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Gabapentin Withdrawal

 

Gabapentin is a type of anti-anxiety drugs, that when used a form of long-tern treatment, can result in severe withdrawal symptoms. This medication is often quite abused by patients and when taken away, the medication causes physiological dependence.

 

Physiological dependence simply means that the overuse of the medication results in the neurons adapting to the chemical. Therefore, the neuron now relies on the drug in order to maintain normal functioning. When the medication I'd taken a way from the patient, then the neurons and chemicals of the brain become dysregulated -- this is the primary cause of Neurontin gabapentin withdrawal symptoms.

 

Gabapentin Withdrawal Symptoms

 

In general, people may experience the effects of gab spent in withdrawal 12 to 48 hours post medication withdrawal. During the first 24 hours, a person will experience withdrawal symptoms such as:

 

Severe anxiety

Headaches

Perspiration

Hand and body tremors

 

By the third day, a person experiencing withdrawal will start to feel restless and disoriented. Hallucinations, confusion, increased heart rate, agitation, fever, and trembling are all symptoms associated withdrawal. Unfortunately, a person may experience withdrawal symptoms for up to 10 or more days.

 

Should you continue to experience symptoms of withdrawals for more than 30 days, then it’s important to contact your psychiatrist and/or physician in order to discuss your condition.

 

Go here to read more: https://www.thrivetalk.com/gabapentin-for-anxiety/

 

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My withdrawal was from pre-gabalin. I was on the lowest dose once a day for only 3 months.  Tapered over 6 weeks.  I experienced all those symptoms plus gastric distress- would hit periods of vomiting for 5-6 hours. Had to go to Ashton's protocol, and high dose vit C/niacin per Dr. A. Hoffer to deal with it.

 

Both gabapentin and pre-gabalin are anticonvulsants. They have high correlations to increased suicide risks.

 

This came out on a website for professionals put out by WebMD:

 

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

 

I know people switch to this to decrease opioids, etc., but this is not necessarily a good alternative.  It is not free of problems nor is it withdrawal proof for many of us.

 

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I had a fairly miserable time withdrawing from gaba. I guess I had the usual w/d s/x. Oh, and you can add nausea to that, too. The drug also made me as dumb as a box of rocks, which was another reason I wanted off it.

 

But once my w/d was over, I was okay.

 

So, like benzos, you just have to "suck it up" and do it. Or not do it and stay dependant on the bl**dy drug.

 

Gabapentin was a very helpful drug for me for many years. But once the problem (nerve pain) for which it was prescribed got better,  I wanted to stop the drug. And get my brain back again. It was challenging, to say the least.

 

So, that was my experience.

 

Katz

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Been on neurontin for several years, having had it started to help blunt some of the sx of gradual benzo w/d (and it did). After being on 400mg for a long time, things went fairly well reducing from 400 to 200mg.  These last 200mg are going to be a fight however...  insomnia, headaches,  worsening anxiety, obsessiveness and increasing sx of GERD seem to be the main issues. I've been using a jeweler's scale to make the cuts but think it may be time to try a liquid titration strategy (anyone out in BenzoBuddy land who's done this?).  This isn't as harsh a w/d as benzos but it isn't a walk in the park either..... :-X
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