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New to Fibro, vegetarian, and cannot find non-gel caps medicine

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Fibromyalgia
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Posted 1/1/2016 5:08 PM (GMT 0)
Hello everyone. I was recently diagnosed as having fibromyalgia and my doctor prescribed gabapentin along with an antidepressant to help me sleep. The antidepressant seems to be helping a little on the fogginess, but I cannot take the gabapentin. The lowest dosage contains gelatin, and as a vegetarian I do not take gel caps as a rule. So I've contacted my doctor's office and their response, just don't take anything until our next appointment in May. I don't think that I am that bad off, others seems to have much worse pain, but I would like to relieve some of my issues. Anyone else have experience like this? Any suggestions?
Posted 1/1/2016 9:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, Jade, and welcome! Perhaps you can call your doctor, explain the situation, and see if there is another medication similar to gabapentin that is in a hard pill form. There are quite a few medications that are used for Fibro so I'm sure there is something else you could try.

Be sure to read Fibro 101...the first thread on the forum. There are links to good Info about Fibro and you will learn a lot there.

I'm looking forward to getting to know you better. Don't hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you. Hope to hear more from you soon.

Sherrine
Posted 1/1/2016 10:00 PM (GMT 0)
I did forget to mention. I'm looking for a new doctor. I just got the feeling that they were annoyed by my "values". The nurse semed incredibly rude about it and the doctor didn't seem to want to try. I was told cant you just take the pill and ignore its on a gel cap?
Posted 1/1/2016 10:16 PM (GMT 0)
They probably felt the gabapentin was the best choice for you. I know that the things I take for fibro are in a hard pill form except my vitamin D3, which is a gel cap and my magnesium malate, which is a capsule with powdered magnesium in it.

I use ibuprofen with food, Tylenol, the vitamin D3 and magnesium malate, and a muscle relaxer called Robaxin. I also walk daily as a gentle form of exercise and pace myself when doing things. All of these things help me be in control of my pain.

If you see another doctor, be sure to let them know your concerns about gel caps. That should stop any problems from arising.

Sherrine
Posted 1/2/2016 6:17 AM (GMT 0)
Have you checked with your pharmacy to see if the gabapentin tablets (not gel caps) contain gelatin and/or can be divided? I was prescribed gapentin recently after surgery, and the ones I have are 600 mg tablets that are scored, which makes me think they might can be divided. Even if your pharmacy doesn't stock the tablets, they may could order them.

As an aside though, I wasn't able to tolerate the gabapentin anyway, due to face flushing, a side effect. It drove me nuts and was uncomfortable. My doctor prescribed Aleve, which seems to help me better than ibuprofen for both the post surgical pain and fibro pain. It can be a trial and error process to find what works best for every individual.

Post Edited (AustenFan) : 1/1/2016 11:20:55 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/2/2016 12:49 PM (GMT 0)
Unfortunately the lowest dosage of all of the meds only come in gel caps. Pharmist did suggest breaking them, which I did but I had a strange reaction. So instead of trying another med is when the nurse made me feel as if my values are not worth it and no new drug was tried. :( like I said I'm looking for a new doctor. Having trouble finding any rheumatologist near me.
Posted 1/2/2016 1:33 PM (GMT 0)
If you chose to be a pedantic vegetarian you probably wont be taking many medications or injections.

Most medications in both pill and capsule forms use lactose as a filler derived from cows stomachs. Pills are manufactured with magnesium sterate that comes from cow fat to keep them from sticking to the pilling machines. Lanolin is also used as a lubricant.

Many of the color dyes are of animal origin. Hormones are almost all animal based.

Products or chemicals uses to manufacturer medications but not added to the formulary are not required to be listed. It can be extremely dangerous to open a pill and take only the contents. Always check with a pharmacist before doing this.
Posted 1/2/2016 5:40 PM (GMT 0)
I'm not a pedantic vegetarian, and that is not true about not taking many medications or injections.

Lactose has nothing to do with being vegetarian, you're thinking vegan. Please maybe do a little research about dietary types before making assumptions. I am a lacto/ovo vegetarian. This means that I can and do eat dairy and items made with eggs. I am not vegan, not that I slamming an vegans for their views. If that is what they choose to do, that is their option. It's not like they are eating babies for pain management or anything!

As a new member I will say that I am immediately turned off by being attacked for my views, even if you are VERY wrong minded about what you think my views will prevent me from using. They are my views, I am not trying to force them on anyone else, so please do not judge. I am simply trying to find others who might be like minded who might have already traveled down this road with some HELPFUL advice to offer. If you don't have any helpful advice, please do not comment. As for your last comment about checking with the pharmacist, please note where I've already stated that this advice came from my pharmacist.
Posted 3/2/2016 11:29 AM (GMT 0)
Just an update, in case any other vegertians or vegans happen to find this thread. You can get a lot of medicines in liquid form so ask your doctor and/pharmist if this is an option.
Posted 3/2/2016 11:48 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks, Jade! We thought of everything but!

Sherrine
Posted 3/3/2016 6:53 PM (GMT 0)
Somehow I missed when you first posted this. My aunt has to take the liquid form because she cannot swallow pills so I would have suggest that :)

I am glad you found something that will work for you. Gabapentin has been a life saver for me. I hope you are able to find some relief.

Mel

Post Edited (MelW11) : 3/3/2016 4:28:03 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 4/20/2016 5:49 PM (GMT 0)
It depends on how high your gabapentin dose is. I've been on 900mg of gabapentin a day (3x300mg), and was originally prescribed 300mg capsules, which were gelatin. I found a site that recommended gabapentin tablets, so I asked to change. They're 600mg, but easy enough to break into two.

Having said that, the gabapentin is giving me side effects - lethargy, forgetfulness, lightheadness, agravating my asthma - so I should change. I can't face going through the hassle of not only trying to find something else that works, but also something that doesn't come in gelatin!
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