Side Effects of Neurontin

[djl574]

I was recently given Neurontin for anxiety.  100mg in the morning and afternoon, and 300mg in the evening to help me sleep.  Other medication that I am on are Wellbutrin/Zyban (for both depression/smoking cessation) 150mg twice daily, and Premarin (1.25)



It's probably worth mentioning that I am currently sustaining from/quitting evening marijuana use.  I had been given this in Europe for sleep disorder.  Once Stateside, I have continued a small evening dose for this reason as well as the enhanced sexual side effects it produces.  I also became concerned as to my sexual dependence on the drug and my capabilities/fear of without it.  However, I noticed lately that I would become more anxious and paranoid and have despondent thoughts, so I have ceased using it completely. Additionally, I did not want to mix substances with the new addition of Neurontin.





I specifically asked my provider for something without sexual side effects and was told Neurontin was a good medication regarding this.  However, I'm discovering some serious difficulty in this area now.

I've even tried (with great trepidation!) a single use of marijuana to rule out the Neurontin as the culprit with the philosophy that if I reacted 'normally' with the re-addition of the marijuana then it was just the abstinence of it causing the deadened stated.  However, there was no positive reaction come experiment exception a horrible fear that I had dangerously and irresponsibly toyed with my meds.  

On a positive note, my desire/suseptibility to return to marijuana use for ANY reason in the future has been completely ruled out!



I know that most medications for anxiety tend to deaden the nervous system, I was previously given Buspar but after 2 doses reacted severely and was changed to Neurontin.



Can you please advise me as completely as possible as to the effects/side effects of Neurontin to include a synopsis of how the drug is processed by the CNS?  Do you know of a more appropriate medication in this instance that I might discuss with my MH Provider?



Thanks in Advance-

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

This medication was originally created to stop seizures before other uses were discovered.  It effects the GABA neuroreceptor sites in the brain.  The one worry is getting off.  When you do, do it slowly to avoid seizures possibility.



At the levels you are taking, almost no side effects are listed unless it is taken with other anti-seizure medications, which is not the case here.