[splitimage]

My addictions Dr. is thinking of prescribing me, either Topomax or Gabapentin to help reduce alcohol cravings. It's an off-label use for both of them. But the meds that are specifically for alcohol cravings did nothing for me.

I'd just like to hear about people's experiences with either med, especially side effects.

Thanks.

splitimage

[Moogieotter]

Hey,

I'm proud of you for working with your Dr on the alcoholism treatment. I had been on Gabapentin while abusing, but stopped. Later, in early sobriety in 2013 around the 6-7 month mark, I was on 600mg for anxiety. It's mild and somewhat helpful. Some say there's risk of abuse at very high doses 5,000mgs + but there was no buzz for me at 600.

I have a highly-cognitively demanding job and was too spacey on it to effectively function, so I tapered down after a few months. There was some withdrawal anxiety for a few days.

Worth trying. Good luck!

No exp w Topomax.

moogs

[ChipperMonkey]

Have you ever tried l-glutamine? I used to have horrendous food cravings. (A bit different but hear me out.) I researched supplements that help with food craving issues. I discovered that l-glutamine could help with that issue. I immediately started taking it. It completely stopped my cravings within a day. I was shocked. Beyond shocked actually. I was able to stop my binge eating. I have been binge free and craving free for over six months now. I did more research because I wanted to know more about this miraculous amino acid. I discovered that l-glutamine has been recommended for craving issues, specifically for recovering alcoholics. I've found books from the 1970's that have written about how l-glutamine can be beneficial for stopping alcohol cravings in recovering alcoholics. (One of the books is long out of print. I found it at my local used bookstore.) There is info online about l-glutamine for cravings, but not enough IMHO. I don't think it will help everyone, but given my experience with it and the fact that it's a natural amino acid, most have nothing to lose by giving it a try if they have out of control cravings. Most doctors don't know about it. They're hooked into the kickback world of pharmaceuticals so have no monetary incentive to recommend a natural cure over a prescription one. Am I telling you to blindly take this supplement? No. What I'm doing is offering an alternative that is actually something we ingest regularly in foods (albeit in much smaller amounts). I really hope you research it for yourself. A bottle of l-glutamine can be purchased for $10 or less, and can last months. I've experienced horrendous side effects from Topamax. It spikes my anxiety and it put me in the ER after I got kidney stones on it. Look into l-glutamine. It's good stuff. Ignore the bodybuilding info you find. Body builders take higher doses. This stuff won't cause you to bulk up or gain weight at smaller doses. Body builders essentially mega dose on the stuff.

[benzenering]

My pdoc prescribed Topomax to me for alcohol abuse awhile back, off label as you said. It seemed to help my drinking by reducing cravings, but as an alcoholic I couldn't give up the drinking. I still have the pills in my kitchen cabinet, though...in case I ever want to try again! I didn't have any side effects but I took it a night to avoid possible sedation issues. I am pretty med tolerant though (I took naltrexone once, got very sick and never took it again!)

I don't have experience on either, but I have been on pregabalin (Lyrica) which is prescribed for the same things gabapentin is. If it works the sameI googled, but couldn't find anything definitive about it - just people saying one or the other is better ) it'll increase your NREM4 stage of sleep which will cause you to sleep deeper and wake more rested. (NREM4 is the deep sleep stage)

[bolair811]

I tried Topamax for compulsive eating. It works for many people for compulsive type behaviors. For me, it made me a complete basket-case. I cried at anything, became extremely irritable at anything with no rhyme or reason. I took it for 2 weeks and had to stop before I completely lost it.

[HALLIEBETH87]

Topomax made me very spacey. Gabapentin i take for anxiety but I'm not sure how much it helps. I take 1600 mg a day

[splitimage]

Thanks everyone.

I talked with my pdoc about it, and he said I absolutely could not take topomax, as it interacts with two of my AP's to cause body temperature disregulation and hyperthermia, which I don't need.

Talked to my addictions Dr. about gabapentin, which my pdoc ok'd, but she's nervous about prescribing another sedative when I'm already on klonopin. She wants to research it more and get back to me. I'm kind of frustrated, I was hoping to pick up a script yesterday and start it on Mon. Now I'm going to have to wait a couple of weeks.

