Gabapentin and Depression: What Users Say

• Ari...
• April 23, 2012

Gabapentin for Peripheral Neuropathy "After visiting a neurologist for burning and tingling pain in both feet, I was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy and pre-diabetes. (I'm slender, always ate a well-balanced diet, and exercised.) I tried various medications, but the side effects outweighed any pain relief. I have been on Gabapentin (Neurontin) 200mg at night for four years. It doesn't relieve all pain, but it does allow me to sleep through the night. I wake up every morning in pain, which continues on and off all day. However, I have very little side effects (occasional sadness, irritability, nausea). Neurontin allows me to have a reasonable quality of life and is very inexpensive."

• jos...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 31, 2020

For Anxiety "I too went through the awful nightmare when I quit gabapentin. In the past, I have quit Xanax, alcohol, cocaine, and a few others, and those drugs were a cakewalk compared to gabapentin. I have never felt such anxiety and hopelessness."

• Kti...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 31, 2022

For Neuropathic Pain "Not good for me. It caused so many other problems and made me almost immobile. Severely dropping glucose levels was one. Depression, anxiety, dizziness. All inclusive. I weaned myself off of it and all those problems went away. I now consider it a dangerous drug. I described my symptoms to my doctors for over a year, and all I got was a referral to specialists. Not one of them mentioned that it might be the gabapentin. I had to figure that out on my own."

• dew...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 15, 2013

For Restless Legs Syndrome "I had been using gabapentin successfully for almost ten years for restless legs. I thought I should take a break and gradually reduced my regular dosage of 1500/day down to zero. What a mistake! I reverted to waking up every two hours with leg pain, joint pain, and a floating depression. Needless to say, I'm back on the gabapentin."

• Sal...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 4, 2018

For Anxiety "Amazing drug for anxiety, especially social anxiety. Whenever I take gabapentin, I'm able to go out and socialize without problems. I've been taking this for 6 years. I never had any luck with any other drug, and I've tried so many. The only side effect I get with gabapentin is if you don't take it consistently, you will get really depressed and angry. At least I do."

• Anonymous
• January 22, 2012

Gabapentin for Pain "I was given this medicine in the hospital to help with pain/nerve damage after a ruptured disc. BEWARE, it made me suicidal! I am a normal, healthy person but after a week or so on this, I started sobbing almost all the time and was in total despair. Fortunately, my husband worked out what the stimulus was, and I was told to stop taking the medicine immediately. This was recommended as the withdrawal effects would be better than carrying on with it and weaning off. It took a couple of weeks, but I could only have close friends around who understood that at any moment, a wave of crying would overtake me but wouldn't last."

• Cre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 27, 2017

For Benign Essential Tremor "I've tried the first-line treatments of Propranolol and Primidone several times with little benefit at lower doses. I also didn't like the potential side effects of lowered blood pressure (mine is a healthy low and I don't want to mess with it). One of these meds also had a potential side effect of depression, and since I have had severe major depression, I didn't want to risk that! After discussing this with my Dr., he put me on Gabapentin 300mg at night, and after a week, 300mg morning and night. I'm 2 weeks into this routine and am amazed at my lack of tremor. I gave Gabapentin a 9 instead of a 10 because I want to see its more long-term benefit."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 30, 2020

For Pain "I took gabapentin 100 mg dose for pain in my leg for seventeen days. During this time I only took it at night when the pain was worse. After about 11 days, I felt really strange. A couple of days later, I woke in the night, put a jacket on, and had the feeling I was going to jump in a nearby canal. Going outside in the cold air made me aware again. Since then, I have run up to a man thinking he was my dead husband and felt very depressed. I also take lamotrigine for the last six years as I had two unexplained seizures in 2013. Since coming off gabapentin, I have returned to normal."

• Apo...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 2, 2018

For Pain "Been on gabapentin for over a year now for pain in my spine, but now I have trouble thinking or getting out simple words, and I cannot go out by myself because I get these fits of feeling like I am drunk, which makes me feel like I am going to wobble out into traffic. I also get this pressure on my head, like someone is pressing on it all the time. I also have been feeling really down a lot, which is not nice. My moods have changed a lot, and what I used to care about, I no longer care about. This is a horrible medicine, and I would advise anyone not to take it, but that is my opinion and my experience with this drug."

• Mdd...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 22, 2017

For Insomnia "I also have been prescribed gabapentin for neuropathy and most recently for 2 herniated discs in my lower back causing sciatica. The first month was fine, and the only side effect was blurred vision and dizziness. Going on month 6 and having horrible insomnia, memory loss, lack of coordination, pain, depression, anxiety. Affecting my job, cannot stand more than 5 minutes, 2-4 hours of sleep max per night. I'm miserable."

