GABA and cb/lp compatibility

[Ponieboy]

Anyone had any experience taking GABA. I had read it's good to help with insomnia and a few other benefits. But I am worried about it affecting dopamine levels or blocking dopamine. I am looking to add to my stack of supplements.

[LAJ12345]

I think it would be fine. It has a similar but milder effect to clonazapam and you can take that at the same time.

Google says

GABA Interactions

High blood pressure medications: GABA can lower blood pressure. If you take GABA in addition to taking blood pressure medication, your blood pressure may drop too low. Anti-depressant medications: People taking anti-depressant medications should consult with their physicians before taking GABA.

[InspectorPD]

I am on lyrica for PD and some periferal neuropathy in my legs.I have had PD for about 5 years and recently developed a sleep issue that culminated in 5 full days and nights without sleep. I found that i was shaking more when i went to bed just after taking my leva dopa and other drugs including lyrica. i then examined my regimen and found out that LD can be excitory for muscles....so take the LD with lyrica at least an hour before go to bed.Also added in melatonin 10 mg sustained release and a gravol......seems to be working but a little groggy during day so my neuro said to cut out the gravol and he is going to up my dose of lyrica at night from 75 to 100 1nd then 125 if necessary to deal with sleep issue---so yes--apparently it is used for sleep issues..hope that helps..

[chartist in reply to InspectorPD]

Melatonin is noted for next day grogginess or tiredness in some people. Reducing the dose may be all that is needed or taking it earlier in the evening since you are using a prolonged release version or doing both may alleviate the next day drowsiness.

The known side effects of Lyrica / Pregabalin seem like good reasons for keeping the dose as low as needed to be effective. Here is a good description of those potential side effects :

drugs.com/sfx/lyrica-side-e...

These are the more common side effects of Lyrica :

More common

Accidental injury

blurred vision

burning, tingling, numbness or pain in the hands, arms, feet, or legs

change in walking and balance

clumsiness

confusion

difficulty having a bowel movement

difficulty with speaking

double vision

dry mouth

false beliefs that cannot be changed by facts

fever

headache

hoarseness

increased appetite

lack of coordination

loss of memory

lower back or side pain

painful or difficult urination

poor insight and judgment

problems with memory or speech

rapid weight gain

sensation of pins and needles

shakiness

sleepiness

stabbing pain

trembling, or other problems with muscle control or coordination

trouble recognizing objects

trouble thinking and planning

unsteady walk

unusual drowsiness

unusual weight gain or loss

These are the most common adverse events :

The most common adverse reactions to this drug are dizziness, somnolence (drowsiness), dry mouth, edema, blurred vision, weight gain, and "thinking abnormal" (primarily difficulty with concentration/attention); the more commonly reported events in pediatric patients include increased weight and increased appetite.

So it may be safer to try adjusting the melatonin dose before increasing the Lyrica dose and you should discuss this with your doctor before increasing your Lyrica dose.

Art

[InspectorPD in reply to chartist]

Thanks kindly for your wise counsel. I'm on 150 lyrica already for past 10 years already so thought was better to stop gravol and increase pregabilin by 25 to see if it works....Will review again thx R

[Ponieboy]

Not gabapentin. It's GABA. It's found in some fruits and veggies. I take a small dose of gabapentin for my RLS. Doesn't help much. I can't t take melatonin , I'm nonfunctional the next day. Stuff screws me up...

[gomelgo in reply to Ponieboy]

What was the dosage of melatonin you tried?

[Ponieboy in reply to gomelgo]

3 mg

[gomelgo in reply to Ponieboy]

That is a pretty low dose. I guess you're one of those folks who doesn't jive with melatonin.

[Esperanto in reply to gomelgo]

For sleep problems, a dosage of 3 mg is definitely not considered ‘low’. The recommended dosage for adults is 0.1 to 1-2 mg, and if there is no effect, it can be increased up to a maximum of 5 mg. In lower dosages, it promotes sleep, while in higher dosages (around 5 mg), it corrects melatonin abnormalities in the circadian rhythm. The typical dose for adults currently is 1 mg, and that seems to work best for me as well.

Melatonin treatment for sleep-wake disorders

psyfar.nl/tijdschrift/editi...

[InspectorPD]

Sorry for my interpretation,,thought you meant the drug!

[Ponieboy in reply to InspectorPD]

All good. Google kept defaulting to gabapentin also when doing a bit of looking.