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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by CalvaryHill on January 10, 2002, at 0:42:56
I am just one person, but I have taken enough psychotropic drugs for an army. I have taken 54 different drugs, from SSRIs, Tertiary Amine TCAs, Secondary Amine TCAs, NARI, MAOIs, RIMA, anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, Serotonin 2A antagonists, the NaSSa, etcetera. I finally got to Gabitril (tiagabine) after 10 years of treatment. Most docs don't know about it, and it is not particularly effective in epilepsy. But I mentioned it to my doc, and he found some research on it for bipolar. It makes me high, and I don't know why. But I am grateful. I will answer anyone's questions on it...
CalvaryHill
Posted by Elizabeth on January 10, 2002, at 21:52:16
In reply to One man having results on Gabitril, posted by CalvaryHill on January 10, 2002, at 0:42:56
> I am just one person, but I have taken enough psychotropic drugs for an army. I have taken 54 different drugs, from SSRIs, Tertiary Amine TCAs, Secondary Amine TCAs, NARI, MAOIs, RIMA, anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, Serotonin 2A antagonists, the NaSSa, etcetera. I finally got to Gabitril (tiagabine) after 10 years of treatment. Most docs don't know about it, and it is not particularly effective in epilepsy. But I mentioned it to my doc, and he found some research on it for bipolar. It makes me high, and I don't know why. But I am grateful. I will answer anyone's questions on it...
I'm interested in Gabitril because of its mechanism of action. But can I ask what you mean by "high?" That's not what I'm looking for, I don't think!
Also, you mentioned a lot of other drugs you'd tried. Did you ever try benzos, and if so what effect did they have on you?
-elizabeth
Posted by CalvaryHill on January 11, 2002, at 4:14:48
In reply to Re: One man having results on Gabitril » CalvaryHill, posted by Elizabeth on January 10, 2002, at 21:52:16
Gabitril is similar to gabapentin and valproate in method of action.
I don't know why the high exists, but I'm not complaining about it. The main effect of the Gabitril in me is: extreme motivation, sociability, ability to feel pleasure, and modest sex drive. But it has to be taken every 2 hours with other enzyme-inducing drugs and so I am always popping pills. But this is the only thing that has worked for me, so again, I'm not complaining.
I think everyone who has failed gabapentin and lamotrigine trials should consider Gabitril. (tiagabine).
Posted by Elizabeth on January 14, 2002, at 15:55:47
In reply to high on Gabitril: mood-stabilizer » Elizabeth, posted by CalvaryHill on January 11, 2002, at 4:14:48
> Gabitril is similar to gabapentin and valproate in method of action.
Gabitril (tiagabine) is a GABA reuptake inhibitor. I'm not sure how Neurontin and Depakote do their thing -- do you happen to know?
> I don't know why the high exists, but I'm not complaining about it. The main effect of the Gabitril in me is: extreme motivation, sociability, ability to feel pleasure, and modest sex drive.
That doesn't sound too bad. It's not driving you to do stupid, impulsive things, is it? And do you function well when you're on it?
> But it has to be taken every 2 hours with other enzyme-inducing drugs and so I am always popping pills.
Is that to make sure your serum tiagabine level doesn't get too high, or what? What else do you take with it? Is tiagabine itself an enzyme inducer? (CYP3A4 induction has been a problem for me.)
> But this is the only thing that has worked for me, so again, I'm not complaining.
I understand completely!
> I think everyone who has failed gabapentin and lamotrigine trials should consider Gabitril. (tiagabine).
*Everyone*? :-) (Do you think it might be good for me? I need something for partial seizures, not for bipolar d/o.)
-elizabeth
Posted by Mags on January 14, 2002, at 19:04:59
In reply to high on Gabitril: mood-stabilizer » Elizabeth, posted by CalvaryHill on January 11, 2002, at 4:14:48
CalvaryHill, Glad to hear how well yu are feeling!
Can you tell me how long you have been on this med and what dose you are at. I had very similar response's with Lamictal as you are having. But it faded..perhaps gabitril would be better for me...
Thanks!
MagsGabitril is similar to gabapentin and valproate in method of action.
>
> I don't know why the high exists, but I'm not complaining about it. The main effect of the Gabitril in me is: extreme motivation, sociability, ability to feel pleasure, and modest sex drive. But it has to be taken every 2 hours with other enzyme-inducing drugs and so I am always popping pills. But this is the only thing that has worked for me, so again, I'm not complaining.
>
> I think everyone who has failed gabapentin and lamotrigine trials should consider Gabitril. (tiagabine).
Posted by beardedlady on June 5, 2002, at 19:33:23
In reply to Re: Gabitril » CalvaryHill, posted by Elizabeth on January 14, 2002, at 15:55:47
Posted by Elizabeth on June 6, 2002, at 15:35:59
In reply to Gabitril is a seizure medicine. (nm) » Elizabeth, posted by beardedlady on June 5, 2002, at 19:33:23
Umm, yes it is. Your point being...?
Posted by beardedlady on June 6, 2002, at 17:46:36
In reply to Re: Gabitril is a seizure medicine. » beardedlady, posted by Elizabeth on June 6, 2002, at 15:35:59
> I think everyone who has failed gabapentin and lamotrigine trials should consider Gabitril. (tiagabine).
>>*Everyone*? :-) (Do you think it might be good for me? I need something for partial seizures, not for bipolar d/o.)
-elizabethUmm...I thought you said the above. But never mind.
beardy
Posted by Elizabeth on June 6, 2002, at 20:20:57
In reply to Re: Gabitril is a seizure medicine. » Elizabeth, posted by beardedlady on June 6, 2002, at 17:46:36
> >>*Everyone*? :-) (Do you think it might be good for me? I need something for partial seizures, not for bipolar d/o.)
> -elizabeth
>
> Umm...I thought you said the above. But never mind.Ahh, I get it. I know that Gabitril is an anticonvulsant; but different anticonvulsants are indicated for different types of seizure disorders. For example, Tegretol has traditionally been considered the gold standard for complex partial seizures (common in temporal lobe epilepsy), but it's less effective for generalized (grand mal) and simple partial seizure disorders and doesn't seem to work at all for absense seizures (petit mal). So anyway, I was wondering what Gabitril's profile is like, if anybody knows. The manufacturer's monograph just says that it's indicated as adjunctive therapy for partial seizures, which is pretty vague. (A lot of pharm companies are getting drugs approved as adjunctive therapy for epilepsy lately. This suggests to me that they just want to get the things on the market and then see what doctors use them for.)
Sorry about the confusion!
-e
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