How Long Do Withdrawal Side Effects Of Gabapentin Last
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I stopped taking a 300 mg twice a day dose of gabapentin last tues. I feel awful depressed sweaty moody irritated emotional very dizzy. How long will I keep feelin this way? My doc had me stop it right away, because I was suppose to go on lyrica. Which honestly I don't want to start taking pain or no pain.
I started slurring my words on the gabapentin then felt like wherever I was, I was inside a bubble it was a terrible feeling

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Re: Srfgrl (# 15)

Hello,
What you described sounds identical to my current situation. I was on 1200 mg for only 5 months. Getting off It has been the hardest thing in my entire life to go through. I'm now at day 25 off of the gabapentin and I'm still dealing with anxiety, headaches and depression. I've never had problems with these things in my past. I'm wondering how your doing now, and how long did it take to feel normal again? I need reassurance that I'm not going crazy or that the horrible drug permanently ruined my brain. I'm really curious how you're doing now. Thanks

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Re: kia5 (# 2)

I have only been on gabapentin for less than a week. I can't handle this stuff. It's horrible!!!!

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Re: Anne (# 7)

The problem with Lyrica is that it’s absorbed 3xs quicker than Gabapentin (Neurontin) and there’s only so much a human body can handle at a time.

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Doc prescribed 300 mg of Gabapentin as had bad nighttime cramps and leg pain all the time. I was on this dose for 2 years and have still been cramping up at night. The dose was doubled last week to 600 mg. I had such bad hallucinations after taking the double dose. Stopped taking it and quit cold turkey. Have headache, diarrhea, nausea, feel tired and spaced out. No energy. Doc said nothing about the side effects. Have been accused of being drunk, so obviously slurred my words. This stuff is poison. Can't wait for the Meds to clear out of my system. Hope it doesn't last too long. This wrecks your trust in the medical profession.

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Re: Srfgrl (# 15)

Hello, I was wondering how you got on with your withdrawal from Gabapentin? I have been off it for a couple of weeks now and feel utterly awful, like i have the flu, extremely anxious and tearful. Wondering how long this might last?

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My father is in his 70s doctors took him off of it and he has not eaten in 2 weeks. Any ideas? For food?

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I wanted to post my personal experience with gabapentin withdrawal, in case it helps someone else. I was taking 600 mg/day for shingles pain; took it for only three weeks and decided to taper off gradually, per my doctor's instruction. I tapered down over another three weeks and then stopped entirely. Felt spaced-out, extremely dizzy (as in, holding onto walls for balance) and generally very unwell during that time. I expected that. What I didn't expect is that these symptoms continued and actually got MUCH worse after I quit completely. I guess taking small amounts during the taper was enough to keep me from the worst side effects. Honestly, I feel like the taper-off period did nothing for me (maybe I should have gone slower?). Anyway, it has now been 18 days since my last gabapentin dose of approximately 50 mg, and I am just now feeling the fog lift. The vertigo is still there, but very mild and only lasts maybe 10-15 seconds. Headaches are gone. I'm not slurring my words and I feel "present" in the world instead of having a weird other-worldly feeling. I hope it will be completely resolved soon, but this is so much better than I hoped for. Just putting it out there in case it helps others; I know I was scared that I would never recover but now I have hope, and I'm seeing real improvement after 18 rough days. Good luck to all.

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I know this post is a bit outdated but I wanted to share my experience with Gaba withdrawal. About a year and half ago I was put on gaba for sciatica and other nerve pain, first starting out at 900mg a day to the last 7-8 months taking 3000mg a day , after becoming very moody and having trouble with memory and speech as well as having swelling of hands and feet from the gaba with very minimal help iy gave me with the nerve pain.... I decided to take myself off of it. It has been 3 weeks and I am still struggling and have had just about every withdrawal symptom and even ones they don't list. Now after 3 weeks I am still dealing with bad anxiety and depression , no energy , horrible migraine type headaches, nausea , stomach upset and lack of appetite and still dealing with the sweats mostly just hands and feet now. I literally have to take one day at a time with no expectations for the next day other than staying off the medication. This drug is horrific and I thought it was safe because the docs say it is non addictive and it's not scheduled or controlled. I'm still looking for the light at the end of what seems some days like a never ending dark tunnel but I get through each day just knowing that eventually there will be and I will never allow myself to get in this predicament ever again!

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I was on gab for tingling in my feet....quit taking it cuz of side effects.....been 2 weeks now and my tingling seems worse and have sooooo much anxiety.....so maybe its the anxiety makin it seem like tingling is worse?

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Its awful.I was put on Gabbys for mood and anxiety 300 mg 2x a day but doubled it and ran out ! Im sick and depressed worse than before prescribed ! I just cant believe that Im in WD !!!!!

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Why was your dose decreased? Was it working for you, but side effects were too bothersome?

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I agree with Lyrica I take with no problem. I know it helps my neuropathy pain tremendous and it's not a narcotic. I would pick the nonnarcotic pill any day. We have not heard anything bad in the news about Lyrica . We don't need Xanax to off of gabapentin. Your just open your self up for a addiction problem with the Xanax.

