Sudden Withdrawal From Neurontin

I have been taking 600 mg of Neurontin 4x a day for about 2 years and recentlty ran out of this medication due to excrutiating slow service from mandatory mail order RX company.... I was extremely agitated during this time (approx. 5 days), nervous, stressed out, etc. Has anyone else had these symptons as a result of sudden withdrawal from Neurontin? I can't understand why this happened, I felt so scared and lousy for that time. Is this a known reaction for this med? I haven't been able to find an answer. I take it for relief from carpel tunnel syndrom. Thanks

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Almost any med, or substance, even you morning coffee, will cause some withdrawal symptoms when you have been used to having it in your body for awhile, and suddenly stop taking it. Did it ease when you finally started taking it again? If you have any concerns or problems, you should speak with your doctor.

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Yes, it did subside, thank you. I was however looking for info specific to Neurontin, why it would cause this specific reaction; how it works, etc... I am handicapped, on several (too many!) prescription meds, but have never had a reaction like this from sudden withdrawal and I realized I did not really know very much about Neurontin despite reading info provided from pharmacy when dispensing prescription. I did talk to my Dr. at the time but he did not have this specific info.

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There is normally a lot more information available than what you get from your doctor or pharmacy, when they give you a prescribing leaflet with your prescription, they are only allowed to list a certain amount of side effects and some basic information, this is from the FDA with the theory that they do not want to scare people away from taking needed meds. To get more information and details, you actually have to look for the physician's prescribing information, sometimes it is also listed under full prescribing information, and they usually don't make it available to the public, as they just want Doctors and pharmacists to read it.

However, you can usually find these online by doing a search, so to see if it contains anything relevant to what you are looking for:

PDF Cache: pfizer / download / uspi_neurontin.pdf neurontin full prescribing information &hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1

http:/­/­www.crazymeds.org/­neurontin.html

http:/­/­www.pfizer.com/­pfizer/­download/­uspi_neurontin.pdf

I am also disabled and suffer chronic pain, however, this drug did not work for me, no matter how high my doc raised the dosage. It is funny that way, it only works for some people for certain types of nerve pain. It can also be affected by what other meds you are taking, including opiates. Opiates tend to make it work better in your body and strengthen its effects, so if you are taking it concomittantly with those, then your withdrawal symptoms can also be affected by that.

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Wow, I've just did some reading in the websites you graciously sent to me and am shocked and amazed! I am lucky I only experienced nervousness - it could have been so much worse! Thank you, this is the info I was trying to find! It is outrageous that such important information is withheld (or at least extremely hard to find.) I am going to use these websites to do more research about the other prescriptions I am taking. I clearly don't know how to do a search well - the websites I reached did not have anything much beyond what was in prescribing leaflets. d Best Regards, Sinda

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I am so very glad they helped. You will even come across some websites that have a page or a pop-up that asks if you are medical professional and if you say no, they will not let you access the info, saying it is only available to professionals, so you have to do some clever searching to find what you are seeking.

If you search, using an engine such as google, make sure to always include the words full prescribing information and then the name of the drug, or physician's prescribing information with the drug name. That is the only way to find out all the real information that is out there.

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A Google search of gabapentin withdrawal also reported nausea, somatic pain, respiratory infections in one elderly patient, and in other rare cases epilepsis in patients who didn't have a syndrome before.

This unnerves me. I was taking gabapentin for rehabilitiation after surgery for carpal tunnel release. My doctor gave no warning about cutting gabapentin, so when the refills ran out, I didn't bother refilling.

Now I've been in extreme, unexplained nerve pain up and down my spine for four days, and I just now dredged up the reason why, along with the fact that I could've had a seizure any of the times I've been driving.

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Just pored over pfizer's documentation. To be fair, the incidence of patients aquiring epilepticus status on withdrawal is only about a tenth of a percent more than participants withdrawing from a placebo.

