• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Gabapentin for Sleep

One limitation with L-tryptophan is the inability to use it repeatedly. The body can handle just so much melatonin. It might be smart to use it only when needed. Alternatives are Valerian, GABA & gabapentin.

Can you become addicted to melatonin?​

Just because something is “natural” doesn’t make it automatically “safe.” While there are no reports of melatonin being addictive as of this writing, when taking medications or supplements, it’s always good to be aware of the potential effects of the substance.

Melatonin doesn’t cause withdrawal or symptoms of dependence, unlike other sleep medications. It also doesn’t cause a sleep “hangover,” and you don’t build up a tolerance to it. In other words, it doesn’t cause you to need more and more as time goes on, which is a hallmark of addiction. These characteristics make it unlikely that melatonin is addicting. More long-term research needs to be done on melatonin and the effects of long-term use, however.

If you or a family member have a history of addiction, talk with your doctor about your use of melatonin and any concerns you might have. It might not be right for everyone.
 
After taking 3 500gram caps of L-tryptophan, it takes over an hour to be be digested & metabolized to melatonin. I found that also taking 1-2mg of Xanax helps you fall into a deep sleep. You wake up with no hangover.

I'm a little surprised that sleep comes this quickly as the L-tryptophan needs to be metabolized in 4 steps before it is converted into melatonin.
 
I just read about a new sleep trick that has gone viral on TikTok. They swear by drinking one glass of tart cherry juice before bedtime.
It's supposed to increase melatonin naturally, which can be more effective than taking it directly. Worth a try.
 
JacksinPA said:
www.sinclairmethod.org

Gabapentin (Neurontin) Dosage for Sleep & Anxiety | Insomnia Sleeping Treatment

Gabapentin Medication Treatment increases slow-wave sleep and is safe. Neurontin is an effective treatment for Insomnia, Anxiety, and Alcohol dependence.
www.sinclairmethod.org www.sinclairmethod.org

Gabapentin (Neurontin) increases slow-wave sleep and is a safe, effective treatment for insomnia. It is a widely prescribed medication in neurology and psychiatry. In neurology, it is used for seizures, neuropathic pain, migraines, and restless legs syndrome. In psychiatry, it is used for insomnia, anxiety, and alcohol dependence. It is also helpful for hot flashes, fibromyalgia, and teeth-grinding.

Benefits of Gabapentin​

  • It improves sleep quality by increasing slow-wave sleep
  • It is not a controlled substance
  • It does not cause respiratory depression
  • It can be combined safely with alcohol
  • It has a wide safety margin
  • It is not metabolized by the liver (may need to be reduced with impaired kidney functioning)
  • Few drug interactions

  • Between 100 & 600 mg/night has been shown to have a good effect on folks with problems getting to & staying asleep.
Click to expand...

Try Remeron. It’s great.
 
Demon said:
Odd. I will keep it in mind. I have to say the gabapentin is working well, and if I do have any trouble, 5mg of cyclobenzeprine does it.
Click to expand...
How much gabapentin do you take & when before going to bed? I've just read that 500mg (5x100mg caps) is effective. It does take a while for this to get absorbed & getting to work.

Have not heard of cyclobenzepine.
 
JacksinPA said:
How much gabapentin do you take & when before going to bed? I've just read that 500mg (5x100mg caps) is effective. It does take a while for this to get absorbed & getting to work.

Have not heard of cyclobenzepine.
Click to expand...

I only take 1 gabapentin a day - 100 mg at bedtime. The cyclobenzaprine is a muscle relaxer my husband had - I tried 5mg of that once, and my neuro prescribed it for me. I only take that once in a while.
 

www.sinclairmethod.org

Gabapentin (Neurontin) Dosage for Sleep & Anxiety | Insomnia Sleeping Treatment

Gabapentin Medication Treatment increases slow-wave sleep and is safe. Neurontin is an effective treatment for Insomnia, Anxiety, and Alcohol dependence.
www.sinclairmethod.org www.sinclairmethod.org

​

Benefits of Gabapentin​

  • It improves sleep quality by increasing slow-wave sleep
  • It is not a controlled substance
  • It does not cause respiratory depression
  • It can be combined safely with alcohol
  • It has a wide safety margin
  • It is not metabolized by the liver (may need to be reduced with impaired kidney functioning)
  • Few drug interactions

