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Gabapentin (Neurontin) Withdrawal: Symptoms + Duration

Gabapentin (Neurontin) is an anticonvulsant medication in the GABA analog lass that was originally created to help manage epilepsy, but is also utilized to help individuals suffering from neuropathic pain. It has become a first-line treatment option for the relief of neuropathic pain from diabetic neuropathy, central neuropathic pain, as well as post-herpetic neuralgia. This medication also is popular for other, more off-label uses including: treating restless leg syndrome, insomnia, and in some cases, bipolar disorder.

Gabapentin was created with the intention of mimicking the GABA neurotransmitter (gamma-aminobutyric acid), but is not thought to act on the same brain receptors. The way the drug works isn’t well known. Some research suggests that it may interact with various voltage-dependent calcium channels in neurons. It is also thought to reduce the release of mono-amines and decrease the axon excitability in certain areas in the hippocampus.

The half life of Gabapentin is only 5 to 7 hours – meaning this medication has an extremely short time before it is cleared from the body. Half life is important to understand because medications with shorter half lives tend to yield the most severe withdrawal symptoms. This medication can be extremely difficult to withdraw from – so make sure you work with a professional when trying to stop taking it.

Factors that influence Gabapentin withdrawal include

There are various factors that influence withdrawal from any medication and/or powerful drug like Gabapentin. The factors that play the greatest role in determining how quick you recover are: time span (how long you took the drug), the dosage (how much you took), your physiology (some people recover quicker), and how you quit the drug (long taper vs. short taper vs. cold turkey).

1. Time Span

For what length of time were you taking this drug? Did you take it every day for years? Did you take it for just a few months? The shorter the duration of time that you were on this medication, the easier it should be for you to come off of it. The longer that you were taking Gabapentin, the more accustomed your brain and nervous system will become to receiving the drug to help with functioning. Therefore, it may be extremely difficult to withdraw from if you have been on this medication for an extended period of time.

2. Dosage (300 mg to 3000 mg)

Most doctors start younger people at 300 mg to take 3x per day. So the starting dose is typically around 900 mg per day. The a young adult or teenager may work their way up to 1800 mg per day if that’s what is recommended by the doctor. In some cases, the drug is prescribed in regards to bodyweight. Some doctors will prescribe 10 mg to 15 mg per kilogram (kg) of bodyweight. Anyways, if you are on a higher dosage, it is thought that withdrawal is going to be a lot more difficult compared to someone on a low dose.

3. Physiology

This drug has a noticeable effect on nearly everyone that takes it. The majority of individuals are going to have withdrawal symptoms of some kind. However, your individual physiology will determine how severe these symptoms are. If you tend to not experience many withdrawal effects on medications, you may cope with the withdrawal process just fine. If you are someone who is ultra-sensitive to medications, you may have a very difficult time adjusting to life without Gabapentin.

4. Cold turkey vs. Tapering

It is strongly advised that you always work with your doctor and do a “gradual taper.” This involves slowly reducing your dosage over a period of weeks or months with the intention of finally quitting the drug. The higher the dose you have become accustomed to taking, the more gradual you will need to stop taking this medication. If you quit this medication “cold turkey” it may trigger very dangerous symptoms including seizures. Never quit anything this powerful without slowly tapering off of it.

Gabapentin Withdrawal Symptoms: List of Possibilities

Below are some withdrawal symptoms that you may experience when withdrawing from Gabapentin. Keep in mind that you may not experience everything on the list – everyone will have a different experience. These are a list of symptoms based on what individuals have reported during their withdrawal process.

  • Anxiety: Some individuals report feelings of anxiety upon withdrawal. This anxiety may be subtle or severe. It has been documented that some people actually take this medication for treating anxiety. Therefore when coming off of this medication, it is common for people to feel especially anxious.
  • Appetite changes: Some people may feel like not eating and will experience a noticeable loss of appetite when quitting Gabapentin. Others may experience an increased appetite – especially if while on the drug their appetite decreased.
  • Crying spells: The emotions can run wild when coming off of this medication. You may find yourself crying for no reason or you may experience crying spells as a result of the depression you are experiencing. Just know that the excessive crying will eventually stop.
  • Depression: Many people experience feelings of significant depression when they stop taking this medication. Even for people with no prior emotional problems may experience severe depression when they stop taking this drug. There have been cases where individuals take this medication recreationally and experience very tough depression when they have to stop taking it.
  • Dizziness: One of the most common symptoms to experience during withdrawal from this medication is dizziness. You may feel so dizzy that you are unable to properly function throughout the day. Just know that this means your brain is trying to reset itself and it will eventually go away. If it doesn’t subside, you could try to taper even more slowly.
  • Fatigue: Another common withdrawal symptom that you may experience is that of fatigue, lethargy, or tiredness. You may lack energy to get things done throughout the day. It is common to feel extremely fatigued while coming off of Gabapentin – do your best to cope with it.
  • Headaches: Most people don’t talk about the fact that coming off of this medication can result in headaches.  There have been cases of individuals that go on this medication, and during withdrawal experience migraine headaches.  As time passes, these are thought to go away.
  • Insomnia: Some people experience pretty severe insomnia when they first quit this medication. This may have a profound impact on your sleep patterns, so do your best to cope with the inability to fall asleep. Try to engage in some relaxation exercises if you are too anxious or agitated to fall asleep.
  • Irritability: You may notice yourself becoming especially irritable during the acute phases of withdrawal from this drug.  It may be difficult to cope with, but take a step back and realize that your neurotransmitter levels and brain activity has been temporarily altered.  You may not be able to control feeling this way, but you can do your best to control how you react because of it.
  • Itching: You may experience itching all over your body. This isn’t a very well documented or talked about symptom, but some people may feel as if they are going crazy because their body feels so itchy during the withdrawal process. Just know that if you are experiencing extreme itchiness, you are not alone.
  • Muscle pain: If you were taking this medication to help manage symptoms of pain, it is no doubt that the pain is going to return. With that said, it is common to feel pain throughout the body and in various muscles when quitting this drug.
  • Nausea: Some people become very nauseated during their withdrawal. This is not an easy symptom to cope with, but do your best to fight through it.
  • Restlessness: It’s common to feel restless when coming off of Gabapentin. The restlessness may interfere with your ability to stay focused throughout the day on certain tasks. Take it for what it’s worth – try to push through it and know it will subside.
  • Seizures: One of the biggest dangers associated with cold turkey or sudden discontinuation of Gabapentin is that of seizures. There have even been reports of people experiencing seizures from relatively low doses. Make sure that you take the time to taper off of this drug – regardless of your dose.
  • Sleep disturbances: You may experience significant difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep, and getting a restful night’s sleep. These go hand-in-hand with insomnia, anxiety, and restlessness that you may be experiencing.
  • Spasms: Many people experience muscle spasms when trying to quit. If the spasms become unbearable, you may need to conduct a slower taper. In most cases people can deal with an occasional spasm or two.
  • Stomach pain: Some individuals have pain in their stomach and/or abdominal area during withdrawal.
  • Suicidal thinking: If you are withdrawing from Gabapentin and notice that you are becoming extremely depressed and/or experiencing suicidal thoughts, be sure to get help. These will eventually subside as time passes.
  • Sweating: Many people report horrible night sweats to the point that they wake up in the middle of their sleep with beads of sweat dripping off of their body. You may experience excessive sweating throughout the day, but it may be even worse at night.

Note: It is understood that Gabapentin stays in your system for 1-2 days after discontinuation.  Once the drug has been fully excreted from your body, many of the withdrawal symptoms are likely to emerge.

Suggestion: Magnesium supplements to help ease withdrawal symptoms

Many people have had success easing withdrawal symptoms by supplementing magnesium.  Gabapentin attaches to the same chemical receptor in your brain as calcium and magnesium. As you begin to taper off of Gabapentin, your body will make use of magnesium supplementation that you supply it, and you’ll have a much easier time coping with withdrawal symptoms. Some people experience very minimal to no withdrawal symptoms while supplementing magnesium during withdrawal.

