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Gabapentin Withdrawal IMPORTANT

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I spent 4 days in intensive care following a spinal operation. This was found to be the result of the sudden complete withdraawal of Gabapentin.

For 3 whole days I was, to quote my surgeon, 'on another planet.' The only drug, of the many I was taking for pain, the only one that could not been given in an alternative form was Gabapentin. Fortunately, on the 3rd day there happened to be a charge nurse on duty who had seen a [b]previous case similar to mine, also resulting from withdrawal of Gabapentin.

My husband insisted that some way was found of administrating the drug. (I myself was una\\ware of any of this until later). There were objections from the staff since I would need sedating and was unable to consent! My husband over-rode them - thank goodness - and said he would take full responsibility and 'just do it.'

Some time after he left they did sedate me and administer the Gabapoentin. Then, as now, I had been taking 900mg 3 times daily for nerve pain, so I had obviously fallen off a cliff in terms of amount taken.

The following morning I woke up back to normal and asked for a cup of tea. When my husband arrived I saw him wipe tears from his eyes. If not back from the dead I WAS back from a living nightmare.

WHAT CONCERNS ME MOST IS THAT THIS WAS DISMISSED BY THE MANUFACTURERS WHEN ONE OF MY CONSULTANTS MENTIONED IT. YET IT IS A TERRIBLE REACTION, ALBEIT NO DOUBT EXTREMELY RARE. IT SHOULD BE MAD E KNOWN:!:

16 likes, 474 replies

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  • karen25221
    karen25221 Guest

    Posted

    900mg is an awful lot to be taking 3 times a day my GP said I can take 1x 300mg 3 times a day I take 600mg in total a day 300 in the morning and 300 at night so you are taking 2700mg a day no wonder you ended up'im ITU 
    • robyn47647
      robyn47647 karen25221

      Posted

      I reiterate. .yes it is a lot but it was the doctors prescribing it. The body adapt s to it and requires more and more and more...same as any painkiller. ..morphine included. Reduction should be done slowly. Approx ,100mg per week and that still has side effects. No way around it. **
  • venessa44820
    venessa44820 Guest

    Posted

    Hi, I have been taking 300 x 3 mg of  gabapentin for at least a year and have been taking the drug since 2011 albeit originally lower dosage.  I have gained 4 stone in weight and have noticed that even though on strict diet weight was not coming off so I did research and have spoken to people who when they stopped taking the medication their weight started to reduce.  I stopped taking this drug on Sunday I spoke to my doctor on Monday and he said try and see how you feel ! Today at work I started to feel strange hot flushes etc. This evening I almost fainted and had to put myself on the floor before I passed out! So I am guessing this means it must be a withdrawal from the medication!.  I was taking this pain killer as I have lower back disc problems resulting from a bad car crash I actually had years ago.  I have not noticed any increase in pain in my legs just the horrible restless sleepless nights and then nearly fainting and my legs going beneath me!  I am now worried as yes I lost weight this week but not sure how I should then tackle the withdrawal symptoms.  Do I go back on the drug cutting down to two tablets three times a day for a week then down further.   Any response from anyone would be helpful. Thanks
    • robyn47647
      robyn47647 venessa44820

      Posted

      Would suggest reduction of 100mg per week. I have been on this drug for approximately three years plus others. .......actually you name it I've probably been prescribed it. Gab is not the nicest drug but it will stop the pain only thing is you have to keep increasing the dose because the body like most drugs adapts and always needs more....not a good thing.
    • robyn47647
      robyn47647 venessa44820

      Posted

      Try only 50mg per week it less ons the side effects. I am on 200mg now but for three years was on 1200mg per day plus 40mg morphine plus other medications. Took me a month to stop morphine but 12-14 weeks to get to 200mg gabapenton still reducing now. Great though!!!
  • robyn47647
    robyn47647 Guest

    Posted

    Yip this is exactly what it does. It works well for brain receptors to stop the impulses to the brain. It is an epilepsy drug after all. But you are absolutely right withdrawal symptoms are worse than heroine withdrawals.
  • jan1961
    jan1961 Guest

    Posted

    Hi all and thank you . I am on also on 3x300mg 3 times a day and wish to come off as it no longer seems to give me any help. From previous drugs I know it has to be a slow withdrawl,but was unsure how slow. So Ive decided i will try reducing 300mg a day for the first week to ten days  and then another and so on .Hoping this will be slow enough BUT if not then will deal with things as they come . I hate coming off any meds like these as there always seems to be some sort of withdrawl ..still here goes smile
  • robyn47647
    robyn47647 Guest

