Neurontin vs Klonopin

[Administrator]

I read somewhere that Gabapentin is used for benzodiazepine withdrawal. That means that they actually give Gabapentin to people who are trying to stop taking benzos (Clonazepam ie.). The point is that they share some of the same effects (not the analgesic), so if you are tasking both, it will be hard to tell wich medicine is causing what (sideeffect). Personally, I have never felt any side effects from Gabapentin.

Leah - I drink coffee, brush my teeth with Colgate and everything "normal". I have even begun eating chili again

Here you can read about Gabapentin and Burning Mouth: PRESS HERE

Take care 4 now

PS. I hope for you who try this, that you'll find the same relief as I have. But one of the things that make BMS such a nasty companion, is that it's very individual what makes it go away.

[hollie]

In reply to Leah,

Im taking 0.75mg clonazapam 300mg neurontin before lunch and the same dose after dinner. so in total 2mg clonazapam 600mg neurontin. Plus a trycyclic antidepressant for vulvadynia (burning vulva problem) this probably numbs the mouth pain an extra bit too.

Hollie

[Leah]

Hollie--The jury is still out (for me) on whether the higher dose of gabapentin is effective. But I take 600 mg 4 times a day--much more than you. I also take less of everything else--1mg klonopin total. No tricyclic anti-depressents. Hard to say what combo works best for anyone. As Andreas said, every case is different. But the elimination of klonopin and increase of Gabapentin worked for Andreas, and I am trying it. I think Im seeing a decrease in symptoms today, but who knows if it is the meds kicking in or it is just today. I will post again soon and let everyone know how this higher dose of gabepentin works for me. Maybe it will work for others.--Leah

[hollie]

cool, look forward to hearin bout it

[Jeanne]

I just finished reading the article mentioned by Andreas, and I found it extremely interesting. It's a case study of a woman who had persistant high-level burning for years and was finally treated with gabapentin 300 mg 3 times per day. She'd seen 18 different doctors by the time she presented at the Smell and Taste Disorders Clinic at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY and been tested and treated for a variety of ailments including everything from gastritis to fibromyalgia. She had been prescribed many different drugs with little or no improvement, but finally achieved relief with gabapentin. Soon after beginning treatment, she reported that her burning had decreased substantially (down to 2 on a 1-10 scale) and she was delighted that her fibromyalgia had also improved. She experienced no adverse effects and has now been benefiting from the medication for 3 years. However, the most interesting part to me when it mentioned clonzaepam. The study said that clonazepam had been reported to be associated with oral burning in some patients! I've never heard this before, so it's astounding to hear, and to imagine that this drug might be contributing to the burning of bms. The article went on to say that gabapentin has few adverse effects and a low level of addiction (as opposed to clonazepam).

[Leah]

Jeanne--AMAZING! Which article was this in? I would love to send it to my doc. I wasnt able to access the article, which seemed to require a login that I didnt have. How did you get into the site?

What interests me is that, not only have I been taking clonazepam for BMS, but have been taking it for years for a panic disorder that began 15 years ago. So it sure would be nice--and impt for everyone--to know if there is an association here. Very strange indeed.

300mg X 3 is not a very high dose for gabapentin. It didnt do much of anything for me. But I think my higher dose is helping (knock on wood). My doc says it can take 2-3 weeks to get to where you want to be (and to adapt to side effects). Im waiting! --Leah

[Jeanne]

I had to pay $15 to get it off the JAMA site. It's from the June 2004 issue of Otolaryngol Head Neck Surgery magazine--volume 130, page 786-788. It's one of those medical research papers that's available if you're in the profession, but anyone can access individual articles if you pay for them. Your doctor could probably get it for you if you don't want to buy it over the internet. The part where it mentions clonazepam being associated with oral burning is referenced to an article called "Burning mouth syndrome after taking clonazepam," by N.S. Culhane and A.D. Hodie in the Ann Pharmacother, 2001, 35:874-876.

