Gabapentin (Neurontin) Withdrawl Support Group

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TeeCee: melantonin is not a natural supplement. and I am very thankful that the fda has no oversight over supplements or all you couldn't buy anything and big pharma would run the entire show.  I totally agree that there is tons of junk supplements out there which can do more harm then good. research and trusted sources are needed. my mom at the age of over 60 got off *all* but 1 big pharma pill (LDN - which is off label anyways), lost 40 pounds and is doing great! and you know that over 100k people or more people die in the USA because of big pharma pills.

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Locutus, I'm no fan of big pharma or the FDA either. BELIEVE ME. But in my search for relief  from multiple medical issues,  I've been put on supplements by doctors, and I've gotten conflicting advice from them (never mind that they have no idea how those supplements affect benzo addled bodies). I'm also suspicious that when the doctor makes you order from a certain site, they are getting a commission.  It's hard to get objective information about certain supplements because many of the websites are hosted by companies that are promoting them for certain conditions that they treat.  There's lots of conflicting advice on these forums too. Melatonin works for some people. It gave my daughter nightmares. Valerian works for some, like my daughter, but not for me. And on one thread I read that if you take melatonin all the time, it inhibits your own body's ability to make it. I don't know if it's true. My personal preference is to try to sleep without use of my supplement (a combo of l-theanine, 5-HTP and melatonin) and only take it if I am becoming anxious about not sleeping. I am not knocking use of supplements. But IMHO, natural does not always equal safe per se, and certainly not for people with certain conditions.

Have a great day

[Guest [Fu...]]

No I do not think Gabapentin helped with my Klonopin taper at all. It made my depersonalization much, much worse and gave me a strange kind of anxiety that's hard to describe. I was calm on the outside but felt like I was on the verge of going insane. I really did not like the way it made me feel. So I stopped but my depression and my physical symptoms have been noticeably worse since then.

[[Te...]]

No I do not think Gabapentin helped with my Klonopin taper at all. It made my depersonalization much, much worse and gave me a strange kind of anxiety that's hard to describe. I was calm on the outside but felt like I was on the verge of going insane. I really did not like the way it made me feel. So I stopped but my depression and my physical symptoms have been noticeably worse since then.

I think so too. And I think it delayed my healing from the Klonopin. I'm 5 days out from my last dose and I'm still feeling it. It all goes back to my feeling that taking a different drug to get off of klonopin or to deal with withdrawal sx just delays healing. Withdrawal is miserable for most of us. But you have to get through the misery to heal. I have to believe that it will get better if I just let my body find its way back.

[Guest [Fu...]]

I'm in the same boat TeeCee. I'm hurting bad but I have no choice but to keep going. I thought a slow taper would be bearable but it's been abysmal.

[[lo...]]

so I got down to 150mg at bedtime per day. not much w/d symptoms at all. sleep was a bit worse. but I feel much better in general!

anybody else here felt much better once off this stuff

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2 weeks after dropping 200 mg (from 600 to 400)

About to drop more

Just stabilized 2 days ago.

Good idea or no?

If so how much ?

[Guest [...]]

Hi everyone.  I have a question. You can see my signature lune for complete story. I have been talking 300 mgs 3 times daily of gabapentin for about 5 months. It was given to me for back pain. Along with this seven months ago I suffered some sort of breakdown and was thrown on Ativan 1 MG which in October I cold turkeyed from. Doctor reinstated at 2 mgs daily. I upped my dose on my own stupidly to 2.5. Now down to 2.25 of A. Anyway, going through so much depression that it is worse than seven months ago. I want to get off both to see if it is clear cut depression or medication induced. Should I speak with my doctor about coming off the gabapentin as well, or just do my Ativan first? Opinions ate welcome! Thank you!

[[lo...]]

drop to 100. I dropped 300 to 150 3 days ago. by next be drop to 75 tonight for 2 nights, and then done.

 

 

 

2 weeks after dropping 200 mg (from 600 to 400)

About to drop more

Just stabilized 2 days ago.

Good idea or no?

If so how much ?

[Guest [...]]

Hi everyone.  I have a question. You can see my signature lune for complete story. I have been talking 300 mgs 3 times daily of gabapentin for about 5 months. It was given to me for back pain. Along with this seven months ago I suffered some sort of breakdown and was thrown on Ativan 1 MG which in October I cold turkeyed from. Doctor reinstated at 2 mgs daily. I upped my dose on my own stupidly to 2.5. Now down to 2.25 of A. Anyway, going through so much depression that it is worse than seven months ago. I want to get off both to see if it is clear cut depression or medication induced. Should I speak with my doctor about coming off the gabapentin as well, or just do my Ativan first? Opinions ate welcome! Thank you!

Still looking for assistance or ideas...Thank you!!! 😊

[[lo...]]

Pumpkin: gabapentin in higher doses is known to cause depression. it did so for me. If I would have to re-do my entire taper, I would have stopped gabapentin before tapering.

the only use I feel this drug had, was for good sleep. if sleep is not an issue for you, you can basically rapid taper 900 pretty quick. I did a CT during my taper once or twice from 1800 with no issues.

