Gabapentin low dose OK while going through withdrawl?

[Guest [st...]]

200mg daily - will it prevent upregulation of Gaba A receptors or healing in general?

[[wi...]]

I don’t think anyone has proven that scientifically, but on the upside that is a very low dose.

id be more concerned with the drugs ability to cause quick dependence and tolerance.

easily habit forming and can often produce nasty side effects.

you have to weigh the risks and benefits.

good luck

[[Br...]]

I would weigh this decision very carefully.  Here's a quote about Gabapentin (also Lyrica, Neurontin, and Pregabalin) from Benzodiazepine Information Coalition:

 

"These drugs are commonly used even though they have not been proven effective for benzodiazepine cessation. A clinical trial for “GabapentinTreatment of Benzodiazepine Dependence” began in 2013. It was terminated, without results, in 2018. All of these drugs require their own slow taper and have their own severe withdrawal syndromes with corresponding patient support groups."

 

[Guest [st...]]

2 hours ago, [[B...] said:

I would weigh this decision very carefully.  Here's a quote about Gabapentin (also Lyrica, Neurontin, and Pregabalin) from Benzodiazepine Information Coalition:

"These drugs are commonly used even though they have not been proven effective for benzodiazepine cessation. A clinical trial for “GabapentinTreatment of Benzodiazepine Dependence” began in 2013. It was terminated, without results, in 2018. All of these drugs require their own slow taper and have their own severe withdrawal syndromes with corresponding patient support groups."

Exactly what  I needed to read -  I take a lot on that list - not good, no wonder I’m not healing

What’s actually safe to take? Lol

 

 

[[Ha...]]

I have the same question! I'm currently at an 18 month taper off a forty year Ativan dependence. I was given gabapentin 100mg to take 3 times a day. I only took 100mg and am still taking only 100mg.a day. I was told it was safe to take and I trusted my doctor. I'm coming to the end of my taper soon. Now I'm getting freaked out because everyone is saying gabapentin is horrible to get off of as well. Anyone else had experience with this?

[[ja...]]

I have a bit.....  I was struggling to keep calm, and wasn't sleeping much at the bottom end of my taper off  of2 benzos.  It was a 20 year habit for one, and then another was added for the last 11 years.    So my withdrawal was intense.  (INTENSE)...

I was offered gabapentin to bridge my jump.... it did help me get a few hours sleep a night, but it make my akathesia worse.  Super vibrating especially in my chest and arms.  No matter, I got a few hours sleep and I needed that.   The best dose for me was 75 mg.  I know.... a small dose, but any more and it didn't seem to work as well.    Three months after I jumped, I weaned off of it.    I did it in a month and it was nothing compared to how awful my benzo taper was.   So, a small dose for a short time.   Hope this helps....

[[Ta...]]

3 hours ago, [[H...] said:

I have the same question! I'm currently at an 18 month taper off a forty year Ativan dependence. I was given gabapentin 100mg to take 3 times a day. I only took 100mg and am still taking only 100mg.a day. I was told it was safe to take and I trusted my doctor. I'm coming to the end of my taper soon. Now I'm getting freaked out because everyone is saying gabapentin is horrible to get off of as well. Anyone else had experience with this?

I just recently got off of gabapentin. To me, it was easier to get off of than Ativan (much, much easier.) Getting yourself all worked up about it can only make things harder. Many of the stories that you read are about people who were on a MUCH higher dose. A friend of mine takes 3600 mg a day. You and I only have taken 100. There were some symptoms (pins & needles) and anxiety, but it passed pretty quickly. Just keep telling yourself "this is only temporary." You will get thru it!

Eileen

 

[[PE...]]

12 hours ago, [[H...] said:

I have the same question! I'm currently at an 18 month taper off a forty year Ativan dependence. I was given gabapentin 100mg to take 3 times a day. I only took 100mg and am still taking only 100mg.a day. I was told it was safe to take and I trusted my doctor. I'm coming to the end of my taper soon. Now I'm getting freaked out because everyone is saying gabapentin is horrible to get off of as well. Anyone else had experience with this?

