Gabapentin

[crawling_key]

A few interesting effects I've experienced with Gabapentin. I usually only take about 400mg at a time - once a day in the late afternoon.

1) For me, it does reduce anxiety, it sort of turns down the "background noise"

2) It made me less inhibited in social situations - makes sense since I've heard its used for social anxiety.

3) It seems to reduce inhibitions in general - which at times may be bad since in my case it sometimes turns off the "Do not drink" sign in my brain.

4) It gives me the munchies. There have been times when I couldn't satisfy my appetite.

5) Resistance builds up fast. Not taking it for a few days seems to increase its effectiveness the next time you take it.

5) It made me sleep more soundly but also made it harder to wake up in the morning.

[JDizzle]

I really liked ur response. I though I could just respond below ur points.

crawling_key;1597743 wrote: A few interesting effects I've experienced with Gabapentin. I usually only take about 400mg at a time - once a day in the late afternoon.

1) For me, it does reduce anxiety, it sort of turns down the "background noise"
-Me too

2) It made me less inhibited in social situations - makes sense since I've heard its used for social anxiety.
-Yep

3) It seems to reduce inhibitions in general - which at times may be bad since in my case it sometimes turns off the "Do not drink" sign in my brain.
- havent had this yet, but I am new. I haven't had the thought to drink since I had the 4 beers

4) It gives me the munchies. There have been times when I couldn't satisfy my appetite.
- hahaha dude I was born with the munchies, so I don't know.

5) Resistance builds up fast. Not taking it for a few days seems to increase its effectiveness the next time you take it.
- that is a fear of mine. I hope that doesn't happen I suspect that's what happened with bac

5) It made me sleep more soundly but also made it harder to wake up in the morning.
- my family works at my house so my alarm clock is the first person to ring the doorbell. I've been getting up pretty easy. Big thing is it cured my restless leg syndrome, so I am sleeping all night for the first time in years.

Amazing we have so much similarities at such different doses. Are u taking anything else?

[crawling_key]

The eating thing is really strange. It doesn't seem to be consistent but I definitely eat more and gain weight if I take it daily.

I don't use it to cut down on my drinking per se, but the fact that it reduces anxiety helps.

The only other thing I take for my drinking is. L-Glutamine. It helps me a lot. Its not bulletproof but for me, but it really seems to cut down on cravings.

I've taken Naltrexone in the past and it definitely cut down on my drinking at the time. When I tried to take it recently, I had trouble with side effects. Maybe a lower quality than last time? Just a guess.

Everyone is different but I've read that tolerance is a known issue with Gabapentin. I try to not increase my dosage even though I may feel particularly anxious. I think that helps keep me ok with staying at the same (relatively small) dosage. And, like I said, I take it maybe 3-4 times a week and not every day.

[crawling_key]

I haven't found it to be habit forming. If by that you mean some level of mental or physical distress when I don't take it. Like I said, I don't take it everyday and when I was prescribed it years ago and eventually stopped taking it, I didn't have a problem.

I don't think tolerance necessarily indicative of a habit or addiction. I've also never seen it described as habit forming in any medical literature.

I'm not endorsing it or saying that it can always be taken safely, I'm just recounting my experience. People should always talk to their doc about these things.

Is_there_any_hope ?;1597872 wrote: What you call 'resistance' I simply call tolerance, stuff like gabapentin & neurontin is sooo known to be habit forming.

But what else do I know, apparently I'm a troll.

[JDizzle]

The medical community doesn't think it is habit forming. It doesn't produce any kind of physical effect so u would be an idiot to develope a habit with it. Also gabapentin and neurontin are the same thing. Gabapentin is the generic. U should have googled more. And to think.... I stood up for u in another post. Hahahah live and learn Dizzle. Maybe it's addictive if u snort it or something. I'll give it a whirl and let u know. If I don't write back, my arms fell off.

[thomas m]

JDizzle;1597882 wrote: The medical community doesn't think it is habit forming. It doesn't produce any kind of physical effect so u would be an idiot to develope a habit with it. Also gabapentin and neurontin are the same thing. Gabapentin is the generic. U should have googled more. And to think.... I stood up for u in another post. Hahahah live and learn Dizzle. Maybe it's addictive if u snort it or something. I'll give it a whirl and let u know. If I don't write back, my arms fell off.

I've tried Pregabalin recreationally in massive doses and to be honest I couldn't really tell the difference between 600mg and nearly 4 grams. You definitively catch a buzz though, some folks love it. Its definitely recreationally. From what I gather this is stronger than Gabapentin as well.

Regarding snorting it. Don't do it I snorted a 300mg pill. That's a lot of powder and was not a nice experience.

I'll say this though. You sleep like a baby on it.

[JDizzle]

Hahaha dude I was kidding.