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If you read the medication pamplets that are provided with the prescription, in the side effects that are listed with the prescription it list that it is important to take as prescribed and not miss a dose. Additionally there is information regarding Sudden WITHDRAWAL FROM THE DRUG CAN CAUSE SEIZURES. If you are running low on your Neurontin ask your doctor if he can prescribe you a short term presciption to get you thru the 5 day wait, or if you should space out your drugs so they will last for the full 5 days. Sometimes, your doctor can also provide you with samples to help you in these situations. Don't try to handle this on your own, but contact your doctor. I had a drug that I was running low on, and it was a necessary prescription...my mail order pharmacy sent it overnight mail due to the delay in the doctor's office getting the prescription to them. Let the health care provider and mail order pharmacy know your situation. They are there to help you and keep you healthy....

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Go to defective drugs.org and find the danger in this drug.

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I took one pill of Neurontin and I could hardly breathe, was extremely dizzy and then fell. They use this medicine for many things. It was designed for epileptics but they now use it as an anti-depressant, etc. You are experiencing withdraw symptoms which will subside if you don't take it anymore. Lots of luck.

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I am also going through Neurontin withdrawals. I was on it for 7 months for RSD pain caused from a fall through a window. I weaned myself off (though maybe not as slow as I should have) over the course of a week. I was on 1, 800 mg per day. It has been five days and I have terrible stomach cramps and pain, nervousness, cannot sleep, and am extremely tired. I can't seem to find any information on how long these withdrawal symptoms should last? Any info is appreciated. And is what I am experiencing normal?

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i have been on 1600 mgs of neurotin for about 10 yrs i want to quit i have weaned down to 1200mgs i am concerned about quitting after being on it so long is there any danger?

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YES GO TO A CHIROPRACTOR FOR CARPEL TUNNEL , NEURTON IS AWLFUL DRUG WHEN YOU RUN OUT. SWEATS, CLAMY SKIN, HEADACHES, AND NAUSE. J

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My son, age 42, has been on mega doses of Neurontin, Celexa, Hydroxyzine, Temazepam and Dilantin for bi-polar and seizure disorders. The doctor added Abilify to the mix and within 3 days my son was so confused that he didn't know his name, birthday or how to dress himself. I took him to the ER and doctors there took him off everything with the exception of 3 (800 mg) Neurontin, 1 (40 mg) Celexa, and 1 (30 mg) Temazepam, and 3 (100mg) Dilantin per day. Soon after this sudden withdrawal he started having abdominal pains and loss of appetite. He has had every test for gastrointestinal problems, gall bladder and pancreas, and nothing's shown up. I am at the point where I don't know what to do. After reading the posts on this site I believe he is having withdrawal from having the doses of all these drugs lowered at one time. His PCP put him on Bentyl a week ago but I don't see much change in his health. Any suggestion?

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I have just been started on a low dose of Neurontin for pain of neuropathy, I assume. I really do not want to take another drug, (after reading the information and comments at this site) which does not specifically address my chronic discomfort from numbness, which is the only pain I experience for the most part. Has anyone any experience with Neurontin with the severe discomfort of neuropathy in my case?. I also recognized that certain drugs make my neuropathy worse. (Maybe even caused it to begin with). Again, has anyone had this specific problem?

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i hve been on neurotin for yrs i weaned from 1600 mg to 400
i have recently broke up the capsule so i can only take a little.
iwaske up early and edgy. yesterday i was very shaky and felt like i was on speed. it was awful
i am trying to get new insurance so i can go the dr.
i lknow i am going through with drawal i have been on it for yrs.

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Looking for information discussed
on CNN (06-30-09) regarding the medication Diprovan Michael Jackson requested for sleep aid from his nurse/Dr. Information requested is for basic info., for
personal educational knowledge. Spelling of mentioned drug is likely
wrong. Thank you.

