Gabapentin Reduces Opiate Tolerence...VERY interesting journal article

[BirdOfPrey]

I recently ran across this article-- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22523419 --which explains how gabapentin (Neurontin) reduced opiate tolerance in mice. Apparently, it was formerly thought that pain sufferers needed less of their opiate medications when used in conjunction with gabapentin due to gabapentin's ability to treat nerve pain. Through this study, however, it was discerned that gabapentin actually reduced opiate tolerence in mice. I am interested in hearing about anyone's ideas on theoretical reasons for this or even personal experiences/the experience of a friend or pet . I am aware that gabapentin's pharmacology is quite complex and not fully understood by the medical community, and that it is used off-label for many things such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and even cocaine addiction. To my understanding, the prevailing theory is that gabapentin indirectly raises levels of GABA (thus inhibiting the release of monoamines such as dopamine and serotonin) through interaction with the sodium ion channels. I do not see how this could have any effect on opiate tolerence whatsoever, but lo and behold, this study asserts just that. Any ideas or experiences pertaining to this topic?

 

[jdcallmemaybe]

this is only from my experience, i am an opiate addict and have been for allmost ten years, i started taking 800mgs of gabapentin (neurontin) about a year ago and i have come to the conclusion that neurontin while in your system lowers the effects of opiates, however, when i have no opiates and i am (withdrawing), neurontin really helps with the symptoms and also really helps with anxiety. I wouldn't recomend taking neurontin and opiates at the same time, they will cancell each other out, take one or the other, whatever your need for them may be... but i love neurontin as much as i do my opiates for the simple fact that when i have no opiates, neurontin pretty much takes the withdrawal symptoms away and if taken enough i get a pretty good buzz off of them, BUT, your body will quickly build a tolerance for neurontin thus you will find that more and more is needed to get you high or even for it to treat the symptms for which it may have been prescribed to you for. Neurontin is still under great deal of study, but is currently prescribed for many things including, anxiety, nerve pain, opiate addiction, bipolar disorder, mood stabilizer, and even cocaine addiction..... hope this helps you at least a little and please reply with any additional questions, I'm not a doctor but I know alot about all drugs from personal prescribed and recreational use.....

 

[xsiv1]

Turns out that Gabapentin and its successor, Lyrica also happen to block glutamate which may have something to do with it's effects on anxiety especially when one has used or abused Gaba agonists over a period of time. I'm on my phone right now and can't post the sources adequately but can edit or add to this thread later if needed.

Since the brain and body are trying to maintain a delicate balance between Gaba and glutamate, when one goes askew because of agonist drugs like alcohol or benzodiazepines, upon abrupt cessation, the glutamate receptors, being upregulated or sensitized can often release a cascade of glutamate throughout the brain. This can lead to excitotoxicity and even apoptosis. Cell death. By blocking glutamate, most commonly through NMDA antagonists, one can often protect themselves from the ramifications to an extent. It's not as easy as that, but, in essence it's one of the ways these Gaba mimetics work.