Gabapentin Withdrawal Duration: How long does it last?

The withdrawal process affects everyone differently, so there is no exact science to say that withdrawal will take a specific amount of time. For some people the process will take a few weeks, for others the effects will linger for months. Many individuals that have withdrawn say that it took them over a year to fully recover once they took their last dose. Give your body and mind time to heal – after all, these medications have a significant impact on your brain chemistry when taken over an extended period of time.

Recognize that the most important thing you can do during any sort of withdrawal is to take good care of yourself. Make sure you are eating healthy foods, getting exercise, and allowing your body to make a full recovery. Talk to close family members and friends about your experience for added social support. If you are feeling especially down or having a difficult time, consider working with a therapist.

If you cannot afford a therapist, various online forums should be able to provide you with some good advice and support. Realize that you are not the only person that has experienced Gabapentin withdrawal – many people have made it through this experience. It does take time, but with good habits, social support, and advice, recovery will only be a matter of time.

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531 thoughts on “Gabapentin (Neurontin) Withdrawal: Symptoms + Duration”

  1. I have taken Gabapentin on and off for years for burning in my feet. It helped temporarily but then I noticed the burning much worse then before until I stopped and went through the withdrawal process and it was 100% out of my body. It’s because of the short half life the med stopped working. I was never addicted but was dependent to help me. It worked for 8 hours at first and then wore off around 4-5 hours.

    The half life is 5-7 hours. The first time I quit 2400 mg cold turkey. My main symptoms was severe night sweats and my legs and feet would go into a fit while I slept, they jerked so bad that it would wake me up. That along with hot flashes all day. I said I would never take the med again and I did years later but have never taken more then 400 mg twice a day, low dose.

    I can tell some days it wears off earlier then other days. I’ve also went down to 200mg twice a day, breaking them in half. Taper 100% works VERY WELL. So tapering was easy for me, no ill effects from the taper. I don’t mind taking the drug knowing that I am able to taper and come off easily with no problems.

    Gabapentin can cause vitamin deficiencies. I had to start Calcium because my calcium levels were low despite I get tons of calcium from my foods and skim milk. 200% of the RDV (recommend daily value) and there should be no way of having a deficiency. It can also deplete several other vitamins. I will also say that I have taken SSRI meds Paxil in the past and I read withdrawal is horrible but honestly it was NOT.

    I came off cold turkey and had mild anxiety, a few crying spells. Not bad… But tapered for 1-2 weeks and quit easily. Gabapentin was much worse. I quit Gabapentin and Paxil both before cold turkey and that was a huge mistake too. I highly recommend tapering!!! It makes it very easy and pain free. Good luck! :)

    Note: You shouldn’t take Calcium/Magnesium/folic acid or antacids like tums, malox, etc within 2 hours of Gabapentin because it blocks 20% of the Gabapentin from being absorbed. In 2 hours it only blocks approx 10%. That being said wait at least 2 hours if you take those supplements separate your vitamins from the Gabapentin.

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  2. Been taking 3600MG of gabapentin everyday for 10 months. Stopped cold turkey a few days ago. Not by choice but because I’m waiting on my refill that the doctors office hasn’t gotten around to yet. Feeling very depressed, terrible anxiety, crying on and off, no appetite, bad headaches, generally ill feeling (stomach upset), unable to think clearly and extremely lethargic.

    Not a good time, when I was put on this I didn’t know that coming off of it would be so difficult. I also start feeling really hot or really cold sometimes now. I’m taking it because of back problems. I have a blown Disc in my lower back causing tremendous pain and the gabapentin at 3600mg a day barely helps with the pain.

    I also have seizures due to a brain surgery 3 years ago. The seizures from my brain hemorrhage caused my back problems. I’m 35 years old, I feel like it’s all too much. I’m going to look into something more natural to help me cause these medicines doctors keep throwing at me are making life more hard, not easier.

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  3. My doctor prescribed gabapentin and clonazepam when I hit tolerance withdrawal on Xanax. Little did I know the mess I was getting into with any of these drugs and honestly, I think making them should be criminal! The drug companies are not honest about what these drugs do to you (if you tell your doctor about what the leaflet says – they’ve been trained by the drug companies to down play that and say – the percent chance of you experiencing that is very low) and what happens to you if you even remotely consider getting off of them.

    I took the gabapentin at night to help with sleep. I started reducing it in March when I was getting close to finished with my clonazepam reductions. I was taking only 300 mgs from October to January. Then I increased to 600 mgs until February and 800 mgs in March. I reduced 100 mgs a week until the end of April. It wasn’t bad until I got to the half way point with gabapentin.

    To get to 300 mgs, I had to open the capsule and dump out a little powder every day. When I got to 300 mgs. I held for a few weeks. I’m now very close to 200 mgs and the symptoms are more than irritating but not bad when you reduce very slowly. I’m a little anxious, my fingers, toes and lips tingle, I have a lot of muscle cramping and spasms, my stomach hurts often, I feel nauseated off and on, my vision (which had returned to normal for many months) is now going back to blurry and do not get me started on weight gain.

    I’ve gained 20 pounds in the 6 months I was on clonazepam and gabapentin. I’ve been off the clonazepam for nearly a month and my weight is wildly swinging right now. Sometimes it is as much as 5 pounds a day which is really uncomfortable on the upswing. My skin hurts, it is so dry. I get frequent headaches, bone pain off and on and my memory is really bad.

    I should have done better research before I took this medication. Shame on me. But you know what? I think – shame on the makers of the generic and brand name of this medication, shame on the FDA for approving it without sufficient long-term studies since it is being prescribed for long-term use. It should be taken off the market. How many suicides have their been from this drug and benzodiazepines? Psych drugs are bad, bad, bad news.

    There are better alternatives. The NIH released a study recently about how mindfulness eases back pain! Mindfulness – just breathing has a better effect than drugs and its free – no doctor visits – can be used while driving, walking, working, sitting in nature or your living room! Never ever never will I touch another psych drug for anxiety or sleeplessness. I will also never allow my family to come anywhere near psych drugs. I honestly think the creation and distribution of it should be criminalized.

    In the US, you can go to the FDA and complain. I have and I hope many of you that have run into problems with this drug, do the same thing. Look at your Rx bottle, cite the manufacturer and complain, complain, complain so others do not have to suffer what we have suffered. The thought that I have at least 6 more weeks of this ridiculous tapering to do is unbelievable (and others have to do it far longer).

    If I had known, I never would have taken these drugs. It is not a good drug to transition from benzos – it acts just like one in every respect in terms of the human experience of it. Forgive my long-winded post. I’ll be quiet now and apologize. I’m just so mad about what I’m going through and what all of you have and are going through.

    It needs to stop. Maybe we need to get litigious! Sorry – really putting soap box away now. A parting word of hard earned wisdom… Research any and all drugs you are prescribed, realize the manufacturers are not honest with your doctors about the drugs they are making and pushing, realize many doctors are even paid by pharmaceutical manufacturers to write a study or sign their name to it.

    Demand information, go search for it if you don’t get it, exhaust all resources on your own for alternative therapies and find your way to health as best as you can. Wishing you all the best.

    Reply
    • Thank you, Jay, I know you must be long gone and well by now. But I am in horrible withdrawals and agree with everything you and others have written. You have given me much hope. I use to be a happy go lucky person, now I cry every day unable to work and function. Will keep fighting because of the knowledge on this page. Thank you, Jay and all the others for your experiences. Mary Gerlinger

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  4. Thank goodness I found this website. I’ve been taking gabapentin since November 2015 and have started to taper off since my back surgery. I’m down to 300 mg/day and the withdrawal symptoms are awful. I’m dreading how I’ll feel when I’m totally off this horrible drug. I’m going to try 200 mg, them 100 mg, then off completely.

    So far for me the nausea is the worst symptom. I feel very depressed and I’m crying a lot, too, but I’m trying very hard to remind myself it’s because of the withdrawal and it will pass eventually. I really wish my doctor had never prescribed this drug.

