Sudden Withdrawal From Neurontin (Page 10)
(Newest replies first)

Updated

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

274 Replies (14 Pages)

Page:First PagePrevious Page10Next PageLast Page
Earliest Newest Votes
94

Ok Cymbalta 1 year. Works but puts me to sleep on my job...had to come off or be fired. Lyrica...bad things to the eyes couldnt get past the first month, couldnt see, now Nuerotin, works rather well, though I was on a low dose, but within 3 weeks fell asleep at the job. I dont mean putting my head on the desk, I mean talking nonsense and sitting straight up and talking to people on the phone, complete brain fog. Try to explain that to the boss, its not narcotic....You dont even know when you are going to do it so I had to stand up for 5 hrs. But eventually it caught me and again I had to come off or lose my job. So its pain, and eventually not being able to work, or its drugs and loosing the job anyway, even though the pain is diminished. Cymbalta detox was a horror. I was severely affected for months. Almost lost everything, family, friends, job. I did not stay on Lyrica long enough but Nuerotin held promise it makes me so angry that they cant find something that works without the side effects. NO one wants to do surgery. Its not even guaranteed. So I stay on hydrocodone and dont have a life because it helps very little and doesnt stop it from hurting in the beginning. Almost gets to be the last straw. You know.

Was this helpful? 0
93

You should talk to your doctor because I know they don't want you to stop taking it without talking to them first, I don't know what they will say about taking too much, but if you run out that's much worse. It's not a narcotic. I don't tolerate it well, so I have a huge excess of them because I don't take them, first I cut back, then stopped taking them all together. The doctor tried me on Lyria, which is absorbed better, so you take a smaller dose, but it was worse for me- probably would be more effective for you, maybe you should ask your doctor. The only thing about Lyrica is it is not generic and incredibly expensive. the copay was 80, and I just got 60 15 mg, the total cost was like 300.00! So see if your doctor can increase your dose, either way you need to keep your doctor informed about what's going on and why -because you are in pain and it helps- (that you take more) the doctor needs to know, take care, glad it helps you, it helped me for a while, then my brain couldn't handle it, and I had to cut back very slowly. hope you get to see the doctor soon.

Was this helpful? 0
92

I have been on neurontin for quite a few years now. I currently have a script for 600mg. x 4 a day but I will admit I sometimes take more to ease the pain when it's bad. For me it's a wonder drug. It helps me out so much, better than anything else has. I also suffer from Bi-Polar and epilepsy and I have to say it has helped with all my conditions. It makes me more active and more personable when I take it. I think it's great. But when I do run out early ( which is almost every month) I suffer terrible. I get pain through out my body, I get nervous as heck. I feel withdrawn and have no interest in doing anything or talking to anyone. The withdrawls from neurontin are very under rated. It's similar to withdrawling from opiates and benzodiazepams at the same time. All I can say is make sure it stays in your system and your golden but if you don't you'll suffer. It's definiltly a medication worth trying and I feel that it's a medication that can be used for so many problems other than what it is currently being prescribed for.

Was this helpful? 0
91

I have been taking neurotin on and off for years. Im up to the max dosage of 1200mg 3 times a day. I want to get off of this bcause i dont want to take it the rest of my life, i have diabetic neuropathy. I was without my meds for 5 days last oct. and it felt like i wanted to die please help me i dont know what to do

Was this helpful? 0
90

I want to stop taking Gabapentin because I'd rather go the natural route with acupuncture. I have some side effects from the Gabapentin but it is minor. Lack of coordination. Sometimes when I walk I stagger and look like a drunk but that's about it. I'd much rather take the vitamin & acupuncture route and get off the drugs.

