Rapid detox via Gabapentin? (link to studies)

I am wondering if anyone has heard of, or has had any experience with rapid detox with the addition of Gabapentin? I have been reading case reports and studies where time and time again patients are brought down for a very high dose of long term benzo’s very rapidly (under a week) with the addition of Gabapentin. Almost seems too good to be true! But check out this link, there’s a few examples:

https://www.ommegaonline.org/article-details/Gabapentin-(Neurontin)--An-Adjunct-for-Benzodiazepine-Withdrawal/606

Two quotes from the article:

“Importantly, patients also denied cravings for benzodiazepines.”

“However, value in this study lies in the observation of a common effect of ameliorating withdrawal signs and symptoms once gabapentin was initiated. Gabapentin dosing was decided by the severity of pain and anxiety complaints. Even though the patients may have been taking other medications, it was only with gabapentin where the clinicians observed improvement of symptoms classically associated with benzodiazepine withdrawal.”

I am very tempted to try that! Sounds a lot better than months / years of hell

I assume there are risks associated with this?

So far, Gabapentin is the only thing I’ve found that calms my withdrawals down!

I realized this question was posted to the wrong section of the forum.

Tried to delete this post, but could not.

Re-posted to Taper Plans section.

Admins: Feel free to delete this post

Thank you!

Some people do find relief with gabapentin, but others have been set off.  That being said, many of those who found gabapentin helpful for benzo withdrawal got slammed twice as hard when they eventually tried to taper off the gabapentin - many times the benzo withdrawal symptoms would come back, in addition to having to deal with gabapentin withdrawal (which can have withdrawal almost as bad as benzo withdrawal).  However, note that the study shows a decreased level of anxiety, and then patients were released.  Nothing is written about how the patients fared after they left the hospital.  Klonopin doesn't even get out of your system for roughly 2 weeks, which means we have absolutely no way of knowing what type of withdrawal these people experienced once they left and actually hit the "acute" stage.  Rehab centers often do the same thing, detoxing patients and releasing them in a week, claiming they are "cured".  A good percentage don't even get hit with withdrawal until after they have left the detox facility, and many of them end up reinstating.  However, the detox considers them a "success" because they weren't taking a benzo when they left.  Some of the patients were only on benzo a few months to begin with, and may not have had long term issues.

Personally, I would only try gabapentin if you are having extreme nerve pain issues and nothing else helps.  Remember that gabapentin has no FDA approval or studies for anxiety.  In our facebook benzo groups, some people did find it helpful, but others found it made things even worse.  If it works for you, it could be worth it, but I wouldn't stay on it any longer than required.

Here is an article talking about how neurontin and lyrica are basically a death sentence for new brain synapses.  https://www.wellnessresources.com/news/neurontin-and-lyrica-are-a-death-sentence-for-new-brain-synapses

I personally took neurontin years ago for nerve pain.  It helped with the pain, but my mood was so bad I wanted to punch anyone who pissed me off even slightly.  My doctor immediately pulled me off and told me that severe personality changes weren't uncommon with neurontin.  (I also gained over 30 pounds in about 6 weeks on it.  Weight gain is extremely common).  I wasn't on it long enough to experience any withdrawal ( or else the klonopin I took at that time made it unnoticeable)

A friend of mine was on neurontin for severe nerve pain.  She had to taper off because it was messing with her cognition so badly that she was having trouble doing even basic tasks around the house.  They had to taper her very slowly though, and she was in immense pain and severe withdrawal every time they cut her dose.  I think she ended up tapering just as long as she was on the medication.

My psychiatrist prescribed gabapentin and I have cut down on diazepam pretty quickly (I was so confused when I added my signature that the dates aren't correct).

But I then read how awful gabapentin withdrawal can be so I only took one but still didn't wean slowly enough and am now stuck with feeling awful but don't want to increase the diazepam.

Not really a lot of help I know, sorry