[Jeanne]

OK--this is REALLY interesting! I found the article by Culhand and Hodle (not Hodie) about bms after taking clonazepam. It's the case of a 52-year old woman with bms who was taking clonazepam because of anxiety and panic. It significantly relieved her bms symptoms, but after four weeks of therapy she reported a constant, mild, oral burning sensation. All exams and tests were normal. The dose of clonazepam was reduced and the symptoms decreased, but remained intolerable. Clonazepam was discontinued and the burning mouth symptoms completely resolved. Since no other medication relieved the anxiety and panic symptoms, the patient requested clonazepam to be reinitiated, but she again developed intolerable burning mouth symptoms. As clonazepam was discontinued, the symptoms resolved. It's in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy, Vol. 35, No. 7, pp. 874-876.

[Jeanne]

I just went to the JAMA site and it looks as if you can access the article for free. You just select Archives of Otolaryngology in the publications you wish to access, which takes you to that site. Then you enter the month/date (June 2004), which takes you to that issue. Then, just look down the page to find the article "Effectiveness of Gabpentin for Treatment of Burning Mouth Syndrome." It brought up the whole article for me. Hope this works for you.

[Leah]

Jeanne--Weird! I followed your excellent instructions but once I clicked the article it asked me to sign in with a username and password--which I dont have! Did you have to do this?--Leah

[Jeanne]

It's possible that since I bought the article yesterday evening I have 24-hour access to the site. I think you may have to break down and buy it, or if you want, just send me a private message and I'll send it to you.

[schnebbles]

Well, aren't I glad I popped in here!

I actually came for elavil info b/c i'm having some depression issues and thought, well, if I'm going to ask for an anti-depressant it may as well be one that works with BMS.

I am going to try upping my Neurontin as Andreas has. I have plenty to do so and I'm going to maybe cut the clonopin down.

I'm still going to try the elavil - other anti-d's seemed to cause havoc with my BMS. I tried Celexa and Cymbalta and neither one helped.

I am almost afraid to try anything for fear of it making BMS worse, but these moods aren't good either and I think I'll ask for Elavil.

[schnebbles]

I just read these posts more thoroughly. The stuff about the clonazepam is amazing. I skimmed thru last night.

I'm going to (my doctor said she doesn't care if I experiment with the neurontin doses) try the 600mg 3x a day and no clonazepam.

She gave me a script for Elavil 25 mg or .25 whichever, and I'll begin that tonight - but that is more for my depression.

Hollie - I think you should up your neurontin, have you?

I don't find it makes me tired at all, but I don't seem to have that kind of reaction to lots of meds that typically make one tired!

I'm so glad I stopped by! I have not been here in forever...I'll have to try & check back more. I'm really anxious to see how this new plan works.

[Leah]

Schnebbles--Just remember that if you are on klonopin (clonazepam) you have to go off SLOWLY. Otherwise you can have rebound panic and other side effects. I am currently on the double dose of neurontin/gabapentin and I am not, alas, having Andreas's good experience. But I am also not done eliminating my klonopin. I am down from 1.25 mg to .5mg, so maybe that's the reason. But ... maybe not. If you don't take klonopin, or if you get off of it quicker than I can, please let us know how you do. I can't give a complete report yet since I need to eliminate the klonopin slowly. --Leah

[schnebbles]

Leah - thanks.

I didn't know that. I didn't take any clonopin today and feel ok, but I know from when I quit taking Cymbalta that it can take a day or so to feel side effects.

I was taking .5mg of it 3-4x a day, along with my 300mg of Neurontin.

I was planning on going off clonopin cold turkey and doubling up on the Neurontin along with my new Elavil.

Now, I wonder if I should cut my clonopin in half and slowly get off of it, but didn't Andreas say that the Neurontin was to help people wean off of clonopin? I'll have to go re-read his post.