Neurontin/gabapentin Withdrawal Question.

Updated

Hello. I'm very new to this drug, only 7 days.I am a diabetic with bi-polar/anxiety. I was recently put on Gabapentin 300mg. 1 pill for 4 days and then told to take 1 pill 2 times a day after. I have been experiencing some normal side effects such as sleepiness, a little anxiety (it hits me for about an hour and then goes away completely) and a little bit of a loopy feeling.

I did not realize I was past the 4 days and had only been taking one pill (my memory has been terrible the past few days), so I was going to start taking the 2 pills yesterday (Feb 20th).

I forgot the 2nd dosage on the 20th and did not realize it until the 21st after I started feeling a crazy rapid heartbeat, severe anxiety (i wrestled with it for about 4 hours before calming down), as well as dizziness and the typical panic attack feelings.

Is it possible to feel withdrawal so soon? Or could it have been just a generic old panic attack?

I have to admit, I'm not terribly crazy about this medication, I feel odd on it, but I keep hoping that it will soon settle and I will feel more myself again.

20 Replies

Earliest Newest Votes
1

Have you consulted your doctor?

it is unlikely that it was due to withdrawals, if you have been taking it for such a short period of time, but it is difficult to say what effect any medication will have on any given person that used it.

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Gabapentin/­

If you really don't like the effect it is having on you, then you should contact your doctor, it just may not be the right medication for you to take.

Was this helpful? 0
2

Since you have only been on neurontin for 7 days I would talk with your doctor about other options.
I just posted this about neurontin please read carefully & take this advise.
I have been on neurontin for years now I am taking 800mg 3 times a day, sometimes 4.When I don't have it I feel so lifeless,stressed,agitated,very nervous,along with many other serious side affects including,I get very short tempered and the least little things tic me off causing me to out rage to where i can't even stand myself. I have no apatite,and it is the worse feeling I have ever felt, or been through in my life.
Other side affects while taking this awful drug includes dizziness,and extremely bad memory loss. Just about everybody in my family has taken this awful drug called neurontin. Obviously,most doctors don't realize the side affects, or risk of this awful drug when prescribing neurontin, otherwise it wouldnt be handed out so often.
I have been on many bad narcotics in my life, and have never experience side affects, or withdraws like I have with neurontin. My advise to anyone that has not yet taken this awful medication is that I would talk to my physician about other options.

Was this helpful? 5
3

Been on it for ten years at 2400 mg for bi-polar I, anxiety, insomnia, fibromyalgia, neuropathic pain. Its been so long I don't remember the side effects of going on. I have zero side effects until I have tried to start lowering my dosage to go off of it. Severe anxiety and I only went down by 300 mg. Short half life but everything I read said take it very slowly- up to a year to withdraw completely so that is what I am going to try under the care of my psychiatrist.

Was this helpful? 1
4

Hi I have bad, bad anxiety and have tried trazedone which left me more anxious. My therapist prescribed 300 mg of gabapentin at bedtime...reading about this medicine scares me, I'm on

Was this helpful? 0
5

I'm 44 . I've been on neuronin 800 mg four times a day for eight years. Five times a day for a year. Now my dr tells me he can no longer write it. All drs I have ever been to tells me I will die if I don't take it. I'm scared for my life. What do I do?

Was this helpful? 0
6

Sounds like a panic attack to me I was on gabapentin 300 4xs a day for nerve pain it always made me feel super dizzy and that was only me taking 2 aday I couldn't imagine taking 4 aday

Was this helpful? 0
7

You won't die if you don't take it. But you'll wish you were dead. This sounds odd that a n MD suddenly can't write for it. It's not controlled. Get a referral to another doctor that will write it for you. That simple. Insist your MD that suddenly cut you off be responsible to find you that MD that can write for it. Be firm and study all you can so you can feel confident when talking to any MD.