[possum220]

When I was on Seroquel and Klonopin my p'doc prescribed Topomax on top. The fall out was pretty dreadful. My loss of inhibitions changed my behaviour and ability to make rational decisions. I was super light headed. My IQ dropped about 20%.

Mayhap you really are better off without it? Your p'doc is being very wise in considering the big picture.

[Fresia]

My doctor recommended that I use GABA Oolong tea for anxiety and other cravings but it helps to inhibit them. There is an ingredient in prescription Gapapentin that I am allergic to so that is why I use the tea. I also found it is that is calming but not as sedating as Gabapentin is. There is less GABA 150-200 mg per brewed teaspoon; the down side is that there is no exact dose with the tea. The upside is that it was easier to consume that I feel like I am drinking something to replace the habit I am trying to break in a healthier way than just taking a pill and I can take it with me anywhere as needed. I can do this with a pill as well but didn't help with changing the habits as when tried other medications. It also reduced the anti-anxiety meds that I no longer take them. You may find that with the GABA Oolong or Gabapentin, if starting on either one.

It is something that can get over the counter. Our shops don't carry it where I currently live, I used to be able to get it regularly so there may be some near you that do carry it if you want to try it. Otherwise, it can be ordered, which is what I have to do now. Perhaps this might help.

[cheshiregrins]

I was too scared to take Gabapentin due to possible weight gain, so I've been on a low dose of Topamax for about 3 years now. It does make me slightly stupid, like my head is filled with fluff. Sometimes I forget how to spell simple words, but the benefits definitely outweigh the side-effects. It has helped me keep my weight stable while being on antipsychotics and has helped with binge eating *tremendously!* Also, I have a problem with getting in extreme emotional states- that's where Topamax really helps by clearing my mind. Sometimes it's better to have a "fluff filled" mind than one filled with rage or a similar extreme emotion, that isn't even based in reality (PTSD type reaction.)

[pinkflower17]

Originally Posted by splitimage

My addictions Dr. is thinking of prescribing me, either Topomax or Gabapentin to help reduce alcohol cravings. It's an off-label use for both of them. But the meds that are specifically for alcohol cravings did nothing for me.

I'd just like to hear about people's experiences with either med, especially side effects.

Thanks.

splitimage

I'm on both right now. The Topamax for seizures and the gabapentin for sleep and headaches. I had a lot of side effects with gabapentin initially, most of them related to fatigue, dizziness etc. With Topamax, if I go over 100 mg a day, I'm stupid as ****, so I have to augment with yet another med. I also had some paresthesias (numbness and tingling) in my extremities initially, but that soon went away.

[leomama]

Took it for the first time tonight. 100 mg for insomnia. That didn't work. Took another 100mg. We'll see.

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[darkcomesoon]

I was prescribed Topamax as one of the last medications I was given before I quit taking my meds. Topamax both left me with a memory of what it feels like to be fixed and feel "normal" and completely robbed me of my creativity and process of thought, long term.

When I started, there were side effects but it was to be expected. I finally got to a stable 75mg of it along with lamictal. I had some minor issue which my psych thought needed some med tweaking, decreased the lamictal by WAY too much and ended up putting me over the edge. I credit God and God only for being the reason why I survived that awful episode that was driven by my medication. I stopped taking my medication and never went back to it afterward.

I have never been the same person since topamax. My creativity is gone completely, even when i'm hypomanic, the creativity that I do have is nothing like it used to be, I miss that.

[Anxietygirl74]

I was on Topomax for several years (it was for migraines, though). The thing that I would be afraid of with it is that cognitive side effects (not saying that you will get them; it just happened to me, and can be a side effect). I can't remember anything else about it, just that cognitively, it messed me all up.

[seesaw]

I was on Topomax as a mood stabilizer. It didn't do anything, as I recall. I don't recall any side effects either.

[Dontspeak]

I had a friend take Topamax for alcohol abuse and he freaked out and stopped the drug after 3 days. I take it for BP and had the flu for a month while titrating. I was spacey, but all that went away when I hit 200mg. Now just pins and needles on and off in hands and feet. Some weight loss. Nothing dramatic. But cognitively ok.

Originally Posted by ChipperMonkey

Have you ever tried l-glutamine? I used to have horrendous food cravings. (A bit different but hear me out.) I researched supplements that help with food craving issues. I discovered that l-glutamine could help with that issue. I immediately started taking it. It completely stopped my cravings within a day. I was shocked. Beyond shocked actually. I was able to stop my binge eating. I have been binge free and craving free for over six months now. I did more research because I wanted to know more about this miraculous amino acid. I discovered that l-glutamine has been recommended for craving issues, specifically for recovering alcoholics. I've found books from the 1970's that have written about how l-glutamine can be beneficial for stopping alcohol cravings in recovering alcoholics. (One of the books is long out of print. I found it at my local used bookstore.) There is info online about l-glutamine for cravings, but not enough IMHO. I don't think it will help everyone, but given my experience with it and the fact that it's a natural amino acid, most have nothing to lose by giving it a try if they have out of control cravings. Most doctors don't know about it. They're hooked into the kickback world of pharmaceuticals so have no monetary incentive to recommend a natural cure over a prescription one. Am I telling you to blindly take this supplement? No. What I'm doing is offering an alternative that is actually something we ingest regularly in foods (albeit in much smaller amounts). I really hope you research it for yourself. A bottle of l-glutamine can be purchased for $10 or less, and can last months. I've experienced horrendous side effects from Topamax. It spikes my anxiety and it put me in the ER after I got kidney stones on it. Look into l-glutamine. It's good stuff. Ignore the bodybuilding info you find. Body builders take higher doses. This stuff won't cause you to bulk up or gain weight at smaller doses. Body builders essentially mega dose on the stuff.

Where do you get this, Sounds pretty interesting, Is it sold in health food stores, Please message me if you have the time, I always want to go the natural route if I can

I dont mean to scare you but I had problems with both drugs the Nerontin made me feel high and I hated it, And as far as the topamax it made me feel suicidal for no reason, I wasnt even depressed or any thing, It scared the day lights out of me, But that is just me and my body reacts really badly to drugs and I am really sensitive to drugs, Good luck to you

[LucyD]

I looked at this thread to see how people do on Topamax and share my experience. I have been on it for 11 days for eating disorder and it has stopped me from binge eating. I have a drinking problem too and it has helped that, too. Doc told me to drink plenty of water so I don't get kidney stones. I lost 6 pounds in a week.

[doodlebeaners12]

My personal experience with gabapentin/neurontin was just awful. I was prescribed it (was already on prozac, ativan & topamax). The first day on neurontin was just completely a fuzzy cloud - and not like a fun kind. Like someone else mentioned, I have not been the same person since the combo of neurontin & topamax. I had previously been on topamax for migraines for approx 3 years and really felt nothing with it - no withdrawal effects if i missed dosses, no weight issues. now, neurontin - i ballooned up like CRAZY! i gained close to 50 pounds on it - i was also using it for extreme nerve pain issues & had difficulty walking. everything else had stayed constant until the neurontin... UGH. it's on my "NO" list of scripts!

[cincidak]

I take Gabapentin for restless leg syndrome. I don't know 8f it's curbed my desire for alcohol, but I only drink every few weeks, and then just a couple of beers.

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[cincidak]

Originally Posted by splitimage

Thanks everyone.

I talked with my pdoc about it, and he said I absolutely could not take topomax, as it interacts with two of my AP's to cause body temperature disregulation and hyperthermia, which I don't need.

Talked to my addictions Dr. about gabapentin, which my pdoc ok'd, but she's nervous about prescribing another sedative when I'm already on klonopin. She wants to research it more and get back to me. I'm kind of frustrated, I was hoping to pick up a script yesterday and start it on Mon. Now I'm going to have to wait a couple of weeks.

I don't find Gabapentin to be sedating, and I take 600mg three times a day.

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