    It didn’t help that much with the pain, made me gain 15 pounds, and now is terrible to discontinue. Reading others’ experiences helped me to understand what’s going on. Doctors don’t seem to have a clue. Thanks to everyone for sharing your stories.

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  5. I got these horrific dizzy spells while on Gabapentin. I went off them and took magnesium as I could not get rid of the dizzy spells. Now how long do I take these magnesium, 250mg? I only took the Gabapentin for about a month 300mg once a day. I have tried to wean myself off the magnesium, but the dizzy spells are still there.

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  6. I’m tapering from my Gabapentin now. 900 milligrams a day. I’m tapering off myself. I’m having withdrawal symptoms. Headaches, muscle spasms and aches. Irritability and dizziness. I plan to continue regardless. I was put on this medication and Cymbalta for back issues. Once I’m off the Gabapentin, I will taper off to Cymbalta.

    I had no idea when I was taking either drug that they’re withdrawal would be so difficult. My plan is to stop taking them both. I will never again take another medication without first knowing how hard it will be to stop. I think everyone is responsible or knowing the effects and withdrawal of all medications we take.

    I made the mistake of starting them however it will not happen again. Good luck to everyone who is trying to withdrawal from Gabapentin.

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  7. I am 27, was put on Gabapentin for neuropathic pain. It’s caused by scoliosis and was affecting me when at work, sitting or standing for long periods of time. I was in a lot if pain but I’m doing physical therapy now and while I’m still on gabapentin, the PT is helping so much and the pain that I used to experience between daily doses is gone.

    Therefore, I’m so upset that my doctor thought Gabapentin was right for me! I’m gradually withdrawing from 1200mg/day, now on 600/day and I’m a mess. I stabilized on 600 and tried to step down too 300 but the symptoms were so terrible. I’m in grad school right now and can hardly deal with the insomnia, depression, panic attacks. I’m wondering, has anyone gradually stepped down by even smaller doses than 300?

    Even if it means it will take longer to get off, I’m willing to do anything to make the symptoms less severe. My doctor seems to think I just have to get through it, and she is surprised I’m reacting this way after all the success previous patients have had. I’m so over this drug. It’s ruined the last 6 months of my life.

    Reply
    • Hi LBast, I was on Gabapentin for a year 2700mg per day. First time I tried to withdraw I stopped 900mg the first week which was ok. But the next week when I came off another 900mg (so down to 900mg per day), I got severe symptoms. Couldn’t walk, shivering, stopped eating etc.

      I saw 5 doctors who couldn’t help as they didn’t know what the problem was! After 3 weeks in bed I took matters in to my own hand. Went back to 2700mg per day until symptoms subsided. Then dropped 100mg per week. If no reaction after a week, tried dropping 100mg every 4 days.

      Every now and again my body reacts so I stick with the dose until I feel ok again before dropping another 100mg. It has taken my 4 months to get to 600mg per day and so far, so good. The only thing I will say is that I just would never advise anyone to just stop taking Gabapentin! I wish you well.

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  8. I currently take 2700mg Gabapentin daily. I suffer from back and nerve pain. In conjunction with these I also take 225mg of Venlafaxine for depression-and painkillers on occasion. I tend to grind my teeth with these a lot which Perhaps is more habitual than not. For now I’m more concerned about my dependency for Gabapentin as I can’t see myself doing without them.

    They make me feel more relaxed so I can move more freely. I have a very bad habit of taking drugs for the feeling they give me. I have an addictive personality. I stopped drinking 2 yrs ago as this was killing me. I stopped taking recreational drugs such as ecstasy/amphetamine when I was 22. (I’m now 41). Drugs, drink, coffee, exercise, food. All of these I take to excess.

    I trade them off one by one. I am currently seeking help. Any one else out there with similar issues I’d like to hear from them. Kind regards. Davie M

    Reply
  9. I was taking 3 x 300mg, 3 times a day for a year. After my back operation, I tapered off. First week, 2, 3 times a day. Second week, 1, 3 times a day. Week 3, I stopped. I took the last tablet 9 days ago. Since then I feel so ill. In bed nearly all day. Heart racing and cannot even talk. Doctor has checked all is OK and says, “Give it time”.

    I just want to go to sleep and wake up feeling well. I am nearly 66 and want to enjoy life! I will NEVER again take any pain relief without checking what the withdrawal is like! I am a Christian and spend my days praising God for His healing hands and also ask that He continue the work He is doing in me.

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  10. I was on 1800 mg/day – all taken at 5 pm with dinner – for two years. My doctor had me go down to 1200 mg for a week, then 600 mg for a week and then 300 for a week. I am down to the 600 mg week and all I do is cry. Anxiety attacks are horrendous. I am practically dysfunctional. Should I increase the dosage back up and then do it more gradually? I will definitely get some magnesium.

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    • Update: I took myself back up to the 1800 mg a day and started a much slower weaning process. I go down 100 mg. each week. I also followed the suggestion on here and have been taking magnesium supplements. I am down to 700 mg. a day and I am not experiencing any of the withdrawal symptoms I was experiencing before. I am hoping the rest of the weaning process goes as well. Good luck, everyone. This stuff is downright nasty to get off.

      Reply
  11. Ok, I rarely comment on these but felt it necessary here. I was on 800×4/day of Gaba but was abusing it such that final 8 days of having script went thru month supply. I’m now on day 5 without any Gaba and am thinking worst of its over with. Day 3 was a little tough, felt feverish and anxious.

    I used Advil with Benadryl, helps with sleep and itching and anxiety. This drug Gaba sucks, but people can get off it! It’s not as bad as coming off opiates, slightly reminiscent of benzos but not as bad (for me). Was only on this thing 3 months, crazy the withdrawal that came from it!!

    I was getting suicidal on the pills and felt like couldn’t come off without drug relapse but that was not the case.

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  12. Did anyone have diarrhea using this med? I’ve been using it for about 2 years and have developed diarrhea and I’m told side effects doesn’t often show up right away. And also I am weaning myself off of it as I’m thinking the Neurontin is causing the diarrhea. I haven’t had to go as often as I had been.

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  13. I have been taking 900 mg 3 X day for 3 years… I just tried to go cold turkey 4 day’s ago and OMG, I thought I was going to die from the sweating and craps in my muscles. I started researching withdrawal and came across this page, needless to say, I took my 900mg dose and will now start lowering my dosage to see what happens. It is scary because I was also told it was not an addictive drug.

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  14. I have been on Gabapentin for a little over 2 months now. I am tapering myself off of 1200 mg to 900 mg and even lower. I want off of this drug! It has caused havoc with me. I am taking this for diabetic neuropathy pain a wonder drug in my book because the pain is gone, but I have gained over 20 pounds, I am tired all of the time, zoned out like I cannot concentrate, short of breath all of the time. I am retaining fluid like crazy and my doctor put me on Lasix which my kidneys cannot tolerate. I am not sure what else is out there but I can’t continue to stay on this medication.

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  15. I’ve been tapering off after having been on the medication for about a year and a half. Highest dose was 600 3 X’s a day. Now down to 100 once a day for 3 now days. When I reached 100 twice a day, severe insomnia hit. Nothing helps me sleep. I’m becoming more anxious, more sleep deprived, agitated and depressed. Going to try magnesium to help. The insomnia is killing me though. Waking up every hour or not sleeping at all.

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  16. I’m happy I found this site! I have been on 1800mg of gabapentin for about five months now, prescribed for anxiety. It hasn’t been working very well so I’ve decided to go off of it. For the last week or so I’ve been taking 900mg a day (300 in the morning and 600 at night). I’ve been so nauseas and itchy! It’s horrible! I’ve hardly eaten in days. Could not figure out what was going on, then thought maybe it was gabapentin withdrawal and apparently it is! I was planning on ditching the morning dose tomorrow. This is so weird. I’ve never had an itchy medication withdrawal before. Can’t stop scratching!

