Sudden Withdrawal From Neurontin (Page 4)

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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Ive only been on Neurontin 3x300gm daily for 9 weeks for Fibromyalgia pain and its been hell. Panic attacks, forgetfullness, mood swings, depression, 5kg weight gain and over the past 2 weeks really strong suicidal feelings. I saw the doctor yesterday and he said to stop taking Neurontin immediately. Today I have the shakes all over, even deeper morbid thoughts, am panic stricken, exhausted, keep falling over my own feet and my skin feels like it's on fire. Im hoping this wont last long as ive not been on them that long. Horrible things!

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It will not last forever, be thankful you got off of this medicine at quickly as you did, I've been tied to it for years now and every attempt to get off lands me in a week spiral of the same symptoms you are experiencing. Try and rest, eat, and the drugs should be out of your system soon and you will feel normal again within a few days! If you continue to feel worse you may should speak with your doctor about just weening you off the neurontin, maybe giving you a very low dose until you are ready to come off completely but since you have only been taking the medicine for such a short time you should be okay stopping it all together, just give it a day or two. Sorry you are feeling so ill, if you need anything else do not hesitate to ask!

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Thank you Jade

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although, the drs dont want to prescribe narcotics, they give you stuff thats more expensive and just as addictive. I prefer Norco. My dr wont have anything to do with it. im taking tramodol now for my back pain, and it doesnt work. i normally take 7 norco per day and i feel like a million bucks, no pain and ready to conuer the day. but he wont give it to me.

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I also experienced withdraw symptoms from suddenly stopping this medication. I take it for severe nerve pain. When I ran out of this RX I became very aggitated. I had high anxiety and insomnia as well as flushing and feeling I must have a fever(which I did not) My question is if you are not taking it for seizuers could you develop seizures from suddenly stopping this med? With drawing from Neurontin was much more diffacult than the withdraw from opiates.

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Yes, sudden withdrawal from this medication can and may cause seizures. I have ran out too early several times, currently out myself at this moment and experiencing the same agitation you describe, but have luckily never experienced a seizure from stopping the medication. I am currently on day 7 with no Neurontin and although withdrawal from the medication can be tough...I experience more of the mental symptoms vs. the physical withdrawal symptoms (that usually associate with opiate withdrawal). This medication is very addicting, my own personal care physician has tried to tell me that it is very low risk for addiction and has even tried to abruptly stop this medication on me in the past, only to see how truly bad it made me feel and put me right back on it. The best thing to do is to taper and ween yourself off easily. There are tons of websites you can google to find the correct way to do this, and it is probably the best way to do so with minimal withdrawal symptoms, if any! Hope this helps!

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I hope that you all know that my "seizure" symptoms did not even begin until 2 whole months after I easily weaned off of Neurontin! I would like to know if this has happened to anyone else at least two months later than taking your last Neurontin pill. Is there anyone out there? Thank you so much!

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oops! I said I easily weaned off of Neurontin. It was not easy. I meant that I slowly weaned off of it, not easily. Sorry about that mistake. My doctor feels that it is a miracle drug and has helped so many people. He even takes it. Maybe it is a miracle. It does help my nerve pain. I just can't believe what happens when I taper off of it. Now I cannot imagine being off of this drug and I don't believe it was meant to mess me up so bad when I am off of it that I develop "seizures". Do I let the drug company know what it did to me or does my doctor let them know? Does anyone know the answer? Thank you all so much for listening and I really appreciate everyone's story about Neurontin/Gabapentin. I wish you all continued good health and happiness.

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I would let your doctor know, but as for the drug company they know this can happen, as it comes in the information packet when prescribed to a patient and so basically you would be wasting time trying to get any response out of them. I do find it crazy and a bit scary to hear you had a seizure after two months of being off the medication, does your doctor think it was related to coming off of the Neurontin? It is scary the things a simple medication can do to you. I don't know what life was like for me anymore before taking this medication. My days now consist of managing my pills properly and praying that I don't ever have to run out or be cut off again because without it I feel like a wreck! The even sadder part is that overtime your body can build tolerance to it and I've had to up my dosage several times over the past two years, and basically feel like a zombie when that happens for the first few days. I've heard that this drug has been prescribed for patients with anxiety/depression and can see how it does effect your mood. It cuts my anxiety back by a good 75% when taken on a daily basis and I find myself jumping out of my skin without it. My best advice to anyone is to never start this medication. It is not something easy to get off of, even after a short period of time, especially with the seizure risk.

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I recently came off of Neurontin for the second time (this time on my own terms.) The first time I tapered "slowly" according to the drs instructions. The tapering wasn't terribly difficult but when I reached the end the withdrawal was so excruciating I had to go back on it in a low dose. I then decided to try it again this time on my own terms. After I felt recovered enough I began to taper again SLOWER and when I got to the last 100 mg I began to open the capsules and gradually dump out granules until I was just taking a few granules. It took a long time but it was worth it. When I finally ended it, I did still feel some withdrawal effects but they were far less intense and shorter lasting. I guess it is impossible to avoid them completely. Taking Magnesium DOES help lessen the symptoms as well.

For those who mentioned weight gain, I sure did gain weight on it. Over 20 lbs. I am hoping over time it will come off now that I am off of it.

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Thanks Terri, If I decide to go off of neurotin I have some hope now that it can be done with less withdrawal symptoms by doing it very slowly as you suggest.

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Terri is right, slowly, SLOWLY tapering is the best method in order not to have to go through the awful withdrawal symptoms. Loss of appetite and insomnia are the worst two I've experienced, but even with lower dosages I've learned I can avoid these, at least from getting bad. My grandmother recently had a small seizure a few days ago, after running out and not getting the script filled she went without the medication for almost a week and this has never happened before. She hadn't experienced any withdrawal symptoms, just the one seizure which we are sure came from stopping the medication abruptly so do be careful! This is why from now on when I attempt to stop this medication I will be sure to taper slowly and carefully! Best of luck to all...

Oh and I agree as well about the weight gain, this medication definitely kicks up my appetite and packs on the pounds, gained almost 30 pounds in the first year of taking it!

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I started at 300 mg 3x daily, after a 2 months went to 400mg for about 5 or 6 months, and my head was under so much "pressure" and a very very heavy "brain fog" except brain fog hardly captures it, even to say very very doesn't capture it, and constant headaches. since then I cut back, over many month, very gradually and I'm down to 300 mg 2x daily, still have brain fog, and some pressure, headaches are not as constant. My doctor says some people don't tolerate Gabapentin as well as others.

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Thanks, Jade. After several tests, my Neurologist said that it didn't appear that I had a "seizure". I don't know what else you would call what happened, but to me it was a seizure. My doctor also said that the tests could be wrong, so who knows? The reason I believe that this can be attributed to Neurontin is that once I was back on it, the "seizures" completely stopped. I haven't been back to my Neurologist since he put me back on Neurontin because of expensive co-pays and the problem is solved so why bother? I just hate it that I feel I must take Neurontin until I die if I don't want to have the "seizures". The "seizures" included incredible shaking of my body, not being able to respond and at least 15 minutes of laying on the floor before I could get up. Sounds like a seizure to me. Of course, I have been wrong before. :)

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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.

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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

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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?

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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... "

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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.

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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).

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