When I was depressed my speech would be occasionally slow, but never slurred, but then i got a high pressure job, and started having other symptoms. I thought I was having symptoms of extreme stress, my son had been committed twice in less than a month for suicidal thoughts, my husband is a merchant marine & out to sea for long periods, so I went to my primary physician. My symptoms at that time: anger, insomnia, anxiety. He diagnosed me with Major Depressive Disorder - put me on Lexepro & Trazadone for sleep. Over a period of months my symptoms became worse & worse. Extremely manic, thoughts too fast for actions, no short term memory, impulsive, irritable, not sleeping for days...When I told complained about this several times he upped the antidepressant dosage - until I was in Acute Mania.

Then he diagnosed me with Bipolar (never said I or Ii). He put me on Lamictal. A week layer I got a rash. Then I suggested anti seizure meds, and he added Klonopin for anxiety. Gabapentin is an anti seizure med, and also used to treat neuropathic pain. I actually took it back in 1997 for back pain/fracture for a short period when it was relatively new on the market.

But you're correct: Gabapentin has been prescribed in the mental health context. Numerous trials show that it is not effective alone as a mood-stabilizing treatment for bipolar disorder and so has no therapeutic advantage in having fewer side-effects over better established bipolar drugs such as lithium and valproic acid. Gabapentin is useful in the treatment of anxiety associated with bipolar disorder, but has limited usefulness in disorders such as social anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, in treatment-resistant depression, and for insomnia.

Sigh. I've had bipolar symptoms my entire life, but always associated mania with euphoria, which is rarely my case. I get manic & hypo manic confused. I have more depressed periods.

When all the confusion started my first thought was stroke, but I did have tests done by my cardiologist. (I have super high cholesterol, high blood pressure).

My Pdoc remains my primary care taker. A major blow was to discover my health insurance does not cover mental health. My son was diagnosed with Bipolar a week before me, after having opposite effects to antidepressants. He was put on Lamictal & also got a rash. He was then put on Trileptal, and Adderall which seems to be a better choice based on studies.

I go back in next week. The great news is my insomnia is better, memory better, concentration better but still suffer from anxiety, anger. The relief just sleeping 7-8 hours a night has done wonders. I'm just slower than usual, but at least not manic...much. After taking Gabapentin & Klonipin my speech went from rapid to occasionally slow (and its not slow all the time). But I think I am slipping into depression now

Which I think is common after acute mania???