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Gabapentin for Alcohol Use Disorder

neversickanymore

neversickanymore

Moderator: DS
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www.ccjm.org

Gabapentin for alcohol use disorder: A good option, or cause for concern?

The anticonvulsant drug gabapentin is used off-label to treat alcohol-related withdrawal, cravings, anxiety, and insomnia. Although it is well tolerated and has demonstrated efficacy for mild alcohol withdrawal and early abstinence, there is concern about its potential for abuse. Gabapentin...
www.ccjm.org www.ccjm.org

Thoughts and experiences?
 
Gotta keep.us on something. ;)
I can see how alcohol could be replace with several substances but is any of it sustainable?
It seems is always this or that.
Get free by tapering like any other dependancy is my thoughts. Then jump (not off a bridge ffs).
 
I think that it can be used for moderate cases. Since it's not an anti-epileptic, it can't suppress seizures such that one can have in alcohol withdrawal. Maybe it works for anxiety associated with withdrawal.

Usually a benzo will keep one safe in detox. So they might use Librium or Ativan or klonopin, to name a few.
 
Gabapentin is ironically one of the few drugs I've never tried. But in my experience pretty much any GABA drug can be used for alcohol withdrawal.

But like the study says, "concern for abuse", which makes it difficult to get anything as an alcoholic outside of a detox like program.
 
Due to inescapable severe trauma I resorted to alcohol as self medication. Daily use resulted in tolerance and consumption of unhealthy levels 2-3 pints daily or about 1000-1500 ml. That level of use can not be maintained indefinitely without consequences, likely severe, to ones health.

So time for a new plan. Detoxed with no issues and then was placed on 300mg x3pd Gabapentin as a precaution against withdrawal symptoms. When I looked up Gabapentin and alcohol I came across the studies about using Gabapentin for alcohol use disorder and found the incredible reported results for both Gabapentin and pregabalin.

Just returned to 300mg gabapentin three times a day as an alcohol use deterrent. It seems to work unbelievably well. I will report back as time goes by but I’m at 28 days and am anything but struggling.

It’s also helping treat the ongoing trauma.


We will see how it goes as time goes on and I’ll report back.
 
It helps with the shakes, gabapentin is one of those anti-anxiety drugs the doctor prescribed me years ago for anxiety, and I'd usually only take the stuff when I'd get the shakes from not having alcohol. (Stupid dry county in Indiana didn't sell booze on Sundays, & no matter how much liquor I'd try to save on Saturday I'd always drink it all and black out, and wake up shaking). So I'd pop like 5-7 300mg capsules and just lay in my tent and relax. Was homeless at the time living next to a railroad in the woods, so the only concern I had was just drinking water and eating neurountins .
 
neversickanymore said:
Due to inescapable severe trauma I resorted to alcohol as self medication. Daily use resulted in tolerance and consumption of unhealthy levels 2-3 pints daily or about 1000-1500 ml. That level of use can not be maintained indefinitely without consequences, likely severe, to ones health.

So time for a new plan. Detoxed with no issues and then was placed on 300mg x3pd Gabapentin as a precaution against withdrawal symptoms. When I looked up Gabapentin and alcohol I came across the studies about using Gabapentin for alcohol use disorder and found the incredible reported results for both Gabapentin and pregabalin.

Just returned to 300mg gabapentin three times a day as an alcohol use deterrent. It seems to work unbelievably well. I will report back as time goes by but I’m at 28 days and am anything but struggling.

It’s also helping treat the ongoing trauma.


We will see how it goes as time goes on and I’ll report back.
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Are you in any kind of therapy for your trauma? That, in addition to the self-medication, is going to help way more in the long run, even if you are experiencing the trauma concurrently whilst seeking therapy <3
 
Senior Moderator said:
Are you in any kind of therapy for your trauma? That, in addition to the self-medication, is going to help way more in the long run, even if you are experiencing the trauma concurrently whilst seeking therapy <3
Click to expand...
I went to a trauma therapist for awhile, 2years. She was not able to wrap her head around the unique situation.. so I dropped her like a hot coal and never looked back. Yes the trauma is 24/7 and no I'm no longer seeking therapy as the situation is not something they have dealt with. I learned a little and have switched to educating myself. I can still call her in an emergency of for support, but have not.

I'm actually doing great all things considered.

34 days of the sauce.. yippee. Gabbapentin certainly is woking for me to treat alcohol use.
 
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Still doing great. Medication is really making a difference. Experiencing no sex drive though.. saw that its a possible side effect. See what happens with that moving forward. Almost 50 days completely alcohol free, despite extreme circumstances.
 
Over sixty days.. sexual apathy has gone. With the medication this has really been painless and other than occasionally adjusting my thinking to the new alcohol free lifestyle.
 
neversickanymore said:
Just an update.. still rolling nicely
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I'm really glad to see this, because I'm quiting drinking today and plan to take gabapentin throughout the day, and probably Flexeril/baclofen at night. I should only have a mild detox, but I've never suffered lightly from previous detoxes with other drugs. Gabapentin helped me a lot coming off of methadone so I'm crossing my fingers that it helps me stay functional. Art and being outside helps me in the long run, making myself get up do stuff for myself. Sorry for the rant, but I hope things work out well for you, appreciate the updated info and hope you're feeling proud 🤙♥️
 
worms are cool said:
I'm really glad to see this, because I'm quiting drinking today and plan to take gabapentin throughout the day, and probably Flexeril/baclofen at night. I should only have a mild detox, but I've never suffered lightly from previous detoxes with other drugs. Gabapentin helped me a lot coming off of methadone so I'm crossing my fingers that it helps me stay functional. Art and being outside helps me in the long run, making myself get up do stuff for myself. Sorry for the rant, but I hope things work out well for you, appreciate the updated info and hope you're feeling proud 🤙♥️
Click to expand...

Hey Thanks and I am.:p

I think you have a great chance of getting off with little or no negative experiences. Way to go on the Methadone!! Super Cool, I also made it through that nightmare. If you end up struggling to stay off alcohol consider using gabapentin as a treatment. Its working amazing for me. I'm taking 300mg three times a day.

You got this!!
 
They put me on Gabapentin as a muscle relaxer after an injury, and I did notice that my craving for alcohol (and benzos) went down. I'm not sure if they actually prescribe it specifically for that purpose or not, but they should look into it. It relaxed me without impairing me at all, which was very beneficial.
 
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