I can't make fun though. I snorted pot one night. I was 18 and very drunk with friends egging me on.... Well that's my excuse hahahaha.


Adding a disclaimer

Snorting pot is bad... M'kay. Not sure if it worked cause I was going in and out of a black out. I know it made my nose bleed pretty bad. Or maybe that was the fight I got in earlier.... Not sure.... just dont try it!!! Oh alcohol.... U r so good to me.

[JDizzle]

I have some very positive results to post on my trip. Just got home and I have a lot to share. Gonna unwind for a while. I still need to watch part 2 of Bonnie and Clyde.

The short is gabapentin is working for me like crazy.

[spiritwolf333]

JDizzle;1599099 wrote: I have some very positive results to post on my trip. Just got home and I have a lot to share. Gonna unwind for a while. I still need to watch part 2 of Bonnie and Clyde.

The short is gabapentin is working for me like crazy.

JD -What are you trying to do to us? Jk. Looking extremely forward to your report. Now hurry up unwinding and get the keyboard fired up. And B&C can wait.

[JDizzle]

B&C wait for no one. Cool to watch. A lot of B&C happened in towns all around me here in Dallas.

Anyways, there was a lot of drinking, but there were so many positives and the drinking was consesual.... Al didn't rape me. First, I am not sure this time where I stand on continuing to drink post indifference or abstinence, in my case. I am kind of on the fence, but don't feel like I want to get drunk all the time with control.

Drink Time 1: So yesterday, I got on the plane and was very tired (didn't sleep good). Had a perfect row-mate with good conversation. It was a morning flight, she ordered a Kahlua coffee, so I ordered a bloody mary. It was very good and produced a very slight buzz, but I had no interest in another. We talked for about an hour after and then I got tired (vodka and lack of sleep), so I closed dozed for the rest of the flight.

Drink Time 2: About 6 hrs passed since that drink. We finished work and met up to eat (coworkers I flew there to see). After that, I went and played some slots and had 2 vodka and cranberry juice. They were ok, but I really didn't want a 3rd, so I didn't. The effect of those wore off and hours went by without any craving.

Drink Time 3: 4 hours after the last drinks I went to the party and had one beer. I really didnt like it (dont like beer too much), so I switched to coffee after that. The party was kind of a bummer for me for outside reasons. So about an hour and a half after that beer, I went to have some fun in the casino for the night. I rarely get to go to Nevada.

Drink Time 4: I pounded the holy hell out of crown and coke. I think I had 14 of them from roughly 9 PM to 3 AM. I had a lot of fun and I KNEW that I could stop at anytime...it was weird. This time was the most important of the 4 for me. I get crazy as fuck when I drink. I talk to everyone I see and if they dont want to talk, I talk to them more. I am loud and very obnoxious. None of these things happened. In fact I was very mellow and kind of just talked to a couple that was playing next to me for hours. We were all having fun. Also, the waitress remembered me from the last time I was there (not sure that is a good thing since it had been 6 months ... hahaha). So she kept bringing me rounds I didn't ask for, but hell I intended to have fun and I did. So, she came back around 3:00 and told me she was going home, asked when I was coming next, and said bye. At the same time, the couple was calling it quits too. So I went to another area. The new waitress came by and asked if I wanted a drink. I didn't even think about it and said no that I was alright. Now me turning down a drink after one is a freakin miracle, but after 14 is ... well it must have been a dream because it is not possible. OHHHH.... also one hour after drinking that much I felt sober. I found Family Guy on the tv, drank some water, smoked a cigarette and passed out. I was physically hung over this morning until I ate, then I felt fine. This is HUGE too... I have really bad paranoia and panic attacks when I am hing over. It's hard for me to really be around people... not in a weirdo way, but I am just very uncomfortable with my mind racing around. Anyways, I had none of that. My mind was calm this morning... I even asked someone to get out of my seat on the plane.... MY SEAT BITCH!!!

So, I don't know. I have read the studies on gabapentin, but I haven't seen success stories. There are the couple posts at the beginning of this thread saying it doesn't do anything. If this continues to work as it is, it will change my life 10,000%. I am also not condoning drinking at all. My personal journey is mine alone. I know a lot of people don't ever want to touch another drop of alcohol ever again. I not only commend them, but I have been there. I guess I am going to just take life as it comes and hope this keeps working. I would like to go back through my old posts and see how long bac worked for me, but I think it was like 2-3 weeks maybe. Oh, also this morning before the sandwich saved my life, I was thinking about a bloody mary on the plane again to fix me up, but when the attendant got to me, I figured I drank enough last night and I just ordered a milk. I will keep posting and that will be the last scheduled drinking until spring when I have my annual reunion with 3 high school friends. I'm sure I won't stay completely dry until then, but that will be the last blow out until then.