Gabapentin For Axienty
source : www.psycom.net
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| Gabapentin For Axienty |
Warning: Right
now, Gabapentin is approved in the United States to treat seizures. There are
not a lot of comprehensive studies that look at Gabapentin as a way to treat
anxiety, mood disorders or tardive dyskinesia. Even though there are studies in
the works, what experts know about Gabapentin for the purpose of controlling
anxiety and mood disorders and tardive dyskinesia mostly comes from faulty case
reports. There have been double-blind studies done, but they have not proved
that Gabapentin works as a mood stabilizer.
1. What Exactly is Gabapentin (Neurontin)?
This particular drug is an anticonvulsant. It is not related
chemically to other anti-convulsants or other mood regulating drugs on the market.
2. When Did the FDA Approve Gabapentin for marketing in the
United States? How Can It Be Promoted?
On December 30, 1993, Gabapentin got final approval, which meant
that it could be marketed in the United States. It is only marketed as an
anticonvulsant. However, it has also been used for restless leg syndrome, pain
issues, hot flashes, tremors, and a wide variety of psychiatric disorders.
3. Is There a Generic Version of Gabapentin Available?
Since its manufacturer no longer has patent protection on the
drug, there are generic versions of Gabapentin on the market.
4. What is the Difference Between Gabapentin and Other Mood
Stabilizing Medications?
There are two major ways that Gabapentin differs from similar
drugs on the market:
·
Gabapentin has been proven to be effective for people who have
hard-to-treat depression or other mood disorders
·
The side effects are relatively minor
5. How is Gabapentin Different From Valproate and Carbamazepine?
There are claims that Gabapentin was successful in helping with
rapid cycling and mixed bipolar states in people who have not received relief
from valproate or carbamazepine. It appeared that Gabapentin helped more with
anxiety and agitation than the other two drugs. It has also been shown that
Gabapentin could aid people with certain types of tardive dyskinesia.
6. What Types of Mood and Anxiety Disorders Can Best Be Treated
with Gabapentin?
Experts say that it is too early to tell which types of
disorders will get the best results from Gabapentin. There are not a lot of
reports on Gabapentin’s use. Many experts don’t recommend the use of Gabapentin
for mood disorders. There is more data from people who have hard-to-treat
bipolar disorder than unipolar depression, although some people with unipolar
disorder have gotten good results from Gabapentin. In time, it can be proven
that Gabapentin can be used to treat a variety of mood disorders.
7. Can Gabapentin Be Used for the Treatment of Mixed Bipolar
States? Can It Prevent Future Episodes of Mania and Depression?
Right now, there isn’t a lot of evidence that Gabapentin can be
used for treating people with bipolar disorder.
8. Should a Person Take Any Laboratory Tests Before Taking
Gabapentin?
Before a patient starts Gabapentin therapy, they should undergo
a thorough medical examination to rule out any medical issues. This includes
any blood or urine tests. Medical evaluations are important as issues such as
thyroid conditions can undermine the therapy.
9. How Do You Initiate Gabapentin Therapy?
The therapy will be started with 300 mg once a day, usually in
the evening. The dose will then be increased every 3 to 5 days. Some people
will see an increase with 600 mg/day, others will see increases up to 4,800
mg/day.
10. Are There Potential Interaction Issues for People Taking
Carbamazepine, Valproate or Lithium?
No interactions between Gabapentin and valproate, carbamazepine
or lithium have been reported.
11. What is the Typical Final Dose That Would Be Prescribed to
Someone Taking Gabapentin?
If used as a mood stabilizer or anti-depressant, the final dose
is usually between 900 and 2,000 mg a day. However, some patients have been
known to need up to 4,800 mg a day to get good results.
Gabapentin has a half-life of about six hours, so it must be
administered 3 to 4 times a day.
12. How Long Does It Usually Take for Gabapentin to Work?
Some people see improvement in their antigenic and/or
anti-depressant symptoms about a week after starting treatment. Others need
about a month before they see significant improvement.
13. What Are Gabapentin’s Side Effects?
·
Dizziness
·
Double Vision
·
Fatigue
·
Nystagmus (involuntary eye movement)
·
Sleepiness
·
Tremors
·
Unsteadiness
Most people notice side effects the first few days after an
increase in their dose. They usually fade after a while.
