Gabapentin for Bipolar Disorder User Reviews (Page 2)

• Amazing...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 23, 2024

"I have bipolar disorder. A few years ago, my doctor wanted to put me on a non-addictive anxiety medication and prescribed gabapentin. This drug has saved my sanity and helped my relationships over and over again. When I feel anxious or unstable, I take a dose and within half an hour, I feel normal again. I also take a fixed dose morning and night. I am grateful that this medication exists and I have access to it. I've found that if I take an unnecessary dose, as when I am not really anxious, it makes me drowsy. Otherwise, it's a lifesaver."

• Miamia
• January 10, 2016

"I have suffered silently with bi polar 2 ADHD and PTSD for about 15 years. After debilitating depression and anxiety I finally went to get help. I am only on my 4th day with 300mg 3x daily but the difference in my life is HUGE! I actually sleep at night which is so rare, and my days are spent enjoying my kids instead of sitting on the couch all day. I have had so little anxiety, I forgot what it has felt like to not constantly have a feeling of dread. It is incredible. I do hope that this is a forever feeling! The total for this medication was $93.98 my out of pocket after my insurance was $7.00"

• bob
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 20, 2019

"Was prescribed this for my right hip avascular necrosis and realized that it made me a happy, normal person, so I told my doc it helped my bipolar. I suffered an awful 2 years of alcohol withdrawal which could have been eased by this medication, however, my VA doc was subpar and didn't know or care that this drug could have been advantageous for me during my hell-like 2 years after quitting alcohol. It pays to go to a private practitioner. Don't believe the naysayers, they are wrong, it's a #1 drug for anxiety, bipolar and alcohol detox."

• TyARev
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 21, 2016

"I started this medication about a week ago. I am diagnosed with Schizoaffective Disorder (Bipolar Type) as well as unspecified anxiety disorder. I was constantly dreading things and felt guilty for no reason. My anxiety bothered me to the point it made me vomit. I started on 300mg 2x a day and it has been amazing. It does not cure it but it takes away a lot of anxiety for me. I would definitely recommend this med."

• Nothing...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 23, 2018

"I have rapid cycling bipolar disorder and I am telling you NOTHING else worked but gabapentin I take 300 MG once in the morning and once at night and it helps control my rage and levels me out. I had no weight gain with this and literally no other side effects. And if I accidentally skip a dose I don’t have major withdrawals. I can definitely tell if I skipped a dose but I don’t get sick. This has been my miracle medication and I finally have my life back after fighting what seemed like a hopeless battle for 6 years straight. I even went medication free for a few years because I thought nothing would ever work. I finally know what it feels like to have normal emotions again."

• Carpiu
• April 17, 2015

"After 8 months of sleep problems caused by anxiety started to take 3x300mg. First two days were amazing. No more anxiety when falling a sleep and during a day. After 5 days started to noticing anxiety again so went up to 600x2 300x1. Its totally miracle drug. No more anxiety, I feel calm and relax with social situations and have proper deep sleep. I love it!"

• complex...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 8, 2013

"I have neuropathic pain, seizures and bipolar disorder all which can be treated by Gabapentin. At first it seemed like I wasn't taking anything but after getting on 3600mg/day it has really improved my life. My pain is tolerable, the simple-partial seizures are well managed and I am calm all the time. It took a large dose to work for me but I am glad I tried it. My only complaint is that if I stand up quickly I get dizzy. But relative to everything else I don't mind."

• Male...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 25, 2019

"I found that 600mg gabapentin can help me express myself in untapped ways. It doesn’t make me say things out of character like a drugs or alcohol , it can help me I guess relax enough to be at ease. I don’t use it everyday, but when I do use it I often learn something about being more gentle, or an ability to be patient and make an effort to have solid conversation. I don’t get a feeling like an opioid, I don’t take it after work like some kind of cure all but I will take it if I’m looking to be my least bound up self. It also has improved my sex Life and relationship skills."

• babyl...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 24, 2014

"I started taking gabapentin experimentally to treat chronic depression and am now prescribed 1800mg a day. At doses of 2700mg I experienced a significant improvement in impulse control and depression in general. Went from being a shut in, to going for walks and enjoying my time in the company of others. At the lower dose of 1800mg a day, I don't experience much improvement, save for a decrease in depressive symptoms. I'm looking forward to a larger dose if my doctor okays it."

