Posted by 4WD on January 2, 2008, at 19:59:07
In reply to Re: Scared to start Gabitril -increases anxiety? » 4WD, posted by Phoenix1 on January 2, 2008, at 18:20:01
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> Hi Marsha,
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> I just wanted to post since I guess no one here has tried Gabitril. My understanding is that it is sedating, as are the other GABA agonists. I would doubt that it would cause much anxiety, in fact I have heard of it's used to treat anxiety. The RxList.com monograph does not list anxiety as a possible side effect. If you are worried, start the dose very low, and work your way up. May I ask what it is being prescribed for, and what the dosage is? I have experience with Lyrica and Neurontin, drugs in that same class of meds, and they definitely did not cause increased anxiety.
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> If you have already started, let us know how it's going.
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> Phoenix1
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I still haven't started it. I got the anxiety info from the web, where when I looked up Gabitril it listed increased anxiety as a possible side effect. It's prescribed as a mood stabilizer (I am bipolar II, depressive type). My pdoc did start me on a low dose, 4mg. I did pretty well on Neurontin so maybe the Gabitril will help. The trouble with Neurontin was that it gave me severe neuralgia in my bottom front teeth. So did Depakote (even worse) and Trileptal. So did Lamictal, Lyrica and Risperdal. I am not on a mood stabilizer now at all because I was afraid of the toothache. I went and had two root canals today. So maybe after I have a chance to see whether the nerve pain stops now I can give Gabitril a try.The weird thing is that in the past, if I stopped Neurontin, Depakote, etc., the toothache went away. This time when I stopped the Trileptal, the neuralgia continued. Maybe I did permanent damage to the nerves? It's doubly weird because some of these drugs are prescribed to *treat* neuralgia-type pain. But I never had pain in those teeth until I started these meds.
Thanks for answering.
Marsha
poster:4WD
thread:803159
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20071225/msgs/803869.html