Gabitril - for depression & slepp disorder?? - Depression Message Board

kw2ra · 06-03-2003, 08:14 PM

Hello New to the boards here. My name is Heather Lee and I suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Dysthimic Depressive Disdorder. A few months ago my dr. put me on Paxil CR for the OCD and Remeron for the depression and sleeping problems. Remeron helped by more or less knocking me out and the Paxil seems to be doing well with the OCD BUT I started gaining weight like crazy! I told my dr and he then took me off the Remeron and placed me on a drug called Gabitril. He said that Remeron caused an increase in appetite. NO KIDDING! I looked this Gabitril up on the internet and it says its an anti epileptic but then was used for depression also. What the heck?! When I started taking it, right from the get go I have had this odd ill feeling. It starts with a piercing headache then settles into a nagging tummy ache. Against drs orders, I stopped taking it. I hated feeling like crap all the time. Anyone else on this med? ANd has anyone else been able to loose any darn weight being on antidepressants?

muffinde · 06-03-2003, 08:34 PM

Hi,
I've never heard of any of the drugs you are/were on EXCEPT Paxil CR. I am suffering severe withdrawl from it and just want to give you a heads up on Paxil. There is a class action law suit against it. Please becareful on it and don't stop it cold turkey! As far as weight loss/gain...........................ha. I've always gained except for once on Prozac I lost weight but that was temporary. Good Luck!

Jennita · 06-04-2003, 11:37 AM

Gabitril is only FDA approved for treatment of partial seizures. They are always trying to use it for off-label conditions like anxiety and depression, simply because it effects GABA chemicals. But it's exact mechanisms are unknown as it states in the PDF information, which basically means again they are brain-experimenting. If one has seizures, sure, give it a shot but I don't think anyone should fool with it otherwise.

I have to wonder if it "helps" depression and anxiety by simply putting the patient in a stupor. The animal reaction studies suggest this in the PDF:

ANIMAL TOXICOLOGY
In repeat dose toxicology studies, dogs receiving daily oral
doses of 5 mg/kg/day or greater experienced unexpected CNS
effects throughout the study. These effects occurred acutely
and included marked sedation and apparent visual impairment
which was characterized by a lack of awareness of objects,
failure to fix on and follow moving objects, and absence of a
blink reaction. Plasma exposures (AUCs) at 5 mg/kg/day were
equal to those in humans receiving the maximum recommended
daily human dose of 56 mg/day. The effects were
reversible upon cessation of treatment and were not associated
with any observed structural abnormality. The implications of
these findings for humans are unknown.

kw2ra · 06-05-2003, 10:26 AM

Well I guess maybe the shrink is trying to pull a double wammy on me then. I am an epileptic who suffers from complex partial seizures but I do take seperate medication for that illness. Personally the Gabitril has been like taking water aside from the headaches and stomach aches - No stupor, no sleepiness just a general feeling of malice. I see the Dr today lets see what he says or tries to guinea pig me with this time.