    Posted

    Thank you for writing this. I have been on gab three years different doses. Ending up on 1200mg per day. As my body adapted I continually needed more and more. Doctors do not let u know side effects of these drugs. Best to always Google any new medication. I reduced at 100mg per week. However on reflection 50mg per week would be better.
  • fsrvival
    fsrvival Guest

    Posted

    I have been taking gabapentin 3 X 600mg. This is as a mood stabilizer. Been taking it many years.  I need to discontinue, so I will be following this thread.
    • lucy81308
      lucy81308 fsrvival

      Posted

      How did it go? I'm looking at years of taking this drug at a higher dose. 3600mgs a day.  What have the long term problems if a ny been? Thanks.
    • lucie1958
      lucie1958 lucy81308

      Posted

      Wow, my doctor told me that he will not prescribe more than 1200 a day, that is the limit. A lot of you on here are taking a lot more than that, maybe you should be checking into that. That could be why so many are having issues.I am at 900 a day.

       

  • lucy81308
    lucy81308 Guest

    Posted

    I have been told and read in the patient notes that sudden withdrawal is dangerous- so F*** know how a bunch of consultant surgeons don't know about it. Sue.
  • Ben4418
    Ben4418 Guest

    Posted

    I've been taking 3,000mgs of gabapentin for the past 13 years. Needless to say I've been through this thing long enough to realize I'm scared for my life to stop taking this drug. I've tried before and tried again and realized it's just not going to happen. Which is a shame because I've experienced withdrawals and I've experienced all the side effects that come along with it but at the same time as my lifesaver because I can't go without it. Personally I feel if I ever truly wanted to take the right steps to get off this drug I would have to go to a hospital and they would have to keep me in a padded cell like a year or two. Again I take it every day and everything's fine but trying to come off as rude tell me at this point after all these years is damn near impossible.
    • fsrvival
      fsrvival Ben4418

      Posted

      Reading back over the various responses on this topic, it would seem that a reduction of 50 mg per week should be OK. That's what I'm going to try.

      At that rate, after 36 weeks I would be off gabapentin.

    • Tabstoyou
      Tabstoyou fsrvival

      Posted

      Dont get disheartened though if it doesnt work first time. I did it much too quickly thinking how hard can it be! It can be done. Good luck!
    • kathy88161
      kathy88161 Ben4418

      Posted

      I have been taking Gabapentin for 17 years .  2400 mg a day. I have had repeated head trauma and severe migraine headaches.  I am probably going to be on this the rest of my life.  It is also anti seizure medicine. I too tried to get off it many times. Sometimes I take a medication holiday.  After. Being on it for such a long time,at a high dose, I am unable to come off it.  The doc did tell me when he put me on it I. Would be on it for the rest of my life.  While my migraines are still severe and the neurologist is at his wits end.  I just do the best I can.  I wish you the best of luck. 
    • lucie1958
      lucie1958 kathy88161

      Posted

      My brother had severe migrands and clouster headaches. He had them so bad he would pass out. I told him about botox injections for migrans so he talked to his doctor about it and they started the injections. He is now pretty much migran free as long as he takes them when required and the insurance co. pays for them because it is a medical thing not to mention he has no forhead wrinkles now, a free perk lol.
    • b2wc97455
      b2wc97455 kathy88161

      Posted

      Hi kathy, just curiousity, have you h ad a MRI/Scan in regard to your headache/migraine it seems funny if you have not, hopefully nothing else, because majority of people would be OK with others if it is only noral migraine..best to make sure that is only migraine nothing else...
    • 1Warbonnet
      1Warbonnet kathy88161

      Posted

      Hi Kathy, I've battled migraines for over 20 years. The best thing I ever did was have Botox injections by a Orthopedic (specialized in the spine/neck). He said studies show that Botox is needed twice (three month break in between injections). He injected my forehead, temples where my jaws clenched, above my ear and around the back of my head and neck area. (Yes, it was a lot of injections, but I'm telling you it worked). After that I take Flexiril 10mg each night at bedtime. It's been 2 1/2 years since my last injection and I'm still doing very well. I forgot to fill my Flexiril and missed 4 days - that won't happen again. My headaches started to return, but after a week back on the Flexiril, I'm doing fine again.
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