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GABAPENTIN - RAPID HEART BEAT & MEMORY LOSS

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USofAnxiety
USofAnxiety

Has anybody taken this & felt rapid heart beat & extreme nervousness??? Been to the ER twice &,they said its anxiety as a side effect but its horrible & unlike any anxiety I ever had. I also feel my mind is blank with loss of memory. I am feeling very confused not like myself at all,I feel so out of my mind its scary! I don't even know how I'm able to sit here typing this. PLEASE read my previous post on this drug, PLEASE BEWARE!!

2 likes, 22 replies

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  • Shammah
    Shammah USofAnxiety

    Edited

    Are you still taking Gabapentin? I know at one point you stopped it cold turkey, which causes severe side effects. What dose are you currently taking? Memory loss is a common side effect. Racing heart beat can happen during withdrawals, as well as anxiety.
    • USofAnxiety
      USofAnxiety Shammah

      Posted

      Yes I am I'm taking around 150MG. I had to restart taking it after cold turkey because within 48hrs I had bad withdrawal symptoms. I tried to stop taking it just recently for the second time & it was horrid, around 48 hours of not taking any extreme panic set in . I nearly fainted & son had to call an ambulance, I guess it may have caused a severe panic attack?? Shortly after this occurred I took another dose & everything subsided for awhile. But now even as I'm on it I feel absolutely terrible. Feel like I don't know my surrounding's & I am a VERY ALERT person (before taking this). I have been able to take a dose then wait a full 24 hour before taking the next one without all these issues but now I think I'm gonna have to take doses closer together. I feel so agitated & worried. I have NEVER felt so sick or unwell in my life. This is a very emotional rollercoaster & I already feel the possibility of post traumatic stress to be very high once I am finally able to come off. I just want to know somebody else has experienced the exact same thing & know I am not bat shlt crazy!
    • USofAnxiety
      USofAnxiety Shammah

      Posted

      By the way the previous post took me way too long to word...this drug has turned my brain is mash potatoes =\
    • Shammah
      Shammah USofAnxiety

      Posted

      Yes, what you are experiencing is normal for a rapid taper from Gabapentin... unfortunately. It sounds like you are still coming off it too fast for your system. How long have you been at 150 mg? What was your dose before you dropped down to 150 mg?
    • USofAnxiety
      USofAnxiety Shammah

      Posted

      My dose was 300MG I have been taking about half of that for around 6 days. Today I woke up really confused & felt like that all day. Forgive me if I already asked (I CANT REMEMBER ANYTHING) have you experienced confusion & memory loss??
    • Shammah
      Shammah USofAnxiety

      Edited

      That is too big of a drop for you. Beginning day 6 is when you will start feeling the drop because it takes 6 - 7 days for the medication to leave your body. Now, you are experiencing discontinuation symptoms. The safest way to taper down is to decrease by 10%, which means you would be taking 270 mg. You are tapering by 50% and your body can't handle it. Some people can taper down by 30%, which would be 210 mg. Is a doctor helping you? He or she should be working with you. The withdrawals are horrible if you go down too fast. I have had confusion and memory loss, along with stuttering, anxiety, increased blood pressure, jittery, panic, headaches, muscle twitches, fatigue, tiredness, buzzing in my head, sharp pains in my jaw, ears, legs, pressure in my ears and eyes, and more. I'm down to 20 mg at this time and going down very slowly. However... I'm still experiencing withdrawals. You may need to take more Gabapentin so you are comfortable... at least bring it up to 200 mg to 270 mg. So that would be at least 50 mg more than what you took. Some people tough it out, but I could not. It was too uncomfortable and I could not function. I had to start over and taper down much slower. Everyone is different. I am working with my doctor to help me get off and I recommend you do the same.
  • Margot49
    Margot49 USofAnxiety

    Posted

    I have been ipon this drug for maybe close to 2 years?  I take it for GI issues and would love to get off it!  Makes me feel "heady", tired and I do have some memory loss.  I have also gained weight!  No rapid heart rate but do have heart pounding sometimes and a low heart rate.  Recently had an ECHO that was OK.  However, I also take low dose Alprazolam (Xanax) that I have taken for about 8 years.  I take a half a pill when I go to bed and a half when I get up.  If I feel anxious, I may take another half during the day.  I have been feeling kind of dizzy the past couple of weeks and the doctor is running tests so I have no idea if it is the Gabapentin as I have not changed the dose.  I want off this stuff too but will have to continue it if my GI issues continue. 
    • USofAnxiety
      USofAnxiety Margot49

      Posted

      The memory loss has been plentiful for me , I could not imagine being on as long as you have! I hope they figure your situation out & if you do stop taking the gaba it seems crucial for a taper .
    • Margot49
      Margot49 USofAnxiety

      Posted

      I am presently on 1100 mg a day (400, 300, 400). I was on a higher dose and my doctor wanted me to increase it more!  I do not seem to be able to get below the 1100 mg (slowly tapering).  My doctor at Stanford prescribed it and God only knows when they will be able to get me in again to see her!
  • tim72430
    tim72430 USofAnxiety