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I took a total of 2400 mg. of Neurontin per day for years. Then I went to a new M.D. who ascertained that it was causing memory problems. I tapered off of it, and then joint and muscular pain I had not felt in years cropped up. I am on Celebrex for pain now, and my memory is much better.

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Hi Chemically Lyrica is a cousin to Neurontin you should not be having problems after a few days ,I havent heard from many that Lyrica helps Fibro ,we are all different got our diseases or syndromes differently ,I hope to see how much Lyrica is helping you
Best of Luck rsder

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I am glad to see a health provider on this site. Please go to the Lyrica site and read all the problems people have had with Lyrica. There is plenty wrong with Lyrica. I, like so many others had some good success with it for pain, but due to the side effects, I had to make the choice over a year ago to get off of it.

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I'm a healthcare provider with many years of schooling as well as multiple subspecialties within the same field of practice. I have both a professional as well as, unfortunately, an intimate relationship with medications such as gabapentin and psychiatrists with 50 years of experience. You have to refrain from giving proclamations as to what people need. Xanax can actually be a horrible drug, as it is the cause of anxiety that is even worse than what it was prescribed for. That's called a paradoxical reaction, and I would never prescribe it with so many other options available. Also, just because someone has decades of experience, even at a major care center--think university--doesn't mean they're the best fit for every person. My first doctor had a lot of experience, won awards, was head of the department in a teaching institution, and has done many injustices. Also, what is wrong with Lyrica? Have you seen something negative about it recently written in a journal?

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Tramadol could help ease some of the withdrawals and get some klonopin or any benzo to ward off seizures. Never ct gabapentin or Lyrica as it can cause seizures. Besides the wds sound horrendous and I've had a taste of Lyrica withdrawal and it was BAD! Diarrhea like stomach virus...norco didn't even help but do feel that tramadol would. Or drop one pill a day for seven days before decreasing again. Say if you're on 900 mgs a day try reducing to 700 mgs a day for a complete week before reducing to say 600 mgs and so forth. Ask your doctor to help lower the dosage or prescribe 100 mgs pills instead of the 300 mgs and tell him/her why. Any real doctor worth his/her salt would be more than happy to assist a patient wanting to be off addictive pain medication unless the doctor feels that the gabapentin and/or Lyrica would be in your best interest to take.

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I was on neurontin for 4 years for anxiety, and mood stabilization. My dosage started low then eventually as my tolerance built up I was at the maximum, 800 mg three times a day. Recently I went through some stressors and started abusing it which I will tell you it is addictive and it can very easily be abused due to the euphoria you feel. For the last year I have been taking up to 9 of the 800 mg tablets at one time, about 3 to 4 times daily. That's 7,200 milligrams just in one dose. It has been 33 days today and I still feel the withdrawals. At first I couldn't eat or sleep for 3 weeks, had absolutely no energy, no motivation, I got severely depressed, multiple panic attacks on a daily basis, sweaty, nausea, restless legs, shaking so bad I couldn't even put mascara on. Was very irritable, I would cry multiple times throughout the day and felt like I had no purpose. My mind was constantly blurry and I was having trouble forming my thoughts into words and couldn't make sence of anything. Withdrawals can last up to months depending on how long you have been on the medication and the dosage. I'm starting to feel better and getting my drive back but I still feel the withdrawals. It's very important to take magnesium on a daily basis, as this will help with the shakiness, restless legs, and joint pain. I also take gaba vitamins, multi vitamins and drink lemon water throughout the day. The vitamins help more than you would think and I was never someone who took them or drank water. It is very important to stay hydrated and the gaba helps my severe anxiety. No one can really say how long the withdrawals last because everyone is different, but it won't be easy and can be torture. They are working to make gabapentin a scheduled drug which I believe is a great idea. There are a lot of risks with this medication and some can be permanent. The first time I tried to stop them a couple years ago, I ended up in the hospital from a seizure and I don't have a history of them. At that time I was only taking my prescribed dosage. I am an addict in recovery and have detoxed off of opiates and honestly the neurontin is harder to come off of because of the psychological effects as well as the physical. Keep it up cause it will get better. Take this from someone who was taking up to 22,000 milligrams a day. I'm starting to feel better only after 33 days so there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

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Dr.s have no clue how to fix what they have damaged. This was invented 30 or more yrs ago for epilepsy . It was called neurontin- gabapentin is not controlled . That is why it seems to have been thrown around like candy. Gabapentin is the generic name for neurontin. Even phychiatrists use it for manic / depressives. You honestly need Xanax & most Dr's will make you go to a phychiatrist these days to get them .
You are talking to so one that took 300 mg 3X a day for 3 months & I have never been sicker & in more pain in my life!! I already was in chronic pain & had nerve pain & panic attacks! DO NOT Consider taking Lyrica ! And go to a normal , tried & true med. that has a 50 yr. history of sucesss & get a good generic even if it will turn out to be the most expensive one!

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3000mg of Niacin a day will lift your spirits. Doctors don't push vitamins so you won't hear it from yours.

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