Memantine

Hi,

I just thought I would share my experience with regard to how I manage my neuroexcitotoxicity. I take memantine 30mgs daily with gabapentin 1200mgs 3 x daily. I'm surprised not more people seem to have explored these management strategies. I also take salinated water 2 litres daily.

Does anyone else use a similar daily coping strategy?

energy.

 

Interesting, an antidementia and epilepsy drug combination
Out of curiosity how did you come to these particular drugs?

 

They both have a synergistic anti-glutamate effect. Gabapentin impairs glutamate release in part through its function as a voltage gated calcium channel inhibitor. Memantine complements this reduction in glutamate signalling through antagonism of one of the key glutamate receptors (n-methyl-d-aspartate). I decided to try adding the two together because of this rationale, so some was acquired. Memantine can be prescribed off label of course.

I only bring this up because, I have tried so many different protocols and supplements including the methylation protocol, and by far, although this is not 'fixing' anything, in my case this combination has a far greater effect than anything else I have come across COQ10, ubiquinol, Acetyl l carnitine to name but a few.

I also have been on Rituximab which unfortunately did not work in my case..

 

Interesting.
What made you target glutamate?
Sorry to hear about Rituximab not working for you

 

I have tried memantine. But just 5mg makes me completely brain dead.

 

I have long been interested in trying memantine but I always seem to have too much going on and I recall it needs a week or two to establish itself.

 

Glad to hear that you found something that helps. I was prescribed memantine for migraines and had a horrible experience with it. It made me feel disconnected, depersonalized, foggier than usual, and gave me vertigo. I don’t usually have severe reactions to meds so was surprised. I gave it a 6 week trial and the side effects never got better. Interested to see if it starts being prescribed more commonly for ME/CFS and how folks respond to it.