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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by SpreadDaALoha on March 26, 2003, at 6:36:05
I had good experiences with Neurontin. It helped my general anxiety, my social anxiety, and my irritability. But my doc had me quit taking it to concentrate on bipolar meds (I know it has been shown to not work for bipolar). I miss it for its social anxiety benefits...
Anyone having similar thoughts?
Posted by ayuda on March 26, 2003, at 8:03:38
In reply to Neurontin , posted by SpreadDaALoha on March 26, 2003, at 6:36:05
> I had good experiences with Neurontin. It helped my general anxiety, my social anxiety, and my irritability. But my doc had me quit taking it to concentrate on bipolar meds (I know it has been shown to not work for bipolar). I miss it for its social anxiety benefits...
>
> Anyone having similar thoughts?I was on Neurontin a couple of years ago to keep me stabilized while I was in a bad work situation, and my doctor took me off of it as soon as I got a new job. I was on Celexa at the same time, and kind of like your doc, mine wanted to concentrate on the depression and GAD. I think about it often, and I miss it! It made me accepting of all the day-to-day crap that went on around me, and sometimes when my anxiety gets going, I desire that even mood it put me in. Alas, my doctors see no reason to put me back on it -- I'm on Lexapro and Ativan, and I'm okay on those. But I do know what you mean -- Neurontin just made the anxiety disappear.
Posted by Ritch on March 26, 2003, at 9:20:24
In reply to Neurontin , posted by SpreadDaALoha on March 26, 2003, at 6:36:05
> I had good experiences with Neurontin. It helped my general anxiety, my social anxiety, and my irritability. But my doc had me quit taking it to concentrate on bipolar meds (I know it has been shown to not work for bipolar). I miss it for its social anxiety benefits...
>
> Anyone having similar thoughts?Why can't you keep taking the Neurontin while your pdoc tries lithium, Depakote, Trileptal/Tegretol, etc.? Neurontin is primarily used as an add-on for epilepsy to existing AED's because it doesn't interact with metabolizing the meds (liver enzymes). I found Depakote+Neurontin to be a nice combo.
Posted by cybercafe on March 26, 2003, at 23:59:35
In reply to Neurontin , posted by SpreadDaALoha on March 26, 2003, at 6:36:05
> I had good experiences with Neurontin. It helped my general anxiety, my social anxiety, and my irritability. But my doc had me quit taking it to concentrate on bipolar meds (I know it has been shown to not work for bipolar). I miss it for its social anxiety benefits...
>
> Anyone having similar thoughts?yeah i found gabapentin definately helped with anxiety ...
but my doc moved me back to clonazepam/klonopin, and it works much better
Posted by wendy b. on March 27, 2003, at 8:15:57
In reply to Neurontin , posted by SpreadDaALoha on March 26, 2003, at 6:36:05
> I had good experiences with Neurontin. It helped my general anxiety, my social anxiety, and my irritability. But my doc had me quit taking it to concentrate on bipolar meds (I know it has been shown to not work for bipolar). I miss it for its social anxiety benefits...
>
> Anyone having similar thoughts?Hmmm. Very interesting... Actually, I have been feeling the same thing. My social clumsiness has come back after stopping the neurontin altogether, and I seem to have less patience with the kids I work with. Not no patience, but noticeably less. I think Ritch et al are right, it helps with anxiety and is not bad for the liver, so what's wrong with staying on it while you try other things? It isn't a "dirty" drug like some pdocs think. Of course, they've never been on it, either... which is why anecdotal evidence is, to me, still a valid type of evidence.
thanks for the thread,
Wendy
Posted by SpreadDaALoha on March 29, 2003, at 21:44:21
In reply to Re: Neurontin , posted by wendy b. on March 27, 2003, at 8:15:57
Someone mentioned Klonopin being better than Neurontin. I tried Neurontin on a consistent basis (took it usually 3x day every day). When I tried Klonopin (and many other benzos) my doctors always had me take them prn and never all the time (none of the benzos ever did ANYTHING for me). I wonder if I should try Klonopin all the time. I shy away from it because I hear about many people developing tolerancy...
Posted by canwetalk on March 30, 2003, at 18:02:39
In reply to Neurontin , posted by SpreadDaALoha on March 26, 2003, at 6:36:05
Interesting posts regarding neurontin. My daughter's psdoc is going to put my daughter on depakote along with Abilify. She is aggressive and agitated at times. I am concerned because I have read some things about depakote that I don't especially feel comfortable about. Wonder if neurontin could be used instead of the depakote. We see the psdoc in 2 weeks so if there are any suggestions would greatly appreciate them.
Posted by SpreadDaALoha on April 1, 2003, at 7:12:54
In reply to Re: Neurontin , posted by canwetalk on March 30, 2003, at 18:02:39
If your daughter has bipolar or something similar, Neurontin instead of Depakote is NOT a good idea. The research says this. I think it helps as an ADDITIVE for people with anxiety and irritability, but not by itself. Abilify + Neurontin (probably not good). I would stick with Doc's advice on Depakote. I have a friend with severe bipolar who takes Depakote with an antipsychotic and Wellbutrin and he seems ok.
Also, some research showed animals getting some type of cancer from Neurontin, but this hasn't been shown in people...
Posted by Ron Hill on April 1, 2003, at 15:49:24
In reply to Re: Neurontin , posted by SpreadDaALoha on April 1, 2003, at 7:12:54
> Also, some research showed animals getting some type of cancer from Neurontin, but this hasn't been shown in people...
Do you know of a link to an article or study abstract that discusses this cancer issue? If so, will you do me a favor and post the link? I'm interested. Thanks!
-- Ron
Posted by SpreadDaALoha on April 1, 2003, at 20:09:09
In reply to Re: Neurontin » SpreadDaALoha, posted by Ron Hill on April 1, 2003, at 15:49:24
I think if you enter "neurontin" and "cancer" in google a study should come up. Pretty sure it was in rats or mice. That's sort of scary. But then again, haven't they found things like that with common over the counter drugs?
Posted by utopizen on April 1, 2003, at 21:09:55
In reply to Re: Neurontin, posted by SpreadDaALoha on April 1, 2003, at 20:09:09
> I think if you enter "neurontin" and "cancer" in google a study should come up. Pretty sure it was in rats or mice. That's sort of scary. But then again, haven't they found things like that with common over the counter drugs?
>
Are you sure you're not confusing this with Pregabalin, which in mice is demonstrated to cause cancer? Pregabalin is not on the market yet for this reason... more safety documentation is required from Pfizer first.
Neurontin is always mentioned in Pregabalin articles because it is what Pregabalin is expected to replace in doctors' prescribing habits.
This is the end of the thread.
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