NORTRIPTYLINE & LYRICA?

[justin]

Hi, I have been taking 150mg a day of nortriptyline for some time which initially really helped but my anal pain has become intense again! My pain clinic want to start me on Lyrica aswell. Does anyone know if these two medications can be safely taken together? I guess they can or else my GP wouldnt have prescribed them...

[HerMajesty]

I took nortriptyline and gabapentin together, gabapentin being "the poor man's Lyrica" (not a generic but similar action). Make sure you fill them at the same pharmacy and specifically ask your Pharmacist about interactions, but you should be fine. If you want to avoid regular narcotic use for pain, you will probably have to be on combination therapy. My "cocktail" had 4 meds - now that I have had treatment of the underlying cause I am down to 3 and hoping to cut down more soon.

[justin]

Did taking them together help your pain at all?...

[HerMajesty]

Yes, although my full cocktail was gabapentin/ nortriptyline / valium / propanolol. Believe me, I have tried a lot of meds and I have not wasted my time with those that didn't work. Out of those that did work, however, nortriptyline was definitely the one I hated taking the most, and as soon as i felt a little better after surgery, it was the first to go. The nortriptyline changed my personality, mood, motivation, energy level, weight (all for the worse). So I don't endorse it beyond saying that it might be a necessary evil if it makes a significant difference in your pain.