Hello folks I recently read some anecdotal info about the epilepsy drug Gabapentin being helpful for reactive tinnitus. Admittedly it was on the minefield that is tinnitus talk.
Has anybody here tried or is taking Gabapentin & does it help?
Here is the link if your feeling brave!
I recall some discussion on these pages some months or weeks ago. If you put Gabapentin into the search box top right, then filter the responses by “my communities” you can have a look at what’s gone on.
BTW I never look at tinnitus talk. Depressing and doesn’t help anyone in my personal opinion.
Thanks just had a search - the older pages on this subject just lead to a “page no longer exits msg” so I’m still keen to know peoples thoughts or experience on gabapentin
Oh I’m surprised - I had a quick read just before I posted!
How odd - just checked again still dead pages when I try to access the info
Just looked again. I just saw that the first line was there, so I assumed everything was there - and you are absolutely right, the rest of the posts are dead! Sorry!
No problem, easily done.
I find this more depressing 😔
I was using gabapenten for tinnitus but was taking it for hot flashes which helped.
Recently, I switched to the generic of Paxil and the hot flashes stopped immediately after almost 20 years of menopause.
Chiropractic (gentle) really helped me. I also use a reike master and meditation for healing of tinnitus. All of this helped.
Hi BV. I was prescribed Gabapentin for cfs/me a decade ago. I only took it for two weeks. It made me feel strange, not myself at all. It didn't make any difference to my T ( which was mild at the time). Sorry I can't be more helpful.
Hi there hope all ok with you. Thanks for the info really helpful.
All good thanks BV. Managing my T much better now. How are you?
That’s good to know - same here. 👍
I was prescribed Gabapentin several years ago, for pain relief. It made me feel awful, as if I was high as a kite!
Yes Suzy! I oscillated between hyper and flat.
I take gabapentin for hot flashes. One capsule is max for me. More kills my energy. It did not improve tinnitus chiropractic greatly reduces it.
Co-incidentally, I've just posted a reply about Imperial Pu Erh tea to Woodman's question about natural remedies for anxiety as a result of T.
The tea contains gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in a natural form. I drink it sometimes at bedtime and it seems to help relax me which helps me to manage T, but I have not found that it reduces my T.
I expect the dosage of GABA in the tea is very small compared with a GABA supplement or prescribed medication which likely will have more of a pronounced effect.
Thanks for the reply helpful
bridgeit refers to GABA supplement which is not the same as Gabapentin medication - these are 2 different products
Hi , I've been taking gabapentin for around 3 years now for restless legs. It works well for that but unfortunately It doesn't make any difference to my tinnitus
Thanks appreciate the info
Hi, I have been taking Gabapentin for the past year - also for fatigue. No impact on my T which is constant. Hope that answers any research you are doing.
Really helpful thanks
Hi, sorry to say I've been taking Gabapentin for 4 years for neck pain, no difference in tinnitus I'm afraid.
Thanks
For those of you have replied was your tinnitus caused by a noise induced incident or other causes often unknown?.
The reason I ask is I understand gabapentin may only be helpful for those with noise induced tinnitus.
Mine is a mystery largely because I can't get into an MRI scanner . ENT have said hearing loss and T may well be a result of the original virus that led to cfs/me. How about you?
I understand about the mri - I did hunt a few quiet mri units down in UK if you ever need one.
Mine was 100% noise induced working in music.
Sorry to hear that BV. I read an article recently about a drummer with T. Musicians definitely need more protection. I'd be interested to know where quiet MRIs can be found in the UK.
I did some research and found a company “ Esoate “supply quiet mri machines to the private sector and some hospitals. I contacted them and the told me about machines in & around my area. I had a wrist mri on one & it was quiet
esaote.com/en-GB/global-net...
Thanks 🙂
I was born during war time in my country and I witnessed another war when I was about 15/16 but I didn’t realised that I had tinnitus till a few months back when my depression started because I want to be alone in the dark room . Then I realised that I had that and Googled and went to see the doctor and he told me . My right hear has fluid to. Then he send me to the specialist and I’m still waiting to get seen.
A few scientific studies have, apparently, been done which show that most people who have been put into a completely silent space for a certain period will find that their brain wants to find noises - so will create tinnitus.
Our primitive brain, which is there to make sure that if it senses something ‘wrong’ in your surroundings (such as a bad smell, bad taste, unexpected noise) will put you on alert so that you can run away.
Hi I take gabapentin but not for tinnitus tho. I was prescribed for fibromyalgia pain my tinnitus is still the same I still struggling with it most nights . I listen to music ti fall asleep 😴 to forget it . It can get really loud sometimes tho .
Thanks for the reply - If I listen to music even at conversation vol it sends the tinnitus volume way up - the longer I listen the louder it gets. May sound the opposite of what most folks do here but silence or outdoors somewhere quiet is what my reactive type of tinnitus is happiest with
Yes I understand that. Music for me and tv all the time never quite because I will the ear that stressful sounds. Do you speak loudly cos people always think that I’m shouting.
😄 I do!
I thought that it was only me tho . 😊
DONT THINK SO 😄
I’m feeling a bit better honestly 😀
I think I may have added to your posts before but your situation is exactly the same as I was a few years back. My tinnitus was very quiet in the morning and would raise along with other sounds during the day. Silence was my go to place even though it highlighted the T.
I cannot listen to music either as it pushes up the volume and even changes the sound of my T to a more intense tone
I’ve heard Gabapentin is a bad med to take
can you please expand a bit on why it’s bad?
Besides the usual addiction it cause neuro degenerative changes to the brain It and the supplement gaba is not the same
ok thanks I’ll look into that.
It can be right I feel that I’m addict to it already I can’t sleep without taking them and the pain is so bad that I’m just taking. Without them im sad and depressed. They lift my mood . Now im worried 😦
Please try not to worry. I didn’t want to upset anyone. I took them for years just at night for restless legs. Didn’t know about them. When the tinnitus started I thought might be them so I just quit taking them. Don’t recommend but I had panicked Things were ok. Was taking large amount of vitamin D at that time too. Both per doctor. It may be perfectly fine for you. I just think they should inform people if things before we start taking things.
It may help some. I take 1 capsule at night for hot flashes. I have not noticed it helping with my tinnitus.
I’m thinking of trying it again. I have hot flashes due to cancer med
pulsatile tinnitus 
Acceptance is key, but understanding is the key to acceptance
Tinnitus and Hyperacusis 
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