Was this helpful? 0
8

Honestly it's hard with Anxiety patients that also tend to get overwhelmed with new medications to tell what is drug related and what is not. I have not seen anxiety with Gabapentin and in such a low dose as you're taking. Are you getting withdraw, No. You have not been on it long enough and you're missing doses so what have you had 4 or 5 pills at this point? Anything that affects the brain has a potential to cause some loopy feeling as you call it but it's usually something that most Chronic Pain/nerve pain patients do get used to. It sounds like you may be getting yourself worked up over a medication that you don't really want to take in the first place so you can make a decision on what is worse your nerve pain or having to take a medication for the nerve pain. Gabapentin has been around since 1993, It is recommended as one of a number of first line medications for the treatment of neuropathic pain in diabetic neuropathy and other nerve pain disorders. The symptoms that you're describing after taking your medication sounds like a form of an anxiety attack/anxiety issues probably not caused by the medication itself. Tiredness is a side effect that usually gets better and is one reason why you slowly get titrated up to your individual therapeutic dose. I personally take up to 1200 mg at bedtime and 600 mg morning and afternoon for my spinal stenosis/nerve pain/sciatica nerve issues along with Lyrica as well 100mg 3 times a day plus numerous other medications. I am able to function quite well and not sleep all day, in fact I have a revved up central nervous system and sleep is hard to come by sometimes but this is not from my medications, it's just me and how I am wired. I take an adrenalin blocker. I've seen many folks with anxiety and I personally have 4 close family members ( Mom, Sister, Son and Daughter) with horrible anxiety issues due to our central nervous systems being so revved up, anxiety from it can be debilitating for sure, we are all on a Adrenalin blockers for it, if I don't take my adrenalin blocker then I run a really high resting heart rate and my blood pressure is way to high and I stay worn out but I don't get anxiety from it like my family members do. Anything can set someone off with anxiety, even having to take a new medication so please keep that in mind and talk to your prescribing doctor about it.

Was this helpful? 4
9

Hi there: I myself am on Gabapentin. Mine is a low dose of 50mg. However, I as
well got the same feelings as yourself, even thought of quitting it altogether. I thought to myself, "okay" lets try this for a week. I myself found that once the medication was in your body after a week, you don't get the same feelings such as
headache, nausea, feeling like your floating or spinning. I realize why you are on
a high dosage, but personally I would ask you MD to lower the mg's for you. This is especially if you are still feeling the same. Phone your MD as soon as possible so your RX is at a lower dose, as long as your Dr. say's okay, which I am sure will not happen. Take Care!!

Was this helpful? 0
10

I'm so glad I've found this site. Pain can be relentless and a lonely road to travel, particularly when trying out new medication. The comments and advice posted gives reassurance that a, we are not alone and b, there's someone out there that has researched the medications that with a little luck & patience will help us manage our conditions. It takes away the temptation to burden my family with my fears and concerns when there is a forum online that gives me the space to do just that. Thank you all so much.... Have a good day.

Was this helpful? 3
11

I have tried both neurontin and Lirica and both caused my eyes to shift side to side very fast almost as if I had gone blind. Will never use either again!!

Was this helpful? 0
12

I've been getting mixed messages about using 75mg Lyrica every 12 hours, although my movements have improved the pain from shoulders, arms and leg is really making itself known. Have been taking 1 Tramadol to see me throught to the end of the day Have also developed swellings in both legs that a diuretic is not touching. Any idea what is going on?

Was this helpful? 0
13

Hi okay so I don't really know where else to ask this question so I guess I'll just toss it out here and see if anyone sees it and knows an answer. So I'm only 19. I've been on all the depression/anxiety/mood stabilizer/ADD/ and sleep medicine you could possibly imagine. My sleep seemed under control for a couple months so I quit the drugs for insomnia. I started college this year and insomnia has creeped back up..... HARD. My psychiatrist now started me on Gabapentin. 300 mg pills twice before bed. Didn't work. I kept raising it by 300 mg at a time every night. I'm not up to 1800 mg and literally nothing is happening. I'm not even having that "high" or "loopy" feeling people talk about. Does anyone know why it isn't working? Should I try more or is it just not working with my body? HELP I NEED TO SLEEP

Was this helpful? 2
14

Please don't give up because it makes you dizzy/sleepy or even loopy that will subside! Do give up but call your Dr. first or go to the ER if you are having severe or life threatening side effects. I'm new to Gabapentin, I flatly refused to take it for a very long. My Dr. prescribed it for my Fibromyalgia nerve pain in my legs and feet, joint pain, morning stiffness anxiety etc. I was at the end of my rope so I gave it a try. Wish I had done this long ago, I'm a 5'5" 121 lb female my dose is 1) 300 mg at bedtime for 5 days 1) 300 mg morning and bedtime x 5 day's.. then 3) for a daily 900 mg dose. I'm only on the Bedtime and morning day 4 so far. They told me it would make me sleepy/dizzy and boy it did even loopy actually but that has subsided just as the pharmacist said it would. I reach a deep sleep and stay asleep the entire night. My nerve pain is so much better and I'm more energetic and happier then I've been in years...My right foot swelled for two day's and I was afraid I'd have to quit it.. That too has subsided.. I think I may be having the side effect associated with children (False Sense Of Well Being) Well, who cares, it's a whole lot better then worrying all the time as I had been. :-)

Was this helpful? 1
15

Have a lot of people experienced swelling from gabapentin? I am on my first dose of 400mg a night for fibro, and nerve pain disorder. If many others have experienced swelling of the legs/feet how long did the swelling last?

