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Bad Gabapentin Withdrawal

Posted , 4 users are following.

joe03634
joe03634

Mind you it took me time and hindsight to realize Gabapentin was the culprit as I did not feel a LITTLE better 7 days later. Was given Gabapentin at 300 mgs 3x a day for 6 days while in detox for oxycodone. They gave me the Gabapentin, Clonodine, Hydroxazyne and Trazadone which I was on before. Coming out I stopped the regular regiment of these and took them if I remembered. Day 9 three days after detox I had a night with 0 sleep. This continued for 3 days when on the third day slept but realized that day I took the regular dose of GP as well as Clonadine and Hydroxyzine. Slept 5 hours. Day 13 I believed it was the Hydroxyzine because benadryl gives me insomnia. Stopped this and day 14 still had 1 hour sleep. The Clonodine was made for anxiety and blood pressure which I stopped on day 20 because some cause insomnia. Still a few days later on day 25 severe insomnia not tired during the day either. Along I realized I was only taking 2 of the GP. I tried the three and that night I slept 4 hours with terrible nightmares. Day 28 decided to stop completely as I realized that was the drug messing with sleep or the withdrawal from the regular 3x a day to intermittent use. Start the clock again I am 9 days fully abstinent from Gabapentin. 1.5 months off Oxy and multiple weeks off everything else except Trazadone which I used before detox. Days 0-6 of abstinence 0-1 hours sleep a night and vivid dreams. Days 7-9 3 hours dreaming less meaning more rem. During the GP withdrawal process had dire thoughts and negativity, crying spells and I don't cry. Night sweats and ringing in ears. The fact that I am at 3 hours I know it's improving but 3 is not sufficient. I was on that drug to HELP with withdrawals from Oxycodone. I would take Oxycodone withdrawals any day. IME this drug messed up my sleep when I stopped and 9 days of abstinence and only being on it a month I am still hurting. Doctors dismiss it as opiates but I've been through that before and although anxious still slept. IME this drug is awful beware before taking it even if your doctor says it's harmless.

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • jimbourg8
    jimbourg8 joe03634

    Posted

    Yes, the Gabapentin is bad enough !  But you were also taking the other drugs which probably is compounding the terrible side effects. Gaba. is a horrible drug ! I know because had been on it for 4 years, taking between 900 and 1200 mg/day.  now I am almost off of it since down-dowsing about 9 weeks ago....now down to less than 100 mg/day. Almost completely drug free......I feel 90% better now that almost off of it. !  Try to get off all or most of the drugs if you can........maybe the lowest possible doses eventually.....it will take a good deal of time to do this.....possibly many months.....so good Luck.  
  • joe03634
    joe03634

    Posted

    Yes the only thing I take is Trazadone which I had before without side effects. The detox put me on all these extras. Good thing is I've had too little energy to go back to Oxycodone. Slept 6 hours last night I hope this means in the next week I'll be back to normal. It was broken up but I believe the first wakeup was my wife downstairs. It does make me conscious not to put just anything in my body. I just didn't expect this from a drug interraction from rehab. Here let's ease your withdrawals with something that you will withdraw from that's 10x worse than anything else.

  • marykat
    marykat joe03634

    Posted

    Hey Joe..I DEFINITELY don't want to sound like your doctor but I will say this as far as the oxy w/d. You said you went through before and didn't experience..but doesn't mean you won't experience different w/d symptoms second or third time around. I'm not disregarding gabapentin as a nasty drug..I'm very much thinking it is...that's why I'm here. I think I read you only took for a week..if I read that wrong tell me. When I came off methadone i had VERYvivid dreams/nightmares. Crying etc. yes gabapentin can cause both and dealing with now and SUCKS ESPECIALLY INSOMNIA. and I'm still on but tapering ..also haven't been taking as prescribed. Anyway I would give some time..I read taking a magnesium supplement since binds to same receptors as gaba. I'm about to get some tomorrow. So Much for almost three years clean and doctor telling me people don't abuse..but yeah in your situation it's hard to pinpoint but sometimes you just know..

  • Shumate
    Shumate joe03634

    Posted

    The first week off of the gabapentin is pure misery.  The good news is that if you hang in there you will find that the worst is over.  During my second week off of the stuff I started getting about 4 hours of sleep per night.  Week 3 off got better, and by the end of week 4 I was about back to normal as far as my sleep was concerned.
    • joe03634
      joe03634 Shumate

      Posted

      This is reassuring as it seems to be my timeline. Almost to week three not normal yet but 10x better than week 1. Had restlessness, sweats, severe depression and crying spells. And obviously the worst insomnia ever known I will never take sleep for granted again. I have seen improvement definitely. I have a recurring ringing in my ears but it gets better each day. I do feel like the worst is over but look forward to the day my sleep is fully back to normal. I am 4-6 hours and don't get tired enough to sleep any other time than night. Sleep will be such a luxury!

    • Shumate
      Shumate joe03634

      Posted

      Yes...sounds very similar to my experience.  The insomnia was absolutely miserable that first week, along with severe restlesness, sweating, and a bunch of very, very dark thoughts.

      But, again, if our experiences are similar you should be past the worst part of it.  By my 4th week off of the gabapentin I was sleeping pretty well once again.  It took a few more weeks to regain some strength and get any degree of energy back, but, by the time you get to that poing you will be able to see improvement on almost a daily basis.

      Hang in there.  It sounds like you're doing well.

  • joe03634
    joe03634

    Posted

    Ok fast track weeks later. 6 weeks of insomnia for a couple weeks of Gabapentin. I got my first normal nights sleep yesterday. My head feels normal again too. Yesterday I noticed in the afternoon my head was clearer and ringing in my ears was more dim. Slept through the night too. Felt great today and feel I will sleep tonight we will see. What a nightmare this had been.
  • vicki14379
    vicki14379 joe03634

    Posted

    It has been close to 2 months since I took nuerontin and I staysick at my stomach head aches and can't fall asleep..,could that be the cause

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