Zombie on Neurontin

I have been following Neurontin very closely and have several people with whom I keep in touch via email to share our exeriences. Several mentioned that they also felt tired when they first started on Neurontin but all seemed to have adjusted within 1 - 2 weeks. I assume you are starting on Neurontin by only taking it at night. That appears to be the norm being prescribe to patients by doctors.
I sincerely hope that you are able to adjust to Neurontin and that it helps you as much as it has helped me. Best of luck. Don

Your description of your frustration with SD and taking Botox is how all of us have felt, I'm sure. I surely hope the Neurontin works for you as it apparently has some others. I chose to have Dr. Berke's surgery because the botox quit working for me after taking it for about 8 years with really varied results each time. Never worked as good for me as some others but was a help for my severe SD. My voice, after surgery, is not perfect but better than I had dared to hope for and I am doing well. The best part is not having all the "ups and downs" you mention that wear away at us. I would have tried Neurontin if my doctors had ever mentioned it to me but I am so grateful I had the surgery. I am sure you will have to give it time like Don mentioned. I wish you luck in finding help for your voice. Barb

I seriously doubt if you would notice any improvement in your voice if you are taking the neurontin at night. The drug only stays in your system for about six hours. That's why people with epilepsy or manic depression usually take neurontin three times a day. If these doctors are telling people to take neurontin at bedtime it must be because they're afraid that people will get turned off from the medicine too quickly due to the drowsiness side-effect. But the way to do it, is to take it during the day and start out with small dosages, say 100mg twice a day. Then as your body gets used to it, you gradually increase the dose until you reach an optimum level of improvement but with tolerable side-effects, perhaps 400mg twice a day. I've also noticed that people are complaining about spaciness and mental fuzziness; one way to counteract this is to get a really good nutritional supplement for memory and alertness; there's a fabulous one I take called "Brain Lightning." I admit is has a ridiculous name, but this supplement contains a synergistic mix of scientifically-validated herbs, minerals, and vitamins. You have to order it over the web, however; go to Google.com and do a search.
Something else to keep in mind: everyone taking Neurontin (gabapentin) should be aware that there is new drug, in phase three trials, called Pregabalin. Pregabablin is the result of a slight alteration of the moleculular structure of Neurontin. Apparently, it has a much longer half-lif and perhaps fewer side-effects. Right now it's being tested for the treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder because it seems to lower social inhibitions and make people more talkative--that in itself would probably be helpful for most people with SD.

--modified by Dwight Cruikshank at Fri, Oct 12, 2001, 18:57:16

thx.
gavin hadley (ADD/SD & MTD)

Gavin