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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:!:

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  • tim72430
    tim72430 Guest

    Posted

    Was prescribed Gabapentin for instability of the spinal column, which results in constant back sprains. My Doctor put me on 300mg, once for the first day, twice the second day and then three times daily thereafter. My first week was strange, my burning in my back had nearly stopped, and had an overall feeling that i was on the mend and the pain was going away. About ten days in my heart started to beat rapidly. My nurse gave me a booklet on how to "Cope with anxiety". After it only becoming worse, my doctor confirmed i was having palputations and severe anxiety cause by the Gabapentin. She wrote me a prescription for a calcium supplement to help blood flow in my heart. A day after i was put into the Emergency Dept for my heart going absolutely crazy. It has been 3 days since i was told to stop taking the gabapentin completely, and my heart is still racing, my left arm has been near numb for days, along with my left leg being the same. I'm clumsy, agitated and very scared as to what this drug has done to my body, Would not wish this upon my worst enemy. Even writing this has been tough. So for not even 3 weeks treatment my heart goes out to those who are having problems after months or years of this crap in their system. If anyone has any advice on how i can cope with the feelings in my arms, leg and heart, i would be grateful. My doctor just told me to ride it out.
    • rita52071
      rita52071 tim72430

      Posted

      All I know is that Gabapentin leaves your body completely like about one day you stop taking it...someone had posted awhile back that they were still getting symptoms after two months....but they were on it much longer than you......Can they give you something to help the racing with the heart....I am sure it is due to the medicine....I am being weaned off of it....plus I am taking depakote which I want to come off of.........these medicines are horrible.........Hang in there...I know it is difficult........keep posting
    • Asteria
      Asteria tim72430

      Posted

      It will pass Tim, though it may take a very long time.  The effects aren't permanent.  I was on it for a very short time myself, and the hellacious withdrawals lasted longer than I ever would've imagined, but once they were over, I didn't have any lingering problems.  Will probably take a couple months, I'm sorry to say.  I had a very bad experience with this drug.
    • Asteria
      Asteria rita52071

      Posted

      Rita, I only took it for a week at a very low dosage and it took me at least a couple months to stop having withdrawal symptoms.  Even if the drug was out of my system, I was still experiencing the effects.
    • b2wc97455
      b2wc97455 tim72430

      Posted

      You knw the company would be grateful if you call them and let them know how you fell after taking this medicine - it stated on their SMPC (leaflts in the package)
    • rita52071
      rita52071 Asteria

      Posted

      Wow...I should consider myself very lucky.....I was on it since JUly 2015.......I and am having very little side effects from it....so far.......I do have a tendency that when I drop to a lower doasage I will get really dizzy for hours like 5 or 6 hours then I am fine.....that last for two days...I am now down to 100 mg......will stay on that for three weeks...then I am going to do every other day  etc.....Hope I do ok
    • Asteria
      Asteria rita52071

      Posted

      Yes, I'm sure differentt people react to it differently.  I know it's been a wonderful drug for some patients....just not for me!  Good luck!
    • rita52071
      rita52071 Asteria

      Posted

      You too......I still need to come off of depakote..........
    • katy25820
      katy25820 Asteria

      Posted

      Hi Asteria, I'm glad I came and read your post. I too have only been on this for a week for nerve pain and have been having anxiety and panic attacks, hot sweats and trouble sleeping. I have an appointment with my GP to get results back for an X-ray done and will tell her about these side effects as I have only just started having them the last couple of days, my only concern is that she is going to give me more of the stuff to taper off it...I don't know if it's worth taking it for longer or if I should to try and see how I feel after being tapered off?! It seems to have worked for others, or at least I may be assuming that tapering hasn't caused much side effects. I'm hoping its going to go away, Iv started taking magnesium so hoping that has some effect. I was on 300mg, 3 times a day. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
    • tim72430
      tim72430 katy25820

      Posted

      Hey Katy, it sounds like you are having the same side effects i suffered. In all honesty, i am so grateful that i stopped straight away. The warnings say that if you suffer from these side effects, it's probably best to follow up with your Doctor. Some of us just have a bad reaction to it, and i dearly would hate for your symptoms to continue. Anxiety is something i have never felt before, and had no idea how terrible it's effects on the body are. 

      Probably best to stop before it changes the chemistry of your brain to much. 

      All the best smile

    • tim72430
      tim72430 rita52071

      Posted

      Thank you for the supportive comments Rita smile.

      Although i still feel like crap, my panic attacks seem to have reduced in severity.My Doctor prescriped some Valium, five days worth of which i took a dose on four occasions which helped me sleep. However i think it made me feel like crap the next day, so i'll hold of taking my last dose unless i absolutely must take it. Sleep is still an issue, but can get a solid 4-5 hours each night. 

      Hopefully as Asteria has pointed out, the side effects don't hang around for a few months as i was only on it for such a short period. 

      Big thank you to all here, it is great to have support and know others have been through the same thing. Such comfort when in bad times. 

    • katy25820
      katy25820 tim72430

      Posted

      Hi Tim, thanks for replying. I stopped taking it last week (I didn't really get that across in my last post, sorry). These side effects, after doing some reading, seem to be once Iv stopped taking them and the drug has been out of my system so I'm glad that it's only been for a short time Iv taken them and it seems to be a case of riding out the storm. This morning has been the first in three that I haven't got up feeling anxious so I'm hoping that it's starting to get better already! Fingers crossed, always the optimist smile xx
    • rita52071
      rita52071 tim72430

      Posted

      All I can say is hang in there...Its hard...I know....One day at a time...We all want to get our lives back to normal........
  • fran45062
    fran45062 Guest

    Posted

    I have been on gabapentin for over 4 years now, and it is simply not working for me for pain relief. Two and a half years ago i underwent open heart surgery, and I could hardly walk after surgery. The pain has just built up and up, and I am now at my wits' end. Two of my brothers have been on Lyrica as well, and one of them has compalined to his specialist that he gets no relief from Lyrica to which the specialist just said 'Bloody Lyrica again'. Apparently Lyrica does not work for everyone. When my now ex GP told me to walk for 45 minutes every day, well that was the last I saw of him as my GP. I know that I have to lose weight, but every other medication I am on, has Increase in weight, as a side effect. So with the assistance of my new GP, I am going to ease off the Lyrica. 
    • b2wc97455
      b2wc97455 fran45062

      Posted

      Wow, that is great at least you have got sensible gp, stick with him, listen to him , he seems to know what he is doing, in the mean time, try magnesium oil or transdermal, its help me a lot..try to change the life style, eat proper food and try be gluten free diet...after 30 days you might see the different
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