Gabapentin Withdrawals (Page 14) (Top voted first)

I'm being taken off of Neurontin/Gabapentin after seven years. I'm now crying, anxious, and itching all over! I have tried antihistamines and cortisone creams but with no relief.

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Re: Joe (# 248)

Salonpas, Lidocaine PLUS pain relieving liquid gave me relief. It's available OTC.

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Re: jennifer (# 3)

Hi Jennifer! You are absolutely right!! I was on 5500mg per day with a slow taper and it worked but when I reinstated they put me on Lyrica at a lower dose for 3 years. I was then tapered off that and it took a 8-12 months for my body to readjust itself. My advice is to hang in there, your body and mind will thank you later. P.S. You will still have pain from whatever you are being treated for but suprisingly it is less than you think, meaning it's more tolerable but you will still need something like advil 12 hr, muscle relaxer , the etc. At least that's how it was for me. Every individual is going to be different. Good Luck.

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Wow, I have been taking this crap for 2 years and I have tried to come off it and can't. I also take Suboxone. I would like to come off gabapentin, but I need help.

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Re: Jerry (# 270)

Look at some of the older posts in this section Jerry from 2011 to current. There’s some really good information on magnesium supplements and tapering information. Generally speaking, you need to follow a good tapering program to ween off of Gabapentin. Also check out Dr. Carolyn Dean’s information on tapering and magnesium supplements. Just google her name and there is a ton of information. She has a good blog write up on Gabapentin withdrawal.

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Re: Isabel (# 4)

I was taking Gabapentin 400 mg twice a day for 2 weeks for shingles pain and now I am withdrawing and it’s terrible. Night sweats like stepping out of the shower, anxiety, palpitations ,nausea, and high pulse at times. Also can’t sleep. What can help this? Will taking magnesium help?

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Re: Sandy (# 272)

Finally, after a 5 year time tenure NO MORE PAIN, itch, stabbing, numbness and I did it on my own after attempt, another attempt, another attempt. No Rx, all OTC. No follow up's, co-payments. V1 trigeminal Nerve is once again NORMAL.

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Re: Sandy (# 272)

Check out some of the older entries (2011) from this particular blog...there's a lot of good information on magnesium and other things that can help you with withdrawals. It is tough, not doubt about it. But you can do it. I've tapered down to 14.5 mg/3 times a day. Also, check out a Doctor by the name of Carolyn Dean, MD...online...she has some good blog information detailing using magnesium with gabapentin withdrawal.

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Re: GabaGeorge (# 274)

Here's what solved mine:

1. Ice Bag at CVS works Warm & Cold
2. Hot n' Cold Gel Pack at Amazon
3. Calamine Lotion
4. Salonpas Lidocaine Plus Pain Relieving Liquid
5. Electric Percussion Therapeutic Hand Held Massager
6. Geranium Oil massaged into the affected area
7. A mixture of Geranium Oil with Coconut cooking oil

All OTC inexpensive & long lasting

8. Used the lidoderm Lidocaine Patches 12 / on, 12 / off. $300 is ok for topical numbness, didn't solve the nerve pain, compression on myelin etc. transmission, synapse, reception etc. on me.

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Re: Verwon (# 2)

It can take months to wean off and withdraw symptoms can last for years!

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Re: Luke (# 260)

Hi Luke, My withdrawals were gone fairly quickly. I take magnesium every day. Here is the weird thing though: For YEARS (the whole time I took that crap) I have complained to my doctor about excessive fatigue. I also had a problem with waking up at 4-4:30 am for no reason, and was unable to go back to sleep. I thought my neck pain was waking me up. Complained to my PCP and he claimed it was depression. My pain doc changed my meds, I quit the gabapentin, and I started sleeping like a normal person. Last week I got a new PCP & was complaining about my arm (nerve) pain. He suggested Lyrica because he claimed the side effects weren’t as prominent. Bull. I took 25 mg on Sunday night and I didn’t come out of my confused haze until yesterday. The weird part is that yesterday I woke up at 4:30 am and today at 5. I believe it is this gaba stuff. Insomnia is a side effect. So is depression. My last PCP was an *****. They are both listed as side effects in the PDR. Long story short, my withdrawals lasted about as long as opiate withdrawals did, but they weren’t as bad. Not that the opiates were bad-the third night is the worst so get a sleep aid-but it’s nothing like you see in the movies if you slowly wean yourself off them.

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Hi DiDi!
I'm so sorry for your discomfort but I've been off Gabapentin and Lyrica 2yrs now and still have itching, difficulty swallowing, other side effects. Hang in there; it lessens each day. The initial onset of withdrawl last awhile and is very wearing on the body and mind but you can do it.

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Re: Stewey (# 81)

I hear a lot of people say they end up in the ER heres the thing I have been taking gabapentin 600mg pill 2-3 pills at night since November and the supply has run dry. Since I never even had a script what would a doctor do for me?

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It does not matter if a drug is called an opiate, a narcotic, a pain killer etc... I have been taking 4 800 milligram neurontin gabapentin for years. I have also tried many anti-depressants. I am an opiate addict and have been using subutex (buprenorphine) for a few years now with just ok results. Anyway getting to the point, doctors will tell you anti-depressants are not addictive, not habit forming, yet from experience I know many anti-depressants are very addictive. I had a hell of a time coming off paxil.

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if you want transdermal, imo the best absorbed way to take mag, amazon, or make your own, much cheaper, by buying pure magnesium chloride flakes and adding distilled water. Saves you a fortune, cos oil can be pricey.

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I was on gabapentin 900mg daily for 8-10 yrs. Primary dr told me to quit gabapentin when I received a pain pump implantation for chronic back pain. I am up to PRIALT Infusion Mode Simple Continuous Drug 2.71mcg/day. I was to titrate off (3) 300mg gabapentin by: quit midday capsuke immediately. Stop am caosule after 1 week. Stop pm capsule after another week. Done. I have had horrible withdrawal symptoms!! Including: Anxiety. Panic attacks. Crying spells. Depression. Fatigue. Headaches. Insomnia & sleep disturbances. Irritability. Itching. Muscle pain. Nausea. Restlessness. Muscle spasms. Stomach pain. Sweating. Some or all of this has been going on for 7-1/2 weeks.
How much magnesium should I start taking? There is 100mg in my multivitamin.

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yes this is normal I went through the same thing. I was on 3600 for eight years. I weaned off very slowly. I started weening off in 2008. I am now down to 400mg and go down about 100 a week. Its so awful

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What's the slow release mag u take. Did u do the bath and gargle just once a day?

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Does gabapentin has narcotics in it

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Is gabapentin an opiod

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