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Misc Why does Gabapentin slow me down then speed me up?

EarthBounded

Bluelighter
Joined
Mar 2, 2013
Messages
993
I am prescribed 900mg 3x per day of Gabapentin. I am curious as to why I can take the medication to settle me down, however at large doses it is a speedy high, why does this happen?
 
I'm not too sure but I'm guessing it has to do with the side effect profile. Gabapentin binds to gaba receptors in the brain and the increase in available gaba can lead to increased energy. I know at high doses (>3g) I notice an increase in heart rate, slightly sweaty palms, overall mood lift and slight mania..

4g of gabapentin with a monster energy drink to me gives me 40% of the energy and euphoria of a light MDMA roll.

Lyrica works even better however I can't get an equivalent dose to equal out to 800mg of gabapentin 4x a day, which is what I'm prescribed.
 
I as well am prescribed with gabapentin for anxiety and panic disorder. It gives me energy and clear headed. Odd that it slows you down. Maybe try drinking coffee with it? You can also build up a tolerance... I know people who do 2100mg a day.8o
 
Cool thanks for the reply's. It is so weird, almost like kratom where it can produce two different effects. My doctors even warn me that it will make me sleepy. I do love high doses though :)
 
I was recently prescribed 900 mg of gaba a day (3x300mg caps) and I have noticed over the first 2 weeks, it started slowing me down. I was tired and sluggish all day. It was compairable to taking a Cyclobenzaprine or another muscle relaxer. Before I was prescribed it officially, I took 900mg tabs a friend would give me, and it sped me up unbelievably. So much so that I completely taped off and reprinted my entire master bathroom spontaneously. I can only assume you're taking tabs since your dosage is 900mg, if so, try breaking the tab in half and having a cup of coffee or warm black tea after taking your first dose. Please let me know if this helps you or if you discover anything else as time goes on.
 
It doesn't make me sluggish, besides feeling a bit relaxed. It's for anxiety and fibromyalgia, and helps a lot. I was told it takes some people a while to get used to it.
 
I was recently prescribed 900 mg of gaba a day (3x300mg caps) and I have noticed over the first 2 weeks, it started slowing me down. I was tired and sluggish all day. It was compairable to taking a Cyclobenzaprine or another muscle relaxer. Before I was prescribed it officially, I took 900mg tabs a friend would give me, and it sped me up unbelievably. So much so that I completely taped off and reprinted my entire master bathroom spontaneously. I can only assume you're taking tabs since your dosage is 900mg, if so, try breaking the tab in half and having a cup of coffee or warm black tea after taking your first dose. Please let me know if this helps you or if you discover anything else as time goes on.

I am actually on the capsules 3x300mg three times a day.

I drink a lot of coffee anyways, I am using soda to potentiate as well.
 
It speeds me up the next day when I take Gapaenting at night. It slows me down when I take it at night i.e. drowsy, sleepy etc but the next day I feel energetic and mentally clear. And this is only from 300mgs.
 
I'm not too sure but I'm guessing it has to do with the side effect profile. Gabapentin binds to gaba receptors in the brain and the increase in available gaba can lead to increased energy. I know at high doses (>3g) I notice an increase in heart rate, slightly sweaty palms, overall mood lift and slight mania..

4g of gabapentin with a monster energy drink to me gives me 40% of the energy and euphoria of a light MDMA roll.

Lyrica works even better however I can't get an equivalent dose to equal out to 800mg of gabapentin 4x a day, which is what I'm prescribed.


That is not true at all gabapentin does not act on gaba receptors at all it acts on voltage-gated calcium channels and is not fully understood how it works.
 
Yes I know. You're gonna tell me that it isn't a gaba agonist and in the same sentence tell me you have no Idea what you're talking about while quoting Wikipedia.

Tell someone who's just taken a G of gabapentin after being in phenibut withdrawal that it's not an agonist. It's my belief that gabapentin can activate all kinds of receptors in the brain.. Hence its use in opiate, gaba a, gaba b withdrawal.

Likewise, ask someone who is in withdrawal from gabapentin how they feel after a few beers. Experience is the best teacher sometimes.
 
^ Well you are wrong it may indirectly effcet gaba somehow or many other things as can a whole bunch of other drugs. It stops baclofen and phenibut withdrawls for me but i still sweat and have physical symptoms it just does's not bother me. Just because thing's help you in w/d it does not mean it activates the same receptor's wiki has nothing to do with it and I am not going to go into more detail's as there is actually alot of information about gabapentin's activity not just from wiki.
 
^ Well you are wrong it may indirectly effcet gaba somehow or many other things as can a whole bunch of other drugs. It stops baclofen and phenibut withdrawls for me but i still sweat and have physical symptoms it just does's not bother me. Just because thing's help you in w/d it does not mean it activates the same receptor's wiki has nothing to do with it and I am not going to go into more detail's as there is actually alot of information about gabapentin's activity not just from wiki.

Actually you are wrong. Gabapentin directly increases Gaba levels in the brain whether it's been proven to be an agonist or not. (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00094510)

Further reading for you... The impact of gabapentin on brain gaba levels. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22871916

So without trying to repeat myself I'm just gonna say this. Your phenibut withdrawal is caused by down regulations in gaba through consistent over activity at receptor sites. Gabapentin stops this withdrawal by directly increasing gaba levels in the brain.

So my point is, I suppose I was slightly wrong for saying there's proof gabapentin is a gaba agonist. However the most important take away for any reader of this post is that if they want to directly increase gaba levels they can take a gaba agonist... Or gabapentin.
 
Of course it increases gaba in the brain although through different mechanisms. That is what I was saying dmt increases endorphins in your blood but that does not mean it effects your opioid receptors.
 
I feel what you're saying bro. I've read so much about gabapentin that is all over the place, I'm not sure anyone can be right at this point. Some people say that it converts glutamate into gaba somehow as glutamate inhibits gaba receptors... I'm not really sure. All I know is I'm prescribed a heavy dose (800mg x4 a day) of gabapentin and it certainly releases a shitload of gaba in my brain personally.
 
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