Sudden Withdrawal From Neurontin (Page 4) (Top voted first)

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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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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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 weaned myself off of Gabapentin.I was taking 3600 Mgs a day for PHN. I stopped taking it in 3 days and am suffereing such withdrawal! I ended up in the hospital and couldn't make my les work. My brain knew it needed to make my legs move but I could't walk. The Dr. started me on 600 mgs for a week, then 400 mgs for another week then 300mgs and so on. It will take me 5 weeks to finally get off of Gabapentin. It's a bad drug!!!!It's scarry to be on it and absolutely hell to get off of. I sugest NOT taking it!

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neurontin is used for many issues. If suddenly stopped convulsions may happen or even worse. A doctor should help you get off this medication. Unless you have only been on it for a extremely short time, this medication is not one to just quit.

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I'm on Nurontin and i ran out a week early and that week was like hell. But when i got my refill instantly almost i felt the same feeling that I get from opiates

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THIS WILL HELP WITH YOUR SIDE EFFECTS!! I KNOW ITS LONG BUT PLEASE READ I KNOW IT WILL MAKE YOUR TIME GETTING OF GABAPENTIN 100% BETTER!!

I am 19 and have been on gabapentin for 4 years now and was put on it by childrens phoenix hospital for nerve ending damage in my kidneys from too many kidney stones. I have been trying to get off it for two years. recently i went down a 100mg and have server shaking in my whole body to the point where i cant write. I have server anxiety and my emotions are all over the place. it has been 4 days since i have gone down and i still am having server side effects. I went to my pain management doctor and to a neurologist today and both of them said that the gabapentin did not cause this and that i need to see a psychiatrist. Before the gabapentin i never had anxiety or mood swings before being put on the gapapentin. I went to my primanry care doctor and he was the first doctor that i have seen that finally agreed with me that all the problems that i have been experiancing are from coming down on the gabapentin. i am only able to come down 100mg every month and im still have server side effects. My doctor found on MedScape (internet site for doctors) that there have been studies shown that server side effects do happen with coming down on gabapentin. The side effects are very similar to alcohol withdrawls and have to be treated the same way. Every person is different but for me it has been hell. There is such of a thing call Gabapentin Withdrawl Syndrom and you have to treat its like alcohol withdrawls. benzodiazepines are used to help with the withdrawl symptoms. I was on 4800 mgs af gabapentins a day and now i am finally down to 900mg a day. My doctor wrote me a perscription for 5mg vallium i can take up to 3 times a day and it has really helped my withdrawl symptoms. It will probably take me another year before im fully off but thank god for my primary care doctor who believed me.

Tell your doctor to look on Medscape the article is titled Withdrawl Symptoms After Gabapentin Discontinuation. It talks about multiple case studies where the people have side effects after coming off the gabapentin and they were givin benzodiaepines and that didnt work. the only thing that made the withdrawl symptoms stop was to go back on the gabapentin. I am going to school to become a doctor so i have access to the site so i copied the conclution from the case study "and A patient developed apparent withdrawal symptoms beginning two days after gabapentin therapy was discontinued. The symptoms were unresponsive to treatment with benzodiazepines but completely resolved with the reinitiation of gabapentin therapy."

I started the vallium today and boy did it make the anxiety and shaking and mood swings go away. Each month when i decrees i will take the vallium for that week of hell til my body adjusts then i will be fine. I will be doing that over the next week until im finally off of it! i have had 4 hospitals and 8 different doctors tell me im crazy and gabapentin doesnt have those side effects until my primary care doctor did his research and found all this infomation. There are so many lawsuits agains the makes of Gabapentin for wrongfully advertising and also for having it used other then what what FDA approved. There are also so many patients who have been put on it either for uses other then what the FDA approved it for and for server side effects who are now suing the manufactures and making money for the pain and suffering, medical bills, as well as other expenses.

There can be permanant damages done from gabapentin/neurontin so i suggest you guys talk to your doctor to make out a plan to get off of it because it can re-wire your brain as well as many other complications. It is an emotion stress but you guys are not alone i promise! im 19 and even went suicidal once because of this horrible drug and i have always been the happiest girl before i got on this. It will be tough but you can do it. i suggest NEVER going on amitriptyline and topamax to help you get off cause you will have such a hard time coming off of that. Vallium is better to be perscribed then xanax because coming off gabapentin you have a high rist for seizures even if you never had them before so the vallium actually helps to prevent that! It can take up to a couple years before all the side effects go away if they even do. Aso Magnesium attaches to the same brain receptors as the Gabapentin so you can take up to 800mg a day as my nutritionist told me and it really helps with the side effects. Make sure you go to your health food store and get the best quality you can buy cause the better the quality the better it works! I hope this information helps you guys cause i have been going through hell for over 4 years and now im finally getting the help i need!