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  17. I have had Microvascular decompression for Trigeminal Neuralgia and along with a sack load of other meds was on 2700 mg of gabapetin. I have reduced by 500 mg over two weeks and now taking a break to assess pain levels. My condition means that I won’t get off it but hopefully can significantly reduce it. I have had some symptoms of withdrawal but biggest thing is low mood, tearfulness and exhaustion. I am lucky so far but a little nervous. I am in the UK, guessing that a lot of you are in the US. Good luck to you all.

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  18. It’s been a week since the withdrawal symptoms started. I have been on gabapentin for about 7 months taking them everyday I was taking 4 600 plus. In the past I’ve come off gabapentin and maybe became a little depressed, but nothing like this been having full-blown panic attacks for the majority of this last week. I’ve been to the ER twice.

    At first I thought I was having a heart attack or a seizure my heart starts pumping hard my body became becomes numb and tingly and then the nightmare begins. My heart starts to feel like it is pounding out of my chest. I get Wicked dizzy and every bad thought imaginable pops into my head. I am good at calming myself down, but no matter how hard I try, it sticks with me all day.

    I am a daily weed smoker and every time I smoked, my symptoms got ten times worse… marijuana is my coping mechanism so every time I have a panic attack I was reaching for some weed and it was making it ten times worse. It still sucks and the anxiety is still there with chest pains all day just not as severe as when I’m smoking. I am back on the Gabapentin.

    My doctor is an idiot and and they scheduled me an appointment for two weeks. My main question is it normal you still feel the withdrawal symptoms? I am taking 3 a day instead of 4 please get back to me I feel like I’m going crazy.

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  19. Just an update. I am still working on tapering off. I have been dropping 100 mg pill every two weeks. So far it takes 5 to 7 days before the w/d symptoms kick in each time I taper. Those last for 3 to 5 days then I am OK again. Unfortunately its time to taper again shortly after. Those few days of symptoms include very high anxiety and deep depression…just really negative thinking for a day or two.

    Night sweats and anxiety ridden insomnia on those nights. Light sensitivity. Head aches. Dizziness. And no appetite or nausea. Can’t taste anything and everything smells weird. I am sure I am forgetting something because that is one of the worse symptoms….forgetfulness and confusion. As it happens I was on gabapentin longer than I realized. I was on Horizant before the straight gaba…. I didn’t know it was also gaba.

    Just found that out last week. I suspect the doc didn’t check my file before prescribing it. I should have been more attentive to my own healthcare. But then my doc doesn’t seem to think there should be any problem getting off this stuff besides seizures. I am soooo grateful she wasn’t available when I had to see her partner who told me to taper. Next Monday I stop taking it completely. Scary stuff.

    I am going to get magnesium to start then too. I have read that the last 100mg should be done very slowly…but I have to give it a try. I am soooooo done with this hell. I have read posts from people who have had it much harder than I have. My heart and prayers go out to them. My best advice is to just keep telling yourself that its just the Gaba! Feel what comes as it comes and remind yourself this too shall pass.

    Try to be sure to take your pills at the same time each day as I found this makes a difference as I tapered. I will come back later when I have been off for a while to let you all know how it goes. And thank you all again for sharing….the loneliness is a killer with this crap. My family was very supportive but now I feel like they are as tired of this craziness as I am. Good luck to everyone and hang in there. You can do this!

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  20. I just want to say thank you to everyone that is sharing there experience here. I’ve been taking Gabapentin for epilepsy since I was 15 and I’d obviously prefer not to have to take it for the rest of my life, but when I start tapering off it at the end of the year there is a 50/50 chance I will either start having seizures again or be absolutely fine. I’ve been feeling nervous about this, but reading everyone’s comments has really helped. It makes a big difference to know you’re not alone in an experience.

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  21. I have weaned off 3 x 700 mg gabapentin daily and it took me six months. I was on this for three years. I have now been without for nearly two months but I feel I am still suffering withdrawal or I think I am !! Is this possible or am I pathetic? This drug is hell and I was not given the hard facts to say the least.

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  22. Hi everyone. I just spent hours reading all these comments. I would like to share my experience and get some feedback. I have been on gabapentin for almost 4 months now for extreme anxiety. I gradually worked my way up to taking 900mg 3 times a day, this seems like way too much based on other peoples comments on here. Just last week I stopped taking it for 3 days, cold turkey.

    I now realize how dumb this was but I was not informed of the dangers of stopping cold turkey. I experienced extreme anxiety and depression(worse than before I started taking it) and also had a very scary episode where I felt like I was having the worst panic attack of my life. After doing some research I think I was on the verge of a seizure and could have died. It was very scary, I could barely breathe, I was dizzy and seeing stars, my coordination was off, I had to crawl up the stairs, and I felt like I was going to faint any moment.

    My face was very pale, almost greenish looking. This lasted for almost 15 minutes. I think my dog is the only thing that calmed me down. Once I calmed down I immediately fell asleep. Thank god I woke up in the morning. Does anybody know if I was on the verge of a seizure or if it was just a very bad panic attack? I have since gotten back on gabapentin and am in the process of slowly weaning myself off of it.

    I feel better now that I am taking it again but I’m still experiencing shortness of breathe, anxiety when I’m not involved in something like work, and foggy short term memory. Thanks for reading and commenting in advance.

    Reply
  23. I’ve been taking 600mg x 3 daily, for a total of 1800 for the past 10 years. Started on Lyrica, but the cost and side effects quickly moved me to Gabapentin. It did take care of incredible shooting nerve pain that had curtailed my life drastically, but I gained 50 pounds and have never gotten that off. (Granted, I haven’t truly tried) I cut down to 1200 this past week and I am exhausted, unmotivated and hurting more than I expected.

    I also cut back on a painkiller at the same time, will see doctor in a few days, but this blog was great information. I recall being told it wasn’t addictive as well…but never thought I would need it for this long. I may have to continue usage, because it does address the nerve pain, but will work with my doctor to taper off a bit slower. Thank you for all the comments.

    Reply
  24. So grateful I found this website before I started Gabapentin!!!! My doctor just have it to me to help with abilify withdrawal! She said there are no withdrawals, but that’s what she said about abilify as well! So now I will suffer through the abilify withdrawal without taking the GABA! I am so sorry you are all suffering! I feel your pain!!! Bless us all!

    Reply
  25. I tried posting a few weeks ago when I first started having problems. But it did not post for some reason… now I am grateful it didn’t. I had a horrific time coming off cymbalta a few years ago and was scared to death. I over reacted when I read this forum. I am embarrassed to think what that post sounded like.

    Not sure when I started tapering. I waited for a return phone call from pain specialist that never came and tried tapering on my own. Ended up seeing my GPs partner a week and a half ago as she was out of office. He said I was doing it too fast. As I was already at 150 twice a day he gave me 100 mg three times a day. I was OK…not great but OK all week last week then Sunday nauseated and terribly dizzy.

    Can’t sleep and anxiety and depression are peaking. Weird pains all over and my original back pain returning. Pretty much everything described above. And just not functioning well at all. Doc said to bring it down a hundred kilograms next Monday. Yikes. Scares me a bit as I would have thought it would be getting a little better at this point not worse.

    Any advice? Could the magnesium in my multiple vit be making things worse? I was only taking them for 6 weeks or so. Should it be this hard at such a low dose? Thank you all for your posts. It helps a lot to come here and read as the loneliness is probably the hardest part.

    Reply
  26. Started getting off my gaba 5 days ago. Was taking 900-1200 mg a day for 4 years. Noticed anxiousness, shortness-of-breath, and stomach / chest aches. Went for a walk took some turmeric. Exercise has helped take mind off it. I take naps when I’m tired and the pain is helped with the turmeric.

    Reply
  27. Two of my specialists (retinal surgeon, and GP) have told me about new studies that find gabapentin not as effective as the FDA first advertised. My eye doctor says it’s obvious it’s not helping my trigeminal neuralgia or migraine prophylaxis. So I am wanting to taper. I do admit it helped the excruciating restless legs (also not limited to rest of body at times).

