well, actually the generic of it, is working well for me, I have been able to cut down to 900mg. of Gabby because of it. It does make me tired, but I take
30 mg. at bedtime, works out well........don't need Valium to sleep anymore.

Just wanted to share that, I know some of you are having trouble with tolerance issues with Lyrica and Gabby, as I was experiencing also.

I am glad that is working for you. Elavil remains the best option today for neuropathy because of its potential for healing nerves.

The other drugs do not have that benefit. Most people become used to the sedative actions, and when kept at a low dose, the blurred vision and dry mouth are much less.

My first day of clarity. To scared to let the moment go because P/N has bluffed me in the past. For the first time in many months Im feeling pleasurable sensations along with pain at a 2. Without doubt its due to Nortriptolyne and it must be giving me some antidepressant kick even at 25mg and have reduced lyrica from 300 to 150mg. May I just say I was extremely sensitive to this drug and started at .5mg a day and built up to 25.

I tried Elavil which metabolizes into nortiptolyne in the liver ( googled)
Now the difference in the 2 is quite large. The Elavil knocked me out with its sedative effects. Slept for 14 hours where as the nortyptoline has a very minor effect. They both gave me the same pain relief. I would have preferred elavil for the reasons Mrs D indicates however it was Just to strong.

Hoping to kick lyrica altogether.

I knew it! soon as I mention Im feeling better something happens
it may be coincidental but when i started the nortriptolin I immediately noticed a strange sharp jab in my left knee and a small lump the size of the top of the my thumb on the corner of knee cap and increasing pain. I took 25 mg of predisnone yesterday but today it started to swell and now its impossible to straighten it or walk.
The swelling is noticeable but not huge. there is extreme tenderness particularly around the lump

Now Im stuck , i cant get to a doctor cause i cant walk but can get access to a pharmacay (in asia they deliver). I did get gout a lot before neuropathy and had fluid drawn out of the same knee *gout) 2 years ago.

I was prescribed predisnone for the gout, cant tolerate colchicine.

I have no fever and no real pain unless I try to stand or move then its bad

It could be water or gout

What can I do to reduce the swelling?

p.s pretty sure it the drugs since I had the same pain when I first tried elavil but it didnt blow out.

Do they have Salonpas there? I use this topically for arthritis all the time. They will even take down bruises.

Get the ones with methyl salicyclate in them.

Salonpas are big in Asia... so you should be able to find them.

I don't know about the gout... Real uric acid gout will cause redness and heat in the area. But Pseudogout will not necessarily.

All those things give me 'restless leg' of the whole body.

Saw at the rx.list website that Elavil is no longer available in the U. S.

Anybody know why?

Sheltiemom

Thanks for the suggestion mrsD. its 1am here so all closed but will grab some in the morning. Im going to go another moderate dose of predisnone
tomorrow, currently my leg is in the shape of a chicken wing when i try to walk

very little pain laying in the recliner thank goodness.

p.s the knee is warmer but not red

Doesn't make sense; WIKI says it's the most widely used TCA. Did you try Amitriptyline (generic name)? A quick phone call to your local pharmacist should find out.

Doc

http://mental-health.emedtv.com/elav...ic-elavil.html

Many Brand name drugs disappear over time. They may be sold to another company...the brand that is. But when no one wants to pay the costs to make it and charge brand name price...when all insurances basically demand generic... the brand may disappear.

Others that have done this:
Nitro-Bid (nitroglycerine extended release capsules)
Kwell (Lindane)
Rubramin (B12 injection)

Some generics keep the brand name and are more competitive
examples:
Septa DS

King pharmaceuticals is a small company that bought out brand name drugs...often.
This list contains an interesting mix.
http://www.kingpharm.com/Products/Al...l_Products.cfm

I see previous companies products and name from Wyeth, SKF, Glaxo Wellcome (which is now Glaxo Smith Kline), Squibb, Lilly, Parke-Davis, and others on that list.

Elavil was originally a Merck drug, back in 1961. It could be that no one wants to update it to the new FDA regs and keep the name. That costs alot of money and some companies refuse to do it. I forgot who had the patent after Merck. But it was so rarely used as a brand, I am not surprised it is no longer there.