​

Gabapentin for Sleep​


To evaluate the effects of single doses of gabapentin 250 and 500 mg on polysomnographic (PSG) and participant-reported sleep measures in a 5-h phase advance insomnia model. METHODS: Adults reporting occasional disturbed sleep received gabapentin 500 mg (n = 125), 250 mg (n = 125), or placebo (n = 127) 30 min prior to bedtime and were in bed from 17:00 to 01:00, ∼5 h before their habitual bedtime. Sleep was assessed by PSG, post-sleep questionnaire, and the Karolinska Sleep Diary (KSD). Next-day residual effects (Digit Symbol Substitution Test [DSST] and Stanford Sleepiness Scale [SSS]) and tolerability were assessed. RESULTS: Demographics were comparable among groups. Among PSG endpoints, wake after sleep onset (primary endpoint) (135.7 [placebo], 100.7 [250 mg], and 73.2 [500 mg] min) was significantly lower and total sleep time (TST) (311.4, 356.5, and 378.7 min) significantly greater in both gabapentin groups versus placebo. Latency to persistent sleep was not significantly different among groups.
=====================================================
G is an amino acid. Solubility in water: Gabapentin is freely soluble in water at both acidic and alkaline pH. The solubility in water at pH 7.4 exceeds 100 mg/mL.

Not having to wait for the capsule to dissolve, I cut the ends off 5 100mg capsules & emptied them into a little water. Will give it a try tonight.
 
Last edited:
This drug has some benefit to people with diabetes who have pain, but Gabapentin is a controlled substance and using if for anxiety disorders is a double edged sword, it messes with people's emotions.

I have a co-worker who takes if for anxiety, and it has only made his mood swings worse in my observation. HUGE swings of emotion, but he is seemingly addicted to it.

People who want a good nights sleep will benefit from working your butt off long hours all day long. People who sit around all day in their jammies.... well, yeah, no wonder they can't sleep at night, they did nothing to become tired.
 
Smoke a joint, you'll sleep!!
 
Demon said:
My husband takes it for pain from a car accident. I don't like the list of possible side effects:

Gabapentin (Oral Route) Side Effects - Mayo Clinic

www.mayoclinic.org www.mayoclinic.org
Click to expand...
I'm of a certain age where the pill bottle line is rather long. I take several where the possible side effects are two page single spaced... :cautious:

When I asked my primary care doctor about some of them her response included a sigh (I think she answers this a lot) Legal concerns has created 90% of the list.

For the record the only side effects from all of them together is mild stomach upset if all are taken on an empty stomach, dry mouth at work (chew gum), frequent urination for a few hours after taking. (My age may account for some of that) :(

For me the benefit taming PTSD, nerve damage, chronic arm pain, trouble sleeping, and mild depression makes continuing the regimen a no brainer... ✌️
 
Super Chief said:
This drug has some benefit to people with diabetes who have pain, but Gabapentin is a controlled substance and using if for anxiety disorders is a double edged sword, it messes with people's emotions.

I have a co-worker who takes if for anxiety, and it has only made his mood swings worse in my observation. HUGE swings of emotion, but he is seemingly addicted to it.

People who want a good nights sleep will benefit from working your butt off long hours all day long. People who sit around all day in their jammies.... well, yeah, no wonder they can't sleep at night, they did nothing to become tired.
Click to expand...
I've been taking it for 3 or so years now. 300 mgs twice a day. I often forget to take it on my days off. It's not addictive for me. I take Trazadone to aid sleep. The series I take for PTSD and nerve pain are making very positive changes to my emotional state.... :)

As someone who has been a hard manual worker all his adult life, I can safely say hard work doesn't always mean a good night's sleep.... ✌️
 
notquiteright said:
I've been taking it for 3 or so years now. 300 mgs twice a day. I often forget to take it on my days off. It's not addictive for me. I take Trazadone to aid sleep. The series I take for PTSD and nerve pain are making very positive changes to my emotional state.... :)

As someone who has been a hard manual worker all his adult life, I can safely say hard work doesn't always mean a good night's sleep.... ✌️
Click to expand...
Gabapentin is not a controlled substance. If you think it is, post a link on it.

I took 500mg dissolved in water last night & had a sound sleep for 3 hours when a full bladder woke me up. I took another & slept another 5 hours. I had added Xanax but tonight I will check how it works with a lesser amount of X.

