Gabapentin-for anyone who has actually used it ONLY please

Can anyone who has ACTUALLY used Gabapentin for wd process let me know about your experience with it? I'm not interested in fear mongering from people who are terrified of all psych meds now, I get why you are but please restrain yourself, I have enough problems rn and don't need more anxiety. I am looking for straightforward experiences with how long you took it and was it that hard to d/c etc.

 

I was force rapid tapered in psych ward (illegally held) and now I have had to reinstate valium. They put me on 2400mg gabapentin. I couldn't take the CT wd, it was hell. Now I am back on 10mg valium with a good addiction med specialist, she won't even consider me tapering for another 5 weeks, or until I feel stable. I am still taking 600mg gabapentin with the valium rn because it's helping and I am really messed up from the forced CT still.

 

I'm just wondering if anyone used it to taper with and what that was like for you, good or bad. Thanks

Hi Diana, I used it for 2-3 weeks to help with nerve pain, muscle spasms, and insomnia. Got up to about 300 3x a day. It definately helped with insomnia and anxiety, maybe some nerve pain, no muscle help. I’m on to another agent for the Muscle issues so stopped gabapentin. I tapered off over 3 days and had no withdrawals or rebound wave. Was pretty low dose for short period of time though. I wouldn’t be afraid of using it but try to find lowest dose possible to make it easier later.

was on it for 18months. it DOES HELP. the minimum effective is 3x300mg, but IMO you need 3x600MG when you really bad.

it takes couple weeks to really start working although you feel its effects fairly quick.

I can barely handle 300mg/1xday, which is nothing... it makes me feel stupid  wish i could handle more because at first it helped with pain and sleep

I took it for a long time at a very high dose, and it was very destructive of cognition and brain function. Even though I did a very slow taper, when I finally went off I had horrific symptoms (see sig) and ended up on Ativan and then Valium to cover my symptoms. If there is any way to avoid it, I would: I would never take another dose ever in my life. Some people - like Locus - have a relatively easy time getting off, but many who use it at low doses for even short periods of time have that same horrific withdrawal.

I have been using mine for the past 3 days to help me with the current cut in my taper. It's working pretty good,as it helps with the burning from my nerve endings in hypersensitive. I'm also finding it beneficial to take my 3rd dose at bedtime to help me rest a bit better and not toss and turn,also fall asleep easier. Even HALF a good nights rest right now is a gift in itself!

 

It does come in a 100mg capsule. If you are on the pills and not the caps,see if they are good with swapping you,whether on the 300mg dose or the 100mg dose. Personally I find that they are more "predictable" than the solid pills. I take Gabapentin regularly,(but not daily for years) prn for my Fibro,sciatica,neuropathy,etc...I know that the 100mg caps would allow you to dose it smaller and space out the 300 into 2-3x100mg does,which I find is helpful and don't make you as "groggy/foggy" minded. It seems to knock off the edge,but not interfere as much with functional ability in daily tasks. Definitely worth inquiring your new Dr about. As well,when you do decide to stop it you will be at lower dose level too.

 

In the past when I have taken it daily for many months I didn't suffer any major WD symptoms when stopping. 

 

Just an afterthought...if you are having muscle spasms/cramping badly inquire about Metaxalone (gen for Skelaxin). I take this prn regular and never have any side effects. I compare it to taking an aspirin when you have a fever...you never know you took it,but you feel the benefits. No sedation,groggy,loopy head effects for me. A 10mg Flexeril will leave me an entire day following taking it in a "hangover/dazed" state,so I am prone to a load of "odd" SE's when it comes to most meds.

 

Hope that can be helpful! Wishing you a week filled with good hours,minutes or moments of peace,both inner and out! 

I took it for a long time at a very high dose, and it was very destructive of cognition and brain function. Even though I did a very slow taper, when I finally went off I had horrific symptoms (see sig) and ended up on Ativan and then Valium to cover my symptoms. If there is any way to avoid it, I would: I would never take another dose ever in my life. Some people - like Locus - have a relatively easy time getting off, but many who use it at low doses for even short periods of time have that same horrific withdrawal.

 

 

Sounds like a rough experience. Do you mind explaining how fast you came off gabapentin and if you think 100mg was too much to jump off of?

 

Anybody who has taken other meds before gabapentin, especially benzos is not going to have the easiest time coming off unless they are doing something right or are lucky.

 

Gabapentin was very helpful for tapering benzos during the first 6 months of 1800mg a day. Things went sideways after being on it for a prolonged period of time when the positive effects diminished. Gabapentin causes severe cognitive impairments. They are so bad that you don't even realize them, or maybe you kind of do with your diminished senses. All that being said, gabapentin is still a useful drug for benzo WD but don't stay on it longer than a few months without tapering, especially if you are taking larger dosages.

 

Once you are on gabapentin 1800mg for a few years it is a whole different beast. The WD is rough. You will only be able to taper around 100mg a month if you are really dependent. And if you are on a large dosage it can take months to safely come off this drug. Not sure how long it takes to get hooked on gabapentin but it seems longer than benzos.

I took it for a couple months and saw no positive effects. I started at 100mg at night and worked my way up to 600mg before bed. If I forgot to take it, I wouldn’t sleep but I don’t think it made anything better or easier.

 

I stopped it C/T after adding in Remeron but also cut 10% of my Xanax so I’m having a ton of symptoms right now.  None of which are good.

 

Update, thanks for the responses. I ended up stopping the Gabapentin CT at 600mg/d because of stomach pains. As it got out of my system I realize it was causing heaps of other unpleasant side effects as well. I think it made my anxiety worse with interdose wd as it is short acting, hot flashes, very vivid dreams, bad stomach pains, constipation, and feeling like a numb zombie all the time, mentally and physically. Let's just say I tend to get every possible side effect with almost every drug at this point. Maybe that's a benzo thing. I'm feeling good back at the 10mg valium per day and about to start a very slow taper (1mg/6weeks) with a doc who specializes in this. I'm also taking Rhodiola, as it's helped me in the past, and CBD for sleep.

I'm glad your CT went OK. I tapered all the way down to <100mg/day. Then went off 10 days ago and I'm still having some ugly withdrawal symptoms. Some parts of the day I feel pretty normal, and then I get hit with waves of extreme anxiety, panic, and sometimes head pressure. Typically these "attacks" resolve on their own - after a couple of hours or so, I start to feel better, and within a half or so, almost completely normal. Anyone else experience this while coming off gabapentin?

Took it for  twenty one days for nerve pain while on .25 Xanax a day. It didn’t help the pain so I tapered for three days. It gave me terrible anxiety, Xanax had to be increased to .75 to deal with anxiety and depression, this lasted for months. We are all different, for me it was a total disaster.

Best

I started GABA before I quit benzos. Not sure if my body became more sensitive to gaba because of the Benzo withdrawal...or if I have protracted withdrawal and the GABA helps.

All I know is - I’m dizzy frequently and taking gaba makes the veritigo go away.

Meganz,

This is the last time I’m going to give my opinion about gabapentin, because I have nothing good to say about it and I’ve never in my life felt as awful as when I stooped it, but I’ve read it has helped some people and I don’t want to influence anyone anymore against it.

If it was up to me, it would come with a beware label.

I truly hope it works for you.

Best.

Took it for  twenty one days for nerve pain while on .25 Xanax a day. It didn’t help the pain so I tapered for three days. It gave me terrible anxiety, Xanax had to be increased to .75 to deal with anxiety and depression, this lasted for months. We are all different, for me it was a total disaster.

Best

 

Demelza I'm there now. Sorry to hear that happened to you. I would never had taken it in the first place, the psych ward force rapid tapered me on an illegal hold and it was all I had to hold onto. If I didn't agree to take something they never would have let me out. Absolute nightmare. I feel worse than ever. Completely regret it, I think that the oblivion it put me in was all I had to survive on

Some people report relief with minimal withdrawal effects. If you do, you're fortunate.  It is used as the safe, "non-opioid" alternative.  This was not the case for me or two relatives. 

 

I entered the withdrawal arena via Pre-gabalin (the cousin of gabapetin). I used a minimal dose once a day for 3 months following back surgery. Had severe gastric effects while on it.  On lab work for gut inflammation, normal values were <30, my result was 4000. Took 6 weeks to taper per drug insert. During and after taper, wound up with severe symptoms (like vomiting 6 hours non-stop to point of dehydraton), panic attacks ( never had them before), uncontrollable shaking. Sometimes woke up from sleep with violent shaking, and soaking sweat lasting 4-6 hours.

 

After two hospital stays lasting several days, found the Ashton protocol. Did very low dose Valium to keep the withdrawal to a semi-manageable level. Also used high dose vitamin C, and Niacin per Dr. A. Hoffer's protocol. Stopped Valium over 6 months ago- still have symptoms, though not as severe or frequent. While seeing MD for taper, he remarked he'd just had another admission with the same problems from pre-gabalin withdrawal.

