Gabapentin and Anxiety: What Users Say

• Bos...
• October 5, 2014

For Pain "I was diagnosed with neck hernia on C5/C6 with arthritis, and Gabapentin (paired with Physical Therapy exercises and a foam roller) truly helped out. The one interesting thing about Gabapentin is that it somehow knocked out my anxiety as well. It was really nice to be able to take a medicine that left me with no side effects but also improved another condition. I found out that taking Gabapentin with soda (I use Ginger-Ale) actually helps absorb it better than taking it with water. My dosage was 3600 mg per day. It's worth mentioning that you probably shouldn't drive when you take Gabapentin. Every individual is different, so try it out and see what works for you. This medicine has the ability to make things appear more 'vivid' while enhancing music and sound."

• Ngr...
• January 2, 2015

For Anxiety "In one day, I felt so much better! No jitters, nervousness, and no pain. I used to shake when anxiety was high, so much that I hurt everywhere! I now have fibromyalgia with anxiety, but I feel normal! Eating well, maybe too much snacky stuff due to the neuro meds, working out, cleaning the house. I'm back! It's a stoned feeling at first, then you get used to it."

• Min...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 29, 2015

For Anxiety "I'm 52 years old and felt my life was meaningless, and extremely hard facing everyday routines, and now I'm sitting in the garage and feel like I could sit here all day. This is my second day, and I feel the best I have in 30 years. Before, I couldn't sit here without my mind racing a million times a second and getting up and feeling anxious. I took the day off from work not knowing what my anxiety was going to do, but look forward to going to work tomorrow. So far, life is good, and I hope this is the miracle drug I've been longing for."

• ben...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 13, 2024

For Alcohol Use Disorder "Gabapentin cured my severe alcoholism (2-3 pints of liquor a day for years). I always tried meetings, I went to them for years as they were touted as the only way to quit alcoholism. The longest I could go with meetings was a month, and then there would be another bender. However, my doctor finally recommended (after several hospital visits and near-death experiences) gabapentin. I took 600 mg 3 times a day. There was a week or two of drinking with the medication, but at some point, the drinking made me so ill, it just wrapped around in my head physiologically that this alcohol was, in fact, causing this severe ill-at-ease sensation, and the medication made me feel amazing, used to treat withdrawal symptoms, anxiety, sleep, etc. My first couple of weeks the medicine hit really hard, felt like I was on benzos, but these aren't nearly as bad for you or to come off of. I took them for a year, tapered off, and it has now been 2 and a half years with no alcohol."

• Kin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 9, 2018

For Alcohol Withdrawal "This drug was a lifesaver for me. I strongly recommend it. I'm 25 years old and went through a 4-year binge drinking every day. I suffered from withdrawals, I had panic attacks, and my anxiety was through the roof. Alcohol was destroying my health and relationships. This medication even lifts your mood and calms you down. I have been alcohol-free and no cravings whatsoever. It worked the first day. I'm so thankful for this. More doctors should prescribe it. It is great. God bless everyone - you got this."

• deb...
• August 29, 2014

For Fibromyalgia "This medicine is a wonder drug. I suffer with fibro. Anyone who says it doesn't needs to be on 900 a day to start with. Finally pain free, no anxiety. I still have to be aware not to roll down hills with my great nephew, it hurts."

• Idk...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 21, 2019

For Anxiety "I first started Gabapentin to address severe anxiety and depression as well as a drinking problem. At first, this drug was a miracle. For about a year and a half, I told everybody that this drug saved my life. I wasn't drinking, it had reduced depression, and almost no anxiety. However, over time, I started to notice that if I didn't take the medication within four or five hours of my last dose, I would have temporary withdrawal. This includes sweats, extreme irritability and anxiety, and an inability to focus. As mentioned in many other posts, it does very noticeably affect your memory. So while immediately helpful, in the long term, I have developed a dependency on this drug and experience withdrawal symptoms on a day-to-day basis, which is difficult to manage. I've been on this drug for over 2 years, with all different dosages, and I want to get off it now. It is an amazing temporary fix but leads to dependency and other mental stress."

• Idk...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 21, 2019

For Anxiety "I first started Gabapentin to address severe anxiety and depression as well as a drinking problem. At first, this drug was a miracle. For about a year and a half, I told everybody that this drug saved my life. I wasn't drinking, it had reduced depression, and almost no anxiety. However, over time, I started to notice that if I didn't take the medication within four or five hours of my last dose, I would have temporary withdrawal. This includes sweats, extreme irritability and anxiety, and an inability to focus. As mentioned in many other posts, it does very noticeably affect your memory. So while immediately helpful, in the long term, I have developed a dependency on this drug and experience withdrawal symptoms on a day-to-day basis, which is difficult to manage. I've been on this drug for over 2 years, with all different dosages, and I want to get off it now. It is an amazing temporary fix but leads to dependency and other mental stress."

