Tapering Off Of Gabapentin

Could I be rebounding from Gabapentin withdrawal or fibro pain getting worse? I was prescribed Lyrica because the pain has just gotten worse and worse with Gabapentin, and am now tapering off of Gabapentin. I've been on it 22 months. Was up to 2400 mg last fall, but the first of this year I tapered down to 1800 and have been at 1500 to 1800 a day since. My doctor told me to taper 300 mg every 2 days. I think that is probably too fast. I am now down to 900 (as of last night). My pain is even worse and I wonder if part of the pain is rebound effect. A few days before I saw my doctor my pain suddenly got much worse. But now it is even worse yet. I have gone from taking usual dose of 2 Vicodin 5/500 a day to taking 2 Vicodin at a time to get any relief at all. And still the relief is about 3 to 4 hours and then I sit and watch the clock until it has been 8 hours. Basically it takes about 2 hours to work and then I have 3 to 4 hours of pretty good relief, followed by watching the clock for another 2 to 3 hours. It is hell.

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Hi, Kathryn! Sorry you're miserable!

And yes, you are right. If a medication such as this is stopped abruptly, or if it's tapered too fast, a rebound effect can occur and it can be worse than what you started taking it to treat.

300mgs every 2 days is a very rapid drop and isn't giving your body time to adjust to each change, either.

Have you talked to your doctor about it?

I think you should tell them how you're feeling and that it seems the taper is too fast for you.

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