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i am weaning off 400 mgs of neurontion i was 1600, now i am just opening up the capsules and taking a little powder. i am anxious and shaky hopefully that won;t last to much longer

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I have been going through neurontin withdrawals, usually I do not experience side effects from meds but they were obviously resulting from the meds I have been taking for chronic pain. I was taking four 600 mg tablets of Neurontin a day, and I was wondering why I always felt so uninhibited and mentally clouded while taking the medicine, but I had always assumed it was the tramadol I have been taking as well. Well I stopped the med suddenly and have experienced extreme fatigue and muscle weakness, profuse sweating, shakes, racing thoughts and bad anxiety, and the worst part, definitely the worst part is the hypersensitivity and pain I have had, I would get an itch and it would be feel like someone just slashed me with a sharp object, so any minor stimulation feels excruciating. I am 7 days through the withdrawals, I just hope they end soon, I am tired of being so fatigued and weak, but my head is so much clearer that I don't want to sacrifice it and refill the script. Also my stomach has been extremely ill, meds that used to never bother me before now make me feel like I am about to vomit. Whoever withdraws from the medicine or begins it is going to be going on a wild ride, and by no means am I implying that its fun, but I read the FDA report on neurontin and it seemed to do well in its trials, and had demonstrated some efficacy compared to the placebo, but it wasn't that significant in my opinion. I lowered people's pain levels about 2 levels I think on the 1-10 scale at about 1200 and 2400 titrations. And plus I talked to a doctor at my clinic and he said that I should not have done that due to the seizure risks, but I already knew it was an anti-epileptic and that I am taking other medicines and stimulants that increase my risk of having a seizure on top of that, and he said I should restart it and reduce it slowly, but I don't think I am going to still.

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Sinda,
I too use Neurontion and six months ago was using 600-mg. per day. I decided I was fed up with all the strong pain pills I was on and began detoxing in January 09. Once I successfully got off Oxycontin, I began lowering the dosages of all my other drugs by about 25% each month. When I got my Neurontin down to 200-mg. per day without too much of an issue, I thought I would just quit it the following month. After a few days without it, I found my self going through much of what you have described. I went back to the 200-mg. and have remained there for three months now. I also found that it is very helpful for my pain level especially since I have discontinued the high dosages of Oxycontin I had been using and reduced my use of Norco, for breakthrough pain, by 25%. Today I will be reducing my Norco dosage another 25%, which will be 50% less of the dosage I had been using for many years up to January 09. Slow reduction of your medication's, watching your bodies response to the reductions,is the safest manner in which to get off of any drug. Even when a medication is not considered addictive, the body has become reliant upon it's regulation of certain areas of your bodies system and overnight discontinuance can stress the body to the point of causing heart attacks, blackouts, unstable gate and a host of unlisted side effects. If you want to get off it, reduce your daily milligrams each month by about 25% and in this manner you will discover if you want to go all the way off, or stay on a low dose because you realize that it does help your pain level. Anyway, that is what I've done. I decided to stay at 200-mg. a day because I found that anything less allowed my pain level to run amuck during my day. However, I feel great that I did reduce it by 400 MG.s in just a few months without an issue.

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This is gabapentin, right? Yeah wicked withdrawals that were more uncomfortable than when I came off opiates. They lasted about two weeks. Magnesium helped a bit.

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Re: Cheryl (# 272)

Does any passion flower do the trick?

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Re: Mamaw G (# 269)

I just discovered this today and couldn’t wait to help someone with my discovery! I’ve been having hell-ish anxiety, panic attacks, morning hot waves like my head and arms and hands are on fire, ER trips where tests were run and all was fine besides being malnourished and dehydrated, waking up and not able to leave the toilet the first few hours of every day..missed work. Only thing it seemed to coincide with was the Gabapentin I was told to wean off (it wasn’t working for my panic) and that the month I took to do it was more than enough. I happened to take some Passionflower! INSTANTLY I felt as though I had taken a benzodiazepine. No stomach cramps/back ache/constant nausea/diarrhea/constipation that was plaguing me for days. Nothing else has helped much, actual benzodiazepines, marijuana, Imodium, etc. When I googled it, guess what Passionflower does! Increases GABA in your brain! And I hadn’t had gabapentin in 2 days. Doctors and the pharmacist have never heard of anyone having gabapentin withdrawals. HOW??