• Brvvke
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 3, 2016

"I started taking this for bipolar 2 disorder and am prescribed Xanax for anxiety. My doctor started me out at 100mg of gabapentin (3x/day) after using Topamax to treat my bipolar disorder. The Topamax worked great for my mood, but caused me to lose too much weight, and constant parathesias in my arms, legs and even face. This medication works the same way without the side effects! (I'm now at 300mg 3x/day) I haven't even had need for my Xanax because this helps so much with my anxiety, as well! And it doesn't make me drowsy like Xanax does. I'm so happy I came across this and asked my doctor to try it. I hated antipsychotics but wanted to control my symptoms. I thought that was a no win situation, but gabapentin is my answer!"

• Knorg
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 24, 2015

"I have been on every medication. I was diagnosed with Bipolar when I was 16. I am now about to turn 35 and have never been as stable as I am now since I started neurontin. This is the first time I have had success for my bipolar disorder. And even helps me with my depression. Somehow I get out of bed every morning which rarely ever happened. I am able to take care of my children now. And it even seems to help me with my pain."

• Jepper
• November 19, 2015

"I've always been an anxious person who stays in a state of mania and the drops into depression. This medication is basically a miracle. It works immediately and I've been taking it for 3 months now with virtually no side effects. I don't have racing thoughts any more and my heart doesn't race a mile a minute. I have reacted to stressful situations a lot more rationally and calmly than I ever have in my life. I am also just starting to take Lamicatal. I believe the combinations is really effective. I also sleep so well and don't feel groggy in the morning! Really give it a shot."

• Cece...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 23, 2022

"I have been taking Gabapentin for 4 years now. It was prescribed by my primary care physician in replace of the Percocet I used to take for neurological pain initially but I have Bi polar disorder, anxiety disorder, PTSD, and manic depression so it was a perfect fit for me on the mental health side. This medicine is a miracle drug for sure! I'm calm, I'm happy, and I'm generally always in a good mood. My thinking process did an entire 360 and I no longer have those negative obsessive thoughts throughout the day. I had tried so many different medications and nothing, I mean NOTHING helped in the past. I used to get Tardive Akathisia (a feeling of restlessness in the brain) from all of the anxiety/depression meds my doctor had tried to put me on. I recommend Gabapentin to anyone who is struggling with anxiety/depression and bipolar disorder. 10 out of 10 for sure!"

• Finally
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 30, 2015

"Gabapentin has been amazing for me! I have been battling bi polar my whole life. I am 50 now and have been on several antidepressants for the last 5 years. Nothing really helped. For the last couple years, I would wake up crying for no reason and not wanting to get out of bed. The last time I went to see my doc she asked me if bi polar ran in my family. I told her I wasn't sure but though there might be. She put me on 300 mg. The first morning I woke up after taking the med, it had an overnight result! I did NOT cry and was able to get out of bed easier. I was amazed that my life changed so much in one day! I highly recommend anyone suffering from bi polar to try this med."

• Angalia
• September 2, 2015

"I have stage 3 Bipolar disorder, Bipolar disorder is a really bad thing, it consumes your life, taking pieces of memory and taken friends in the process. Also makes you say and do things you would've never imagined you were capable of some things. I managed to fall in love with my husband of 15 yrs and have 2 Beautiful amazing little boys. but still even being blessed with what I have and who I have in my life. I've tried therapy, yoga, medication after medication that failed to work. Then one-day I went to another doctor for another opinion on my diagnosis And was told the same thing. My doc then put me on neurontin, it has been a saviour, it truly works, I urge you to try it, bc it works!! And isn't even a narcotic."

• Chell...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 11, 2019

"Very sensitive to medications and unable to tolerate anything but Gabapention which was first prescribed for nerve pain but bonus was in time it became obvious it helped hugely with mood! Not free of pain but the severity and duration is manageable with Gabapentin on board. Only downfall is short half-life so multiple doses during the day and can feel some irritability creep in if I go too long between doses, overnight can fall into that category if sleep too long. Nice to have one med cover multiple issues for me!"

• DougP...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 3, 2017

"Man I hate big pharma. I have also worked in the field of psychiatry as a pych tech for 20 years . I was diagnosed with Bipolar I at 43 I am now 53. I have tried so many rubbish meds, valium , amphetamines, methamphetamines ( legal desoxsyn) all kinds of mood stabilizers all of these med were horrible. I go tired of pills . I quit taking all my meds except and antidepressant. I have a bad back sciatic nerve issue that flared back up due to compressed disk. It is very very panful. I started taking this medication. After 4 days I noticed that I was calmer, less anxious. more focused less racing thoughts, more confidence for sure, talking to peeps feeling good about making jokes etc.much less depressed!!!"