    It did not go away altogether. I still have a severe anxiety condition and must take bentos for it or else crippling panic attacks ensue that last for hours before I realize I need some lorazepam. THEN, I go see this naturopath and she goes through all my meds and recommends a huge bag of magnesium flakes, a bath twice a week, and a liquid supplement twice a day.

    All my muscles were cramping and I felt fever ship and glued to the bed with sweat. Not to mention migraines. So you are all right about magnesium contraindicated with this drug. I’m so pissed at this so called doctor or whatever. I’m gonna see my GP, get on a tapering retiming and just use Benzos and codeine. I’m pretty sure I will have most of those withdrawal symptoms as I have a sensitive nervous system.

    I’m wondering if I should take time off work for a few weeks because my job is extremely dangerous if I am experiencing even two from that list. I hope to join this forum. All of your comments are so very helpful and educating all ready. I don’t have much of a support system in place. Sorry for the long post.

    Reply
  28. I was put on this medication (300 mg 1xday at bedtime) to help with peri-menopausal night sweats. My doctor told me it would do the trick. Well, it did a trick on me, for sure. However, she didn’t even tell me what this medication was truly intended to treat (in the 10 minute visit I had with her). After 2 days, my night sweats were pretty much nonexistent.

    I was extremely happy with the results until, after about 5 days, I became very unhappy with the results. I was on it for 10 days and found myself extremely dizzy & moody with uncontrollable crying bouts. I decided, on my own, that I didn’t want to take it anymore and stopped. As a result, even for having been on it for only 10 days then going cold turkey, I am experiencing the worst anxiety attacks I have ever had in my life.

    Almost debilitating and to the point that I open my front door and sit in front of it with phone in hand thinking I am going to have to call 911. I have a prescription for Lorazepam 0.5 mg (PRN) that I usually only fill every 3-4 months. I have been eating them like candy just to calm me down. Had I known what this medication was really for or even that I would need to wean myself off of it, I would have never taken it.

    Once again, I just listened to my doctor thinking that she knew what was best for me. I really have never had any side effects from any other medications I have been prescribed in the past. I am currently 10 days removed from when I quit and while the anxiety has lessened, it is certainly still there. I end up getting anxiety now just in anticipation of a future anxiety attack.

    AHHHH! I came upon this link while searching for side effects and am so very happy I did. I was beginning to think I was going crazy. Although I didn’t come across any posts with my particular situation, just reading some of yours really helped me feel like I am going to be OK. Thank you to everyone who shared their experience. Just typing this right now is helping me.

    I truly hope this doesn’t last much longer… Lesson learned on taking medications without, at the very least, looking up side effects and how to come off of it. Never again.

    Reply
  29. I have been on gabapentin for a little over a year. I was super tired and zombie ish for a month or two while Drs were trying to find the perfect dosage for me. I’m now on 600mg 2x a day. I’ve been feeling great for 6 mos or so so I decided (on my own) to cut out my morning dose. Boy, what a mistake! I felt extremely tired and slow, both mentally and physically.

    I didn’t sleep for 5 out of the 7 days I skipped the morning dose. I suffered SEVERE muscle spasms and pain from head to big toe. I was trying to figure out if it was the meds or my neuropathy pain coming back. The muscle spasms/pain came around day 4 of being on meds once a day. Charley horses everywhere. Headaches too.

    I went back on my morning dose and took a Valium for 3 nights and I’m back to feeling “normal” again. Any clue if this is from the meds or do I just really need these meds to mask my pain? I’ve been diagnosed with NMO but my new neuro says it could be that or MS or from shingles.

    Reply
  30. I must say all of you are amazing for sharing your experiences with gabapentin. Reading what each of you wrote helped me to stay the course for getting off gaba. Just like some of you, I had three back surgeries. Spinal injury from car collision caused a level of excruciating pain that I never knew the human body could reach. I was on oxycodone for five years and was taken off of it and prescribed gaba and amitriptyline.

    I definitely thought I was doing the best thing getting off all narcotics to gain freedom from any drug dependency. That is my belief even today; however, I discovered it doesn’t have to be narcotics. Matter of fact, withdrawal symptoms from gaba were far worse than symptoms from oxycodone. I was taking gaba for three years which was two years less than the narcs. But, I’ve said all this because after reading and trying what some of you suggested along with a little more research; I found a natural way that stopped all those horrendous symptoms.

    Here’s the list of mine–insomnia, muscle ache and weakness in arms and hands, anxiety, and irritability. Four days and three nights I wanted to scream until night number four, I slept all night and woke up refreshed. We all have our unique physical and mental challenges, so here’s what working for me.
    Nature’s Bounty Magnesium (maximum strength 500mg); General Nutrition Corporation GNC L-Arginine L-Ornithine 2500 (1500mg L-Arginine 1000mg L-Ornithine); Nature’s Bounty Melatonin (maximum strength 10mg)
    Morning 1
    ⦁ 1000mg Magnesium-supports bone muscle health
    ⦁ 5000mg amino acids L-Arginine L-Ornithine 2500-fuels muscles and calms anxiety
    Night 1
    ⦁ 500mg Magnesium with dinner
    ⦁ 2500mg L-Arginine L-Ornithine 2500 at bedtime
    ⦁ 20mg Melatonin at bedtime

    Workout what dose will benefit you most for our bodies naturally produces the above, but gaba just derailed and got us off track. You can get your body back to normal just be patient, diligent, determined and most of all don’t give up HOPE and quit. You can and will be gaba free. Well that’s all I have to say–thanks again everyone for being here and Godspeed.

    Reply
    • Thank you so much for your post! Here I thought the Melatonin I was taking was not doing anything; I just needed to take a higher dose. In combination with your other two suggestions, I am able to sleep fairly well now, and this has made such a difference for living my life during the day! I can’t thank you enough. May you have all the blessings of the Universe!

      Reply
  31. I recently cut 1800/day down to 900/day. It’s been rough trying to get through. but Nature’s Bounty High Potency Magnesium has done WONDERS. It takes away that “itch” and calms you, literally. Apparently, Gabapentin affects your magnesium levels that affects the transmission of neurotransmitters. Hope this helps someone.

    Reply
  32. I have been on 900x 3 times a day for years (due to nerve pain from 4 herniated discs). I have just started the painful journey of getting off gabapentin as it was believed to be causing kidney stones. To say I am more than a little bit worried as I read all of your posts. And I do not know if I am worried more about the withdrawal effects or not having gabapentin in my system, therefore potentially not walking/especially not moving as well.

    Reply
  33. I’d been on a low dosage of the same combination of meds for several years for bi-polar depression and the effects wore off in late November, so I voluntarily admitted myself to a short-term psych ward to get on new medicine, knowing how hard it was to find a psychiatrist on the outside. The doctor immediately took me off the meds I was on cold turkey and put me on 1200 mgs of neurontin (400 3 times a day) and 25 mg of lamictal.

    It was a new facility, violating patients hypa rights for everyone to see. They also didn’t separate violent patients from non harmful depressed patients. Violent fights broke out. Long story short, I left early, with a meeting with the CEO and the Dr. that prescribed me the meds. He gave me 5 months (yes 5 months) worth of refills, and never warned me of any side effects, addictiveness, or withdrawal symptoms.

    The next day, I was watching a basketball game and said to my dad “What’s this? I’ve never seen this before.” We called the doctor and he said it was nothing to worry about and to take 300mg daily and that everything would be okay. Like most of you, I experienced crying spells (I hadn’t cried in 20 years), verbal hostility toward my family for no reason or things they said to me years ago, even scaring my dogs.

    I also had shortness of breath, dry mouth, tightness in chest, loss of appetite, and tremors among other things. (Before the hospital stay, I rarely even got a common cold. Just had really bad depression.) On top of it, the doctor recommended a psychiatrist friend of his who talked to me for literally a minute or two, had his doctor in training do all the leg work, and upped the lamictal to 50 for no reason.