    Posted

    Certainly have, and am still experiencing severe withdrawl symptoms after not having a dose for a few weeks now. The anxiety is horrendous. My left arm is near numb and my left leg and chest have the most horrible shaking feeling that is hard to shake. It seems Gabapentin unlocks any slight anxiety previously suffered and turns it into full blown anxiety disorder. From everything i have read, it will subside over time, and you have a great support network on here from people who have been through the same thing to help you through the tough times you are experiencing. They all helped me so much! Just know, this won't kill you, it won't be forever and you are not alone. What is helping me is regular belly breathing exercises, which slows your heart beat and stops the panic from continuning. It won't be immediate, but if you do it regularly in a day or so it will help to calm things down. Drink tons of water to flush your your system,stay away from any form of stimulant (e.g coffee or soda pop), lots of vegetables for nutrtition and stay away from white bread and too much sugar. Keeping yourself iscolated from anything stressful, watch funny videos on youtube, videos that make you cry help as it is a release that your body will need regularly in order to flush the stress. These are things that have helped me, and it is heartbreaking to hear that you are going through the same as it is hell! But it will get less and less, especially the heart side of things. Listen to some Hypnosis videos on youtube to help with sleep if needed. You will get there hey. 

    Take care and rest up USofAnxiety smile

    • USofAnxiety
      USofAnxiety tim72430

      Posted

      THANK YOU for your post! I think you probably know exactly what this is causing me ...hell!! How long where you on it & how many MG?? Also how did you come off it, taper or cold turkey? I think you are right " It seems Gabapentin unlocks any slight anxiety previously suffered and turns it into full blown anxiety disorder. " IT SEEMS TO BE DOING EXACTLY THAT.

      I also agree that there is such great support here, all you guys are the best! I am up right now with a nasty withdrawal headache because I took less the past couple days. Its especially hard to taper when I take capsules & have to shake some out by eyeballing! But my doc didn't see a problem with it, I think I would be better off with tablet or liquid.

      I hope your side effects are nearing to an end smile

  • lesdeak
    lesdeak USofAnxiety

    Posted

    I just started 300mg Gabapentin to help me sleep as I have horrible Insomnia due to menapause. Last night was night two and I woke up 4 hrs after taking the pill with unbelievable fast heart beat! I did deep breathing and visualization of a relaxing sunset to calm down and eventually I did. But at the time it a horrible experience. Is this part of my system getting used to the drug? It didn't happen the first night. I should say I also took an antacid at the same time and in reading about contra-indications it says not to take antacids within 2 hrs of taking the drug. I am also concerned about what I am hearing about memory loss. Am now debating taking the pill tonight the 3Rd night.

    • Margot49
      Margot49 lesdeak

      Posted

      I have been on Gabapentin for at least a couple of years.  I can't say it has ever helped me sleep.  I still wake up at least every couple of hours.  Kind I'd surorised you were prescribed that if just for sleep.  I hesitate suggesting anything since you are on the Gabapentin but, since you just started it, I would ask for something else.  Have you even trued Tylenol PM or Simply Sleep, OTC?  I have not had the heartbeat problems from this drug and you can call your doctor or Pharmacist and see what they say.  I take Tums, as needed, and take Zantac daily.  Yes, have had memory loss in this drug.  If I want to remember something, I really have to concentrate.  

    • lesdeak
      lesdeak Margot49

      Posted

      I tried the OTC - Benadryl which has the same drug as Tylenol PM and others. It made me too dopey and didn't get me to a deep sleep. With this current bed I still get up to pee but go back to sleep and at deeper level. It was orescribed by my neurologist who tried other meds that didn't have work . By coincidence I just learned my good friend also in menopause was given this named by her doctor. She has no side effects. It's still early in my process... I see a Psychiatrist next week who is knowledgeable about the pharmacolkgical aspects of antidepressants and other meds. I'll see what he says. I was on Celexa for 10 years and got off that last summer. Slept well in that med. can't take it anymore as my body now rejects it. So seeking something new

  • carmelita
    carmelita USofAnxiety

    Edited

    Ive only been prescribed 100 mg and taken for 3 days, 2 nights.. My new Dr has prescribed gabapentin to replace baclofen for neuropthy in my feet. I'd take baclofen every 8 hours and it worked fine but was a major hassle to refill so often. Dr said G works best.

    I've had a really horrible time sleeping each night since started. Terrible dreams, heart racing, feeling anxious like I'm overdosing on cocaine or crystal meth! I'm checking onlinetoday and you're the only person feeling this.  I'm hoping this, the worse, side effect will resume in time. The loopy feeling is minor, memory loss was already there but such horrible nightmares and panicy feelings are scary!  There's nothing worse than feeling tired from a drug, but not sleeping on top of that is bad!

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