Posted by Sparkboy on June 01, 1999 at 07:13:04:
In Reply to: Re: Neurontin posted by James Lindley on June 01, 1999 at 06:24:32:
Neurontin might handle the irrational better if
the anxiety is undirected or generalized.
Obsessional is more of a depression component to
be dealt with with an SSRI like Zoloft. Mine
was atypical depression which is more like an
anxiety disorder that runs you down until you just
want to sleep all the time and eat. It's being
well managed medically now with low doses of 2
antidepressants and the Neurontin, but I've yet
to find my way back to mainstream of life.
Use of anticonvulsants for pain and anxiety and
depressive syndromes stems from "kindling"
theories of the CNS. A small fire breaks out
(stress); a normal person takes corrective action
and that puts the fire out. In some however,
the fire spreads out of control meaning anxiety
attack or worse pain feeding itself higher and
higher.
The nerve cells have hypersensitized by this time
making the cascade reactions ever more likely.
Anticonvulsants treat the hypersensitivity by
stabilizing the nerve cells. No more seizures,
less pain, less anxiety.