• Fre...
• August 5, 2021

For Alcohol Withdrawal "I was drinking about a 750ml a night and then a couple quarts on the weekend. I had 4 seizures due to alcohol withdrawal, have been in detox 4 times, hospitalized a bunch, and had severe liver cirrhosis and kidney failure. I tried naltrexone but just kept drinking, tried therapy, anti-depressants, and some AA meetings, but nothing helped. When not intoxicated, I had horrible anxiety, insomnia, depression, and thought about killing myself. I drank not to feel happy but to basically survive. I finally saw an amazing, compassionate doctor during my latest hospitalization from withdrawal. He prescribed me gabapentin and I have been sober 6 months. Gabapentin has changed my life. I never thought I could go this long without drinking. I take it 3 times a day at 300mg, and I’m ridiculously happy. My anxiety is basically gone, and I can sleep again. I feel almost normal in social situations. Gone is the feeling of impending doom. I would highly recommend this to anyone, it was a miracle drug for me."

• Mmm...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 15, 2022

For Migraine "Okay y’all. I was diagnosed with post-Covid lingering headaches that won’t give. I’ve been in constant pain and discomfort since my Covid diagnosis (3+ months ago). I tried a plethora of different migraine meds, and NONE worked (likely because I didn’t have a “traditional” migraine). Gabapentin was recommended by a neurologist on the East Coast for lingering Covid headaches, so my neurologist said let’s give it a try, and I’m so glad we did! 10/10 recommend if you are looking for lingering Covid headache relief! I also experience severe anxiety and depression (I’m on Celexa as well), and this has helped supplement that tremendously."

• Mys...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 13, 2013

For Restless Legs Syndrome "I was prescribed gabapentin for neuropathy and off-label for restless leg syndrome. I ramped up the dosage over three weeks to 600 mg three times daily. It did decrease both sets of symptoms. It also sent me into major depression. When I eased off the medicine (all under the doctor's supervision), the depression eased completely."

• tDa...
• January 15, 2015

For Migraine "I have been taking this for 2 months now. The first month, I still had several horrible headaches. This second month, I have yet to have one, which is fantastic for me. I am having a slight problem keeping my emotions down. I seem to be very sad and lack energy. I am hoping that this will level out with time because it works fantastic on my headaches."

• Bac...
• January 6, 2014

For Anxiety "I have a bulging disk. I have suffered from back pain for 4 years now. I occasionally split a 600 mg pill. I notice little pain relief, but I wake up happy. The strangest thing. I didn't realize the medication was used for anxiety, which is why I researched. I have had some depression associated with my back injury. I will take again a half of a 600 mg pill at night. It helps me sleep, and I literally wake up happy. I should mention that I take it intermittently. I may take it for a week straight, but that is the longest."

• Wal...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 15, 2017

For Pain "Gabapentin is the best medication I have ever taken. I was put on gabapentin because I've had unexplained upper back pain for two years. It's accompanied by a really annoying tingling sensation under my shoulder blades. I was prescribed 300 mg three times a day. By day two, the pain was 80% better. Day three, it was gone. It was a lifesaver. I've never been happier. And then I had a weird day after a week on it. I have mild depression and anxiety, but I've never had a suicidal thought in my life. There was this sensation that I've never felt before. I called into work. I couldn't move and kept having the thought of downing my pain meds with my bottle of whiskey. I immediately cut out the gabapentin, and that feeling disappeared."

• Mau...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 31, 2016

For Anxiety "I am a very happy, confident nurse practitioner. This drug made me, over a time period of less than a week, suicidal. Extremely depressed and uncontrollable crying for no reason. The procedure was elective, and my suicidal symptoms cleared up within 14 hours of discontinuation."

• And...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 22, 2024

For Insomnia "I tried literally everything for insomnia. Only amitriptyline helped, plus olanzapine. I had to stop both because of weight gain. Nothing else helped. I became depressed. I got gabapentin for my migraine, it did not help, however, I noticed I could sleep very well with it. I use 300 mg at night. I think I will keep taking it since I was always tired because I was always a light sleeper."

• Vol...
• February 13, 2010

Gabapentin for Fibromyalgia "I have had lumbar and cervical neck surgery. I tried to go without medicine and suffered anxiety/depression and was at times overly ruminating on body symmetry, checking myself for lumps, bumps, and whatever- I guess after the surgeries and being home, I was now switched on to be ever so vigilant to an anxious degree. Well, anyways, I went onto Cymbalta, and that helped greatly with my chemical imbalance that was causing my depression, but I needed a little more to simply be in a relaxed mode. I had tried Lyrica 75 mg, which was fantastic, but the insurance company wanted me to go with gabapentin (Neurontin) 600 mg for cost savings. So far, gabapentin has been very effective in reducing my pain and my anxious responses. Fantastic!"