 

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Hi everyone.  I have a question. You can see my signature lune for complete story. I have been talking 300 mgs 3 times daily of gabapentin for about 5 months. It was given to me for back pain. Along with this seven months ago I suffered some sort of breakdown and was thrown on Ativan 1 MG which in October I cold turkeyed from. Doctor reinstated at 2 mgs daily. I upped my dose on my own stupidly to 2.5. Now down to 2.25 of A. Anyway, going through so much depression that it is worse than seven months ago. I want to get off both to see if it is clear cut depression or medication induced. Should I speak with my doctor about coming off the gabapentin as well, or just do my Ativan first? Opinions ate welcome! Thank you!

 

Just to answer your question.  I did a c/t off Lorazepam and was put on Gabapentin to deal with the c/t symptoms.  Was on 300mg about seven months.  Then did a taper.  Suffering some of the nerve problems from coming off Gabapentin.  Most people taper the benzo first.  I don't think I would taper both at once.

[[Ca...]]

If u still need gabapentin for back pain, my (guess only), would be to find ur rough minimal gabapentin level and taper Ativan from there... I tend to consider gabapentin (and lyrica) as a sorta substitute for valium (so possibly others like Ativan??) -for me there is a dependance interaction...

Depending on the back pain, i might, maybe, think about trying a staggered step down between the two (one at a time, with the Ativan as the priority -guess 2:1 as a %)

-Pre benzo, off and on Gabapentin was no issue for ME...

As u drop the Ativan, the gabapentin may lose its effectivness too...??

-just thoughts only...!

Best wishes finding the path that suits you the best... -there will be one...

 

 

 

[Guest [...]]

Hi everyone.  I have a question. You can see my signature lune for complete story. I have been talking 300 mgs 3 times daily of gabapentin for about 5 months. It was given to me for back pain. Along with this seven months ago I suffered some sort of breakdown and was thrown on Ativan 1 MG which in October I cold turkeyed from. Doctor reinstated at 2 mgs daily. I upped my dose on my own stupidly to 2.5. Now down to 2.25 of A. Anyway, going through so much depression that it is worse than seven months ago. I want to get off both to see if it is clear cut depression or medication induced. Should I speak with my doctor about coming off the gabapentin as well, or just do my Ativan first? Opinions ate welcome! Thank you!

 

Just to answer your question.  I did a c/t off Lorazepam and was put on Gabapentin to deal with the c/t symptoms.  Was on 300mg about seven months.  Then did a taper.  Suffering some of the nerve problems from coming off Gabapentin.  Most people taper the benzo first.  I don't think I would taper both at once.

Thanks Popcorn.  Sleep is an issue, but I know that gabapentin isn't helping it anymore,nor with it do I feel relaxed. I am scared I may have to go on am AD.  I don't think it's wise for me to do both at once either. I saw in your signature line you did hydroxyzine. I tried it once 25mgs at night. Didn't work well. Would you mind telling me of your experience? Thank you.

[[lo...]]

btw guys I'm done with gabapentin. took my last 150mg 2 nights ago. I feel no difference, no w/d and haven't really through my rather rapid taper. slept great too.

that is another confirmation for me - this drug ever caused barely any w/d in my case. the trick is to push through if you feel like another benzo w/d (and potentially supplement with magnesium which I did)

 

this is something I posted in the chewing fat section;

http://www.pharmaciststeve.com/?p=10158

it appears that this nasty drug block formation of new synapses. not sure if this means prolonged healing, but I wouldn't be surprised if gabapentin makes the recovery worse at the end.

 

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Locutus,

I'm done over two weeks with the gabapentin. Well my withdrawal was different than yours. With each cut I had insomnia. With each cut I had withdrawal sx, either from the gabapentin or from the Klonopin, withdrawal temporarily masked by the gabapentin, or from both.  I'm still getting heart pounding, palpitations, and shaking, though it's diminishing, FINALLY. As for magnesium, it's in a bunch of supplements I'm taking, not to mention the Pepcid complete I take for my GERD. I fiinally figured out that all that magnesium was making my diarrhea worse. We're all different that way. Magnesium not only didn't help with my withdrawal and potentially made me sicker. I'm very glad to hear you're doing better and I agree you have to push through. You have to get to the other side and it will suck for a while. There is no magic bullet and more medications just prolong it.

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TeeCee the good news is that you are done with another damaging drug. on the magnesium side, there have been some formulations which caused me huge digestion issues, one of them is magnesium citrate.

I settled on magnesium malate, magnesium threonate, liquid ionic form of magnesium (partly chloride i think), and also have a magnesium spray and use epson salt baths which is also magnesium. did not had problems with those.

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Locutus,

Thanks for explaining the different forms of magnesium! There is magnesium in my calcium supplement, my multivitamin, Pepcid complete and the supplement my doctor put me in to heal my gut. None of them are the "good" types you mentioned.  I'm glad to be off the psych drugs for sure. I'm weaning off dexilant- now on prescription Prevacid. Hope to be on plain old H2 blockers in a few months. The fewer drugs in me the more I can figure out what's causing problems and the better my body can heal.