• jos...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 31, 2020

For Anxiety "I too went through the awful nightmare when I quit gabapentin. In the past, I have quit Xanax, alcohol, cocaine, and a few others, and those drugs were a cakewalk compared to gabapentin. I have never felt such anxiety and hopelessness."

• Kti...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 31, 2022

For Neuropathic Pain "Not good for me. It caused so many other problems and made me almost immobile. Severely dropping glucose levels was one. Depression, anxiety, dizziness. All inclusive. I weaned myself off of it and all those problems went away. I now consider it a dangerous drug. I described my symptoms to my doctors for over a year, and all I got was a referral to specialists. Not one of them mentioned that it might be the gabapentin. I had to figure that out on my own."

• hea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 31, 2015

For Anxiety "Very good medicine. Taking 200 to 300 mg daily for anxiety, racing thoughts, poor sleep, etc. Have been on lamotrigine and risperidone for supposed BPD for years. Everything they can't get rid of, gabapentin does. Never realized there was still so much room for improvement! One other thing. For me, MSG or any free glutamate sets off severe anxiety and migraines. Some of you may have a similar problem, so think about your diet too. For me, gabapentin provides fast relief from a 'meal mistake'. Benzodiazepines worked pretty well for me, but now that I have this, bye-bye. I used to use alcohol more than I should, but now don't feel the need to."

• LAl...
• July 29, 2015

For Alcohol Withdrawal "I have been an alcoholic for years. Decided to quit. I was prescribed Gabapentin 300mg x 3 times a day, with the ability to up the dosage. Gabapentin is metabolized through the kidneys, not the liver. Yay! It's only been 10 days but I'm drink and craving free!! I get a little anxious at night but otherwise a happy camper so far! Good luck!!"

• Inp...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 14, 2016

For Peripheral Neuropathy "Wow. I have been on opiates and Neurontin for about 4 years now for debilitating pain in my neck and sacroiliac joint dysfunction, among other things too long to list. At first, the opiates helped for my pains but as time has gone by, they have become a nightmare to deal with. Having to keep upping the doses because they stop working and not to mention the serious constipation that comes with these meds. So, I woke up today and decided to only take the Gabapentin, all at once (that would be 2400mg). OMG, I am not in pain, my mood is so incredibly happy, and my anxiety is also gone. I have energy... Something I did not have for a looong time!! I am going to try and see if maybe I can get off the horrible opiates and stick with my Gaba gaba do!!"

• Hap...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 18, 2016

For Anxiety "I went to a neurologist for nerves...like a live wire that started buzzing in my body 24/7. It wasn't painful, but annoying and concerning since it started up one day and it's been over a year. I'm getting testing done to rule out any physiological issues, but in the meantime, my doctor prescribed me Gabapentin 300 mg, 3x/day. Wow! I love this drug. I'm calmer, happier, and also have an increased sex drive. Works great for anxiety too. Didn't do much for my insomnia. Time seems to stand still though which is strange, but I don't mind. I can tell when I need another dose to calm my 'buzzing' feeling as it wears off after about 4 hours. My appetite was not affected and I did not gain weight."

• Bip...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 6, 2013

For Bipolar Disorder "For a long time, I have believed that I was bipolar but never took medicine for it. A couple of years ago, I started taking gabapentin for a herniated disk. I immediately noticed a feel-good feeling. That is now the main reason I continue to take it. People are warned to not stop taking this abruptly. THEY MEAN IT! I recently had surgery to remove my fibroids, and I stopped taking gabapentin due to all the other medicines I was having to take. Shortly after stopping abruptly, my husband said something to me I didn't like that hurt my feelings, and I THREW A PLATE OF FOOD AT HIM! I have never in my life done this. Afterwards, I found out that anxiety is also a symptom of abruptly stopping meds. Make sure to wean off slowly."

• hea...
• January 4, 2014

For Pain "I have prolapsed disc at C7 in my neck and inoperable spinal stenosis. The pain is relentless and unbearable. I took various NSAIDS and Co-codamol at maximum dosage. The pain was still very bad. My doctor prescribed Gabapentin. I started at 300mg, 3 times a day and as this took the edge off the pain, I decided to go straight up to 900mg, 3 times a day. At this level, in conjunction with the other medicines, the pain is now generally distant to tolerable which is fantastic, although the efficacy does tend to wear off a little near the time of the next dosage. Ramping up to a high dosage so quickly definitely made me feel a bit trippy, as well as paranoid, irritable and aggressive but this has, thankfully, subsided over time."

