Neurontin/depression

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Recently my Md prescribed neurontin for me and I am afraid to take it. I am BipolarII Clinically Depressed and have attempted suicide in the past 4 yrs. He prescribed it for nerve damage in my neck that lortab is currently not giving me any relieve from I take my meds consistently for my depression but am very nervous about the recent news reports I have heard about people attempting suicide while on neurontin can you offer any advise I currently take topamax 400mg daily paxil 40mg daily and klonipin 0.5mg up to 4x per day

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go to this site-http:/­/­www.adrugrecall.com/­neurontin/­neurontin.html
also generally research the name on your browser and either type in neurontin or gabapentin- read as much as you can then talk with your MD regarding your reasearch if he/she is unwilling to discuss, find one who will.

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Here's the page with the monograph listing:

Gabapentin Click Here

Many docs like to try these because some people, with nerve pain, do get great results, but they only work for certain types of nerve pain, not all. I tried it, and when I first used it, I had relief for the first week, but nothing afterwards.

It also doesn't react with most other meds, so it is safe to take with almost anything, so if you have some depressive effects from it, your doctor can safely adjust your other meds accordingly to help stave off this affect. Another benefit to this, and Lyrica as well, is you can up the dosage to very high amounts to get effective relief, without worrying about an OD.

So you and your doctor, really need to sit down and discuss the benefits and side effects. Perhaps your doctor, in light of the depressive effects it can cause in some people, can give you an additional prescription either a higher dose of your other meds, that you can pick up and keep so if you start to feel heavily depressed, you can take them ahead of time to help prevent more suicidal tendencies.

If your doc knows you have done your research and have these concerns, they should be willing to work with you for a solution. If they aren't, then it is time to seek a new doc.

I currently take Morphine Extended Release for my chronic pain issues, however, most narcotics already cause me nausea and such, and Morphine is known to act on the same receptors in your brain that cause your gag reflex, so sometimes you can get sick suddenly, even though you feel fine. I spoke to my doctor about this, and rather than give up on another med, she asked me what I had used in the past, prescription wise for nausea when I was sick, that was effective in helping me. So I now have standing refills at my pharmacy on Meclizine 25mgs, that I can pick up as needed, I use it when I need it, or get sick, and don't use it when I am fine. But that way, it is there if the nausea or vomiting hits.

Your doctor should be willing to work on something similar with your other meds, just in case Gabapentin will have a bad effect on your depression. They could prescribe an additional .5mgs of your Klonopin, or something else, that you can use as needed.

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I recently started taking Gabapentin for chronic pain. I had a discectomy in my L5, S1 2 yrs ago leaving absolutely no disc between the lumbar and sacrum. I started sleep walking and talking in my sleep, I seem to have done something with my 1'carat diamond ring while wondering around the house. I did have noticeable relief while taking them but have stopped taking them after 8 days because it has me worried. I have loss of feeling in back of thigh and side of foot from the disc compressing my spinal cord and sciatic nerve to the size of a hair over a 3 month period ultimately resulting in drop foot by the time I had surgery. I work full time for a federally funded non profit agency and live/work with a 5-7 pain level with 10 being the highest. For
pain I take hydrocodone 5-500 1 tab 2xs a day and 25 Mg flexeril as needed for spasms. AND they don't want me to continue getting steroid injections in my L5 S1 (reason for Gabatrentin) because of degenerative disc. I am 43 yrs old and fear I am headed for permanent disability which I feel is not an option..

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