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I'm curious if anybody has ever had any success with an anticonvulsant in the treatment of social phobia, in particular Neurontin (Gabapentin) or Pregabalin?
Gabitril (Tiagabine) is usually used as an anticonvulsant, but is sometimes prescribed off-label for anxiety in low doses. It inhibits the reuptake of GABA and therefore raises brain GABA levels (pretty much like an SSRI does with serotonin). Neurontin and Lyrica are also anticonvulsants used in the treatment of anxiety disorders, but they have an other mechanism of action.I was on Gabitril for it, not sure if that's the same thing but its usually used for epilepsy?
Didn't help though!
There exist clinical trials showing benefits for anxiety sufferers, at least for Lyrica (pregabalin) the (published) data is good. But mostly those drugs are used off-label. When a drug is FDA approved for treating a specific disease the manufacturer can not make claims (with heavy marketing) that the medication can be used to treat other diseases too just like that - if he does he could lose 100 millions of dollars to the FDA.Are there no real clinical trials showing a benefit to anxiety sufferers? Blows my mind how easily they can market different drugs for so many different things without concrete studies to back it up.
So it goes
Yeah I was curious about Lyrica and Neurontin in particular because I've heard that they increase neuronal GABA levels, and now since Lyrica has been approved for GAD in the EU.Benzos and Barbiturates are of course anticonvulsants and powerful anxiolytics, but I think jim_morrison meant the subclass of mood stabilizers (on & off-label). Klonopin has (some) mood stabilizing action but not benzos in general.
yeah, I'm kinda curious if Lyrica would be just as effective as a benzo, without the chance of addiction.I think it's becoming more widely used. In the UK I've heard that Pregabalin has been recently licensed for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I haven't tried it myself since my doctor won't prescribe it but I hear it has been useful for some people. Basically it's comparable to benzos without the addiction.
I think that last sentence is debatable. Tolerance to Pregabalin definitely occurs and some anecdotal reports suggest abuse and addiction could be an issue for some.I think it's becoming more widely used. In the UK I've heard that Pregabalin has been recently licensed for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I haven't tried it myself since my doctor won't prescribe it but I hear it has been useful for some people. Basically it's comparable to benzos without the addiction.