Gabapentin & Depression

[jaybird8]

I have transitioned from Mirapex to Gabapentin to treat my RLS. Withdrew from Mirapex during July (was at 0.75mg). Started Gabapentin right after the 10 day drug free period, so last week of July. I have been suffering from some significant depression since early to mid-August. I have slowly dosed up on Gabapentin from 300mg to 1500mg. I started Welbutrin for depression by late August.

The depression is still running strong. The Welbutrin has helped some. I have put a lot of stock in the depression being Dopamine Agonist Withdrawal Syndrome (DAWS), but am now wondering if it may be the Gabapentin.

Has anyone experienced depression as a result of Gabapentin? If so, could you please share your experience?

[Polar Bear]

I am sorry that you are feeling this way.
I have not used Gabapentin but do understand that depression can be a side effect of Gabapentin.
I see in another thread where you mention the doubt that it could be Gabapentin causing your depression.

Having started Wellbrutin in August it's now over 3 months treatment - does your doctor have any further suggestions regarding either the dosage or a change of anti depressant.

Both conditions have to be addressed the RLS and the Depression, and whether or not one is causing the other.

[badnights]

Based on my own experience, I advise you to speak to your doctor about the depression and your suspicion that it's related to the gabapentin. I was put on gabapentin, and then later a gabapentin and codeine combo, after I augmented for the second time on DAs. It took a few months - I can't remember exactly how long, but enough time to know the gabapentin by itself wasn't doing the trick, and then some, so maybe 2-3 months before I started noticing mood swings and depression. I felt it was related to the gabapentin because if I Was late taking the medication, I had a wild mood swing. Usually from mildly to horrifically depressed - no upbeat stuff.

I couldn't get off it because I was terrified of uncontrolled WED/RLS (from my augmentation experiences), and the doctor who had prescribed it had left town without transferring me to anyone else's care. That was an internist; I also had my family doctor who was simply taking instructions from the internist, and was totally out of her depth with me. The worst part was a period of about 3 days in the summer when I wanted to be dead, but didn't have the wherewithall to figure out how to do it. I have suffered from mild depression most of my life, but since I was 16 I have been able to endure it because I know it will go away. By that age, I had figured out that the depression came and went without relation to anything that was going on in my life, and I just had to wait it out. After I had kids, I also used that - I couldn't contemplate dying because my kids would be bereft. So enduring depression was relatively easy for me, up until this episode. During this episode, the thought of my kids had no effect on me. There was no hope of anything ever being worthwhile. I was dead inside.

At around 5:30 PM on the way back from work on the 3rd day, it disappeared. Just freaking like that. And I was aghast at what I would have done if I had been capable.

Still I didn't try stopping the meds (in retrospect, I probably should have) because I was still terrified of unteated WED/RLS. I endured two more episodes of that depth of depression, not quite as bad I think, before I finally managed to communicate to my doctor my level of desperation. She was angry with me because I did it by writing a letter, but that 's another story. Whatever, I got my appointment with a neurologist, and he caused me even greater suffering, but that part of the story is not relevant to this topic. I got off the gabapentin, and the suicidal ideation and deep depression went away and didn't ever come back.

So - - take this seriously. And get off the darn gabapentin, if you think that's what's causing it. Even if you're not sure. Don't take a chance. My advice.

[jaybird8]

Thanks so much for sharing. Decided tonight to start tapering back the Gabapentin. Also sent note to doctor about current status to see if we can come up with another game plan. I am real curios to see if cutting back Gabapentin begins to lighten the depression.

[badnights]

I don't have experience with that, since i cut it off cold turkey. I had a miserable time of it, but I was cutting off codeine too, so I don't know which gave me the grief. (I was given oxycodone, but not enough to replace the codeine I'd been taking. )

Good luck with the taper, and I hope you can come up with a plan to manage your symptoms. Do everything non-medication related that you can, especially during this time of tapering and change.

[ViewsAskew]

Good luck with it.

[veldon75]

I take Gabapentin, I have been on it several times and I also felt more depressed and tired. Gabapentin is a mood stabalizer and side effects do say you can become depressed. I am trying to take it to slack off the Mirapex but it takes a large dose to help my legs. I usually end up stopping it.

[Sojourner]

Sorry you are having such a rough time. I certinly agree with the idea of keeping your doctor in the loop and exploring all possibilities for how you are feeling. Unfortunately, or fortunately, my use of gabapentin for many years did not result in what you are feeling so I am not much help there. However, after the gaba had outlived its usefulness I did a very slow taper lasting about 3 months. Many unpleasant feeling during those months but non I would call depression. Tapering off the gaba was easier than tapering off klonopin. Recently, I had to taper off lyrics--again with some unpleasant results and, in hindsight, perhaps needed to taper more slowly. I know that, for me, the need to get off something is very powerful and perhaps makes me try to get off a little too quickly. Just me though. Again, good luck.

wishing all who visit here some peace this night