100mg is a very low dose. My mother did this dose for a couple of yesrs then just stopped and had no problems what so ever. But everyone is different. 

 

[[or...]]

@[st...] I tapered down my 10 year gabapentin usage from 2300 mgs (for a foot neuropathy) with little problem. I took a bit more time with the last 100 mgs as I was having problems -- dizziness, headaches. As I recall, it took me about 3 months to taper the last 100 mgs. Gabapentin in soluble in water, so that made tapering easier. Just make up a 100 ml/100 mgs solution and treat it like a benzo -- 5-10% reduction every 2 weeks or so. Hope this helps.

Edited January 5 by [or...]

[[PE...]]

Sorry for the off topic @[st...]. But did you get this name from the movie Donnie Darko? One of my absolute favourite of all time : )

Edited January 5 by Guest

[[Ha...]]

2 hours ago, [[o...] said:

@[st...] I tapered down my 10year gabapentin usage from 2300 mgs for a foot neuropathy with little problem. I took a more time with the last 100 mgs as I was having problems -- dizziness, headaches. As I recall, it took me about 3 months to taper the last 100 mgs. Gabapentin in soluble in water, so that made tapering easier. Just make up a 100 ml/100 mgs solution and treat it like a benzo -- 5-10% reduction every 2 weeks or so. Hope this helps.

Thanks so much for your response. This makes me super anxious and a little upset because this is exactly what I was trying to avoid. I refused to cross over to any other benzo or SSRI, but I was assured that Gabapentin was safe and I wouldn't have withdrawal effects coming off of it. 

[[or...]]

1 hour ago, [[H...] said:

Thanks so much for your response. This makes me super anxious and a little upset because this is exactly what I was trying to avoid. I refused to cross over to any other benzo or SSRI, but I was assured that Gabapentin was safe and I wouldn't have withdrawal effects coming off of it. 

You might not have problems coming off it. As it's water soluble, if I were you, I'd make a solution, find the dose that doesn't give you too many w/d problems, then just taper using the solution. You could even do a DLMT with it, tapering a bit daily. That's a bit of  a pain in the rear end ( I tapered off my benzo that way) but you could certainly reduce weekly or bi-weekly.  Getting off gaba was much easier for me than getting off valium.  Hope things work out.

Edited January 5 by [or...]

[[Ha...]]

On 04/01/2024 at 22:23, [[T...] said:

I just recently got off of gabapentin. To me, it was easier to get off of than Ativan (much, much easier.) Getting yourself all worked up about it can only make things harder. Many of the stories that you read are about people who were on a MUCH higher dose. A friend of mine takes 3600 mg a day. You and I only have taken 100. There were some symptoms (pins & needles) and anxiety, but it passed pretty quickly. Just keep telling yourself "this is only temporary." You will get thru it!

Eileen

Thank you so much for your response, Eileen! I appreciate it. I'm okay now and not going to do any projecting about the gabapentin. Just focus on the prize, and that is the freedom I want to feel when I am completely off of the Ativan. 

[[PE...]]

On 05/01/2024 at 00:29, [[s...] said:

200mg daily - will it prevent upregulation of Gaba A receptors or healing in general?

Sorry for the of topice @[st...]. 

It's a low dose. I would take it when needed not every day. I took it for a couple of weeks but higher dose. Tolerance is a big issue so better take it a few days a week not every day.

[[...]]

On 04/01/2024 at 21:55, [[H...] said:

I have the same question! I'm currently at an 18 month taper off a forty year Ativan dependence. I was given gabapentin 100mg to take 3 times a day. I only took 100mg and am still taking only 100mg.a day. I was told it was safe to take and I trusted my doctor. I'm coming to the end of my taper soon. Now I'm getting freaked out because everyone is saying gabapentin is horrible to get off of as well. Anyone else had experience with this?

I'm thinking it should be easier for you since it's such a low dose. I just finished a gabapentin taper and I opened the capsules and mixed it with water.  I think it took me about 3 or 4 months to taper the last 200 mg (I started at 700 mg.)