Gabapentin Withdrawals
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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: 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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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: 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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Re: Verwon (# 2)

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

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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: 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: 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: 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: 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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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: 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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Re: Joe (# 248)

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

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Re: gabyist (# 26)


Hey Gabyist...not sure if you are still monitoring these blogs or not...but I’m working on coming off of Gabapentin. I’ve been taking ReMag for the last couple of weeks, but I’ve gotten a bit overzealous and was taking some pretty high amounts thinking it would work quicker. I was taking about 1 teaspoon 3-4 times per day in water with sea salt. What was the best concentration of ReMag that worked for you. I get bad headaches which seems to be the biggest issue. I get headaches from the Gabapentin during withdrawal everyday...I know when I’m ready for another dose. I am down to 18 mg of Gabapentin 3 times per day. I space the doses out to about 7-8 hours between doses. How did you taper once you got down into these lower doses. I seem to be very susceptible to dose changes down in these lower concentrations. Thanks for any insight you may offer!

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Some people need a really slow taper of 10% or less safe tapering protocols. Please ask your Doctor if he can support you with 10% or less drops if not that to support you to go as slow as you need. He can prescribe liquid Gabapentin to help control the drops or you can use a water titration method to help. There is a Lyrica water titration video on YouTube for a visual. I hope that helps get you some resources. Acute Gabapentin withdrawals mimic acute Benzodiazepines withdrawals. Both are GABA medications and the 10% or less reduction percentage for Benzodiazepines apply. Also 10% safe tapering guidelines is also becoming used for SSRIs, z-drugs, Cymbalta ect...

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Re: gabyist (# 10)

I am on gabapentin and Percocet 4 post shingles pain pos post shingles pain post-herpetic neuralgia for 5 months now I started out on 300 mg at bedtimeIt than 300 mg 3 times a day and then 600 mg 3 times a day so I am taking 180 600 mg three times a day so I am taking 1800 mg Around the Clock for excruciating pain from the shingles although the blisters are hers now gone I don't know how long I will have to take this medication and what I'm hearing from the people on this page is getting me worried it may be months or years it's already been 5 months so I am also taking Percocet which I take only if the pain gets very very severe also worried about that medication because it is an medication because it is an opiate I am 80 years old and this pain is depressing me keeps me down I was a very active senior until this happened to me

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Re: Katy (# 263)

There might be something online...not sure though. I just jotted it down on a piece of paper...reducing every 4 days by a small set amount. I tried to be pretty consistent and I think dissolving the gabapentin in water allows you to be pretty consistent with the dose...at least it worked well for me that way. I always tried to really mix up the dissolved gabapentin/water solution with a straw to ensure it was well mixed before taking.

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Re: Pokey (# 262)

wow I didn't know it was going to be that hard. Where do you get this schedule? Is it somewhere online?

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Re: Katy (# 261)

Sounds pretty fast to me Katy...I started at 300 mg per day...I followed a schedule like 300 mg/day (100mg every 8 hours) then started cutting. 285mg (95 every 8 hours) for 3-4 days and then another 5% cut. I use a 100 ml plastic graduated cylinder and dissolve the 100mg capsules in hot water. I've had pretty good luck with this. With a graduated cylinder you can accurately determine what your current dose is. 300 mg capsules can be dissolved in the same way, just remember that everything is in ratio. I'm at the end of the taper now but I cut a bit too fast and had to go back up to 10 mg each 8 hours. I also take magnesium. Everyone is different so my schedule might be too quick for you...but a gradual taper seems to be the key.

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Re: Luke (# 260)

How did you begin weaning off? I take 900 mg daily for about 6 months. Is going down to 800 every other day too fast? I'd like to avoid withdrawal symptoms if possible.

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Re: Maggie (# 259)

Maggie - how is your withdrawal going now. I’m down to about 15 mg per day. I take a 100 mg capsule and dissolve it in a 100 ml of water in a graduated cylinder. I tried going back to very little over the last week, but I had bad withdrawal symptoms yesterday and today. I’m taking magnesium chloride also.

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