I'm trying to get an Rx for trazodone from the MD who approved my Medical Marijuana card app.
 
notquiteright said:
I'm of a certain age where the pill bottle line is rather long. I take several where the possible side effects are two page single spaced... :cautious:

When I asked my primary care doctor about some of them her response included a sigh (I think she answers this a lot) Legal concerns has created 90% of the list.

For the record the only side effects from all of them together is mild stomach upset if all are taken on an empty stomach, dry mouth at work (chew gum), frequent urination for a few hours after taking. (My age may account for some of that) :(

For me the benefit taming PTSD, nerve damage, chronic arm pain, trouble sleeping, and mild depression makes continuing the regimen a no brainer... ✌️
Click to expand...

That's pretty much what both my primary doctor and the neurologist said when I was hesitant about the gabapentin - legal cover their butt, lol. I take it for neuropathy in my feet (and they don't know why I have that - I'm not diabetic or an alcoholic) and I take 100 mg, which the neuro says is a pediatric dose. My feet were bothering me more than usual last night so I took one at about 2 am before I went to bed. My feet woke me up around 5 am and I took another one, and slept through the alarm till 10. I am so groggy that I can't imagine taking a 300 mg pill! Is seems like whatever you are taking helps - I hope so.
 
JacksinPA said:
www.sinclairmethod.org

Gabapentin (Neurontin) Dosage for Sleep & Anxiety | Insomnia Sleeping Treatment

Gabapentin Medication Treatment increases slow-wave sleep and is safe. Neurontin is an effective treatment for Insomnia, Anxiety, and Alcohol dependence.
www.sinclairmethod.org www.sinclairmethod.org

Gabapentin (Neurontin) increases slow-wave sleep and is a safe, effective treatment for insomnia. It is a widely prescribed medication in neurology and psychiatry. In neurology, it is used for seizures, neuropathic pain, migraines, and restless legs syndrome. In psychiatry, it is used for insomnia, anxiety, and alcohol dependence. It is also helpful for hot flashes, fibromyalgia, and teeth-grinding.

Benefits of Gabapentin​

  • It improves sleep quality by increasing slow-wave sleep
  • It is not a controlled substance
  • It does not cause respiratory depression
  • It can be combined safely with alcohol
  • It has a wide safety margin
  • It is not metabolized by the liver (may need to be reduced with impaired kidney functioning)
  • Few drug interactions

  • Between 100 & 600 mg/night has been shown to have a good effect on folks with problems getting to & staying asleep.
Click to expand...
I use trazadone. It's a antidepressant with sleep properties
 
notquiteright said:
I've been taking it for 3 or so years now. 300 mgs twice a day. I often forget to take it on my days off. It's not addictive for me. I take Trazadone to aid sleep. The series I take for PTSD and nerve pain are making very positive changes to my emotional state.... :)

As someone who has been a hard manual worker all his adult life, I can safely say hard work doesn't always mean a good night's sleep.... ✌️
Click to expand...
Trazadone is so much better than drugs like ambien


Rebound insomnia is real
 
notquiteright said:
I've been taking it for 3 or so years now. 300 mgs twice a day. I often forget to take it on my days off. It's not addictive for me. I take Trazadone to aid sleep. The series I take for PTSD and nerve pain are making very positive changes to my emotional state.... :)
Click to expand...

I think it may be fine for some people, and for others who may have challenged regulating their emotions, those folks need read the label really well.

But for others, I'm glad to hear that it offers some relief. With me, I just know all medications have side effects.
notquiteright said:
As someone who has been a hard manual worker all his adult life, I can safely say hard work doesn't always mean a good night's sleep.... ✌️
Click to expand...

Same here. Always worked hard and played hard. Lots of wear and tear too. For me aspirin is about as far as I'll go for pain relief.... well, maybe a nightcap once in awhile:)
 
Super Chief said:
I think it may be fine for some people, and for others who may have challenged regulating their emotions, those folks need read the label really well.

But for others, I'm glad to hear that it offers some relief. With me, I just know all medications have side effects.


Same here. Always worked hard and played hard. Lots of wear and tear too. For me aspirin is about as far as I'll go for pain relief.... well, maybe a nightcap once in awhile:)
Click to expand...
With my broken arm/shoulder, my MD prescribed Alleve (naproxen sodium) twice daily: morning & evening. It really works well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom