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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by cybercafe on September 8, 2002, at 15:01:03
hi, i was wondering how long people have taken gabapentin/neurontin for anxiety .... i am trying to figure out if i can take it for the rest of my life or does it poop out?
Posted by utopizen on September 8, 2002, at 21:40:56
In reply to Neurontin/Gabapentin for anxiety - does it poop?, posted by cybercafe on September 8, 2002, at 15:01:03
I'm afraid I've only been on it for a few months, but have noticed that my dosing is very arbitrary. Sometimes, 800mg at once makes me feel great, sometimes 1600mg makes me feel no effect and still anxious.
It's sort of "tolerance"... but it'll never end. You'll just have to adjust your dosing at times (possibly) if you take it on a regular basis.
It doesn't actually "end" like the long-term meds some have reported as doing... it's just a novel mood stabilizer, so it comes in your system and leaves. The reason why the SSRIs "end" after several years with some is because their function exists in a way that eventually may make the brain try to "fight back" at all the "firings" of serotonin getting zapped around. The idea is the brain thinks after awhile something's not right, and tries to compensate for it.
That will never happen with Neurontin. People have been on it for awhile now, and it's fine. Everything's cool, but I would get occassional blood checks... you can ask your doctor for these if he thinks they're necessary. Neurontin does metabolize through the kidney and the other organs and such, so it's a good idea these organs aren't enduring toxic levels. These are generally testable through blood tests.
Posted by utopizen on September 8, 2002, at 22:08:14
In reply to Re: Neurontin/Gabapentin for anxiety - does it poo, posted by utopizen on September 8, 2002, at 21:40:56
Oh yeah- I should probably add Neurontin's going to be replaced by Gabitril in a year or two. It just needs to clear for approval.
Suppose to be great stuff, and this time around it's being applied for to the FDA as a GAD fixer.
Posted by cybercafe on September 9, 2002, at 7:47:29
In reply to Re: Neurontin/Gabapentin for anxiety - does it poo, posted by utopizen on September 8, 2002, at 22:08:14
> Oh yeah- I should probably add Neurontin's going to be replaced by Gabitril in a year or two. It just needs to clear for approval.
>
> Suppose to be great stuff, and this time around it's being applied for to the FDA as a GAD fixer.hmmm... i thought gabapentin was going to be replaced by pregabalin or something (once a day gabapentin?)... but then they found it didn't work
i also heard that gabitril (tiagabine) doesn't work as well as sabril (vigabatrin).. though that may have only been one persons experience ....
(i know gabapentin hasn't been cleared for approval, why would gabitril -- it's already approved for epilepsy no?)
Posted by madison88 on September 9, 2002, at 17:25:02
In reply to Re: Neurontin/Gabapentin for anxiety - does it poo, posted by cybercafe on September 9, 2002, at 7:47:29
I tried both Neurontin and Gabitril for anxiety. They both made me feel really detached, so they relieved anxiety in general. I like Gabitril better, hard to explain why. Gabitril is considered an anti-seizure med, but my doc uses it for lots of other stuff. I tried the 4mg and noticed an effect but 8mg really helped me stop having panic attacks and helped me feel like i can breath easier. I have been on Gabitril for 9 months and it hasn't faded. (i used them as add on meds to paxil and risperdal.)
For some people, including me, Neurontin can bind to the eye and cause blurry vision. If it does, it takes a month or two to go away after stopping the med.
Posted by cybercafe on September 9, 2002, at 17:31:34
In reply to Re: Neurontin/Gabapentin for anxiety - does it poo, posted by madison88 on September 9, 2002, at 17:25:02
>and noticed an effect but 8mg really helped me stop having panic attacks and helped me feel like i can breath easier. I have been on Gabitril for 9 months and it hasn't faded. (i used them as add on meds to paxil and risperdal.)
wow, that's great... do you get any side effects from gabitril?
Posted by madison88 on September 9, 2002, at 22:10:04
In reply to Re: Neurontin/Gabapentin for anxiety - does it poo, posted by cybercafe on September 9, 2002, at 17:31:34
let's see... it is supose to be used for pain by some people but for me when i went from 2 to 4 mg i got really bad pains in my joints so i went back down to 2. the third time i tried to go to 4 mg the pain didn't come back. going to 8 mg didn't cause any pain, but i pulled some muscles going boating and it has taken longer than it should to stop hurting. i believe this reaction is opposite what Gabitril should do, so maybe it's just me. i have had some neurological problems in the past and it seems to have brought back twitches and jerks in my muscles that i haven't had for a while. With the higher dose i sometimes feel sick to my stomach. i believe there are GABA receptors there, so it makes sense. i don't have any problem eating, though. sexual stuff has actually gotten better on it.
overall it has reduced my anxiety so i put up w/ these side effects. the first week or so after i started and after the increases i felt high, detached, and a little dizzy, but i have always gotten over most of it. still feel high from time to time, but there are worse side effects than that :)
if you need something for anxiety, you should try it. don't let my experience scare you. there is a good chance you won't experience the same thing. i have found that if you read about side effects before going on a medication, you are much more likely to get 'em. just try it.
This is the end of the thread.
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