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Gabapentin - Neurontin Taper Suggestions

I have tapered from 1200mg/day to now 280mg/day (90mg- 90mg-100mg).

It has taken me 15 months, and I have a ways to go but I now know I can do it. I am 75 and have children 20 and 17. They, along with my wife, quite younger than I, have given me the desire to keep at it.

1. I have searched many University Medical School sites for Taper Schedules and the one that works for me is to reduce the Gabapentin dose by 10% of the preceding month's dosage every 15-20 days. Some people can go a bit faster but if you push it too much you could experience terrible pains and significant mental turmoil.

2. AND BE EXTRA CAREFUL if you are also taking any opiate type medications. You can confuse Gabapentin taper pain with 'muscle and joint body pain' and this can lead to overdose.

3. Gabapentin attacks nerve synapses and the pain reduction nature of Gabapentin is due to the nerve synapses being 'killed'/prevented from being repaired/nourished and Gaba blocks chemical workings of memory and thinking. For instance, Research 'Gabapentin and Brain Neuron Death' You can repair much of the Gabapentin caused Brain damage by taking Neuron Growth enhancing supplements to help repair damage done by Gabapentin.

Look up Brain Plasticity supplements such as:

4. Uridine -- Uridine Monophosphate, (300mg x 60 ct) by Element Nutraceuticals - Choline Enhancer, Supports Brain Health and Function

5. Fish and/or Krill Oil

6. Phosphatidylserine or Alpha GPC, Centrophenoxine: Centrophenoxine is known for improving memory, mood and rational thinking on its own. It is a synthetic compound derived from DMAE that results in higher levels of Acetylcholine in the brain due to phospholipid transformation. Alpha GPC: A synthetic highly concentrated version of soy lecithin that is an Acetylcholine precursor. What this means is that when Alpha GPC is metabolized in the body, Acetylcholine is naturally produced as one of the Alpha GPC by-products.
Citicoline (CDP Choline): Considered to be one of the most effective choline sources, this supplement actually converts into Choline in the GI tract and then back into Citicoline in the brain. It is an intermediate of phosphatidylcholine and makes it easier for your body to synthesize Acetylcholine.

7. Vitamin B Hi-Potency Stress Support Complex

8. Wide Spectrum Multi Vitamin Complex

9. 10 mg L-Methylfolate

10. B-12

11. Vitamin D3

12. Vitamin C

13. Magnesium, BUT take two hours before or after dose of Gabapentin as Mag, significantly lowers Gabapentin absorption. Studies have found that magnesium in the aspartate, citrate, lactate, and chloride forms is absorbed more completely and is more bioavailable.

14. I also take, about every 3d day or so, For Sure EARLY in the mornings since they can affect sleep, half capsule of N-Acetyl L-Cysteine, half capsule Acetyl-L-Carnitine, and half capsule Alpha Lipoic Acid.

15. Every other day I also take 1/2 tsp "Lion's Mane Mushroom Extract 10:1 Concentrated Powder, Hericium Fruiting Body by Wild Foods for Concentration, Mood", (2 ounce) FROM Amazon. "Neurological Activity of Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus )" --- restorativemedicine.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/lions-mane.pdf -- AND "Chemistry, Nutrition, and Health-Promoting Properties of Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s Mane) Mushroom Fruiting Bodies and Mycelia and Their Bioactive Compounds" (pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jafc.5b02914). Be selective and get the Fruiting Bodies as most of the Brain Growth Active Boosters are in the fruiting body and not the Mycelia.

16. I also, every other day, take a 1/3 to 1/2 dose of Huperzine A with the same proportions of Noopert. Be careful with these supplements as I have read they can be habit forming and please look up the side effects.

