gabapentin and moods?

[occb]

My partner has had severe and dangerous mood swings since he's been on gabapentin, plus worsening and different seizure activity, and terrible leg cramps. We've started to ween him off of the med, but I was wondering if anyone else has had similar issues with gabapentin?

 

[ADK]

I am on Gabapentin. I haven't had any of the mood issues but I have noticed that my seizure activity is different. I can't feel them coming on all the time.

As far as leg cramps go...I haven't had any. Could he be dehydrated or low on potassium?

I have noticed that I am not as hungry on Gabapentin and that I don't drink as much.

 

[occb]

He's been drinking a lot of water so it's definitely not that.

I think you're on to something with the potassium, because high potassium foods make him feel much better ever since he's been on the gabapentin. Can gabapentin mess around with potassium levels? I haven't been able to find information on that.

 

[ADK]

If he drinks alcohol it can lower potassium levels.

Caffeine will dehydrate you. Soda, coffee, candy bars, etc. will cause dehydration and you won't even notice that you are dehydrated until you begin cramping.

Maybe he isn't eating quite right. Have 2 bananas a day and see what happens.

I don't think Gabapentin lowers potassium levels.

 

[occb]

I've become a food dictator at home and control everything he ingests (poor guy). He doesn't drink alcohol, he's cut out soda (which he only drank once a week before now, and I don't drink at all), switched to decaf coffee and he only eats unsweetened dark choclate now (and that makes him feel better, go figure). He drinks about 2 litres of water a day. The cramps just never go away. He wakes up with them and goes to bed with them. He has only had this problem with the gabapentin -- never before. It has gotten better since we lowered his dose, which is a relief.

I'm definitely buying bananas today when I go grocery shopping.

 

[Nakamova]

Oddly enough, Gabapentin is actually supposed to help treat leg cramps. So your guy must be the rare exception. But electrolyte imbalance can definitely cause leg cramps, so make sure he's getting enough potassium, sodium, calcium, etc...

 

[occb]

Thank you Nakamova. The health food store has an unsweetened electrolyte drink mix that I will also pick up today. It's good to know I'm on the right track with this.

 

[Nakamova]

Oh, and mood swings ARE a side effect of Gabapentin, so you can blame that. Good luck with weening off of it, and finding something better!

 

[Meetz1064]

I, too

had the mood swings when I was on Neurontin (gabapentin).

I agree about the potassium, and eating a few bananas. You might also introduce a little bit of magnesium, too. While it's great for helping with migraines, it also helps with muscles cramps, also.......

 

[Birdbomb]

I took Neurontin for about 3-4 months and had a horrible time with mood swings. I turned into a screaming Banshee, broke dishes and even threw chairs.

For leg cramps, calicum helps Have him eat 8 Tums with Calcium. It gets into the system quickly, especially when the cramps are bad and it's actually good for you, plus they come in several flavors.

 

[occb]

Tums with calcium -- cool. I'll get that if he doesn't get some improvement. I bought him an electrolyte drink mix that's sugar and sodium free, so he'll be getting potassium, magnesium and calcium with that. I've also bought bananas and other higher potassium and calcium foods and drinks. Yuck, I hate that these meds can have such terrible side-effects.

 

[Loudmouth]

I know this obviously doesn't apply to your partner, but what I have found is that since being on 1200mg/day gabapentin, for the first time ever in my life, I am suffering from EXTREME pre-menstrual tension...I can go from shouting and being very unreasonable to bawling my eyes out in a matter of seconds, and it is for 4-5 days before my monthly visit. I have got a little shorter tempered the rest of the time, and am trying to manage it with breathing excercises, but at THAT time of the month, I swear I am now EEEEVIL!! My GP's suggestion? Take evening primrose oil (I kindly refused his advice as I know evening primrose oil can set off seizures!!). I hope you find some solutions for him.

 

[occb]

Well Loudmouth, sometimes it sure seems like he's PMSing Get him in one of his moods, and then get me PMSing, and it's like a civil war at home.

Have you tried increasing your electrolyte intake during those days? Changing hormones can cause a change in your electrolyte balance, which can lead to moodiness (and seizures). Yes, I'm electrolyte obsessed right now, mainly because I've been studying how they affect CNS function, and the theories behind mutated ion channels in nerves and their relationship with hereditary epilepsy.

I get obsessive sometimes, especially about information. My username stands for a nickname my b/f gave me "Obsessive Compulsive Computer Brain." :roflmao: