Gabapentin to ad in withdrawal

My Doctor has prescribed 200mg of Gabapentin at bed time to ad in my withdrawal of clonazepam. So far it has taken away the burning sensation and helped in the area of insomnia. Has anyone used this drug with success? I an  worried about the withdrawals from this drug.

 

Please let me know

 

Thank you

Tohavefunagain

I was given Gabapentin when I was in detox, and had to take in for about 3 months afterwards when I got home. I'm sure it helped during the acute withdrawal and sleep but I did feel better once I weaned off, I didn't really have withdrawals though.

 

Also, while your waiting for others to respond, you can use the search function and type in Gabapentin (or Neurontin) and find a lot of threads on this subject. 

Thank you for your reply. Another question I have for everyone is how do you make your family and friends understand what you are going through? I read all of the administrators stories and I call relate to most of them.  I tried taking SSRI and they put me in the hospital. My family doctor told me that I would be on Benzo's the rest of my life and how he wants me to taper off it. I would like him to be on Clonazepam for 7 years and tell him just taper off it and see how he feels. I just have to vent because this has been pure hell.

 

Thank you again and looking forward  to more replies.

 

Tohavefunagain

 

Another question I have for everyone is how do you make your family and friends understand what you are going through?

 

Hi tohavefunagain

 

Ah, what a great question! )) I gave up eventually - it is too costly.

OK, speaking seriously: I am lucky to have a neuroscientist as my husband but even he was shocked to see me in acute WD from Clon. He could not not believe his eyes although he did not question the reality of my symptoms.

My closest friend who is a neuroscientist too ones dropped in - at that point I was sitting in the kitchen speaking about eternal hell, absence of God, my own rotting fresh - and my husband was my audience (I was psychotic). So my friend joined the audience and later when he was leaving told my husband "oh shit! - what can we do?" So he understood BUT had great difficulties to understand that my WD is still lingering.

 

As for others - I wouldn't even try.

It is very hard to get family and friends to understand this especially if we've been tested free of any other medical problems. Support is crucial though, you may want to show your friends and family the Ashton Manual here and/or google "Benzodiazapine Withdrawal Syndrome" to show them, and of course this site. There is a book called "Benzo-Wise" that many have read and have had their family read as well.

 

What kind of symptoms are you dealing with?

 

 

Hello

Yes I was put in Gabapentin during my c/t 1200 mil a day, I have to say after a few weeks although I belived it may have helped me at the time. I reduced with in 7 days .It affected me greatly. I just knew I had so many sxs and if I was takeing another drug I wouldnt know what was w/d or the other drug affecting me.So I chose to have nothing in my body and walk straight through this w/d . It took some time but it worked for me. I did get better little by little and I am so grateful .. Hang in there you will get through this as well.

 

~Jenny

Hello Starbird,

 

The symptoms that i am having are burning sensation all over my body, the Gabpenten has greatly in proved this reaction. I also suffer from anxiety, blood pressure fluctuations and panic attacks. The worst symptom for we is when the tears start to flow and it can be at anytime and for no apparent reason. I am a professional male and this is a sign of weakness to me.  I recently went to a mental health and addiction clinic for counseling and they informed me I am in a state of depression. Because I can not experience the pleasures in life like I should. I fined it hard to smile and laugh. I can not wait until those days come back again. But I do not want to lose everything I have to achieve this.

 

Tohavefunagain

Everything you describe is common withdrawal. The depression will pass. Withdrawal from this drug takes us deeper into our emotions than normal so what you're feeling isn't 'normal' depression, it's from the drug. I remember I couldn't even smile, it was like the muscles in my face were completely foreign to making a smile, and yes non-stop tears for me too. I could not shut off the tears to save myself and old memories came flooding back. For me it was like grieving over my entire life.

 

This is hard, believe me I know but these things do pass, it's actually a sign that you're healing and your body is working through the process. Hang in there friend, you'll make it through this and be stronger for it.  

Thank you for all your replies

 

To have fun again

Gabapentin and also Lyrica are drugs that effect the GABA receptors. My husband took Lyrica to help with withrawl. He had the same type of reaction to going off the Lyrica as going off the benzodiaapine (xanax). We believe it made his withdrawl from xanax take longer and his protracted symptoms worse as well. Be sure to taper the Gabapentin or you could have the same type of withdrawl symptoms as going of the Clonazepam.

 

What other's have said in response to your post are true as well. You can make it through!

My Doctor has prescribed 200mg of Gabapentin at bed time to ad in my withdrawal of clonazepam. So far it has taken away the burning sensation and helped in the area of insomnia. Has anyone used this drug with success? I an  worried about the withdrawals from this drug.

 

Please let me know

 

Thank you

Tohavefunagain

 

Hi Tohavefunagain,

 

My doctor also prescribed gabapentin (Neurontin) for severe insomnia during my w/d.  

 

I originally started at 300 mg. at bedtime and now I am taking 600 mg.  I believe it really helps me.

 

I was also concerned about the necessity of having to taper off gabapentin at some point after my taper.

 

My doctor said, and I quote, "Your withdrawal from gabapentin will be nothing compared to your withdrawal from benzos".

 

Having said this, I realize that everyone will have a different experience.  For me, the risks of withdrawal are worth the 6 hours of sleep that I am finally getting.  It makes my taper tolerable.

 

I wish you all the best.  I am so happy to hear that you are getting some relief from your symptoms.

 

All the Best,

Laurie

Maybe, but I wouldn't take the gabapentin wd too lightly.  When you get to that point stay disciplined to keep everything balanced. 

Maybe, but I wouldn't take the gabapentin wd too lightly.  When you get to that point stay disciplined to keep everything balanced.   

 

Hi elliptical,

 

Could you elaborate?  I am not clear as to the staying disciplined part.

 

Thanks, Laurie

Well I've experienced first hand what can happen by not staying disciplined.  An extra year of being on medication for me.  Depakote has similarities to Gabapentin.  I've been working on getting off depakote and klonopin.  Last year I was successfully off klonopin.  I figured with klonopin being the supposed 'much harder taper', I could rapid taper off depakote.  This was a huge mistake and I ended up back on both. 

If I'm getting off multiple meds, then I'm not the same as someone who is only tapering gabapentin or only depakote.  I am now off klonopin again and am tapering depakote.  I have to take into consideration that I'm only 50 days off of klonopin so my brain hasn't fully recovered from that. 

Generally what I mean is, to take any psychiatric drug seriously when tapering, and sticking with some of the things that helped with overcoming the benzo, and not getting ahead of oneself. 

Well I've experienced first hand what can happen by not staying disciplined.  An extra year of being on medication for me.  Depakote has similarities to Gabapentin.  I've been working on getting off depakote and klonopin.  Last year I was successfully off klonopin.  I figured with klonopin being the supposed 'much harder taper', I could rapid taper off depakote.  This was a huge mistake and I ended up back on both. 

If I'm getting off multiple meds, then I'm not the same as someone who is only tapering gabapentin or only depakote.  I am now off klonopin again and am tapering depakote.  I have to take into consideration that I'm only 50 days off of klonopin so my brain hasn't fully recovered from that. 

Generally what I mean is, to take any psychiatric drug seriously when tapering, and sticking with some of the things that helped with overcoming the benzo, and not getting ahead of oneself. 

 

Gotcha.

 

I agree with you.  With my history, I take psychiatric drugs seriously. Period.

 

Each of us has a rather unique response to coming off psych meds.  I was rapidly tapered off Depakote 1500 mg. over 72 hours along with abrupt discontinuation of several other meds along with a rapid decelleration of K.  I had no problems with Depakote, but Pristiq was absolutely heinous - far worse for me then K. 

 

Congratulations on being benzo free and please accept my wishes for a very smooth, even taper off Depakote.  I think you will do great!

 

Laurie

 

Congrats being off Klonopin! 

Klonkers,

 

Did you have any side effect problems when you started the Gabapentin? This is the start of my second week and I am starting to have balance problem's along with brain fog. I want to stabilize before i make my final taper of the Clonaz.

Hi tohavefunagain,

 

This is my second round on gabapentin (Neurontin).  First trial was in July.  I developed peripheral edema (swelling feet, ankles, hands) within the first week and felt pretty fuzzy, but I was so sleep deprived it could have been from that.  The edema frightened me so I quit after the first week. 

 

I have been on 300 mg. of Neurontin for 3 weeks and 600 mg. for about 1 week.  My new doc said not to get frightened if I get swelling in my feet/ankles as this was not an indication of anything serious (of course, being a nurse, I thought of the worst possible scenario).  When I hit the 600 mg. mark, I started to get some intermittent swelling in my ankles, nothing alarming, especially now that I know that this is not a sign of heart failure - at least from taking Neurontin.    I do notice that I have problems with short term memory - this is most likely due to the Neurontin and not from benzo withdrawals as this has not been a concern of mine in the past.

 

So, to answer your question, yes I have some side effects, but nothing compared to the side effects of being on long term benzos!

 

Laurie

Thank you again for all your replies. I have another couple of questions. I am how taking 4X .5mg of Clonazepam a day. I take one at lunch and one at 6:00pm and two before bed which is around 11:00 PM. I take the 200mg of Gabapentin around 9:00 pm because I fined it takes a couple of hours to kick in. I am going to increase the Gab to 300mg on the weekend. Should I switch my dose Clonazepam to one in the Morning ,lunch,supper and bed time? I have also notice that most people on the board take some type of antidepressant. As I mentioned before I have tried disastrous results with SSRI and SSRN drugs, but they were always started at a high does. My Doctor has indicated he would like to start me on Prozac 10mg a day and gradually in crease my dosage . I asked him about Tricyclic drugs he ignores me. Would there be a reason for this?

 

Tohavefun again

Thank you again for all your replies. I have another couple of questions. I am how taking 4X .5mg of Clonazepam a day. I take one at lunch and one at 6:00pm and two before bed which is around 11:00 PM. I take the 200mg of Gabapentin around 9:00 pm because I fined it takes a couple of hours to kick in. I am going to increase the Gab to 300mg on the weekend. Should I switch my dose Clonazepam to one in the Morning ,lunch,supper and bed time? I have also notice that most people on the board take some type of antidepressant. As I mentioned before I have tried disastrous results with SSRI and SSRN drugs, but they were always started at a high does. My Doctor has indicated he would like to start me on Prozac 10mg a day and gradually in crease my dosage . I asked him about Tricyclic drugs he ignores me. Would there be a reason for this?

 

Tohavefun again

 

Hi,

 

What does your doctor say about your dosing schedule?  I would really ask him or her about this.

 

I could not tolerate SSRI's/SNRI's either.  They gave me horrid anxiety and panic (all of them even at tiny doses).  That's how I ended up on Klonopin back in 2000. I had to go on Klonopin to mask the nocturnal panic attacks caused by Effexor.  I did not have panic attacks prior to taking AD's.

 

Although I cannot undo the past, I definitely wish I had done CBT instead of repeatedly trying SSRI/SNRI's.  My issues back in 2000 were very garden variety, situational life stuff - nothing like the depression I came to know from Klonopin and subsequent polypharmacy.

 

Tricylics in AD dosing are associated with serious side effects and SSRI/SNRI's are preferred because they have a better safety profile.  You can do a google on tricyclics and get the 411 on them.

 

All the Best,

Laurie

Thank you klonkers, I am doing well so far.  Good luck to you.

 

Some people can't tolerate Gabapentin because of brain fog, etc.  Could be an adjustment period though.  

 

My method in benzo withdrawal is to have a plan and then basically keep everything the same.  I'm not going to be messing around with things that I don't know how I am going to react to.  

I have asked my doctors advise on how I should taper and at what time of day to take my dosage. His advise was to reduce my dose slowly and take my Clonazepam as required. The first advise he gave me when I was taking 3mg a day was to reduce by .5mg a week. At the end of of six weeks I was a babbling idiot. By the end of seven weeks I could not get out of bed. He placed me back on 2mg a day and I have made a couple attempts to taper off and failed because of withdrawals symptoms I could not handle. I have to make this attempt successful because i have built up a tolerance to the drug and I have only two choices. I can increase the dosage or get off it. So I am looking for advise how to get off this benzo and still be able function at the same time.  

 

I need all the help I can get.

Tohavefunagain

I have asked my doctors advise on how I should taper and at what time of day to take my dosage. His advise was to reduce my dose slowly and take my Clonazepam as required. The first advise to me gave me when I was taking 3mg a day was to reduce by .5mg a week. At the end of of six week I was a babbling idiot. By the end of seven weeks I could not get out of bed. He placed me back on 2mg a day and I have made a couple attempts to taper off and failed because of withdrawals I could not handle. I have to this attempt successful because i have built up a tolerance to the drug and I have only two choices. I can increase the dosage or get off it. So I am looking for advise how to get off this benzo and still be able function at the same time. 

 

I need all the help I can get.

Tohavefunagain

 

I found all the information on this site - certainly not from my pdoc.  I took this information to my benzo-wise internist who put a seal of approval on my dry taper plan.  There are many ways to taper; direct taper (splitting pills), substitution (to Valium), or titration (crushing pills and putting in a determined amount of liquid). 

 

If you post under the forum of your choice (taper, substitution, or titration) and type in your question, I am sure that the "old timers" will be more than happy to help you.  Hugs, Laurie

Klonkers,Thank you for your help.

Klonkers,Thank you for your help.

 

You are very welcome, tohavefunagain.  I wish you all the best in your taper.  I know that the good people on BB will help you to choose a plan that is sensible and workable.

 

Hugs, Laurie