Controlled studies on gabapentin for bipolar disorder suggest may not be a very effective treatment. It initially showed promise in limited settings, but in further studies with the use of control groups, researchers found that the drug provided few benefits. Individual patients may find this medication useful in the management of their condition, but it is not included in the standards of care for bipolar disorder and cannot be marketed as an effective drug therapy for this condition. Individual care providers may recommend it based on personal experience and the needs of a patient if they feel gabapentin for bipolar disorder would be appropriate.
This drug is an anti-seizure medication. As a psychoactive drug, it has the potential to act as a mood stabilizer by affecting the patient’s brain chemistry, which is why practitioners began considering it as a treatment option. Another seizure medication, valproic acid, is successfully used in the treatment of bipolar disorder, but it works in the brain differently. Both medications need to be used with care, especially if a patient stops taking them, because there is a risk of severe withdrawal symptoms.
Particular interest in this medication surrounded the potential for treatment in cases of bipolar disorder that resist treatment with other drugs. Initial studies suggested it might be helpful in such patients, and was unlikely to be harmful because the risk of side effects can be lower than with other medications used in the management of bipolar disorder. Followups indicated that while patients might respond well initially to gabapentin for bipolar disorder, it didn’t provide lasting mood stabilization effects, and many patients fail to exhibit a statistically significant response.
Patients on a placebo may perform better than those given gabapentin for bipolar disorder, an indicator that the medication is not very effective. It does have potential applications as a codrug administered with other therapies. Gabapentin can be effective in the management of anxiety, a potential issue for patients with bipolar disorder. They may take a more traditional mood stabilizer like lithium combined with gabapentin to address the anxiety.
Bipolar disorder comes in a number of different forms and can manifest in a variety of ways. Patients do not respond uniformly to medications and some may find gabapentin very helpful. Medication management for mental illness may include a decision to continue treatment with a medication that works, even if scientific studies say it shouldn’t. The goal is better control and management for the patient, and if unconventional means like gabapentin for bipolar disorder are effective, there may be no medical reason to stop them.