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I have been taking Neurotin 3600 mg a day for neuropathy for a couple of years. I recently had a brief period of time that I ran out. I tried to make it about a week until I got my refill. It was the most terrible time of my life. The depression got so bad I had to go to mental hospital. I felt suicidal and really fatigued. I could not sleep at all. I'm scared to ween my self off because I never want to feel that way again. I would recommend that no one ever get on this terrible drug. I'm sorry I ever ran into this drug. Anybody have any suggestions on what to do.

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I have been on Neurontin for about 4 years, 900 mg a day. I noticed lately that I can't remember things from 5 minutes ago and my daughter noticed it too so I told my Dr I wanted to get off this stuff. I had already went from 3 pills a day to 2 about 2 weeks earlier and he prescribed 100 mg pills and said to go down 100 mg a week until your off. I was stubborn and figured I had already weaned myself down so why not go faster. Well, that doesn't work!! I have been sweating profusely everywhere. I looked up profuse sweating on the net and thats a condition your born with. This never happened before so i know its the drug withdrawl Now I have to go back up in dose to try to stop this. I used to barely sweat now it's all day everyday it seems. This medication is horrible, if you're just starting on it get off now or ASAP.

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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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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! I am a medical transcriptionist and wish I had read more about Neurontin (Gabapentin) before starting it a year ago. I take 900 mg daily - (300 mg 3 times daily). I ran out for same reasons as your post - was out of it over a 3 day weekend and within the first 24 hours was a mess...itching, irritability, general overall horrible feeling, anxiety, out of it, you name it. This happened about one month ago, I have my script now but when I get back to the doctor I am talking about this with him. I came close to going to the emergency dept.

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I don't care what anyone says! Every body IS different and is effected differently by medications. I have been on 600mg of Neurotin for about 4-5 weeks. (I am VERY sensitive to most medications)..About 2 weeks in, I started having horrible stomach aches about 30 minutes after taking a dose. Then these 'out of no where sweats', even in nice A/C..and I don't mean just a little moisture, I was dripping sweat to the point that my clothes and hair were soaked!)..then the worse hit. I was having dinner with my Husband and started with the sweats, followed up with shakes, stomach ache and felt like I was on the verge of a seizure or convultion. (I have never had a seizure, but my Daughter does have Seizure Disorder and just seeing one is beyond frightening...I certainly didn't want to have one), due to the timing, what I had left and my next Dr. Appt., I decided to start weaning myself off until I could talk to him, dropping down a pill every two days. (I had to as I only have 4 left and refuse to put another one in my body!) And, at the time, I thought that what I was going through while on it was bad?!?! I had NO idea of what was coming. Can you have withdrawals from this medication??? YES!!! I was hot and cold at the same time. Pouring sweat, with uncontroable chills and shakes at the same time yet NO fever. And my stomach, well we won't even go into those issues..NASTY!!! And talk about a headache, I would have to say that it's been more like a never ending Migrain! I'm feeling better today, but I think that is only thanks to another medication that they do give for patients going through withdrawal which I have to take on a daily basis due to a surgery back in 2009. Needless to say, if I make it through the night without a trip to the E.R., I am not looking forward to the scolding that I will have coming from my Dr. tomorrow. Please know your body, ask your Dr. about any questions or concerns that you may have about this medication BEFORE agreeing to take it. I sure wish that I would have!! Take care all and stay safe...and most of all, don't let anyone tell you that you are crazy and that this is impossible, because it is VERY POSSIBLE!!! (Just MY personal experience!)

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I recently suffered a gran mal seizure I had run out of neurontin and didn't refill. This is my first seizure ever.

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I used to take 24,000mg a day. 30 800mg pills a day. I took up to 64,000mg one day. I swallowed them like candy. My doctor documented everything when I told him. He then gave me the. 30 pills. I waited 4hrs. He then tested me. My levels of neurontin was only 600mg. It is a good mood stabilizer and some help for leg pain. I lost 180lbs and now take 1800mg when needed.