    He did warn about a rash, but not about Steven Johnson’s disease. I noticed a rash immediately and looked up lamictal side effects and mentioned “potential life threatening rash” Immediately I went back down to the 25. Eventually I found this board and showed it to my mother, who read it a few days later. I wasn’t happy about it, but I went to yet another short-term psych ward who immediately took me off the lamictal and weened me off the Neurontin.

    I’m very sensitive to most medication and the only thing that has worked for me has been klonopin. Unfortunately, with bi-polar disorder, I need something else as a mood stabilizer, and the doctor in there put me on the minimal dosage of Latuda…which from what I read has no drastic side effects and if they were to happen would have happened already (I’ve been on it for a week and a half now.)

    The only two things I’ve noticed are 1.) No sex drive, which for me is a good thing. 2.) Sleeping more, but I guess that goes away with time. The bad news is, even though I don’t crave Neurontin, the physical side effects are still there. The anger is gone, but the stomach/chest aches, loss of appetite and overall feeling of nausea, along with rashes from the lamictol and possibly Neurontin are still there. I’m also still crying randomly.

    It’s weird for me because I’m used to feeling really, really depressed but not any of these physical symptoms. I’m glad I found this board, because my mom had read about side effects but wanted to believe that this med was working, and after seeing this board did the right thing and had me admitted for a week to taper off this stuff. I guess one question I have is, given the relatively low dosage I was on, and that I was only on it for 4/5/6 weeks, how long it might take for these withdrawal symptoms to go away?

    Reply
  34. Hi all, I have read some interesting things on this site. THANK YOU! I broke my back and have been on Gabapentin for over 5 years. I have had 4 major surgeries. I am in pain all the time. About six weeks ago I felt as though I was having heart palpitations and that maybe it was some of the 14 pills I take a day. I read up on all side effects of all my meds. I try not to mix or take anything at the same time.

    I became so transfixed on trying to adjust my meds myself I screwed up everything. 3 weeks ago, I stopped all my meds cold turkey. The only thing I kept taking was Norco Hydrocodone 3 a day, and a couple of baby aspirin to fix what I thought was maybe hypertension causing these severe Palpitations. Tonite it was so bad I had to again research as I have done every single nite for the last 6 weeks.

    This is the 1st time I have read anything about Gabapentin withdrawal. You have to be kidding me that this has been the source of the most horrible Physical pain I can imagine. Brutal heart Palpitations, Shakes and mental irritability. At some point I think my body just got so use to these pills that in no way could I myself try to take less. I have spoken to the Dr about this. He said, of course the less you can take the better, but be careful.

    He told me that the only thing I would probably have a withdrawal from is the Ambien and maybe the Hydrocodone. As I said, I don’t abuse them. I try and stay on a schedule. For some reason, I got really out of whack and just quit. I THOUGHT I WOULD BE BETTER FOR IT. Wow was I wrong. I just took 2 Gabapentins, INCREDIBLE. The heart palpitations almost ceased immediately. You have to kidding me.

    Maybe I just needed this to readjust my system. I also stopped Mobic and Enablex at the same time. I will see how it goes with just the Hydro’s and the Gabapentin for now. I just want you to know, this site helped me. If this is true, that quitting Gabapentin caused this brutal heart beat to be fixed. All of your experiences have really helped someone in dire straits.

    It felt like I was dying. Other that the spine, I am in pretty good shape. I actually defied the Doctors expectations and ORDERS. LOL. I just started riding a mountain bike every nite on some light trails. I pay for it in the morning but I refuse to let this beat me. What I have been through in the last month with this withdrawal crap is I think far worse that my back pain. You see, I managed it for so long that I never remember being pain free.

    So I cope. Really amazing if this was the root of this ANNOYING, AGGRAVATING, PAINFUL MONTH… WOW!!!! I wish you all the very best and will keep you informed. I just thought that 2400 mg of this one medication a day was a waste of my Organs. I really never knew there was a withdrawl from it. Like I said, I broke my spine and have 2, 10″ rods to deal with. I figured that if I could deal with that pain, I COULD DEAL WITH ANYTHING. Boy was I wrong! Sincerely, Joe B

    Reply
  35. I’ve been on 6x600mg of gabapentin for about 3 years now. Yes that’s 3600mg a day. Yes that’s higher than the recomended maximum dosage. I use it for RSD/CRPS in my right foot. It took this high of a dosage to even take the edge off of this horrible condition. But for me, when the half-life of this drug wears off, I get the withdrawal symptoms. It goes into what feels like a full blown panic attack.

    Difficulty breathing, heart racing, a warmth that races from mid chest and radiates through my arms. I’ve been to the ER once for this and called the paramedics once without going to the hospital for these feelings because they were very frightening. Ativan helped with the symptoms a little. What was scary about this for me, was that these symptoms rear their heads if I don’t take my medications exactly on time.

    It is really frightening to me but it does make for a scary reminder to take my medication. Also for those who have just started on this and are saying it makes them so lethargic you cannot function… for me at least, its tied into taking this with a meal. Now mine could simply be because of the high dose I’m on. But if I don’t eat before or during the pill’s duration, the lethargy isn’t so bad.

    However if I take it with a heavy meal, I feel like I’ll pass out from how tired I am. Eyelids heavy to the point I literally cannot see. Again might be related to the dosage, but without this medication, I’d likely be an amputee from begging doctors to take off my foot because of the pain.

    Reply
  36. I was on Gabapentin for 2 years due to increasing pain in the lower lumbar. I started at 300 mg and ended with 1800 mg. I had a successful spinal fusion and decided to wean myself off without guidance from my doctor. I went from 1800 to 900 to 600 to 300 to 0 in 3 weeks! I would definitely recommend a longer taper based on my experience. Terrible insomnia, severe daytime and night sweats, shortness of breath and anxiety.

    I had no idea that I would experience any these withdrawal symptoms. I am so glad to be off the drug completely even though I am still withdrawing after 2 full weeks. After reading what everyone else has gone through I expect to have these symptoms for a while longer. All I can say is that I wish I had found this site earlier. It has helped though to know that I’m not alone in this!

    Reply
  37. After 13 years of femoral genital neuroma pain/damage due to vaginal mesh sling surgery and being on Gabapentin for the past 4 years I will be getting surgery to remove the source of the pain. I have started slowly weaning myself off of Gabapentin and asked the surgeon for guidance. I did receive a phone call and I was told to look on the internet and ask my pharmacist. My pharmacist told me to ask my doctor. So I am now searching for information / guidance from sites like these.

    The lowest dose I was on without feeling foggy is 300 mg in am and 300 mg in pm. I am on 100 mg in am and 200 mg in pm after three weeks of weaning. I have an ear/sinus infection that has lasted three weeks and my equilibrium is off, most likely coincidental. Otherwise, I am doing okay. My PC thought that my approach was okay as well. Hoping and praying that the pain will be gone after the surgery and that the withdrawal symptoms are minimal.

    Reply
  38. I’ve been on GABA for 3 years. Started out at 2700mg a day. I was on samples of lyrics before that to help getting off tramadol, it helped. Well about 6 months in I stopped taking it because I thought the lamictal was the drug giving me the high, 3 weeks of depression, no sleeping, not eating, blah blah. I went back on it because my girlfriend and I got back together. It helped me deal with her anger, depression and mean ways.

    Well I tried to stop taking it a couple times cause I didn’t like feeling like a zombie all the time and thought maybe that the medicine was causing my anger and irritation towards her. I also never told her I was taking it for 2.5 years till she found out 4 weeks ago. I wanted to tell her so many times but couldn’t cause the withdrawals sucked so bad.

    Well she found out and it felt like a planet was lifted off my shoulders. She was pissed for 2 days but than we came up with a taper plan. I was at 900 mg a day by this time cause I had tapered myself. 100 mg drop every 3 days. I started taking tramadol again for the first week I was off and felt no side effects. Thanks week 2 no trams. Just happy camper supplement and magnesium, felt depressed, anxious, tired, winded, buzzing body and head, cry all the time for no reason, which seeing a 6’3″ tattooed man cry all the time is funny, etc.

