Some people will take 600 mg/day, others will increase to 3,600 mg/day—the maximum dose approved by the FDA. If used as a mood stabilizer or anti-depressant, the dose is usually between 900 Gabapentin was given as an add-on therapy with other mood stabilizers for 8 weeks. The initial dosage of gabapentin administered was 300 mg/day which was subsequently increased to 2400 mg/day based on the clinical response and occurrence of any significant side effects. A retrospective cohort study examined 50 patients who received high-dose gabapentin (≥1,800 mg/day) in the first 48 hours of hospital admission and compared them to 50 propensity-score matched patients who did not receive gabapentin. Side Effects Common side effects of gabapentin. Gabapentin can cause several common side effects, including dizziness, drowsiness, and fatigue. Other commonly reported side effects include headache, nausea, and blurred vision. These side effects are usually mild and tend to improve over time as the body adjusts to the medication. Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant drug that can also help with anxiety and depression symptoms. Learn how it works, how to take it, and what side effects to watch out for. On the basis of the CGI-BP, 30% of patients showed significant improvement in mood. 36 In a similar report, Ghaemi and Goodwin 37 reviewed the charts of 21 patients with mood disorders treated with gabapentin (mean dose of 943 mg/d) either as monotherapy or adjunctive therapy for 2–52 weeks (mean of 17 weeks). On the basis of self-report mood Gabapentin (Trade name: Neurontin) is an anticonvulsant. It is commonly also used off-label for anxiety disorders, restless leg syndrome, and in alcohol use disorder. It is structurally similar to GABA but does not directly bind to GABA receptors. Bioavailabiltiy of 59%. Tmax = 2-4 hours. Not metabolized to a significant extent in humans. Gabapentin is a medication used for epilepsy, postherpetic neuralgia, and restless legs syndrome. Learn about the usual and maximum doses, dose adjustments, and precautions for different forms and indications of gabapentin. 1. Gabapentin may be effective for treating depression and anxiety, among other things. Although gabapentin was traditionally used to treat seizures, it is now sometimes used as a mood stabilizer for depression and bipolar disorder because it calms neurons in the brain, and it may be effective for anxiety too. This study assessed the effectiveness of gabapentin as adjunctive or monotherapy for bipolar disorder or unipolar depression in a naturalistic setting. It found that gabapentin was moderately to markedly effective in 30% of patients, but had many side effects and limited drug interactions. For 1 year, 13 patients received adjunctive gabapentin with standard mood stabilizers and 12 patients received adjunctive placebo. On the basis of the CGI-BP, gabapentin-treated patients showed significant improvement from baseline to month 12. Off-label gabapentin (Neurontin) got a bad rep when it missed the mark in bipolar disorder, but there may be something worth salvaging in this drug. Here, we weigh its pros and cons for anxiety, substance use disorders, sleep, pain, and hot flashes, and compare it to its underutilized cousin, pregabalin (Lyrica). Like all medications, gabapentin can cause side effects, both common and rare. Typically mild, but more common gabapentin side effects include: Tiredness. Dizziness. Tremors. Nystagmus (rapid eye movements you can’t control) Fluid buildup. Weight gain. Rare, but potentially serious side effects of gabapentin include: Depression Gabapentin may be an effective adjunct to anxiety therapy, according to a review published in the American Journal of Psychiatry. (7) Some characteristics imply it might be used as a stand-alone treatment, but additional study is needed because there is not sufficient empirical data. Gabapentin is currently being studied as a treatment for bipolar disorder, and there have been favorable reports regarding its potential as a mood stabilizer (82, 83). The advantages of gabapentin include the lack of interactions with other drugs in the cytochrome P450 system and the lack of protein binding ( 84 ). Gabapentin shows promise as an adjunctive treatment for bipolar disorder, particularly in patients who have not responded adequately to other mood stabilizers. The effective dosages range widely, typically between 600 mg/day and 3,600 mg/day, with a mean dose around 1,300-1,700 mg/day being common in several studies. gabapentin (Neurontin) Doctors most often prescribe lithium for treating bipolar disorder symptoms. As with many medications, mood stabilizers can come with side effects. Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant medication that can be used for various physical and mental health conditions, such as epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and PTSD. Learn how gabapentin works, how to take it, and what side effects to watch out for. American Psychological Association: Gabapentin has been “largely discredited as a mood stabilizer for bipolar disorder.” Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance : Gabapentin “was used frequently for treatment of bipolar disorder, but controlled studies found it was no more effective than a placebo.” The mean dose of gabapentin was 1,310 mg/day. Conclusion: Gabapentin may be a useful drug for the add-on treatment of bipolar patients with poor response to other mood stabilizers. Gabapentin may improve depressive residual symptoms such as irritability, social withdrawal or anxiety.
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |