# Neurontin (Gabapentin) Adventures



## gaddis (Sep 18, 2005)

I was developing a tolerance to Klonopin (at .5mg), so my doc suggested trying Neurontin again.

I had tried it before I was on K-pin, and it brought on heavy DP/DR, so I stopped it after one day.

Now that I've been on K-pin for three years, I figured I could follow his suggestion about Neurontin this time, and take K-pin if i hit DPland again.

My doc is very uptight about prescribing K-pin ( he claims it's about addiction and cognitive side f/x, but we all know these guys are worried about losing their licenses if they prescribe too many benzos), but he's a maniac when it comes to Neurontin (it's not a Schedule IV Drug, so he's not going to get in any trouble for prescribing it).

He told me had one woman up to 4,600mgs(!) at one time, which was the dose at which she had a good response.

I was much more timid, and I stayed at the lowest possible dose for a month before seeing him again (I see him once a month).

I noticed only a long-term effect, which was a general reduction of anxiety symptoms, and I'm still at .5mgs of K-pin.

He reacted with glee (uh-oh) at this, and told me I have to raise the dose way higher to get the short-term effect.

He said to take 300mgs. when I woke up, another 300mgs after that, and then as high a dose as I wanted at bedtime to knock me out.

He claims there are no side effects other than sleepiness.

I took 300mgs last night, and sure enough, it knocked me right out. I got about five and a half hours of sleep (without my usual early waking up insomnia), so I thought that this was maybe a good sign, so i took 300 more mgs. when I woke up.

I felt a little strange, but not anxious like I usually am in the morning.

After a few hours, I started to watch a movie on NF that I hadn't finished watching last night, and couldn't keep my eyes open for more than five minutes.

When I woke up, I had heavy DP/DR, and took .5 mg of Klonopin to relieve it, and went out shopping, and felt okay again.

I'm not sure what to do next.

Anybody have any experience with Neurontin?

TIA


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## <AGENT>teh345 (Apr 10, 2012)

Never even heard of it, but keep us updated.


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2014)

Your doctor is right that there are people who can take doses that high, but i'm very surprised that he upped you in dosage so soon. It seems very unethical. It's safer to take 3 of those .5 klonopin you've been taking than upping the dose of Gabaepentin by 600mg in one day. I would take your normal dose until you see your doctor again, especially if you are having trouble keeping your eyes open. It sounds very odd to me he'd do this, but he certainly knows more than me, I've just never heard of anyone upping a dose so fast. Like T said please keep us updated.


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## gaddis (Sep 18, 2005)

I've been on Neurontin (Gapapentin) for over a month, so I can report some results:

1) It seems to reduce my overall anxiety.

2) I was using a bottle that was almost two years old for 3 or four weeks, so that might have had an effect on it's ineffectiveness for that time period.

3) It has been successful in keeping me at the 0.5mg dose of Klonopin (I definitely developed tolerance toward that dose after three years of usage), although I did use 1mg on two tense situations.

4) When I used the pills from my new script of Neurontin, things started improving dramatically; I've been able to change my sleep habits to a more normal schedule- I was getting to sleep at 5-6am and waking up at noon or later. Now I get to sleep at 12 to 1:30am and wake up around 8:00am.

5) I actually feel tired at bedtime, although I still take a hypnotic, Ambien CR or Lunesta, along with four or five Neurontins. I fall asleep almost immediately.

6) The last few days I've been taking Neurontin when I wake up, and then another one eight hours later, and it's now reducing anxiety, DP/DR, and anxiety related digestive problems, although I have a kind of pleasantly drunk feeling as a side effect.

I still have early waking insomnia, and my doc wants me to increase the dose up to ten pills gradually at night, but I forgot to tell him I needed a new script for Neurontin at our monthly appt., so I've got to keep the dose down until I get a new script.

The fact that this is not a Schedule Four drug like Klonopin, means that your docs will be more than happy to over -prescribe this drug, because they don't have to worry about losing their license if they over prescribe it.

It's also not addictive like the Benzos, but it seems to have some subtle effect on GABA, so you can use it as you please if you go up and down gradually, e.g. one pill at a time.

The only side effects are the pleasantly-drunk feeling, and some impairment in motor function. Like the Benzos, it;s not liver toxic.


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## StandAlone (Jan 22, 2013)

When i was on gabapentin, i started on liek 100 mgs and upped from there.. Jeffs right, that's a heavy dosage to start off. You will build a tolerance with it like klonopin, but for now start with like 100-200. To be honest, gabapentin didn't really help me with dp/dr, or with anxiety either. Its focus is sortve on the physical anxiety sensations. Mental is the worst though, and the fact it wasnt touching that i got off it. Go back to your doc if you don't like it and ask if they he any other meds in mind. Its actually a pain killer and a mood stabilizer this med is not really for anxiety in my opinion. I was on it to stabilize my mood and prevent mania, if you dont have these problems then its weird they prescribed it to you.