Was this helpful? 0
16

That's concerning but highly unlikely in the masses, you probably will have a reaction to any anti-convulsant since it works within the brain. I'm not sure why you were put on it but I hope you found something that works well for your symptoms.

Was this helpful? 0
17

I would go off of these type of medications then. Honestly they don't make me tired one bit either and I've been on some pretty high doses. It may help relax me at higher doses but I have insomnia too and this really isn't the best medication for that. Some people have pain insomnia so this drug helps with that but these type of medications , anti-convulsant's at higher doses can actually hurt your concentration levels and effect your grades at college since they work within the brain, if you don't need them for pain or seizures then it's really not the best drug to take for insomnia. I would go back to actual medications for just insomnia and quit these drugs.

Was this helpful? 0
18

Some people do and report that it goes away within a few days/weeks. There's actually less swelling associated with Lyrica and since it now comes in a generic it's preferred by many. Think of Lyrica as the Cadillac and Gabapentin as an older VW Bug, it's more refined and often has less side effects, both work similar but different. We see Lyrica work best on all over nerve pain like Fibromyalgia where we see Gabapentin in higher amounts work better on Sciatica nerve pain. It's written off label for Anxiety but mainly because it is supposed to slow one down, make them chill, however I don't see it as a great anxiety medication. People tend to need to increase their doses of Gabapentin as well to continue getting relief whereas Lyrica we don't see that as much. They can be taken together as well.

Was this helpful? 0
19

Re: Erin (# 13) Expand Referenced Message

Have you tried Melatonin? It may or may not work with your insomnia. It works for me and I will discuss more if you are still on this website.

Was this helpful? 0
20

It is possible to have withdrawal symptoms from gabapentin, I'm not sure how long after you start treatment. I have been on gabapentin for a year now and am extremely happy with the medication. I have little to no side effects, and have little to no fibromyalgia pain thanks to the prescription. Everyone is different in the way they react to medicine.

Was this helpful? 0

More Discussions:

Gabapentin Withdrawals Question

I've been on Gabapentin for two days, taking 100mg twice. Will I have withdrawals if I stop taking it? ## No, there ...

4 REPLIES
Gabapentin withdrawals

I'm being taken off of Neurontin/Gabapentin after seven years. I'm now crying, anxious, and itching all over! I ...

279 REPLIES
gabapentin withdrawal still

Been off Gabby for 5 weeks. Feeling pretty good except still have tightness in chest off and on. Anyone else have chest ...

10 REPLIES
gabapentin withdrawal after only a week on it at low dose

Hi. Please help. Was only gabapentin 200mg at nighttime for just over a week. Side effects were awful. Really bad dizzy ...

5 REPLIES
Gabapentin withdrawal crazy itching?

I am trying to wean off of gabapentin, but the worst part is the itching, and the crazy restlessness at night. I’m...

5 REPLIES
gabapentin withdrawal relief

I've taken Gabapentin for 12 years increasing every time the pain worsened. In December my dose was 3600mg daily plu...

4 REPLIES
gabapentin withdrawal schedule?

Hello. I've been taking 1200 mg Neurontin (600 twice daily) for around 4 yrs. I'd like to wean off of it and wil...

3 REPLIES
gabapentin withdrawal headache & time

I was on 300 mg of gabapentin for 3 months. I'm weaning off it by taking the 300 mg capsule every other day as per w...

1 REPLY
Withdrawal from Gabapentin or Zoloft?

I started taking Gabapentin 300mg x 3 daily on May 13,015 for severe shingles pain in my ear, mouth and face. June 16,20...

10 REPLIES
Gabapentin Awful Withdrawal Symptoms

I have taken Gabapentin for over seven years for pain. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis. I recently read how Gabapentin can c...

6 REPLIES