• Joh...
• July 3, 2015

For Anxiety "Following surgery for prostate cancer and 3 months later, the possibility of duodenal cancer (biopsy tested negative), however, surgery was recommended. I was having severe anxiety and panic attacks. This lasted 3 1/2 years, during which I tried numerous SSRIs and SNRIs, all with no effect. In fact, it made it worse, for example, suicidal ideation, greater bouts of anxiety, headaches, diarrhea. Ativan did help significantly, but all the negativity started to raise my anxiety just taking it. I finally just took it despite all this negativity. Thankfully, my pDoc continued my prescription, and I was able to live a better quality of life. I was then asked to try an 'off-label' medication, Gabapentin. After 2 weeks, it did wonders!! Highly recommend!!"

• Arg...
• July 12, 2016

For Anxiety "After being on so many medications for a non-clear mental disorder...perhaps bipolar or ADHD...or a mix of everything, I was addicted to clonazepam, the worst medication I've ever been on, and I was on it for 10 years. I've also been on all depression medications...but none worked. I was on Strattera for ADHD, and it was horrible...didn't work. I was on Trileptal, and it's a heavy medication. I found that in a high dose, perhaps 1200mg of gabapentin, I found some real relief...relief in anxiety and relief in some chronic pains after some surgeries. Between gabapentin and some Unisom, I found relief...I don't want to touch clonazepam or any benzodiazepine ever again. Be careful with those medications, they can destroy you."

• Kis...
• June 20, 2015

For Anxiety "I've been through a lot of trauma, lost my family, just had a baby and now looking forward to a Euro-trip. This drug is a life-saver after trying a lot. Makes me feel good, a lot less anxiety and safe to take it while taking care of my daughter. You found the right one! ;-)"

• hyb...
• October 30, 2011

For Alcohol Withdrawal "I have been taking gabapentin for years. Started after stopped drinking. Had a recent 3 mos alcoholic relapse and continued taking gabapentin during and after. Have been surprised by how easy the alcohol withdrawal has been. Am also taking Antabuse to avoid a slip but I don't think this is supposed to help reduce the desire to drink. Anyway, the biggest reason I wanted to post is that I want to caution anyone who tries to get off gabapentin to do so very slowly like maybe reduce by 100 mg or 10% per week, whichever is less. I have had horrible anxiety, shivers, sweats, racing thoughts, sleeplessness, pain and more trying to get off it."

• Anx...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 21, 2019

For Anxiety "I took 300 mg of gabapentin one time for panic attacks and anxiety. My psychiatrist prescribes this to use when anxious symptoms become severe. After several hours, I do feel that it helped my anxiety briefly, however, I became very drowsy. Once I fell asleep, I slept very well-better than most nights. I did wake up around 3 am with tremors and hot flashes. My anxiety was full-blown, and I debated whether to take a Xanax to calm myself down because it was so severe. It made me feel very dizzy, hot, anxious, and made my muscles tense. The rest of the morning, I had increased anxiety compared to normal. I will not be taking it again. Many reviews state it helped people, and I wish I could have been so lucky."

• Anx...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 21, 2019

For Anxiety "I took 300 mg of gabapentin one time for panic attacks and anxiety. My psychiatrist prescribes this to use when anxious symptoms become severe. After several hours, I do feel that it helped my anxiety briefly, however, I became very drowsy. Once I fell asleep, I slept very well-better than most nights. I did wake up around 3 am with tremors and hot flashes. My anxiety was full-blown, and I debated whether to take a Xanax to calm myself down because it was so severe. It made me feel very dizzy, hot, anxious, and made my muscles tense. The rest of the morning, I had increased anxiety compared to normal. I will not be taking it again. Many reviews state it helped people, and I wish I could have been so lucky."

• Mal...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 6, 2016

For Alcohol Withdrawal "I went on gabapentin for alcoholism that troubled me for 10 years when nothing, including Alcoholics Anonymous, barely worked. I read anecdotal information that it helped with alcoholism, went on 600mg twice daily, and it was the first thing that helped me. Now I take 1200mg twice daily and find it works great! Afterwards, I read a study in the Journal of American Medicine, Gabapentin in Alcohol Dependence, 2014 that confirmed it works well in many people for cravings and binge drinking. This medicine should be further studied to confirm it works well. On this site, it is obvious it helps a lot of people struggling with alcoholism, which I have, along with Bipolar Disorder. I call Gabapentin my 'happy pills' that also take away my anxiety."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 15, 2013

For Anxiety "I have taken many medications for anxiety and depression. This works just like Klonopin for me right now. It takes the weight off your chest and removes my mental anxiety and even some of my physical side effects. I'm currently on 300mg a day and it's enough to calm me down and take the edge off. Great medication."

• Kal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 28, 2024

For Hot Flashes "Using 100 mg 1x per day just before bed. Has eliminated hot flashes & middle-of-the-night awakening & anxious, racing thoughts. Now I sleep a full 7-8 hours. No hot flashes. Just sound sleep & feeling 100% myself. Wonderful alternative to HRT. We women must advocate unapologetically for healthcare options to get the relief we need during menopause. Gabapentin is off-label for menopause symptoms. It works for me, even at a low dose."