As far as klonopin goes, this med helped me out some much.. The only problem is it leaves you zonked and tired. For me, i was on an anti depressant and the k pin and it worked perfectly to counter out the tiredness. Its tough because klonopin is a very dependent drug, and can cause much more problems, just try to stay on a low dose.. in the end its all you man, meds can help a little but coming from a kid whos been there, they don't help as much as you'd hope. I agree they can help give you a little push though, but you gotta be a guinea pig until you find the right med.

Good luck

Andrew


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## gaddis (Sep 18, 2005)

Everybody's different; what works for some, doesn't work for others.

Gabapentin has an off label use for GAD symptoms and is non-addictive, unlike Klonopin, which is addictive for some, and works on PD symptoms.

Docs are very hesitant to prescribe Klonopin because they're afraid of losing their license if they prescribe it too often, or in high doses.


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## gaddis (Sep 18, 2005)

I've seemed to find my effective dose of Neurontin (Gabapentin) at 600mgs at bedtime, and another 100mgs combined with 0.5mgs of Klonopin if I wake up too early (which I always do).

I'm pleased to report that at the 700mg dose, along with my other meds, I have none of the symptoms that were present for the last few years; DP, anxiety, depression,

panic attacks, tiredness during the day.

I was amazed that I didn't have a DP panic attack or even anxiety during fourteen performances as a musician in a pit orchestra for two different musicals in the last month or two. I was certain that I was psychologically bringing these DP/PAs on, but that isn't the case.

My only symptom that persists is early morning awakening, which I successfully treat with 0.5mg Klonopin and 100mg Gabapentin.

My entire daily cocktail is:

Pristiq 50mg

Lexapro 10mg

Lunesta 3mg

Klonopin 0.5mg

Gabapentin 600-700mgs


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## Angela2006 (Jan 20, 2006)

Thanks for this information. I tried Neurotin years ago, but I didn't feel anything. Maybe it is time to try again.


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## gaddis (Sep 18, 2005)

Neurontin is a very mild drug for most people. It seems in my case I build a tolerance to it quickly, and now the 600mgs I take at bedtime doesn't make me sleepy anymore.

Last night I decided to try and experiment, because I've been reading that it potentiates the effects of various sedating drugs like Benzos.

So i took 0.5 mgs of Klonopin and 3mgs of Lunesta, along with 600mgs of Gabapentin, and was surprised to find I didn't wake up after only a few hours of sleep like I usually do.

I woke up after five hours of sleep, and took 200mgs more of gabapentin, and then went back to sleep for four more hours.

However, I woke up feeling DP'd, so I'd attribute that to the fact that the Klonopin had worn off by that time, and/or that that was too much Gabapentin at one time.

It looks like I need to raise the gabapentin dose more gradually.


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## theheadlesspostman (Oct 30, 2011)

Anyone had any weight gain or found it hard to lose while on Gabapentin?


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## gaddis (Sep 18, 2005)

The only time I had problems with weight gain on Gabapentin was when I was taking it during the day.

One of the symptoms I was having was loss of appetite, and Gabapentin increases your appetite during the six or so hours that it lasts for.

I only take it now at bedtime (600mgs), and have lost all the weight that I put on when i was taking Gabapentin during the day.

While it is not as effective as Klonopin for DP, anxiety and panic, it has been effective in lowering my overall anxiety, and helping with some of the physical symtoms

of anxiety I was suffering from (IBS, loss of appetite).

Most importantly, it was effective in helping my tolerance towards Klonopin, and I've been able to remain at 0.5 mgs of Klonopin.

My doc says that he has a patient on 7,000mgs. of Gabapentin!


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## Guest (Jul 3, 2015)

I was just prescribed it, still trying to figure out how to work it around my kpin schedule without feeling even more like a zombie


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## gaddis (Sep 18, 2005)

The main side effect of Gabapentin is sleepiness, so try to avoid taking K-pin at the same time as Gabapentin if you can.

I had DP side effects when I first took Gabapentin, but when I tried it again, I was on K-pin, which eliminated the DP side effect.

Gabapentin is basically just a weak tranquilizer/mood regulator/pain reliever, so on its own, it won't do much, but combined with a small dose of K-pin (0.5mgs a day), I've had excellent symptom relief. YMMV...

Hopefully, you'll be able to reduce your K-pin dose, but it's impossible to predict your reaction to it.

Benzos have long-term cognitive side effects, so the lower the dose, the better off you'll be.


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## Guest (Jul 4, 2015)

I know that all too well, been on the klono 8 years, doesnt work anymore so I feel like i'll just get EVEN more tired.


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