Withdrawal Similar To Benzodiazepine
UpdatedHere's a link with a comprehensive list of withdrawal symptoms which you can have from Neurotin. The symptoms are from Benzodiazepine (Librium and Valium) withdrawal which is similar to Neurontin. Go down to Withdrawal Symptoms.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzodiazepine_withdrawal#Withdrawal_symptoms
2 Replies
As an observer of someone of someone withdrawing from Gabapentin, all I can say is that I've never seen such behavioral changes in people with Benzo addiction and withdrawal as I have in people taking Gabapentin.
This may not be true for people taking a low (100 mg 2x daily) dosage that remains constant over a period of years, but it certainly is for a person who begins on a low dosage which is quickly raised over a period of a year to a rather high (800 mg 3x daily) dosage and then asked to begin titration by a new Pain Management Specialist.
The person who was put on gradually increasing dosages went through intense behavioral changes both on the "up" and the "down" side. They were almost constantly argumentative, often did not make sense, sometimes were physically violent over silly and childish subjects (getting upset over the price someone offered for an old junker car. When a friend remarked that, under the circumstances and considering the condition of the car, this was probably a fair price, the person doing the Gabapentin titration, who is a large male, flies into a rage and begins to SCREAM: "You are an idiot who knows NOTHING about cars!" and proceeds to slam the person -- a petite woman -- with full force in her left hand and arm with an 8-ounce bottle of water clenched in his fist.
I've seen people go through hell with titration from Valium, feeling sick and miserable and shaky, crying and not wanting to interact with people and NEVER behave like even remotely like this! Gabapentin, while acting on GABA is acting in entirely different ways than the Benzos: Gabapentin prevents new synapses from forming -- in other words, you do not grow new nerve cells while taking this medication! Don't take MY word for this -- Stanford Research published papers which are up online. Just Google and you can locate them quite easily.
If I had to choose being addicted to a Benzo versus Gabapentin or Pregabalin and have to endure titration from any of these, I'd choose the Benzo EVERY TIME!
Yes, some of the Gabapentin withdrawal effects can be similar, such as seizures, mood changes, headache, nausea, fever, chills, and dizziness.
Ref: Gabapentin Information
Jamisu, if he was experiencing such mood changes, he should have informed his doctor immediately, and not continued taking it. That is a severe reaction that usually means it is not the correct medication for that person to take. I am very sorry about what happened to your friend.
As to the Stanford article here's a link for anyone curious. The concern is mostly regarding it being taken by pregnant women, while a fetus is developing nerve synapses.
Is there anything I can help with?
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