Gabapentin to Get Over This Hump

I have only had two nights of uninterrupted sleep since I came back from Seoul. And a few more now. But that's because I dosed the dog with Gabapentin. Choya's thunder phobia went out of control. Her neuroses and anxiety went into over-drive. She's now not just scared of thunderstorms or the drop in barometric pressure from the surrounding clouds, but she is unsettled between 2am to 5am. 

From a dog who loves sleeping and is able to sleep through the night, she now can't. She digs her bed furiously, rips mats, and needs me awake. She's panting, pacing and trembling. This is more than a displacement behaviour. It's an attempt to self-soothe because she is a trained dog and knows she should be sleeping, but she's frustrated that she can't rest. 

She's definitely not in any sort of joint pain or bothered by ailments. We've done all we can to provide a soothing environment. There aren't sudden changes except the usual drilling/drilling machinery sounds from the four construction sites surrounding our estate. From a dog who happily sleeps through the night with a few little breaks, she now completely can't sleep at night. I know very well that if I don't nip this period of downward spiral and keep her cortisol levels balanced, she might actually develop canine cognitive dissonance (CCD) earlier. She's only seven. Too early for CCD.

Took her to have a chat with her doctor. I'm not keen to put her on Gabapentin long-term. But she needs it. Her anxiety is through the roof. We'll see how it goes after 10 days. If these 10 days are all is required to get over the major fears, then so be it. 

There is Clomipramine. But I don't know if I want to start on that just yet. We'll see. It's a new medication and I'm not sure how she'll react to it. But I should put her on it to alter the serotonins; that takes a few weeks. I definitely do not want her on fluoxetine (Prozac) or diazepam (Valium).

Her doctor also prescribed Chloramine, an antihistamine that causes drowsiness. It doesn't resolve any anxiety in the brain chemicals, but it does induce sleep. I can work on other environmental factors to keep her calm and quiet. But if I can use Chloramine and alternate it together with Gabapentin, then it's much better in the long run, with some days in between clear of meds.

A few nights in with light dosage (think a ¼ of a 300-mg capsule), she seems to be doing better. She is still frightened of something and needs me outside of the bedroom, but she is slowly getting back in the groove of managing. At least the crazy digging and pacing has petered off. 

Ahhh... what would I give to see my darling Smol Girl sleep soundly through the night again. 

Before lights out at midnight, she sleeps perfectly fine.