17. To lessen Suicidal Ideation and decrease levels of pain I have started to use Ketamine and Oxytocin. Pain doctors can prescribe these two and I get them from a compounding pharmacy. They seem to work for me. Do some internet research on these two. I also think my low dose use of Huperzine A and Noopert help me with positive good thoughts, focus and energy. I have not tried Low Dose Naltrexone but it is said to reduce perception of pain and despite with most doctors say about Gabapentin, you will experience pain and mental turmoil during Gaba Detox.

18. For Sleep, I take 5mg of Indica Cannabis at night. It is habit forming but sleep is so important. A psychiatrist has prescribed me low dose Seroquel (quetiapine) 25mg at night. It is an old line SRI, and I have tried it. It works, but likely is addictive. But then so is Cannabis.

Good luck, it takes a 'longish time' but the above substances have helped me greatly. AND, Remember, suicidal thinking is due to the Drug and NOT YOU. You can get your brain back. Think the long term. You can get past the horrors of Gabapentin but take it slow and remember the pain is worth it because you can restore your brain's health. Hope you saw the just few days ago medical research report about, "Older adults can grow just as many new brain cells as young people."

Gabapentin [Neurontin] was only approved through fraud of the company that created and marketed it. Read "The Neurontin Legacy — Marketing through Misinformation and Manipulation": pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e0fb/ec0888db52a8d90eb8776d32bbe9003b234c.pdf

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Gabapentin is a very dangerous drug with very serious and alarming side effects and withdrawal symptoms. My doctor did not warn me about a single side effect a whole slew of which I experienced. Nor did she tell me what a nightmare gabapentin is to stop due to the horrific withdrawal symptoms everybody will experienced even after weaning. This drug WILL make you “crazy” over time if for nothing else due to the side effects. All you have to do is Google gabapentin and discover for yourself the well-known and widespread problems with this drug and I was told nothing. Do not take this medication for any off label use. None. There are a lot of other options. I was on gabapentin for 1-1/2 years for anxiety. Due to the efficacy decreasing over time my dose increased to 2400mg a day (600mg 4x) and I still found myself wanting a higher dose for it to be effective like when I first took it. After weaning down it took about a week for the major withdrawal symptoms to subside enough so I did not feel like I was crawling out of my skin. Stick to it. You will get through the nightmare withdrawal.

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Re: ydoowmai (# 257)

I am on day #8 COLD TURKEY from 800 mg 4x a day, for 3-4 years! I was in horrible pain, and it 'collided' with Lidocaine, Baclofen, and an opiate pain med. I have a skin disease called Pyoderma Gangrenous, with Fibromyalgia, and Arthritis in my lower R back and neck. My husband came home and found me incoherent, after I had 'heard voices' telling me I was being shocked through our electrical outlets since midnight, and it would last all day because I am a smoker, or if I used medical supplies (Instead of being seen in ER), and I have loss of some memory from that first day. If my husband would not have called 911, I would have died. I wasn't given ANYTHING in the hospital, but Ativan every 8 hours, 1 10 mg Percocet every 8 hours, Extra Strength Tylenol, and Ibuprofen. I was discharged with orders to stop ALL medications, except my Immune Suppressant, which I am on for the skin disease. I can have Extra Strength Tylenol every 4 hours, and a stool softener. No Ibuprofen anymore, either. I do not have any options, but to go 'Cold Turkey'. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can help ease these withdrawal symptoms? The insomnia, anxiety, and panic are the worst. The pain has been tolerable.

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Re: ydoowmai (# 257)

Picked up a prescription today to start taking it for my back.... ain't no way I'll start this medication. Sounds like it's more trouble than it's worth! Thanks.

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From what my Dr said if u miss doses you can have life threatening seizures if this happens again call Dr asap.....I decided to shrug off her warning as a liability crap its not you can die ...I take 600 mg a day for spinal injury and deterioration ...I never would've started had I known but it helps me stand and walk I'm a lifer.sadly I've only taken it three month and it seems less and less effective.... Is that normal?

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Stop...you must gradually decrease dosage by 100ml at a time. Like each week or so. Take some and keep taking less over time. That drug has side effects going cold turkey!

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How did you get off it me just trying to cut it in half has made me suicidal

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