14. Are There Any Side Effects That Force People to Stop Taking
Gabapentin?
The side effects that are most likely to keep people from
continuing Gabapentin therapy are the following symptoms:
·
Dizziness
·
Fatigue
·
Nausea and/or vomiting
·
Sleepiness
·
Unsteadiness
15. Are There Any Psychiatric Side Effects That Come From Taking
Gabapentin?
There are some rare side effects, which include the following
symptoms:
·
Agitation
·
Decreased libido
·
Depersonalization
·
Increased libido
·
Mania
·
Paranoia
16. Does Gabapentin Interact With Any Other Prescriptions or
Over-The-Counter Medications?
There are only a few interaction issues that are known. Antacids
have been known to decrease absorption of the drug, as well as lower the blood
level by 20%. Gabapentin could also increase the level of concentration of some
oral contraceptives by up to 13%. However, these two interaction possibilities
are not clinically significant in any way.
17. Are There Any Interaction Issues Between Gabapentin and
Alcohol?
Alcoholic beverages have been known to increase the discomfort
of Gabapentin’s side effects.
18. Is It Safe For a Woman Who Is Pregnant, About to Become
Pregnant, or Nursing to Take Gabapentin?
The FDA placed Gabapentin in pregnancy category C. According to
studies done on animals, there was harm done to fetuses. However, there have
been no studies done on humans. Despite all this, experts believe that the
benefits gained from taking Gabapentin may outweigh its risks.
19. Can Children and Adolescents Safely Take Gabapentin?
In other countries besides the United States, children have been
prescribed Gabapentin. However, Gabapentin has only been approved for use in
adolescents above the age of 12.
20. Can Elderly People Use Gabapentin?
The elderly seem to experience similar effects to younger
people. There isn’t a lot of precedent with using this drug to treat
psychiatric disorders in this population.
21. Can Symptoms Occur if Gabapentin is Discontinued?
Like other psychotropic drugs, people should ease off Gabapentin
gradually. There are some known withdrawal symptoms. This mostly comes from
people who take high doses of the drug and suddenly stop. People should only
abruptly discontinue Gabapentin because of a serious side effect.
22. If Taken In Overdose, is Gabapentin Toxic?
There isn’t a lot of data on overdoses. People have been known
to survive overdoses of up to 49,000 mg of Gabapentin without serious health
consequences.
23. Can This Medication Be Taken with MAO Inhibitors?
This particular combination doesn’t present any special issues.
24. How Much Does Gabapentin Cost?
According to drugstore,com, these figures are the per tablet
cost of 100 tablets of generic Gabapentin.
·
100 mg: $1.05
·
300 mg: $1.32
·
400 mg: $2.20
·
600 mg: $3.50
·
800 mg: $7.99
25. Can People Who Received Little Benefit From Other
Psychotropic Drugs Get Good Results From Gabapentin?
Gabapentin is mostly used by people with mood or anxiety
disorders that have not been adequately treated with other medications.
26. Are There Any Disadvantages to Gabapentin?
There isn’t a lot of available information about side effects.
There’s also the fact that Gabapentin’s use with people with mood disorders is
relatively new. Because of this fact, it’s not known whether people who
initially respond to Gabapentin will continue to do so after years of use.
Because of the short half-life of the medication, people will
need to take divided doses throughout the day.
Studies have not been able to prove that Gabapentin is effective
as a mood control agent.
This medication can also cause suicidal thinking. This effect is
similar to that of other anticonvulsants.
27. Why Do Doctors Prescribe Gabapentin When There Are Other
Mood Stabilizing Medications That Have Been Around For Many Years? These
Medications Have Been Shown To Be More Effective in Double-Blind Studies That
Are Placebo Controlled.
There are two reasons why physicians prescribe Gabapentin over
more established drugs. The first reason is that not everyone improves with the
older, more established medications. The second is that some people can’t deal
with the side effects of the other drugs.
28. Is Gabapentin Available in Countries Other Than the United
States?
Yes. Gabapentin is available in over 40 countries.