Reached the end of my tether with sleepiness and gabapentin

[Hopesearcher]

Hi there, does anyone else take gabapentin for anxiety? Do you find that you are extra sleepy after the morning dose, but you end up being really wide awake by bedtime?

I got so fed up with how I was feeling, (from about 30 minutes after taking my morning dose, I start to fall asleep and it's not the kind of refreshing sleep I would wish for.)

I'm a really motivated person, and I don't like spending half the day asleep. It really gets me down. I feel like I'm letting everyone else down. The problem is, I don't just take gabapentin for anxiety, but also for spasticity as I have cerebral palsy. I have taken it for the last 5 years.

It's been great for me, because I would be in so much pain if it wasn't for the gabapentin. So, it has a 3 pronged attack for me.

I currently take take 400mg in the morning, 400mg in the afternoon, and 600 mg at night. I tried to reduce the morning dose by dropping 100mg, and it started really well, I was falling asleep less. However, the last couple of days, I have fallen asleep at exactly the same time. It's as if nothing has changed. I'm also really feeling my anxiety and depression is being affected. It's been about 10 days. I'm crying more, getting angry over the stupidest things and I can feel my pain level rising as well.

I just wondered whether this is a "thing" that happens with gabapentin, and if you guys have come across it before. At least then, if that's the case, I know it's not just me and I can stop feeling so bad about it and give myself a bit of a break. I'm so bloody fed up with sleeping my mornings away.

Thanks so much for reading, and I send you all my best wishes and hope that you you find the comfort you on this site.

[bonkers65]

I've been taking it for 5 or more years for anxiety, 600 in the morning because that's when my anxiety is the worst. Then either 600 or 300 at noon and 600 or 300 in the evening. It doesn't make me sleepy in the morning probably because I drink coffee and my anxiety is so bad in the morning too. But it helps SOME with my anxiety. In the evenings I think it helps me sleep.

[Coralrose5]

I only take it in the evening (200mg) to help me sleep but I still have to take melatonin (5mg)

[MARYRD27]

Your situation seems rather unique. Have you discussed it with the physician who prescribed it? It sounds like you really need it, but maybe you would benefit from a drug combo or a different adjustment in the amount and timing of your doses? Those are issues to discuss with your doctor.

[SpitFire2018]

I take it for both Anxiety and Pain. It Doesn't work for me.