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Default May 08, 2018 at 12:12 PM
  #1
My pdoc prescribed Gabapentin (neurontin) about 3 weeks ago. I'm taking only 200 mg., but have an appointment with her in a week; I expect she'll raise the dose. I want to have some idea of the doses people take so I can discuss it with her. If you are on Gabapentin, what dose are you on?
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Default May 09, 2018 at 10:41 AM
  #2
Does anyone know what the standard dose for bipolar disorder is?
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Default May 09, 2018 at 03:39 PM
  #3
In the past I have taken up to 2700mg a day.

Where I live the lowest dose is 200mg three times a day and the max 3000mg/day.

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Default May 09, 2018 at 04:08 PM
  #4
I take 3600 mgs a day. 1200 three times a day.

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Default May 09, 2018 at 04:43 PM
  #5
The dose can really vary which is one reason they like it, according to the IP doctor last time I was there.

I'm now on 800 mg at night and 100-200 mg PRN which is very rare. I've been on 600 mg twice a day and 800 mg at night and maybe even more than that once.

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Default May 09, 2018 at 05:48 PM
  #6
Thank you all very much. Odd...I wonder why my pdoc started me at such a very low dose? 200 mg. per day is almost nothing.
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Default May 09, 2018 at 07:03 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by *Laurie* View Post
Thank you all very much. Odd...I wonder why my pdoc started me at such a very low dose? 200 mg. per day is almost nothing.
I am unfamiliar with the specifics of gabapentin but, and perhaps you know this already, many medications are prescribed for one condition at one dosage, and a completely different and unrelated condition at another dose. For instance - seroquel is an anti-psychotic at 250 mg but a sleep aid at 25 mgs. Perhaps gabapentin is similar? I know I take it for severe neuropathy and it strictly for physical reasons.

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Default May 09, 2018 at 07:09 PM
  #8
I think they go slowly because too much gabapentin (in my experience) caused grogginess, dizziness, confusion, visual issues, slurred speech, etc. When that happened I was put on a lot at once because of severe akathesia.

Later I was put on more during a different IP stay and they went much more slowly.

But even 100 mg PRN is really calming when I need it. The pdoc IP told me it works on receptors similar to klonopin so has that boost without being a benzo. Of course now they are concerned about gabapentin potentially being abused so that may not be such a good thing. My pdoc won't let me take nearly what the IP doctor did (but I don't need that much anyway now; then I was coming off 1200 mg of Seroquel in about a week while titrating up on clozapine).

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Default May 09, 2018 at 08:28 PM
  #9
I take 600 MG twice a day.
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Default May 09, 2018 at 08:29 PM
  #10
As I understood it my pdoc prescribed Gabapentin for sleep problems, for chronic pain, and for some mood stabilization (I have bipolar disorder). She did mention concern about dizziness. Well, I'll see her on Tuesday so hopefully she'll raise the dose then.

Rainbow, I was surprised to read online that Gabapentin is one of the meds that is frequently abused. Strange. Seems to me it would just cause extreme dizziness.
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Default May 10, 2018 at 07:05 AM
  #11
I take 300 daily at night and can take an additional 300 PRN.

When I started it, it was a low dose and titrated up; I am still pretty low compared to others but I have a low tolerance for most meds.

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Default May 12, 2018 at 03:33 PM
  #12
I take 600mgs twice a day.

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Default May 15, 2018 at 08:37 PM
  #13
I want to follow up on this post. I saw my pdoc today and she has raised the Gabapentin dose to 600 mg./day (300 a.m., 300 p.m.). She said she's not prescribing it for my chronic back pain since that's not her job and I said, Oh I know...but I'm really hoping that's what it helps the most with.

I asked her if I could stop taking Lamictal and she replied NO NO NO

I don't want to be depressed, but I sure wouldn't mind some mania-lite.
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Default Jun 01, 2018 at 12:47 PM
  #14
I used to take 1800mg per day (600mg 3x a day). I started on just 100mg per day and tapered up from there.

Oddly, stopping it was as simple as reducing down to 1000, then tapering to 500 and then stopped in three weeks.

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Default Jun 09, 2018 at 01:07 PM
  #15
Since it's frequently used off-label for anxiety, it's got a pretty wide range. When I was taking it, I started at 100mg TID and eventually moved up to 600mg TID before stopping because I didn't feel like it was doing anything. But I've seen as high as 1,800mg TID or QID
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Default Jun 10, 2018 at 06:51 PM
  #16
Yes, my pdoc said that Gabapentin has a very wide range. I'm now taking 900mg./day. But my Lamictal dose was also raised. So it's difficult to tell what is what, but I know I do feel more stable - much more. The downside is that I am sooo sleepy all day.
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Default Jun 11, 2018 at 04:51 AM
  #17
I forgot what dose I went to and not having the previous posts out of time and........laziness I thought depending on weight It can go to 1600mg or so I prefer pregabalin It's older brother for anxiety as long as I have the fortitude to keep my appetite/satiation in check. I have 150mgs 2x a day but sometimes only use one. If they could create a Lyrica w/o the weight issue it would be gold. They now use it for anorexics off label.

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Default Jun 11, 2018 at 02:28 PM
  #18
Has anyone experienced "loopy" feeling and lightheadedness when taking Gabapentin? I'm having a hard time with those side effects since pdoc raised my dose.

If you've experienced those things, do they go away after a while?
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Default Jun 11, 2018 at 02:59 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by *Laurie* View Post
Has anyone experienced "loopy" feeling and lightheadedness when taking Gabapentin? I'm having a hard time with those side effects since pdoc raised my dose.

If you've experienced those things, do they go away after a while?
Yes and yes. The first time I did have to back down the dosage but teh 2nd time I just adjusted.

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