How common is it to get prescribed gabapentin for anxiety?

[VastDrink]

Old thread but probably way easier than getting a Benzo. Won’t know if you don’t ask

 

[Akup7ich]

I would say it helped more than I wanted it too . Cause then docs get more excited and lower any of the hood stuff :/
I was prescribed after back fusion . Helps calm nerve pain / noises which is like the red flashy pain in am . Signals I guess . But makes me tired and no way would it replace a opioid . But I can see enhancement when I am lucky to have both ..

 

[LatsDoodis]

Gabapentin is interesting to me because it’s probably the only drug I know of that gets prescribed for just about anything except it’s FDA marketing authorization approved use. Last time I looked it up there was 1% of US prescriptions for gabapentin according to the label’s designated use. So, 99% of the time it’s off label. And while those uses clearly have merit in many people and conditions- it’s not at all understood who and what it will work on. Most meta reviews find no actual proof it works for what many people, just know it does. Stupid healthcare system indeed.

 

[Akup7ich]

It is a weird experiment.
I think it’s one of those things if you keep taking more and more than physiologically, the body has withdraw from it even though I don’t or we don’t know what actually what it does lol
Granted, I didn’t know some subtle differences but when I tried to reduce what I took then I got weird and sweaty cold sweat not hot sweat please I think it’s the gabapentin. It could just be the stress my life is under. I’m not sure I’m either going to quit, decrease or increase, but since it’s Christmas I’m not gonna worry about it right now

 

[alixjones2018]

@LatsDoodis that's interesting stats. I just know I am so over it listed under "pain reliever" in instructions after surgery.

Can't use an FDA approved opiod but they will use a horrible drug that has done more harm that good as an off-lable pain medication. What if I went to the doctor and said I need an opiod because it treats my depression? You know the first thing I would hear would be that's not what opiods are labeled for.

Y'all know the point I'm making here. A lot of docs would kiss me if I said I was there for something to treat my pain pancreatic cancer pain and ask for gabapentin. I would have unfettered access to that insidious drug from most perscribers. Even though by a wide margin gabapentin could do--has done-way more harm than the gold standard medication approved by the FDA many, many, many times over.

No matter how many times I rant about this bullshit I still cannot wrap my head around it. I look at the alcohol morbity stats and it floors me that NOT ONE FUCKING legislator is concerned enough to bring a bill forward. Why? Well, a lot of reasons. I would like to think it's because we have learned that prohibition/rationing doesn't work. Nope, can't give that much credit. It's because of the tax revenue generated. It's because of what society would look like if we ripped the scientifically proven, most catastrophic drug known to humankind, away from tens of millions of people in this country. It's because the alcohol lobby would stop giving funds. It's the number of people employed in the alcohol industries. It cracks me up that there are a few crazy doctors who espouse that one opiod--for every person-- pill will create an addiction that a person loses all their free-will to.

But not alcohol. Let's leave that bullshit money maker alone. Don't look over there in the corner where we see the billions of dollars lost in wages, profits, insurance loss, early on-set diseases, property damages, murders, and so many deaths of their addicts. The story is in the cartels feeding Americans bootleg fent because they are dying to get their pain treated. Unfortunately alcohol doesn't kill their pain like it does for millions and millions and millions.

This all stems from a work bestie who had a double mastectomy done Thursday. She is a tough gal. 34, 3 kids. Amazing in all aspects. 10 years ago she had breast implants. She got 30 perks. Shit, her husband went to the ED earlier this year because he hurt his back from lifting weights--he got 20 narcos.I told her to ask for her meds beforehand. She hasn't had any opiods really (got trams for a c-section 6 years ago) in years. Didnt need them.

She told me the doctor assured her that she will treat her pain "very well:"

She called me 6 hours after getting home and said her chest hurt so much that she couldn't describe it. I asked what she got for pain. She said 4 different PAIN pills. She sent me the list.

1. Tramadol 50 mg taken every 8 to 12 hours
2. Gabapentin
3. Celebrex
4. Robaxin

Jesus FUCKING Christ. She had her breasts cut away from her body. With a knife. Down to muscle and bone. And this is treating her pain "very well". She is now throwing up, which causes more pain and has a rash on her checks. She called the surgeon and she said "Stop the Tramadol. You probably don't even need it any longer. Take Tylenol "

Reason 130976 of why I will continue to have as much medical care as I can get in Mexico. This would be seen as torture there. Go figure, right?

To the OP: I can't imagine getting gabapentin would be a problem. But just to guarantee it, have a double mastectomy.

 

[Prazzin45]

It is a weird experiment.
I think it’s one of those things if you keep taking more and more than physiologically, the body has withdraw from it even though I don’t or we don’t know what actually what it does lol
Granted, I didn’t know some subtle differences but when I tried to reduce what I took then I got weird and sweaty cold sweat not hot sweat please I think it’s the gabapentin. It could just be the stress my life is under. I’m not sure I’m either going to quit, decrease or increase, but since it’s Christmas I’m not gonna worry about it right now

I’ve been struggling trying to quit Gabapentin too. I went from 1800mg to 300mg in about a month fairly easily but I get this deep shakiness and bad hot flashes.

 

[BlkBearPharma]

I would say screw the Gabapentin and go to it's bigger but younger brother, Pregabalin (Lyrica). Been on it for at least 10 years and I'll never go back to Gabapentin for anxiety. I've found it helps to be forward and fairly blunt with your Dr. Like, "I've have many friends that have anxiety and they take Gabapentin and it works wonders for them. I would really like to try it". Something like that. i used to beat around the bush and would be upset if I didn't get what I was looking for. Now I'm on literally every med I've ever needed/wanted to be on

 

[Lookyloo]

@mountaincat9 Here's the recommended way: Take one 300mg every 30-40 minutes WITH seltzer water until you got the vibe you want. The seltzer is essential. Eating a fatty meal prior also aids metabolism. Usually 900-1800mg total but im sure folks do heaps higher. Feels like a wonky drunk a bit with like a vice around the head warm feel. Also people do that a lot in conjunction with opis to intensify the general high feel. (Obvs poly-drug can be unsafe so proceed with caution!)

Never could feel these I took 10 600mg or something one time at someone’s suggestion. Felt kinda off but no euphoria or intoxication, maybe some anxiety. Strange my chemistry seems different than most people’s. I don’t feel phenibut. L-theanine gave me amazing focus maybe 2x same with the green tea variety with high theanine content. Seems I build rapid tolerance. Interesting to note that I’m ambidextrous left brain-right brain dominant I wonder if that’s related.