1. Community
  2. Brain and nerves
  3. Gabapentin

Coming off gabapentin

Posted , 5 users are following.

JLM77
JLM77

Hi,

Please bear with me, this is my 1st post!

I have been on 1800mg a day of gabapentin for about 9 months due to a back problem. In this time I have put on over 2 stone and have now got the point where I've had enough. I went to my doctor on Tuesday and she has advised me to reduce my daily amount by 300mg and then after a week, reduce by a further 300mg. This seems a lot quicker than others have done it although I'm desperate to get off these asap. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you x

2 likes, 20 replies

20 Replies

Next
  • judeuhl
    judeuhl JLM77

    Posted

    Hi, Need to taper down/off very slowly. I'm on 100 mg twice daily. Have been taking for 2+ weeks due to recent auto accident. I have been experiencing major side effects and have decided to go off. Called my doctor and was told take 100 mg once a day for 5 days then stop. Wrong.....doing so can cause seizures, death. I  reduced intake from 100 mg twice a day to once a day for 5 days  and will then take 50 mg for   7 days tapering off over 1 month. Hope this is of some help. Wish you best of luck.
    • JLM77
      JLM77 judeuhl

      Posted

      Thank you, that is helpful to know. As much as I want to get off these, I told my doctor that I'd read online that you should only reduce by 50mg a week and she says she thinks I'm sensible and will know if I'm doing it too quickly or if I find I can't manage without them. I spoke to a pharmacist last week but she wouldn't give me a figure, just told me it needed to be done with my GP so I have no clue whether 300mg is too quick
    • sandy97889
      sandy97889 JLM77

      Posted

      My Rheumatoligist had me on 3200 a day for about 6 months. I have Osteo arthritis in my feet. Did nothing for pain just made me sleep good!

      He said to drop to 1600 mgs for 5 days then 800 mgs for 5 days and stop!!! Wrong. I never left my house in February at all. Sleeplessness, anxiety, stomach issues. That I am still dealing with, chest pain. It was horrid!!

      My family Dr was very upset over this.

      Just this past week I haven't felt to bad.

      So please do it slowly.

      Keep me posted. Good Luck. smile

    • JLM77
      JLM77 sandy97889

      Posted

      Thank you and good luck. I really don't know what to do, I had no idea it would be like this! I've been feeling pretty yucky today but I only missed the first 300mg last night so it is probably more to do with the general side effects of my tablets. That and I've eaten less so hopefully I will start seeing done results soon.

      I will definitely keep everyone updated and if I can help anyone else, please ask 😃

  • sandy97889
    sandy97889 JLM77

    Posted

    I was taken off quicker than that. 3 months of nasty withdrawal!! My family Dr said it should of been 100 mgs tapered over several months!

    Please do it very slowly.

    • JLM77
      JLM77 sandy97889

      Posted

      Thank you, it is so hard to know what to do for the best. I'm so depressed about my weight but I obviously want to do this sensibly too
    • sandy97889
      sandy97889 JLM77

      Posted

      I actually lost 10 lbs. Had NO appetite for weeks.
    • JLM77
      JLM77 sandy97889

      Posted

      Was that when you were on gabapentin? If so, you're very lucky from what I've read. I put up with weight gain for as long as I could but it's affecting things too much now and I feel so out of control
  • sandy97889
    sandy97889 JLM77

    Posted

    No it was when  I was going thru withdrawal for 3 months!!!  Never gained while I was on it for over a year.
    • JLM77
      JLM77 sandy97889

      Posted

      Well there's some hope for me then, lol😉
  • Margot49
    Margot49 JLM77

    Posted

    I was ne ER on more then 1800 mg a day but was prescribed this for GI/stomach problems.   Too have gained weight. Akways feel like I have to eat if I sm hungry or not. I want off this stuff.  Had been on 1200 mg fir some time and started trying to reduce by 100mg a week.  When I hit 900 mg a day, was not feeling well so increased back to 1100 mg.  What side effects us e ermine dealing with? It is hard for me to tell if it is my GI issues acting up or withdrawal symptoms.  I have now developed numbness in my big toes and burning in the soles of my feet, symptoms they actually prescribe Gabapentin for!  It's a nightmare.
    • JLM77
      JLM77 Margot49

      Posted

      I too found I always wanted to eat but even on a strict diet I didn't lose any weight. I've only been withdrawing for 2 days and have had 1500mg each day rather than my usual 1800. This morning I've got a bad headache and I've had lots of cramp in my calf. It's too early for me to say if this is down to the gabapentin withdrawal or indeed a side effect of taking it at all so will persevere for now. Good luck, hope you can come off it okay.
  • JLM77
    JLM77

    Posted

    Just to update everyone............ I went from 1800mg a day to 1500mg a day for a week and today I have gone down to 1200mg. So far I seem to have been very lucky and have had no withdrawal effects apart from the initial headache but that could easily have been due to the side effects of taking gabapentin, not coming off it.

    What's even better is that my pain hasn't increased so I was right in thinking my pain relief is more down to my painkillers and anti-inflammatories.

    I will keep you all updated but good luck to everyone on your journeys, you may be lucky like me. I couldn't believe it when I read you had to reduce by 50mg a week as this would have taken me 9 months but a reduction of 300mg a week seems to be working out for me. Good luck, Jo x

    • sandy97889
      sandy97889 JLM77

      Posted

      I went from 3200 mgs to 1600 mgs for 5 days then 800 mgs for 5,days then nothing! My Rheumatoligist did this my family Dr said it should of been 100 mgs over a period of months been thru 3 months of withdrawal!!! Finally feeling better.

      Don't rush it!!

      Good Luck

    • JLM77
      JLM77 sandy97889

      Posted

      Thanks Sandy. So it's not so much the problems now while reducing it's once I stop completely? Last night I had bad leg cramps again (I'd forgotten about them!) They started as soon as I started reducing and I haven't had them for a long time before so that has to somehow be down to the gabapentin. I'm really hoping that's as bad as it gets but I imagine I'm probably kidding myself there!
    • sandy97889
      sandy97889 JLM77

      Posted

      I think K if you wean down very slowly you should be fine! My Dr tried to talk me into going back on a low dose thru withdrawal but I had been without for a month then

      Good Luck smile

    • JLM77
      JLM77 sandy97889

      Posted

      I've been reducing by 300mg a week. I started on 1800, then went to 1500 and after a week am now on 1200. Hopefully this is slow enough, watch this space!
    • sandy97889
      sandy97889 JLM77

      Posted

      I pray so!! Every one is different!!

      Sending happy thoughts your way! smile

    • JLM77
      JLM77 sandy97889

      Posted

      Thank you so much, I will keep my fingers crossed for both of us x
Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.