Was this helpful? 0
89

I wonder why you would want to stop taking the Nerontin if it is helping and not giving you any bad side effects. I had to quit because it was affecting my memory and a lot of brain "fog" my doctor said not everyone tolerates it well. I tried Lyrica and it also affected my memory. So for now I'm just taking T#4, it's not good but doesn't affect my memory as much as the Neurontin

Was this helpful? 0
88

I have been taking Gabapentin since April 6 for the same thing. Neuropathy from Taxol for breast cancer. I was having sharp shooting pains in the feet & couldn't sleep. I started with 300 mg 3 times a day and after almost a month it didn't seem worth taking but I was told it takes awhile to be effective. I take 300 mg 5 times a day now and have gotten relief. Also, take vitamin B complex (I was told by a chemo nurse). I also sought out an acupuncturist. Between the 3 I have a lot of relief, only minor pain at night. I can put up with the numbness in the toes all the time, it was the sharp shooting pain that was the worst. I would now like to wean myself off the Gabapentin and continue with the acupuncturist. I will meet with my doctor next week to discuss that. Good luck! You will get some relief eventually. Try it all!!

Was this helpful? 0
87

In working for a physician who was a pharmacist prior to becoming a Dr. Neurontin is a drug we prescribed for patients with chronic pain. To take someone off the drug required titrating the dosage down over a period of time. If you were taking 600 mg twice daily you would cut to 600 mg once daily for 2 wks then 300 mg once daily for two wks then 100 mg daily for 2 wks.

Was this helpful? 1
86

Please try to find another alternative to Neurontin (gabapentin) or Lyrica (pregabalin). They are highly addictive and the withdrawals are horrible. Be careful.

Was this helpful? 1
85

I have chemo induced neuropathy which came about after Taxol given to me for breast cancer. Now my feet and hands are burning and tingling something awful. Is anybody taking gabapentin for this problem? I am concerned about adding more side effects to a problem I already have.

Was this helpful? 0
84

I'm so sorry to hear you're suffering so much. Yes Gabapentin made me feel real drowsy and and brain fogged too. The doctor told me I'll get used to it. It took me almost a year to not feel so drowsy but now it's not helping with the pain much. Maybe you started on too high a dose. Have you talked to your docotor about how you feel?

Was this helpful? 0
83

Drowsiness? I am experiencing a strange unablity to stay awake during work hours. And infact can fall asleep while talking to people. I also have an increased incidence of errors on a software system I used for 6 years suddenly I put in wrong dates, dont save things. Gabapentin is about to lose my job for me. Anyone else experience this? I had the same thing on Cymbalta. And the withdrawl on that was horrific. Mood swings dont even begin to describe my state of mind. The close proximity to seizures was bad too. I came off it in a week after being on it a year. I have only been on Gabapentin 3 weeks and dread coming off it. But I cant lose my job. I was hoping this was the pill that would take my pain away and I would stay on it for ever because when I dont have pain I feel 30 and when I do I feel 80 cant move cant get up without being bent over. My best bet so far has been pressure point shots, But they only last a month and you cant have them more than 3 months. Surgery is a last resort but its getting close. I cant keep doing this its been 6 years dealing with the pain and even hydrocodone does not work anymore. It isnt as bad as the Cymbalta sleeping during waking hours. That I had a hard time driving home without falling asleep. And talking to people would wake in the middle of a conversation. But its starting to happen with the Nuerotin. It did not happen without those medications. So pain and a job or no pain and no job. Either way the pain affects my job. I either call in with pain or fall asleep with Gabapentin. Im screwed.

Was this helpful? 0
82

Yes, wean off benzos very, very slowly. I had withdrawal symptoms because I didn't.

Was this helpful? 0
81

Benzos help but I've been on them also for years and need to not increase the dose as I'll be weaning off them next.

Was this helpful? 0
80

I sympathize with you and this crappy situation. I'm curious though. Have you tried any Benzo's to help with the withdrawal? (please take only short term though, Benzo's are nearly impossible to stop if you've been on them for an extended period.....years in my case).

Was this helpful? 0
79

Can anyone please tell me how you tapered off this drug? What amounts did you cut down to and how long did you wait between lowering the dose again?

I desperately want off this drug.