    I’m now on day 15, feel like body is on edge but not depressed or too anxious, still tired and wake up a lot. Music and watching firefly and castle helps. Everyone’s different. Last time it took 4 weeks for me to feel OK.looking forward to that day.

    Reply
  39. I was on gaba for 4 months before my back surgery. 1800 mg daily. After surgery I wanted to get off this nasty stuff so I started weaning myself off. I went from 600 three times a day to 300 daily over a 3 week period. After that I thought I would just stop talking it. Bad decision. I had nasty night sweats when I could sleep. Most nights I couldn’t sleep.

    Chills and sweats all day. I went back to the 300 mg and the symptoms stopped. I took those for another week then cut back to 150 for a week then 75 for a week then off. Success! I feel so much better and only take one 5mg oxy before bed to relax my back. I have 6 more weeks in rest mode before returning to work. Good luck everyone. It can be done!

    Reply
    • I was on 1800 mg gaba per day and also taking cymbalta at the same time due to ongoing injury and the cockups of the medical profession delaying the surgery I desperately needed. Depression was mostly because of my injury and the fact I couldn’t drive, go out by myself, cycle, go down gym, swim, eat 2 handed… the list went on. I have been on gaba for the past year.

      After my surgery, I first had to wean myself off of morphine, then co-codamol and then started on gaba. I also found that my blood pressure was extremely high (148/105) and both gaba and cymbalta can cause that. I slowly tapered, then stopped taking cymbalta and also reduced my gaba intake to 900 mg a day by tapering it off but have been unable to go any lower at the moment.

      I noticed that I get very dizzy and nauseous, at night I sweat a lot – this is supposed to be winter!, feel really jumpy and nervous, and my moods are very bad (had a couple of road rage incidents that are so out of character) I have been crying on and off too. This last week I have also started to have some strange dreams when I can sleep, and my pain from my injury is coming back a little.

      I am due to see my pain clinic at the end of the month – they were the people who put me on it – so hopefully I can get some answers. I stayed taking 900 mg a day for the last 3 weeks, and sometimes I think the withdrawal effects have gone away, but the last couple of days they have come back with a vengeance. I am going to try to ignore these as best I can and VERY slowly taper my dose by 100mg every 2 weeks, so I will see how that goes.

      Never thought that I would ever get addicted to anything but chocolate! But hopefully if my tapering plan goes OK, I should be free of it by April.

      Reply
  40. I starter neurontin two months ago 300 mg X 3 a day for seizure control from detox from Xanax. Which I had taken for anxiety occasionally at first the eventually four years later three times a day. (Max Xanax dose 1.5 per day.) Dr prescribed. Detoxing from Xanax in itself has been a living hell. Xanax is the worst drug ever!

    I spent 10 months in inter-dose withdrawal from it before detox. Since detox I have been tapering off neurontin ending last Monday! I am now short of breath when I do anything including sitting! I have developed acid reflux where I have a hard time eating. Food gets stuck in my throat and it feels like a lump is in my throat at times. I have muscle cramping, jerky motions, palpitations, etc., and anxiety has come back with a vengeance!

    Needless to say. I feel horrible and it is Christmas Eve! Ha! Merry Christmas! Since stopping neurontin I question if the symptoms I now have are from neurontin or Xanax withdrawal returning or both? How much longer will I suffer from this? I have been to ER twice. Once in November and again last week for shortness of breath and palpitations. Had chest X-ray, EKG, blood work.

    Both times results were normal. Was told my symptoms were withdrawals . And withdrawal anxiety. Has anyone gone through this or experienced this? This has been the worst year of my life! I can’t do anything! I am so wore out from everything!

    Reply
  41. Im aiming to get off Gabapentin after taking it for 6 months because it seems so incredibly likely that it’s causing Peripheral enema, which happens in 1% of takers. But every time I try to decrease it by 100 my chest hurts tremendously and all the muscles in my body hurt. I pull muscles so easily. Does this sound familiar at all? Thanks.

    Reply
  42. I have been taking 800mg Gabapentin for migraines for at least 5 years 3x a day (total of 2400mg daily). Really want to come off of it. Problem is it is in 800 mg tablets. Could I try going down 200mg a day for a week then 200 mg every week until off? Do you take Magnesium while tapering or when off? Have read all the horrible side effects of withdrawal and have experienced some when missing a dose, especially not sleeping and hot and cold flashes. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

    Reply
  43. I have been on a high dose of 1200mg 3 times a day (3600mg/day) for three years. This is for neuropathic pain caused by impinged nerves at numerous locations in my spine. Over the past month I have halved this dose and I have suffered with much of problems discussed in this article. My two top tips are transdermal magnesium supplementation.

    I use a couple of cups of magnesium chloride in a relaxing warm bath for a few hours and mix it 1:1 (volume) with filtered water to make magnesium oil which I spray on my legs a few times a day. 5kg tubs of the stuff from the Dead Sea are pretty cheap from the web. My second tip is heading for my local municipal swimming pool first thing every morning with the pres school/work swimmers. I have to wear a stiff collar and rigid flotation belt/brace to immobilize my spine and jog instead of swim but exercise is a great relief to me; especially after a night of poor/no sleep and pain.

    I hope that encouraging those suffering to try one or both of these might help at least one or two. My doctor advised me to taper by reducing by one 300mg tablet every five days and for me that was a nightmare until I had both of these to help me. Best wishes to all in regaining their health and a life post-gabapentin.

    Reply
  44. I have been on this evil drug for about 3 years. I cannot seem to stop. It is wrecking my short term memory. I have trouble finding words. I am shaking and unsteady. This is the hardest time I have ever had getting off a drug. My main problem with reducing is an itchy face. It is so severe. I cannot seem to find anything that will help with the insane itching. Help me. I am hoping someone can give me advice.

    I want to stop this medicine as soon as possible. I am taking 1800 mgs a day. Every time I try to wean myself I end up with such severe itching and dizziness that I go back to the original dosage. Can I just go cold turkey? I am thinking of just quitting when I get my Christmas vacation. So I don’t have to worry about going to work when I feel horrible. Any advice on how to get off this drug as soon as possible would be appreciated.

    This is just a nasty drug. I am on it for Fibro but I do think it makes my pain worse. All I did was injure my back one day and the doc put me on this stuff. That was it. Kick the ice and damage a nerve and all of a sudden it is Fibro. My eyesight is failing rapidly and I have such major stomach bloating that my clothes don’t fit. I am desperate.

    Reply
  45. Hi everybody. I am 36 year-old female. Had severe post-herpetic neuralgia. Was taking 1800mg of gabapentin per day. Then reduce it to 1200mg per day, then 600 mg, and finally quit. Now I am 2 months without gabapentin…feel myself like I am almost dead…have all withdrawal side effects… Tell me how long you have withdrawal period with post-withdrawal side effects? Thanks.

    Reply
  46. I have been on Gabapentin for 3 years following Chemo and Herceptin for one year which caused Neuropathy. When I visited the physician for Pallatve Care, I was prescribed Gabapentin and Dilaudid for the pain which flows from the top of my neck to the bottom of my feet. When I visited this physician the other day he told me that soon he will be discontinuing the drugs as my chief complaint currently is extreme fatigue.

    Unfortunately, I do not experience a restful sleep. I wake several times during the night and slowly make my way to soak in an Epsom salt bath, cry and pray many prayers that I will receive ample strength to somehow be productive the next day which begins at 5:00 AM. It does not happen and there is no magic pill that will provide me with energy and strength.

    After reading all the testimonials below, I cannot imagine how I am going to feel when I have to discontinue these medications. Please pray for me and I will pray for you. God Bless! Ignorance is Bliss!

