Anti-depressants to help Gabapentin withdrawal?

Hey guys. I have been on gaba for 2 years 600mg (200mg three times daily). I was prescribed it for neuropathic pain and a bad back.

To be honest, I was not taking them as prescribed, I was trying not to get too dependent on them. I did notice that they made me feel good as well as helping the pain. I felt more sociable and my mood was somewhat lifted.

Anyway, I ended up taking them approximately 3-4 days a week to help me cope with these demanding days. I also was taking more than the prescribed amount up to maybe 1400mg on these days.

After a while I was noticing that on the days I wasn't taking them I was feeling very irritable and depressed, shaky, anxious, achy body and legs, suicidal ideations and feeling like I was going off my head.

I decided to try and stop cold turkey several times and on the 3-4 days that I had responsibilities I would take co-codamol to help with these feelings. It didn't help much and I had to stop those also with some withdrawals.

I eventually contacted my doctor recently and told him of the withdrawals but I didn't tell him that I was spreading them over 3-4 days and not every day.

I have however decided to go back on the original plan of 2x200 3 times daily and take it from there.

He has given me a plan to reduce 100mg every couple of weeks to a month. He also gave me a prescription for Duluxetine an anti-depressant. He told me to take this for a month before reducing the gaba. I have not taken this yet as I'm scared that it might not help with withdrawals and just make me dependant on another drug.

I have learnt a big lesson and just want off the gaba and never touch it again.

I would just like to ask anyone on the forum if they have used anti-depressants themselves whilst weaning off the gaba and If it just may be a bad idea to do so.

Many thanks.

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