• Greedy...
• March 1, 2017

"I've been treated with a combination of Depakote, Effexor and Wellbutrin before and I just felt crazier than I did before and gained about 45 pounds. So I got off meds altogether for about 15 years. Needless to say, as much as I wanted to live an unmedicated life, my rapid and severe mood swings were really making things difficult for me. After two failed relationships I decided I'd go to the doctor and give it another shot. I feel like a brand new man! I'm just beginning my second month. Month one I was on 200mg taken three times a day and I just was so calm and collected and took my time to react to things instead of flying off the handle. Now I'm on 300mg 3 times a day and this might just be perfect for me. Highly recommended"

• Jerem...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 22, 2016

"I am taking this medicine for Borderline Personality disorder. It has helped a lot of my symptoms. I have been sleeping better, my moods are much better, my "splitting" has even gotten better. It is definitely making me less depressed, too. I recommend this medicine for anyone with these symptoms or other mental conditions. My thigh has varicose veins and that has gotten better which is a bonus because I'm not taking it for pain. I really think this drug needs to be approved for Bipolar disorder (though I don't have it) and Borderline Personality Disorder. I hope I never have to quit taking it."

• Bipolar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 17, 2019

"I have been diagnosed with Bipolar 1 for about six years now and have been on over 20 medications among antipsychotics, antidepressants, anti anxiety, benzos and mood stabilizers. My rapid cycling is normally so bad that I can’t think straight and have a lot of episodes. I’ve been on gabapentin for a month and I legitimately have not felt so stable in my life. I only take 600mg daily spread throughout the day along with lamictal, buspar, and vraylar. It really feels like I can think and rationalize now, like someone who isn’t experiencing the severity of the disorder I have. I feel relatively bipolar symptom free and this is the first medication in 6 years that has done that for me. If you have hard to treat bipolar and have tried a lot, I recommend considering gabapentin as an adjunctive. It also helps me sleep soundly, so I don’t even have to take my trazadone anymore."

• Good...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 16, 2015

"I was Rx'd gabapentin to address the agitated/mood-swingy feelings I still had after being Rx'd Lamictal to address my highly recurrent depression. Lamictal addresses the big problem of depression and gabapentin is like the final touch that makes things peaceful/balanced. I take 3-400 mg right before work (PRN) and I can get through the day stable, calm and able to focus on what I need to do. If I forget to take a dose, I'll finally realize how agitated/emotional I am by around 10:30. I'll take my dose and within an hour I'm back to normal. It's really great. No side-effects that I notice. I take it PRN, like a benzo replacement, so sometimes I'll take 2-300 mgs in the afternoon if I think something stressful is coming up. Great med!"

• Anonymous
• April 11, 2011

Neurontin (gabapentin) "I have been taking Neurontin 800 mg 4 times a day for several years. I can say it helped me in more ways than one. Been underweight for most of my life, and over the years Neurontin has helped me get an appetite back. Now I am the right weight for my height. Also, after 4 years addicted to Suboxone and Klonopin, I never would have been able to get clean without Neurontin. Overall I feel that Neurontin has saved my life. I haven't attempted suicide since I started on it. But for SEVERE bi-polar like I have, counseling really does help."

• Cheri...
• July 11, 2016

"This medicine works so well for my bipolar disorder! I've tried so many other medications to no avail. Finally, a doctor put me on this (300mg x 3 times daily) & now I'm up to 600mg three times daily (1800mg daily). It works wonders! I have virtually no anxiety (I used to wake up & could literally feel the anxiety set in before this medicine) & helps with pain as well. My doc put me on Buproprion 100mg twice a day also. In conjunction these seem to really work for me. All in all, I highly recommend Gabapentin!"

• Emilyx
• January 21, 2016

"I cannot even tell people enough how much this medicine has saved my life. If you struggle with bipolar 2 or mood disorders this medicine is perfect for you. I am so stable when I am on this and feel 10x happier overalls". I take this with your adderall and lexapro, regardless I gaurentee this medicine will work for almost anyone. Also, you need to take at least 300 MG to feel the effects."

• Jhuckmg
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 9, 2019

"Bipolar 1, with severe anxiety, and agoraphobia. I took Gabapentin 20 years ago and it seemed to help. Those were my wild days and was hospitalized. My family was convinced by a counsellor that I was an alcoholic which I wasn’t) so sent off to rehab. The rehab took me 100% off this drug and the withdrawals where horrible and it was 6 days of hell. Since then I’ve tried I think every drug out there with little help from all but lamictal and benzodiazepines. About 2 months ago my psych told me I was so severe he didn’t know what to do. I recommended let’s try Gabapentin and he agreed to try it. It has been wonderful and has helped me leave the house and cut down on benzos. Currently I take 300mg 6x a day. It’s strange how when I need to get up and going it gives me a mild lift with a mellow mood, but when sleep is needed it puts me down."