Was this helpful? 0
78

yes... my doctor told me to take myself off gradually... I still take 300 mg a day,
when I mention the possibility of just quitting he always says no with a very clear indication like I should never do that... or he doesn't want me to ever blame him if I have bad side effects... I had them even when I cut back a bit, they do make lower doses .. so I'd talk to the doctor about a measured reduction... when I asked about why they affected me so badly - brain fog etc. he said "some people don't tolerate it very well... "

Was this helpful? 0
77

My GYN put me on Neurontin to treat hot flashes from menopause. I was on it for about 10 weeks before I realized that I the very bad side effects (slurring of words, "brain fog", and extreme pain in my legs) was due to the drug. So I stopped--all of a sudden. I began experiencing extreme anxiety like I have never had before and the first "panic attach" I have ever had--racing heart, hyperventilating, shaking and convulsing all over for 2 hours. It has been 1 month since I stopped taking Neurontin and I am still dealing with anxiety and shaking--not constant, but daily. Does this make sense to anyone?

Was this helpful? 1
76

After reading your posts I have become increasingly assured that I am experiencing withdrawals. I detoxes from Cymbalta a few weeks ago and decided now to get off Neurontin which my neurologist prescribed for Migraines. I'm just sick and tired of being tired and heavier ( after starting both gained 25 lbs, and went from a size 6 to a 14!).
anyway I titrated the 600 mg dose down to 200 (100 mg bid). The last time I did this I could barely lift my
Arm to dry my hair! This time is wasnt as bad, maybe
Because the Cymbalta is also out of my system?
so, I stopped Neurontin two days ago. I'm doing
Ok but have had some tingly stapling pain in my feet, tinitus, muscle and joint pain, and overall exhaustion.
I hope this wasn't normal stuff
The Neurontin was helping? I hope to feel better soon

Was this helpful? 0
75

Hi Lisa, I'm not a dr, but I do have epilepsy and what you describe does sound like a seizure. If the tests you took included an EEG and you do not have epilepsy, nothing would show on the EEG anyway unless you were having the seizure at the time. Any neurologist would know that and he should have told you that. It is a frequent withdrawal side effect to have seizures upon stopping neurontin too quickly because it is an anticonvulsant so you could very well have been experiencing a seizure. Again, I am no dr but I would think that coming off SUPER slowly with help of medications like benzos you could possibly avoid them. I doubt very seriously that they would last forever. Seizures are terrifying when they happen I know. I have had many. I think maybe you should try another neurologist or even your PCP to help you titrate off with the help of benzos. Magnesium has been known to help many. Google it. Hope this helps.

Was this helpful? 0
Page:First PagePrevious Page10Next PageLast Page

More Discussions:

Is Serotonin Syndrome A Possibility If You Abruptly Quit Taking Neurontin I Suffered Abrupt Withdrawal By Doctor From Amitriptylene And Almost Died

I ran out of neurontin after slow response from mail order drug company. I had serotonin syndrome after abrupt withdrawa...

4 REPLIES
sudden withdrawal from clonazepam

is anyone still having symptoms from a sudden clonazepam withdrawal. could you get any help? ## Pretty much everyone who...

16 REPLIES
Neurontin/Gabapentin Withdrawal Question.

Hello. I'm very new to this drug, only 7 days.I am a diabetic with bi-polar/anxiety. I was recently put on Gabapenti...

20 REPLIES
starting neurontin withdrawal

I am to start my withdrawal from 2700mg of neurontin this week. I take three 300mg at morning, noon, and dinner. I had t...

4 REPLIES
Sudden etomine withdrawal side effects

Hi. I have been on Etomine 80mg for about 20yrs now. When I wanted to fill my prescription 3 days ago I was told there w...

1 REPLY
withdrawal from vyvanse

My son had a terrible experience on wyvance. He has phyciatic systems to include halluciations. The doctor took him off ...

429 REPLIES
withdrawal from klonopin 1mg daily

I have been on kolonopin 1 mg daily for 14 months now I am depressed and very anxious most of the time I want to get off...

292 REPLIES
Withdrawal from Vyvanse experience

I have been on Vyvanse for 4 weeks and I am now tapering off. I was going to quit cold turkey , but I wke up this mornin...

159 REPLIES
Withdrawal from stelazine

I have been on stelaine for 25 years with short breaks but I am trying to stop it and getting nasty withdrawal effects. ...

87 REPLIES
Withdrawal from Imipramine

Last dose of Imipramine (25 mg) taken on Monday July 2nd 2012. Under a doctors guidance. Slow, very slow taper. Took 5 m...

23 REPLIES