    Reply
  47. Hi, my husband is taking 600mg of Gabapentin 3x a day and 2 at bedtime. I am seriously worried about him. He has been taking this since 2003 and was prescribed it for alcoholism withdrawal. Every day he lives his life like a zombie – no joy, no energy for anything. I am trying to talk to him about seeing a doctor to re-evaluate his medications. He has a history of depression and anxiety so I am thinking this much be all handled with care.

    Reply
  48. A few years ago I took gabapentin for a crushed nerve. I had suffered with the pain for about 3 weeks and was so incapacitated that I was not going to work, could not sleep, and was taking narcotics to the point of confusion. An anesthesiologist put me on 200 mgs of gabapentin and within 2 days I was back at work and was not taking any narcotics.

    I know I was on a low dose but I had no difficulty stopping the medication after taking it for a year. This drug was a real life saver for me. Almost any drug that effects the central nervous system will have some type of withdrawal. If you are going to stop one of these medications do it under the care of your physician. Hope this helps.

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  49. I took Gabapentin 900mg-1500mg and Norco 60mg-100mg for 2.75 years. It’s been 13 months that I have been off all meds. I’ve noticed some improvements over the past year, especially compared to how I was feeling during months 1-8. I used to have 16 symptoms. I am now down to 5. I was in tolerance with Gabapentin for a year (almost all of 2014) with 24/7 nausea before jumping CT.

    Three ER visits, three endoscopies. I was diagnosed with one pinprick ulcer, then no ulcers, then 2 surface ulcers. Put on PPIs and Sucralfate. All the doctors I saw told me the opiates I was taking for my spinal stenosis pain were causing my nausea. I lost 40 lbs in 6 months. I checked myself into a detox facility August 1, 2014 and was CT’d off the opiates.

    Came home after 2 weeks still nauseous and unable to eat. I had severe constipation to boot which had been going on for two years. My pain doc told me to stop taking the Gabapentin. The next day I ended up in the ER a fourth time so out of it I was drooling, falling over and incoherent. They did an ultrasound which revealed 2 gallstones. The doctor at the ER told me to reinstate the Gabapentin.

    I had my gallbladder removed–no gallstones were found. I came home after three days and I was still nauseous 24/7. My family and I finally figured out it had to be the Gabapentin. We had exhausted all the other possibilities. I was on 900mg and I kept cutting down the Gabapentin, 100 mg a day. I hadn’t found this site or anything on the internet about how slow you were supposed to taper and my pain doc said he never tapered any of his patients.

    Gabapentin didn’t need to be tapered he said. I was sick taking the drug, I was sick tapering the drug, so my family and I decided I should just stop taking it. November 8, 2014 – Welcome to withdrawal hell, Judy. Come on in and set a spell. That’s if you can sit at all with the: roaring tinnitus, akathisia, cortisol/adrenaline surging, anxiety, panic attacks, looping intrusive thoughts that come out of Satan’s butthole, back pain, nausea, insomnia, horror show nightmares, vertigo, constant pacing, DP/DR, constipation, anal spasms, gut pain, drunk/drugged LSD tripping, cog fog, internal vibrations like I was laying on a vibrating bed, etc.

    It was like being on a cheap carnival ride after you’ve eaten a whole spool of pink cotton candy. The first three months was a steady stream of life on Elm Street with Freddy Krueger leading the parade. A real sh*t show X 1000. The next five months, if you can believe it, were even worse! Every symptom seemed to take on a life of its own. I was helpless, my white knuckles hanging onto the rollercoaster roll bar with no seat belt doing upside down loop-de-loops all day long.

    At 3 months out, the cog fog and vertigo subsided. At 4 months out, the 24/7 nausea went away. Then I started taking 200mg of magnesium at night. The constipation went away. I still had some gut issues, but these two babies were pure hell. At 7.5 months out, I was walking in my backyard in the wee hours–walking, not pacing frantically. Oh my God, the akathisia is gone! I started bawling.

    I rolled back and forth on the carpet, I howled at the moon. I got down on my knees and prayed, thanking God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, all my dead relatives, Elvis, Mother Teresa, my guardian angel, Ghandi, Frank Sinatra, Lassie, Buddha, my spirit guide (yes, I’ve read up on and tried everything on this journey) and anyone else I could think of who may have had something to do with lifting this horrible symptom from my body and brain.

    My dirty bathrobe, caked with oatmeal and bits of fried egg, was now soaked with my tears. I could lay on my back in bed for more than 5 minutes without popping back up to run outside and pace my backyard in a panic. At 8.5 months out, I was “strolling” in my backyard in the wee hour darkness and I noticed my roaring pulsatile tinnitus and internal head whooshing was quieter.

    It was not like getting tossed around in a washing machine of crashing waves. It was more like what you hear when you put a conch shell up to your ear, but with a resuscitator machine attached to it (my heartbeat). The whooshing was lighter, like a whisper of what it used to be. I began to bawl again and thank a litany of other dead people I forgot to mention when the akathisia went away the month before.

    I knew in my heart who was really responsible, but I’ll leave that for the faith board. At 9.5 months out, all my gut issues went away. I get occasional heartburn like everybody does once in awhile, I pop a couple of Tums 1000 and I get immediate relief. I still get the anal spasm thingie once a month if I have a lower intestine gas bubble, but I fart and I’m good to go.

    At 10.5 months out, the insomnia got better. I always get at least 5 hours of sleep most nights. Sometimes I still have trouble getting to sleep. I used to take half a Unisom doxy about once or twice a week for a couple of months, when I could not fall asleep due to looping intrusive thoughts, but I read somewhere that it may cause Alzheimer’s or some other dementia, so I quit, since I don’t need that crap to complicate or interrupt my lovely withdrawal adventure.

    At 11.5 months out, the symptoms started alternating, morphing, jumping around a bit. I started having some pretty gnarly waves that would last a week. A real Wheel of Misfortune potpourri. A new symptom started too. Fever-like chills coursing through my body. Weird. The internal vibrating bed symptom only happens once a month and goes away in about 15 seconds, so I’m not counting it. I also get occasional little squealies of tinnitus, but they go away in 5 seconds, so I don’t count them either.

    As of December 3, 2015, at almost 13 months out, I am left with the following symptoms: 4 A.M. cortisol adrenaline glutamate alarm clock, racing heartbeat, heart palps, anxiety and fear, overstimulation (still can’t watch TV or listen to music), intrusive thoughts, hypersensitivity to good and bad stressors, drugged/drunk veil that drapes me. I guess that’s more than five, but who’s counting? I know Who is going to pull me out of this one day.

    I will be forever grateful when that day arrives and, before that day comes, I’ll keep reminding myself of many things, like my beautiful family, a roof over my head, my beloved pug and my health, for which I am already grateful. You know we will all heal. It just takes a long time. We will heal and this will be a foggy memory (no, not withdrawal foggy memory).

    Until then, we will continue to spin the Wheel of Misfortune, we will pace and rock and cry, we will put heat and ice on what hurts, we will have intrusive thoughts that we will never heal, we will be constipated (magnesium set me free), we will have diarrhea (bananas and brown rice and protein are good pluggers), we will get revved up using our computers and cell phones, we will run to the doctors when new health issues blow our minds (because, of course, we are dying), we will try to distract, breathe deeply, do yoga, meditate and exercise and nothing will work, we will have nightmares that would make Stephen King cringe, we will TRY EVERYTHING but, at the end of the day, we will rest up for the onslaught of tomorrow because nothing will heal us but TIME.

    Our spirits will not be broken because God protects us always. He will carry us over the finish line some day. I’ve never found Gabapentin withdrawal stories this far out from the drugs, so I am here to tell you how real it is. I hope to come back some day with my success story.

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  50. Hey everybody I’ve been taking 1800mg a day for the last 3 or 4 years and am now down to 600mg at night and attempting to go down to 300mg at night. I know this is going to be very difficult to fully get off of in the next few weeks, but for everybody that has been on this medication for a long period of time, what were some of your withdrawls and how long did they last for? Are there any suggestions on how to approach this final stretch of getting off of this dangerous drug? All feedback and support is greatly appreciated.

    Reply

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