Anyone ever use Gabapentin?

#1
Hi..my neighbor said that along with other meds he takes gabapentin for anxiety. Has taken it for years. I do not k ow much about it other than my mom took it for nerve pain. Is it multi purpose? Not that I am not on enough drugs but am curious about this....thanks.
 

kittykatt

Well-Known Member
#2
I take it for restless leg syndrome. I have heard that it is also used for nerve pain. I had a horrible time getting it given to me when I was in the hospital. It was really hard to convince them that I was being given it for RLS and not nerve pain. I'm not sure how good it is. But I take it anyway. I'm up to 600 mg whenever needed which is pretty much constantly. Hope this helps you.
 
#3
I take it for restless leg syndrome. I have heard that it is also used for nerve pain. I had a horrible time getting it given to me when I was in the hospital. It was really hard to convince them that I was being given it for RLS and not nerve pain. I'm not sure how good it is. But I take it anyway. I'm up to 600 mg whenever needed which is pretty much constantly. Hope this helps you.
My neighbor says it was given to him for anxiety and to stop thoughts in his head. Interesting, as from your post it sounds like it is multi purpose. Thanks for the reply,
 

sinking_ship

woman overboard
Staff Alumni
SF Supporter
#4
It's mainly for nerve pain I think, but has other off-label uses. I was prescribed it once for anxiety but it didn't do anything for me.
 

Aurelia

🔥 A Fire Inside 🔥
SF Supporter
#7
I told you about Gabapentin several weeks ago. It can work for anxiety somewhat, and it does so within about 1 1/2 - 2 hours (the pills are huge and take a while to dissolve in your system). But it doesn't work as well as Klonopin. And to be honest, it works better for actual nerve pain more so than symptoms of anxiety. It's helped me before with nerve pain in my tooth, as well as that horrible skin crawling feeling during opiate withdrawal. It works by releasing more GABA into the body, calming nervous activity. Different dosages work in different ways, as well. Too low of a dosage won't make you feel much of anything anxiety-wise. Too high of a dosage will cause you to feel a bit out of it, disoriented, and possibly weak on your feet. And it can cause some withdrawal after you've been on it for a while if you abruptly stop.
 
#8
I told you about Gabapentin several weeks ago. It can work for anxiety somewhat, and it does so within about 1 1/2 - 2 hours (the pills are huge and take a while to dissolve in your system). But it doesn't work as well as Klonopin. And to be honest, it works better for actual nerve pain more so than symptoms of anxiety. It's helped me before with nerve pain in my tooth, as well as that horrible skin crawling feeling during opiate withdrawal. It works by releasing more GABA into the body, calming nervous activity. Different dosages work in different ways, as well. Too low of a dosage won't make you feel much of anything anxiety-wise. Too high of a dosage will cause you to feel a bit out of it, disoriented, and possibly weak on your feet. And it can cause some withdrawal after you've been on it for a while if you abruptly stop.
Yes.....you did tell me about it...was just trying to get others’ experiences. I do not take it thought at one point my dr suggested it. I can’t add much more to the crap that I already take.
 

Sunspots

To Wish Impossible Things
Admin
SF Supporter
#9
My psych has asked me to consider adding this in but most people I've asked about it have found it pretty ineffective.
 

Baywasp

I know the world turns and it will turn on me
SF Supporter
#10
They tried to put me on it for my anxiety when I was in the hospital in 2011 but I had bad side effects and had to stop taking it (could hardly walk straight or keep my balance)
 

dandelion s

RAW, well done
SF Supporter
#12
Hi all, my pediatrist just prescribed gabapentin 300mg for what he suspects is diabetic nerve issues in my feet.

, . they say it is
Hi..my neighbor said that along with other meds he takes gabapentin for anxiety. Has taken it for years. I do not k ow much about it other than my mom took it for nerve pain. Is it multi purpose? Not that I am not on enough drugs but am curious about this....thanks.
I have heard that it is also used for nerve pain.
It's mainly for nerve pain I think, but has other off-label uses. I was prescribed it once for anxiety but it didn't do anything for me.
Pfizer actually got in trouble with the FDA some time ago for promoting its off-label uses.
Wow....really, then why would a doctor prescribe it for anxiety?
And to be honest, it works better for actual nerve pain more so than symptoms of anxiety.
but most people I've asked about it have found it pretty ineffective.
They tried to put me on it for my anxiety when I was in the hospital in 2011 but I had bad side effects and had to stop taking it (could hardly walk straight or keep my balance)
when he was talking to me about it, it sounded like this would be a good med to take for my foot pain. however when i read the literature included with the medicine, the warnings suggest the possibility of suicidal thoughts and actions. they say it is an antiepileptic that is also used for nerve issues. they warn about several symptoms such as suicidal thoughts and actions and thoughts of dying, depression, anxiety, feeling agitated irritable, acting aggressive etc. it was pretty scary...

i realize that they have to include all the side effects even if there is little chance to have them, but i have just been working so hard especially in the past 6 months (and more) to overcome all my issues. at this point i feel i am finally in a very good place and on the verge of being in a better state than i’ve been in many many years.

my recent treatment for my issues has been my own idea of using my version of positive affirmations plus for three months using (again) trintellix. i decided just over a week ago to stop the trintellix - which i have stopped - because i want to let the positive affirmations work on their own.

with what i see of the negatives of gabapentin, i am afraid to jeopardize all my work and the good place i am now in and fall back into those bad feelings and ways of being. i’ve actually greatly diminished my self harm too.

now i am trying to decide if having my feet feel a little better is worth the risks. i don’t want to lose the momentum i have gained and my feeling positive. so i’m wondering if anyone can provide any more information about this drug and its safety/dangers.

thanks.
 

Harmony

Well-Known member
SF Supporter
#13
I took gabapentin (Neurontin) for epilepsy several years ago. The side effects were extremely negative in my case. Dizziness, fatigue, lack of coordination, as Baywasp described, the inability to walk in a straight line. The dosage indicated for its use off-label as an antianxiety agent is significantly less than that indicated for use as an anticonvulsant, but I wasn't able to exceed the dosage comparable for which one would take it for anxiety without the side effects I described. While it is still widely used off-label for issues such as diabetic neuropathy, it seems to be a medication that is difficult to tolerate for most individuals.
 

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