Hi everyone, I'd just like to share my experience of Gabapentin as I can't find much about it on the site.
In a nutshell, I'm diagnosed bipolar 1, generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder. Medications I've had before I was diagnosed bipolar were ssri's of which there were many but most notably Citalopram. Quetiapine was prescribed after the bipolar diagnosis, and that quite frankly put me off meds for life.
Anyway, a few weeks ago I went to my GP with crippling shoulder pain, suspected trapped nerve, and she prescribed Gabapentin which if you don't know, like I didn't, is an anti epileptic drug also licensed for nueropathic pain.
Well, within 2 days I kid you not my anxiety had gone from 9/10 to about a 1/10, not to mention it has provided immense relief in my shoulder. I started on 3 x 100mg a day for a week, then 3 x 200 a day, now I'm on 3 x 300 a day and the effect on the anxiety is still pronounced. I can now even pick up my partners child from primary school without feeling like I'm going to fall over/pass out in the yard.
The inital side effects were slight dizziness (still less than a bad day of anxiety), tiredness, spaced out a little, almost like the feeling when you take valium. 5 weeks in and no side effects at all, unless I drink alcohol. Funnily enough, I don't feel the need to go out once a week and get hammered now either. Mood is level and quite good, anxiety is under control - not cured at all but managable - it's so far like I have accidentally found a drug that works for me. I still get muscle tension and the associated shooting pains in the scalp, chest tightness etc but I don't go into a panic state thinking about brain tumors and heart attacks as much now. If fact, I haven't had a full on panic episode since I have been on these. As time goes on, I shall continue to report my dosage and effectiveness if anyone is interested.
I'm also on 2.5 mg bisoprolol which has on it's own been a help.
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