Gabapentin for Anxiety and Alcohol Abuse

[HappyDrunk]

Gabapentin for Anxiety and Alcohol Abuse

Not sure by any means but I do not think a high dose is required. My Dr. said I could take up to 600 mg a day and I am taking 450 with the side effect of no desire to drink. On the weight gain front I did gain maybe 10 kilos but I have been trying to lose that without much success so have been limiting my food intake and that might be the only reason I have not gained more weight. I did taper down the Lyrica in an attempt to lose some weight but quickly the depression returned with a vengeance. I have read of people having bad withdrawal problems from the Lyrica but I did not seem to have any. The return of the depression I am not counting as a withdrawal because it was there previously.

[Kapple5262]

Gabapentin for Anxiety and Alcohol Abuse

Hi everyone. I just ordered gabapentin (generic) online in the 300 mg. dose. Can someone please tell me how much I should be taking once it arrives? Thank you so much!

[StuckinLA]

Gabapentin for Anxiety and Alcohol Abuse

Start with 300mg, 1 pill. See how it goes. I saw a shrink once who gave me an envelope full of gabapentin to try, and he said take 1 or 2 (so 300 or 600mg) at bedtime to see if it helped with sleep and anxiety. 1200mg/day is pretty standard for a prescription. 1800mg/day is what was used in a trial for alcohol cravings.

[Kapple5262]

Gabapentin for Anxiety and Alcohol Abuse

Thank you. I will report back how it works!

[spiritwolf333]

Gabapentin for Anxiety and Alcohol Abuse

Gabapentin (Neurontin): I almost have to believe that the drug Neurontin (Gabapentin) will soon become a first line treatment for alcoholism (maybe other addictions?). Why does the FDA not jump in full force supporting these medications as potential ways to help resolve alcoholism? Worst case: 2 out of 1000 people die from complications from Gabapentin or Baclofen while trying to quit alcohol?

It just does not make any logical sense to me. If you are rapidly losing your life relative to alcoholism (and potentially endangering others), why the hell not try using some medication -Baclofen/Gabapentin, etc.? ????????

On average, in America, 88 people per day die as a result of alcoholism. I know this is a repeat and I plan on continuing to repeat.

SW

Gabapentin Side Effects - The People's Pharmacy®



Q. I would like to know your feelings on the regular use of gabapentin for chronic insomnia. As a long time suffer of insomnia, my doctor has prescribed a myriad of drugs. Most recently upwards of 3600 mg of gabapentin at bedtime.

After more than 6 months of use I have noticed that gabapentin is taking a toll on my quality of life. Your thoughts please!

A. Gabapentin (Neurontin) was originally developed as an anti-seizure drug. It was approved by the FDA as an "add-on" treatment for patients with epilepsy in 1993. Although researchers do not completely understand how gabapentin works to control seizures, they think it affects production of a neurochemical in the brain called GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid).

Pfizer, the manufacturer of the brand name Neurontin, got into major trouble when it marketed this drug for off-label uses. A company is not allowed to promote a medicine for things that the FDA has not approved. In Pfizer's case, these unofficial uses for Neurontin included bipolar disorder, alcohol withdrawal, migraines and pain. The company eventually paid $430 million in penalties and admitted to fraudulent promotion.
We mention this because Neurontin is currently available generically as gabapentin. In addition to treating epilepsy, the drug now has official FDA approval for alleviating nerve pain caused by shingles (postherpetic neuralgia).

Even though gabapentin does not have the FDA's blessing for treating other kinds of nerve pain (neuropathy), many doctors are using it for this purpose. Some physicians prescribe it to patients with fibromyalgia and migraines as well as to control hot flashes brought on by menopause, even though there is no official blessing from the FDA. This is not illegal. Doctors can prescribe any drug for any reason they see fit. That said, we could find little evidence to suggest that gabapentin would be helpful for insomnia. This is definitely an "off-label" use if ever there was one.

If there were few, if any, side effects associated with gabapentin we would not worry too much about the prescribing of this drug for so many off-label uses. But gabapentin has some potentially worrisome adverse effects. The FDA has issued this warning:
"Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), including Neurontin [gabapentin], increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior in patients taking these drugs for any indication. Patients treated with any AED for any indication should be monitored for the emergence or worsening of depression, suicidal thoughts or behavior, and/or any unusual changes in mood or behavior."

[wes]

Gabapentin for Anxiety and Alcohol Abuse

Is there any data on how gabapentin holds up to building of tolerance? I know know pregabalin can be a nightmare for tolerance.