Gabapentinoids Is Gabapentin useful for anxiety?

[Arachn1d_1902]

I was prescribed 300mg twice a day for anxiety but I feel like I need more. Should I take multiple doses throughout the day or one single dose? How useful is this stuff for anxiety anyway? I also have hydroxyzine, idk if that would be useful.

I'm just trying to calm myself down. I have severe generalized and social anxiety. The Dr's won't prescribe me Ativan anymore so I'm trying to find something to replace it

Also, this is my first post

 

[negrogesic]

Welcome to bluelight!

I think it depends on the person and the nature of the anxiety, but gabapentin is perhaps slightly to moderately useful for anxiety. Those doses might be too low if you're used to ativan.

Were you prescribed ativan and suddenly taken off if it?

Pregabalin (lyrica) is a relative of gabapentin and has far stronger anxiolytic effects. I would recommend asking your doctor to switch you to pregabalin if you are in search of anxiolytic effects. Keep in mind, both pregabalin and gabapentin eventually result in a physical dependency.

If your doctor needs convincing you could print him/her out this literature which shows that pregabalin is a superior anxiolytic (compared to gabapentin):

https://accp1.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/cpdd.446

However use judgement before presenting that literature because some doctors get insulted when patients show them literature since some interpret it as you saying they don't know something. If you have a female psychiatrist I'd be particularly hesitant, unless you have a good relationship with her.

 

[Metamorpheus]

I’m always surprised when people (and Drs) talk about the dependency of pregabalin. I was on about 600mg daily for quite a while then after a few months just gave it up. Didn’t seem to have any withdrawal effects at all. Not saying they don’t exist, just that I e never felt them.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I’m always surprised when people (and Drs) talk about the dependency of pregabalin. I was on about 600mg daily for quite a while then after a few months just gave it up. Didn’t seem to have any withdrawal effects at all. Not saying they don’t exist, just that I e never felt them.

I don't get wd from pregabalin either. Guess i'm lucky. Some People get severe, benzo like wd's from it and it is no joke.
To OP, Gabapentin helps for anxiety, not as much as pregabalin but definitely helps.

 

[Arachn1d_1902]

Welcome to bluelight!

I think it depends on the person and the nature of the anxiety, but gabapentin is perhaps slightly to moderately useful for anxiety. Those doses might be too low if you're used to ativan.

Were you prescribed ativan and suddenly taken off if it?

Pregabalin (lyrica) is a relative of gabapentin and has far stronger anxiolytic effects. I would recommend asking your doctor to switch you to pregabalin if you are in search of anxiolytic effects. Keep in mind, both pregabalin and gabapentin eventually result in a physical dependency.

If your doctor needs convincing you could print him/her out this literature which shows that pregabalin is a superior anxiolytic (compared to gabapentin):

https://accp1.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/cpdd.446

However use judgement before presenting that literature because some doctors get insulted when patients show them literature since some interpret it as you saying they don't know something. If you have a female psychiatrist I'd be particularly hesitant, unless you have a good relationship with her.

Thanks, I'll find a way to bring it up with her. I've heard good things about pregabalin

I was taking Ativan for a while but my psychiatrist decided to wean me off the Ativan until I was on librium and eventually she took me off the librium too.

I was given the options of gabapentin, hydroxyzine, or buspirone for my anxiety. Buspirone does nothing at all so I took gaba for anxiety and hydroxyzine for sleep.

 

[plonk-ozoid]

Gabapentin works somewhat, split the doses evenly throughout the day, take with food. I'm prescribed it for nerve pain and it does not work for either immediately, it takes it's sweet time.

So take it but don't expect immediate results! And for helping acute anxiety (e.g. panic attacks) it's no good.

300mg three times a day is a standard starting dose, if you respond to it doctors usually increase it slowly until the desired response is dialed in.

 

[Dextro .45]

Gabapentin 300mg X 3 capsules daily is standard dose for adult

Pregabalin 150/300mg X 2 daily is much better. Identical MOA drug, just has 90% oral bioavailability, better absorbed with robust anxiolytic properties

Clonidine 0.1mg tablet you can request....a mild sedative and VERY effective/potent anxiolytic medication (off label, as with Pregabalin/Gabapentin) rapid acting 30min, reducing norepinephrine - lowering BP & HR very calming and relaxing. Anxiety melted away in 30min

I read a medical journal compared all three drugs. Clonidine reduced BP greatest and Gabapentinoids HR ....but Clonidine will reduce both BP & HR very effectively

The ultimate anxiolytic cocktail I take:
Pregabalin 300mg
Diazepam 10mg X 2
Clonidine 0.1mg (half a scored tablet)

 

[JackARoe]

Going through a very stressful time right now. I have access to diazepam. But what I have been doing to manage the anxiety of this time is taking the diazepam twice in one week at 15 mg. Then the next week I switch to using gabapentin twice that week. Around 1200 mg. of course it takes longer to work, but I feel steady and sleep great on it. But I definitely think it’s much safer to use than benzos if you need to use it a lot during a stressful time. Then again, I never like the headspace of a benzo.

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

I was prescribed 300mg twice a day for anxiety but I feel like I need more. Should I take multiple doses throughout the day or one single dose? How useful is this stuff for anxiety anyway? I also have hydroxyzine, idk if that would be useful.

I'm just trying to calm myself down. I have severe generalized and social anxiety. The Dr's won't prescribe me Ativan anymore so I'm trying to find something to replace it

Also, this is my first post

Yes, I find it very helpful!
Gabapentin is usually prescribed 3 x day, so maybe with you only taking it twice a day it isn't lasting long enough? Also, how long have you been on it? While it does in part start working right away, it also can take weeks for levels of the drug to build up in your system to have full effect.

If you anxiety is severe, needing more than 600mg/day is understandable. I also have severe generalized and social anxiety and am prescribed 1800mg/day (although I am definitely not saying you will need that much).

Yes, Hydroxyzine can help with anxiety, too, although to a lesser extent than Gabapentin.

 

[Dreamflyer]

I've taken doses up to 1800mg and never noticed much of an effect, but I have a freakishly high tolerance to substances so I'm probably not the best example. If 600mg doesn't have any effect, then taking more probably wouldn't be worth it.