3-4 days a month.
Daily variations during treatment go with the territory of TREATMENT, because dosing is based on immediate pain level and response to prior doses. Since pain levels can vary within my migraines, dosing cannot simply be established once and stuck to. It was "ad hoc" even with pain killers... decided dose by dose. Treatment differs from prevention in this way. Hopefully this ad hoc bit should become moot within a day or so... and I do see the neuro before the next "round" of this. ;)

Meanwhile, i shall resume my established PREVENTION schedule of 1200mg qd. All i've yet to decide is whether to split it into 3 or 4 doses.

I don't really expect the neuro to change the gabapentin for prophylaxis, since it is working - before gabapentin, I was only migraine-free about 5 days of the month. :( Gabapentin is safer than Topamax which is the only alternative there is for me, since i can't handle Effexor and I'm already on Depakote but it did not help at any of the wide range of doses i've been on since last year and it didn't help historically either.

i hope that reassures you some more about "the solution" and the "ad-hoc" aspect affecting recent days. ;):hug::hug::hug:

don't worry about explaining till you feel up to it, but i'm still concerned as to how you're doing... sending good thoughts and energy... i really relaly hope you are feeling better!!!! :Heart::hug::hug::hug:

~ waves ~

Waves,

That means that Gabapentin is helping you. I am happy to hear that.

Can you change back and forth from three to four and back again without affecting the benefit you are getting?


M

Hi Mari
 

I'm going ask a different question and answer it before I tackle that:

Q: Is there a difference in benefit between splitting 1200mg into 4 doses taken every 6 hours, and 3 doses every eight hours?

A: I don't know yet - haven't been on that schedule long enough to tell. Due to the heavy absorption of the medication into the tissues, smaller more frequent doses are usually more effective where the plasma level is relevant. For migraine, 300 x 4 is likely to be more effective. However 400 x 3 is frequent enough that there may be no difference, especially considering that i take those doses rigorously 8 hours apart, while when i have 4 doses, the evening and morning dose may be slightly more distant (say 8 hours - instead of 6 as would be ideal).

-------------------------------------------

Now assuming there is negligible difference in effectiveness, back to answering your original question:

i guess the short answer would be "no." ;):rolleyes::cool::o

I would NOT want to switch back and forth between tid and qid dosing because they require getting into a pattern of remembering additional doses between morning and evening meds. if were to switch back and forth guaranteed i would mess up the times, forget doses... screw up in one way or multiple.

hopefully that answers the question ROFLOL... i am still "slow" have to work things out. don't ask me why i'm not asleep. i'm slepy. i don't know.

:hug::hug::hug:

~waves ~

I am hoping that you got to sleep ok. hope that you are doing alright.
(((((HUGS))))))
bizi

Good Morning Bizi
 

Dear Bizi

soon as i allowed myself to lie down and shut my eyes - i fell asleep. i don't think it was until about 5 am though because i got hungry and wanted a snack first. woke up spontaneously before my alarm, i.e. less that 2 hours later, feeling rested. strange. maybe i'll get sleepy during the day - if so i'll nap.

but i am feeling better than ok.... NO HEADACHE! :):yahoo::Dancing-Chilli::trampoline::)

thanks for asking. (((hugs)))

~ waves ~

taper - only 1 day necessary
 

I copied the posts containg my gabapentin info for Friday thru Sunday into Excel and let it add up the totals:

Friday - 1600 mg
Saturday - 1950 mg
Sunday - 2100 mg

Yesterday was 900 mg higher than my regular dose, too much too step down in one shot, imho. So today will be my only "taper day" - i will knock off 450 mg for a total of 1650 mg, and then tomorrow step down the remaining 450 to resume regular prophylactic dosing of 1200 mg qd.

Monday May 28 - Gabapentin log

(intended total, 1650 mg: 450 + 400 + 400 + 400)

07:10 - 450 mg
13:10 - 400 mg
18:55 - 400 mg
00:00 - 400 mg

TOTAL TAKEN - 1650. Tomorrow resume normal scheduel.

~ waves ~ sheesz now i'm getting sleepy. well make up my mind! :rolleyes:

migraine on the right side today but h/a so mild don't need extra med. tapering as planned. just ridiculously tired. going to sleep.

I hope the migraine leaves. Get some good sleep.
M