TeeCee

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for those of you who completely stopped gabapentin. how long did it took you for symptoms to resolve. I don't feel anything crazy, but maybe I am a bit more agitated, it could be benzo w/d I don't know. I slept great so not sure.

1 positive thing I noticed that my cognitive abilities improved since I started reducing and stopped this stupid drug. I am wondering if there is some fear of letting go another mind altering drug.

like suddenly you are fully exposed to reality and don't know what to do. re-learning life.

[[so...]]

My cognitive abilities got much better after dumping Gabapentin.  I think cognitive impairment is a main side effect of this particular drug.  It all comes back, so have hope.

 

Sofa

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Locutus,

I was put on gabapentin to withdraw from klonopin. I'm a little under 3 weeks out from stopping the gabapentin and a little over 13 weeks out from stopping the klonopin. I'm still having withdrawal sx- mostly palps, pounding in ears, mild shakiness. Also havjng  some neuromuscular sx like little spasms or burning. The neuropathy is diminished  as is the tinnitus. Im sleeping better. I'm not sure whether the sx I am experiencing are withdrawal from the Klonopin, the gabapentin, or both. The good news is that it is getting better. Since both these drugs are used to combat anxiety, I notice that the symptoms worsen if I am anxious or if I do too much. Oddly, doing something productive can make the sx better, as long as I don't do too much or ruminate about what I need to do.

Hope this helps and I'll keep you posted about my progress.

Best,

TeeCee

[[lo...]]

TeeCee: I ask myself the same question. is it gabapentin, K or both. i'm 10 weeks off K and 3 days of G. or maybe just the G covered some of the K symptoms. Keep us posted.

All symptoms I really have is restlessness/anxiety which seems to get better around 8pm, which is 2h before bedtime. Good distraction helps, but when I sit down, or try do some work I can notice it.

another positive since I stopped G, I can feel my energy levels and motivation are a bit higher. but they still get clouded by this baseline anxiety

I hope you improve quick

[[Te...]]

Locutus,

The restlessness and anxiety (with heart pounding) is my dominant symptom. Until I got off the gabapentin, I could reliably look forward to relief in the evening. But as I got closer to finishing, and for two weeks after, the restlessness didn't abate at night. Now I have the sx intermittently, including at night, but less intense. I find  relaxed belly breathing to be helpful. Sleep is improving, but every night is different. Even on good nights, I wake up earlier than I'd like ( around 5:45) and can't go back to sleep. But two months ago, I was barely sleeping. So I try to focus on the progress. My body will reset itself given time and proper treatment.

[[Po...]]

Hi everyone.  I have a question. You can see my signature lune for complete story. I have been talking 300 mgs 3 times daily of gabapentin for about 5 months. It was given to me for back pain. Along with this seven months ago I suffered some sort of breakdown and was thrown on Ativan 1 MG which in October I cold turkeyed from. Doctor reinstated at 2 mgs daily. I upped my dose on my own stupidly to 2.5. Now down to 2.25 of A. Anyway, going through so much depression that it is worse than seven months ago. I want to get off both to see if it is clear cut depression or medication induced. Should I speak with my doctor about coming off the gabapentin as well, or just do my Ativan first? Opinions ate welcome! Thank you!

 

Just to answer your question.  I did a c/t off Lorazepam and was put on Gabapentin to deal with the c/t symptoms.  Was on 300mg about seven months.  Then did a taper.  Suffering some of the nerve problems from coming off Gabapentin.  Most people taper the benzo first.  I don't think I would taper both at once.

Thanks Popcorn.  Sleep is an issue, but I know that gabapentin isn't helping it anymore,nor with it do I feel relaxed. I am scared I may have to go on am AD.  I don't think it's wise for me to do both at once either. I saw in your signature line you did hydroxyzine. I tried it once 25mgs at night. Didn't work well. Would you mind telling me of your experience? Thank you.

 

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner.  I haven't been posting much.  My script for Hydroxyzine was 50mg - 4 times a day as needed.  At one point I took 50mg and then 2 hours later another 50mg.  They seem to help a little.  I know take 50mg at night and 50mg in the morning.  I tried not using it at all, but felt it was helping with my sleep.  I am having neurological symptoms and don't know why.  The nerve endings in my legs and feet are really bad at night.  Don't want to go to another Doctor, so am trying to treat with Vitamins.  I know they prescribe Gabapentin for this and I refuse to go on it again.

[[lo...]]

TeeCee: i see we are in a similar boat. reading through your symptoms, the inability to feel pleasure is something i got too. and prior to reducing / jumpting gabapentin, my evenings were even pleasant sometimes. so i think this drug either has some w/d or provided some benefit and the benefit is done. but it is good to hear that after 2 weeks it is getting better. this is such a nasty drug, short half life, long onset, uneven absorption and side effects like being dumped down and weight gain in my case, that it is just not worth it. it 9.23pm here and I feel another day is over....those days rush so quickly...maybe its a good thing, 1 day closer to recovery