2 nerve pain meds - which less sedating?

[Guzzy]

I've had constant neurological pain since a bad relapse 3 years ago.
I had been taking 25mg Elavil (Amitriptyline) for the nerve pain - it works a treat for the pain but it makes me very sedated and grumpy about 2 hours after taking it. I still feel exhausted the next day, even if I take it at 7pm.

So I started cutting down on the dose gradually. I am now taking 15mg Elavil and I feel much more alert, less grumpy, but the nerve pain is back!

So my neuro prescribed me 25mg Lyrica (Pregabalin) and I am going to try it this week to see if it's any less sedating.

Just wondered if any of you have tried both in the past and found one less sedating versus the other?
Many thanks for any replies .
p.s. I'm 13 years dx'd with RRMS but I suspect it's moving into SPMS these last 3 years.

[Spydre]

I'm currently taking 100 mg of Elavil with no problems - however, I'm bipolar also and basically on meds to keep me "up" and meds to put me "down" at night. One thing to remember about Elavil is it also used a sleeping agent at for people who cannot sleep (however it's never had that affect on me, grumble grumble grumble).

Lyrica, I was never on for MS treatment. I was on it for about six weeks for fibromyalgia - the first dosage I was fine at, and they increased it, and it was working (when other things weren't) but I had a reaction to it and starting retaining water and gaining weight - my pain management doctor said to consider it an allergy from then on (which made me sad). I don't think my reaction to it was typical, but it was working for me before I had to discontinue it (for the fibromyalgia).

The thing is, my MS and fibromyalgia kind of presented at the same time, so some of the symptoms may have been mixed up.

[Lendi]

I was given elavil to sleep but it didn't work. I was zombied all day long though. I tried it for several months then gave up. I've never used lyrica so can't say what it would or wouldn't do but gabapentin works pretty well without making me tired.

[Kippy]

I take Lyrica during the day and Amitriptyline at bedtime. The doctor say the latter helps me sleep and also works a bit into the next day, but I really don't know about that. It does put me to sleep, though, and that's not bad. I think the Lyrica helps some, but my neuropathy is constant anyway.

[Guzzy]

Thanks for the replies.
@Spydre - that's a shame you'd to come off Lyrica when it was working for you.
@Lendi - thanks for the gabapentin recommendation - I will try it if Lyrica doesn't suit me.
@Kippy - sorry to hear Lyrica doesn't get rid of the neuropathy.

Well, I tried Lyrica last night instead of Elavil. It was a tough night. I knew I'd get poor sleep because of swapping - I kept waking up. Today the crawling/itching pain is still there so so far Lyrica is not really helping enough. I feel SO much more alert, but I suspect I will have to go back on zombie-Elavil just to sleep at night.

[mtnwillow]

Neurontin works for me, in the beginning it made me very sleepy and we had to slowly increase my dosage. I started 100 mg daily and now take 300 mg in the morning and 600 mg at night. My RX calls for another 300mg at noon but I usually skip this dose. I never tried Lyrica but Cymbalta did not work for me.

[knuckle]

Try Googling this term: curcumin pain relief

Curcumin, the active ingredient in Tumeric, is a natural cox-2 inhibitor, so good for pain. Like Celebrex or Viox, but it won't damage your stomach or gastro-intestinal track.

It's cheap, non-toxic, and you may find it worth adding to your prescription or maybe it will do the job alone.

Also, try googling:

curcumin multiple sclerosis
curcumin alzheimer's disease
curcumin cancer
curcumin crohn's disease

[patycak]

SLEEP


I have been plagued with sleepless nights for years, even before I was dx'd. I recently started Trazadone at night with my other regular meds.....I've been getting a FULL 6 hours every night....YAAAAAAY...what a relief!!!!!

[Waydwnsouth1]

I take Elavil at night to help me sleep. That with a Xanax puts me out for the night. I was taking Lyrica and my dosage was steadily being increased but it just was not working. Much to my surprise my PC switched to Neurontin to help reduce my monthly expenses on meds. The Lyrica was costing me about $125.00 a month and the Neurontin is $9.00 per month. I was actually taking Lyrica for sharp shooting pains I get in my muscles but the Neurontin is working much better.

[kikiblue]

None of the nerve pain meds did much for me. I take tramadol. You have to start with a small dose and work your way up. It knocked me out cold when I first started taking it and I don't like to take it during the day, but I can know take it and not fall asleep.

[deadhead]

None of the nerve pain meds did much for me. I take tramadol. You have to start with a small dose and work your way up. It knocked me out cold when I first started taking it and I don't like to take it during the day, but I can know take it and not fall asleep.

Tramadol works great for me! I take 100mg 3 times daily and it actually takes away my fatigue.
I also take gabepentin and I've tried Lyrica and that didn't do a damn thing for. Good thing cause it is spendy.

[salamandertom]

I was also going to suggest gabapentin if the other one doens't work. I take that and I am not sleepy from it. I hope you find one that works!