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Its so strange that my husband was prescribed 600 mg of Gaba in the AM and 1800 at night. He says it does nothing for the pain of nueropathy. Cymbalta seemed to help but they only give him one a day. He also claims no withdrawl if he stops Gaba. However he has had a very strange nausea that comes on daily and he sweats in his upper body but freezes below. He has had no weight gain, which he could use, but I would like to see him lower the immense amounts of Gaba and perhaps increase the Cymbalta. He will need something the rest of his life. He is suffering terribly. I do notice he is angry and short tempered but he doesnt feel angry and short tempered. I dont know what else you would call it if you sit and stare at the tv with arms folded across your chest for hours at a time and dont even know whea your watching. Since lost my job I take Gaba on occaision when I hurt bad but wont take it daily wish doctors would listen to ttheir paitient.
Right now I am going through insomia. Will have to detox from Hydrocodone since I run out each month. Dr wrote for amount that I needed and nurse refused to give me a script for correct amount. Likewise she wont refill early. Thinks she is the pill nazi. I hate painkillers. I would not take them if I could help it. And the pharmacy had a generic that is very weak. They say it is the same as the name brand but it is not. You need to take more to get relief. Yet with no insurance its all I can afford. Looks like bed is the only option for me. What a life.

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I recently stopped taking Neurotin without easing off of it and I have been experiencing withdrawls that include nervousness, hyperactivity, and also night time seizure activity. Neurotin is a seizure medication therefore it will mess with your brain waves. I have a seizure disorder and take medication for that but was taking Neurotin for diabetic neuropathy. It has been my experience that the symptoms will eventually go away once the med is out of your system. But like any drug withdrawl can be very uncomfortable and disconcerting.

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My son has been prescribed Gabapentin 800mg 4 times a day for Opiate addiction, he has been on it 4 weeks..I want him to get off it how did you stop?

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OK so i'm prescribed neurontin, 600 mg 3x a day for klonopin withdrawal (p.s. worse withdrawal EVER)... i got a huge bottle of it, and as an addict, i decided the past like 5 days to experiment with it and take like 4800-8000+ mg a day... and it does give you a little buzz. now i'm afraid bc i'm going to have to wean myself off and maintain enough for my withdrawal. can i just go back to my 600 mg 3x a day starting like tomorrow? or do i have to wean? i figure when i start getting low i'll wean lower and go to 300 mg 3x a day. i'm a nurse, but i'm an addict, ugh help.

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Hi Stephen,
Yes Neurontin was the most horrible experience of my whole life. My heart beat so fast and hard for days I am sure I needed to go to the ER. Just rode it out...took deep breaths and prayed.Seven months down the road now and I am not completely over this medicine. The panic attacks and anxiety were over a ten. Seizures at night in my sleep. The list goes on and on. I will never take this med. again. I understand for some it is a wonder drug but I have to wonder what it would be like for them to come off. I also had a very invasive spinal surgery in 1996. Came off some heavy duty pain meds. I just use ice and heat now and some natural products. One is Primrose oil. People like us suffer so much and lessons are usually hard learned. I hope you get better. I share in your pain. I pray one day you can get the stimulator. Best wishes

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My health was far too weak to endure that kind of withdrawal. I did painful withdrawals many times of narcotics, tylenol #3 when I go so sick of the side effects, but later the pain would get the best of me. then finally let them try out some of the psych meds on me, effexor, for anxiety related to trying to work a "widow maker" high stress sales job that had every man in the office on psych, and they were talented gifted agents with families and moral, emotional support, and worked on quitting that at the same time I was quitting elavil had such horrible and strange effects that I had to wean myself off of them both separately and over a long time and it was still a slow death like experience.
But Neurontin was worse, the elavil was really quite bad, I nicknamed it hellavil; but neurontin has it's own kind of hell.
anyway, I was just too weak, so I was very careful, perhaps because I got jumped on for going cold turkey on ms contin by my doctor, I realized it was stupid and wreckless disregard for my health, I looked at going cold turkey as good for my health, but the doctor showed me it was bad for my health,
often there is this guilty component that if you take medicine for pain, you are a bad person, or at least we understand, but really we think you are weak, a wimp, incapable of handling your own affairs.
Howard Hughes married Jean Peters, and said, I need to have a wife so they can't commit me, so she stayed faithful to him till he died, so they didn't have much of a marriage, but she was a really special lady who though drop dead good looking, stayed away from sexpot roles and got suspended from the studio because of it.

So I learned after 20 plus years to take better care of myself regarding sudden withdrawal, it's not good for your health.
I still battle with the if you take pain medicine you are weak, a wimp
I resolved to quit tylnol 4 yesterday, but today the pain called, it's just a nightmare, but you know

I wanted so desperately to get that electrical spinal stimulation that helped Jerry Lewis, passed the psych eval, my doctor approved me, the insurance company said no, the doctor was mad, but what could he do?
thanks for you kind words, steve

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