• Mag...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 31, 2019

For Anxiety "I’d been on Gabapentin a few times in the past for anxiety. This time they gave it to me for bipolar?!! I’m struggling with this, taking 2400 mg (top dose) mg/day. My memory is gone. Long-term memory fine, short-term gone. I can’t sit and watch TV without extreme anxiety, getting up every 10 min, crossing and uncrossing legs, squirming. I had to get an excuse from jury duty saying I was unfit. All I can do is wager this time against the last times and remember how hard it was for me to even cook a meal, how it would take me 3 hours. Now I don’t cook at all. I’m too exhausted all the time. But coming off of it, I feel extremely depressed (lay in bed ALL day), unable to sleep, etc. This drug also causes pancreatic cancer, which my father-in-law died from. Help me get off this mess!!!! I’m trapped."

• Luc...
• August 2, 2017

For Anxiety "I've had anxiety since I was a little child, 6 years old to be exact. So over the years (I'm 56 now), I've also developed PTSD, OCD, depression, and recently agoraphobia. Under a former doctor's orders, because I'm such a severe case, I was prescribed 4 mg of Xanax and 4 mg of Klonopin along with 10/325 hydrocodone 5 times a day for severe neck and back pain from bulging discs causing spinal stenosis all throughout from my neck all the way down to my lumbar spine. Already had spinal fusion at L5S1. I ended up overdosing when he added Percocet. I found a new doctor, and he weaned me safely off of everything, and now I'm taking 2400 mg of gabapentin. It has been a miracle. Best med by far for my anxiety. Still need neck surgery, but my anxiety has left the building."

• Bel...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 14, 2018

For Anxiety "I first started taking this medicine in the summer of 2017 for anxiety and panic disorder to help me from taking so much Klonopin. I took 300 mg 4x a day. To be honest, it did help for a while, but I think it's just because it was making me high. I know it doesn't directly affect GABA, but it helps you detach, so you, of course, 'feel better.' Over time, it will lose its potency, though, and I just ended up more depressed on it because it is a depressive drug. Since January 2018, I have been tapering down from 4 a day to almost just one 300 mg per day, and I've lost 20 lbs, and my suicidal thoughts have been drastically reduced. I think this medication is probably good for short-term use, but overall not healthy to use for psychological reasons alone if you are prone to depressive thoughts or suicidal ideation."

• Esk...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 28, 2015

For Fibromyalgia "I have been taking gabapentin for relief of fibromyalgia for two and a half years. At first, the medication worked tremendously well. However, in the beginning, it relieved my migraines, but now my migraines are back so badly and are so much worse than ever before. I also have horrible vision now, cannot sleep, and my depression is severe. I go back to my neurologist on May the 11th, and I am going to insist that he change my medication and get me off this gabapentin as it is not effective anymore. I believe from experience long-term use is not a great idea!"

• Mae...
• March 20, 2016

For Hot Flashes "I am in my 6th year of severe hot flashes. I had at least 20 during the day and one every 15 minutes at night. I couldn't take estrogen because of the risk of stroke. I tried herbal remedies, Paxil, and Lexapro. While on Lexapro, I had anxiety attacks and severe depression for 3 months, being on Lexapro for 2 weeks. It messed with my brain. I regret taking that and was very frustrated that nothing could help with hot flashes. I did some searching on Google and found gabapentin. This is a Godsend! My first night taking it, my hot flashes diminished totally. I take 300 mg x 2: one in the morning and one at night. If I do get a hot flash, it lasts about 10 seconds and is very minimal. I would recommend gabapentin in place of ERT."

• Pat...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 17, 2019

For Anxiety "I have been originally on only 300 mg to help me sleep about 3 years ago. It did help a bit. But since then, I've been on about 3200 mg per day the past couple of years. I usually end up taking most of that if I have to go somewhere, like a public place such as a house event, etc. Almost anything, really. It doesn't last nearly as long as it did in the beginning. Now, about 2 hours or slightly more, and it seems done. After that, I start feeling depression and anxiety creep in. I take the other remainder at night, but even that's not enough now to help me sleep. I get zero sleep. Probably an hour per WEEK past many years, actually. Sounds impossible, but it's true. I'm wide awake all night. I have always had that, though, but the anxiety caused by the temporary withdrawal of the Gabapentin doesn't help, I'm sure."