Does anyone here take Gabapentin? The last time I had been hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital this past December, the attending physician who treated me had started me on gabapentin? He weaned off Ativan from what I was taking from mid June, due to myself relapsing from alcohol. Anyway, I had withdraw from coming down from benzos from the time I was in the hospital from 12/16/2016 to about mid to late January. I also noticed from taking gabapentin that my cravings for drinking alcohol have diminished as well. I feel maybe 1-5% interest in drinking alcohol compared to how it was in the fall the two times I did. I have read that gabapentin lowers alcohol cravings in articles I've read. Like this Epilepsy Drug Gabapentin Shows Promise In Treating Alcohol Dependence | The Huffington Post Though its not FDA approved for alcoholism treatment like ambatuse. I feel with this medication I'm on for anxiety and ETOH(ethanol) use disorder, I feel a sense of balance in my life. Though the only side effects I get from what I feel that occurs is just a bit spaced out, having to read things maybe again, I feel that I cannot retain a good chunk of what I read in books. I'm a grad student and I feel that I can retain 20-30% of things I read. Maybe I should write things down from what I read the next time I read a book. I just got used to reading books and not taking notes down because I was used to just chyming in from my memory.
I use gabapentin for chronic pain issues. It is lovely. I was on a different pain medication that actually increased my aggression and suicidal tendencies, so it was nice to have the switch. I've always been teetotal so I can't comment on the alcohol cravings. But other than that, I like this medicine.
In the acute care setting we give gabapentin to reduce seizure risk. I had not heard about it being used longer term but it makes sense. I have heard the side effects are annoying. I highly recommend you join AA. I'm sure you've heard this before. But it will help you network with others who are experiencing similar issues.
It helps a lot for diabetic nerve pain. I concur, I find myself writing stuff down more now than before. dean
