QUESTION:
Dear Dr. Heller,
I have been diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, and Hypomania. I have frequent migraines and some pretty severe irritable bowel. I'm on Ativan and trazodone, and have been for years. Paxil and Celexa were disasters - I couldn't sleep for a week. My doctor wants me to start on Neurontin because a component of my anxiety manifests in chills down my right side and dizziness when I have way too much to think about and do.
Will Neurontin calm me down? Will it take the joy out of living? I'm not depressed, per se, just anxious, manic, and often too loud. But I'm also creatively productive (writer, artist, teacher) and I depend on those "highs". My job makes it hard for me to go through a period of adjustment - I can't afford to be fatigued, dizzy again, etc. Oh, and yes, often I can't concentrate, and everything is in unfinished piles. Other times, I'm so focused on a project I can't think about anything else until it's finished. What a soup.
ANSWER:
The reason Paxil and Celexa caused insomnia is likely the generalized anxiety disorder.
When this is treated with BuSpar, taking SSRI medications like Paxil and Celexa becomes
possible.
You may have mania or hypomania - and a medication like Neurontin may work for you for
this diagnosis. I've never seen Neurontin help for anxiety problems.
The unfinished piles and inability to concentrate likely means you have attention deficit
disorder as well. The
screening test I use for my patients may
be very helpful to you.