 

The most severe psych symptoms were horrible anxiety, agoraphobia, and sensitivity to stimuli ( light, sound, touch, temperature). The relatives who had used it long term exhibited all these symptoms, and also extreme paranoia.  Their families reported they could barely get them to leave the home, even to go to Doctors' appointments.

 

Both drugs are made by same company who has been fined huge amounts by both FDA, and state attorney generals for using it for unproven claims. Both were initially developed as anti-seizure meds. Check into the high incidence of suicide associated with their use.

 

It is your choice, but these are not benign meds as advertised. Doctors are completely unaware they can cause withdrawal.

Took it for  twenty one days for nerve pain while on .25 Xanax a day. It didn’t help the pain so I tapered for three days. It gave me terrible anxiety, Xanax had to be increased to .75 to deal with anxiety and depression, this lasted for months. We are all different, for me it was a total disaster.

Best

 

Demelza I'm there now. Sorry to hear that happened to you. I would never had taken it in the first place, the psych ward force rapid tapered me on an illegal hold and it was all I had to hold onto. If I didn't agree to take something they never would have let me out. Absolute nightmare. I feel worse than ever. Completely regret it, I think that the oblivion it put me in was all I had to survive on

This happened to me in 2006 diana23 when I was an inpatient. They CT'd me off klonopin and forced me to take a lot these other meds. Initially, I refused some of the meds. Then, they started threatening me that if I did not comply, I would never get out and would be transferred to the State mental hosp.  It was one hellish, horrific experience.

This happened to me in 2006 diana23 when I was an inpatient. They CT'd me off klonopin and forced me to take a lot these other meds. Initially, I refused some of the meds. Then, they started threatening me that if I did not comply, I would never get out and would be transferred to the State mental hosp.  It was one hellish, horrific experience.

 

I hear you, super traumatic. Shame on the medical system, I'm tired of being blamed for a horrible severe illness that they refuse to recognize because they are so brainwashed by their training and big pharma.

after I get out of this nightmare, I’m staying away from doctors as much as possible. If I have to go to a doctor I will research every medication I’m prescribed. I’ve already been doing this and I have ended not taking 95% of what they prescribed. I could write a book on my negative experiences with doctors, there are some good doctors out there, but one has to look really hard to find them.

Best

after I get out of this nightmare, I’m staying away from doctors as much as possible. If I have to go to a doctor I will research every medication I’m prescribed. I’ve already been doing this and I have ended not taking 95% of what they prescribed. I could write a book on my negative experiences with doctors, there are some good doctors out there, but one has to look really hard to find them.

Best

 

 

YES

I turn down 99% of meds. “I don’t think you prescribed me the right thing.”

Additional information that was on a professional website run by Web MD:

 

In 2008, the US Food and Drug Administration required a suicidal behavior warning be placed on anticonvulsants. In a 2010 exploratory analysis, Patorno and colleagues suggested that the use of gabapentin, lamotrigine, oxcarbazepine, and tiagabine, compared with the use of topiramate, may be associated with an increased risk for suicidal acts or violent deaths.

The following medications have also been linked to suicidal behavior:

Antidepressants

Pain medication

Smoking cessation medicine

Glucocorticoids[/b]

 

Gabapetin and pre-gabalin are anti-convulsants. Be careful using these meds.

I was put on 1200mg gabapentin daily when I went into a detox facility to help me with a klonopin c/t four years ago.  The c/t had me in really bad shape for a long time and so I didn't even consider starting my gabapentin taper until two years after klonopin c/t.  By that time my body had developed a dependency on it. 

 

I've been tapering on and off for the past two years and I'm now down to 532mg per day.  I'm doing a daily liquid micro taper but am holding because the w/d started getting too bad. 

 

The withdrawals are nasty: brain burn and pressure headache, tinnitus, burning sensation on the tops of my hands, gut problems, temperature dysregulation (I get cold after eating and my hands are super sensitive to temperature changes), severe cognitive issues.  A few nights ago I had a moment where I couldn't remember what year we are in and how old I am (57).  I can't remember how to spell many words although I used to be a very good speller.  Anxiety and depression.  Dizziness, double vision, seeing spots, ocular migraines.  The list goes on. 

 

It will probably take me a couple of more years to finish tapering off of this poison.  Luckily, I have a job that isn't very demanding.  I would advise anyone that its a crap shoot with gabapentin.  You may not have any trouble tapering it or you may be like me and have a lot of trouble.  This stuff sucks and I'd sue the detox clinic that put me on it if I thought I could win.