Gabapentin withdrawal horror continues
Posted , 3 users are following.
after many years on and trying to go off gabapentin, I finally decided to go off the last remaining 300 mg after reading an article called Gabapentin Horror posted by Mad in America. Even on the 300, for the last year, i still experienced horrible facial burning every time i would wake up. It would last until i either got back to sleep or forced myself to get up in the morning. I was put on it by a headache specialist years ago. It did nothing for my constant headache so i tried to come off it and the burning started. I weened off a low dose of Mirtazapine for sleep and i am now trying to come off the rest of the gabapentin and also Estrogen and Progesterone. I am currently taking 100gabapentin at bedtime and trying melatonin to see if that will help my insomnia. My skin on my arms and face burn and prickle continuously, I am woozy and lightheaded. My headache is worse, my stomach issues are worse. I pace the house and try to distract myself because i cant stand to be in my body. I don't want to try to go to sleep because I know I will wake up with horrible burning. My head is so bad i have to lay down a lot through the day and when i do, the burning on my face intensifies. I can wear long sleeves because i can't stand anything on my arms from the parathesia. I am determined to come off this horrible drug but I am not sure how much longer i can deal with these withdrawal effects. My new headache specialist wants me to go on Lyrica. I haven't told him i won't in case he says he won't treat me anymore. I am going to drop the last 100 in another week. There is no point prolonging it as my body will not begin to heal and reset until i am totally off this horrible drug. Any suggestions would be greatly welcomed and appreciated.
0 likes, 3 replies
garylou11 lynn72382
Posted
Hi, been on gabapentin for many many years, but when i was put on them i was not told just addictive these tablets are, not to mention just badly they can effect your mental health when you try to come of them.
lynn72382 garylou11
Edited
I wasn't told that you could develop a dependence on them either. This is my third time trying to come off. The first time i was only on it for 3 months, up to 900mg, side effects were awful. The doctor told me to drop 300 mg every two weeks. I was fine until i went from 300 to 0. Horrible withdrawal that went away when i went back up to 300. Stayed there for another two weeks, then 200 and then 100 and i was fine.
A headache specialist told me to go off the amitriptyline i was on and i could go higher on the gabapentin and thst would help my headaches. I thought, OK she's the specialist so i should do what she says. Side effects were so bad but they told me it would get better and to keep going higher.
Tried to come off but withdrawal was so bad so went back on again but slower so i actually got as high as 1200. It did nothing for my headaches. Over the next two years, I decreased but never got rid of some of the withdrawal effects. I got down to 300 and stayed there fir a year and a half, afraid to go off due to more withdrawal effects.
i read an article called Gabapentin Horror by Mad in America. You can google it, its only 7 or 8 pages. I leaned a lot about gabapentin and the withdrawal, and also kindling which i am experiencing as a result of going on and off this drug. As well, like her i have been on and off other drugs and cant tolerate ones that i was on before, like Amitriptyline.
I decided i needed to get off this poison and let me brain heal but it has been a horrible journey. I started to come off from the 300, 100 at a time, 100 every 4 weeks. It was way too fast. I thought i was going to die or kill myself. Heart palpitations (pounding in my chest and heart rate 30 beats higher than normal. Insomnia, horrible intense burning and dizziness, skin itchy and crawling, parathesia, and nausea. i reinstated to 200 and have been trying to drop ever since. I am at 69 mg a day, (23 x 3). I difnt know about inter-dose withdrawal until i read the article. I am still suffering from most of the above issues but know i need to get off of this. I also still suffer from continuous headaches on top of the withdrawal. I also know that when i am off, it will be months before my brain heals so it is going to be a long journey.
Are you withdrawing now? What are your symptoms? There is a FaceBook page for gabapentin/lyrica withdrawal and you can get a lot of support and info from there.
we are all in this together. Be strong!
jen66922 lynn72382
Posted
I really feel for you lynn. My friend struggled with the worst gabapentin withdrawals and it has taken her over a year to feel more normal, this is following mismanagement from her doctor dropping her by 300mg week on week.
My advice would be to take the withdrawal VERY slowly, I mean dropping a small amount then letting your body level out. Drink lots of water. Omega-3 supplements are good for healing the head, my friend takes a couple a week.
On another note, I suffer from constant migraines, and feel the doctors are very quick to put people on anti-depressants / anti-convulsants to treat this. Always read the small print on the drugs they prescribe. I am currently on Naproxen when I get a really bad migraine, that seems to do the trick and is not addictive. I also, where possible, use things like the forehead strips that are all natural.
Hope this has been of some help.