Gralise

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MariS
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2015 1:30 am
Location: Pacific Northwest, USA

Gralise

Post by MariS »

My Neuro is prescibing Gralise. Gabapentin works ok for me but does not completely control my RLS/PLMD. I've tried everything else but opiods and Horizant. Other meds all have severe side effects for me leading to visits to Urgent Care. Gralise will be the latest in a long line of trial and lots of error.

Does anyone find that Gralise works better than Gabapentin and is worth the very expensive price tag? I start it tonight using free samples from Neuro but the free samples are only good for a few weeks.

I see a new RLS specialist Neuro in August so I guess this at least will tell us if this works or not. Present Neuro is avoiding opiods, I'm now leaning that way. Spent this last Saturday yet again at Urgent Care due to severe Lyrica side effects and I'm really tired of RLS all day/night and very scary side effects.

I take iron and have ferritin levels checked every 6 mos. Have had sleep study done, etc etc. You name it, I've done it, ingested it, or am still ingesting it for RLS/PLMD and am very frustrated.

So, my latest question is: does Gralise work better than Gabapentin for some of you?

stjohnh
Posts: 1284
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2016 3:13 pm
Location: Palo Alto, California

Re: Gralise

Post by stjohnh »

Hmmm. Gralise is slow release gabapentin. Seems a bit odd that your doc would give you this rather than Horizant, seeing as that Horizant is FDA approved for RLS. Maybe your doc didn't have any Horizant samples. I haven't used it, but in general should work about the same as regular gabapentin. Might have better side effect profile at higher doses since it will give more consistent blood levels than regular gabapentin. Let us know how it works for you.

A search of the forum shows only MaggieM mentioning Gralise, so you probably won't get too many replies.

How about trying kratom?
Blessings,
Holland

badnights
Moderator
Posts: 6259
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:20 pm
Location: Northwest Territories, Canada

Re: Gralise

Post by badnights »

Seems a bit odd that your doc would give you this rather than Horizant
Ditto. Can you ask him why? or would that make him get his back up....

I am having another angry moment, with no one to direct my anger against, except generally against doctors who are ignorant of RLS/WED. There are lots of different opioid meds, any one of which could work for you. I hope this new guy in August is not afraid to treat your agony.
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
Click for info on WED/RLS AUGMENTATION & IRON
I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

MariS
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2015 1:30 am
Location: Pacific Northwest, USA

Re: Gralise

Post by MariS »

Gralise, extended gabapentin, doesn't seem to work any better for me than plain old gabapentin. Gralise = $265/month Gabapentin = $7.00/month.

Rustsmith
Moderator
Posts: 6476
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 9:31 pm
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado

Re: Gralise

Post by Rustsmith »

MariS, that was my exact experience when my doctor insisted that I try Horizant (including the price tag). Plain gabapentin worked just as well. He seemed surprised, but since he was on the team that conducted clinical trials on Horizant, it shouldn't have been that much of a surprise.
Steve

https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

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