Heeeeelp!!
Posted , 4 users are following.
I took Gabapentin for tooth pain for about a month, i recently quit cold turkey and have had horrible heart palipations, chest pain, anxiety, and insominia. HOW MUCH LONGER does it last? Im losing my mind. Cardiologist put me on propranol to slow heart rate down, seems to help a bit. Just curious to if anyone experienced the same things and it eventually got better? I dont want to feel like this my whole life. Im 24 and feel 80. Somebody HELP!!
0 likes, 9 replies
babs99203 casey24574
Posted
Sadly, you're caught in the situation many are or have been. Gab should never be stopped cold turkey for exactly the reasons you're experiencing. It's not possible to predict how long your withdrawal (which is what you're going through) will last. Every person's experience is different. There are some general patterns such as the shorter the time and the lower the dose the quicker you'll heal. However gab is an epilepsy drug that affects the brain's neurons and synapses. It is NOT a pain drug like Tyelonol, aspirin or NSAID's. It also varies as to what your general health is and whatever meds or substances you take.
Some people are better in a few weeks, for others who are very sensitive it can be many months. Please read about withdrawal from benzoids, anti depressants or gab. There's plenty of info on the web or in these groups. The symptoms will decrease and remind yourself, it's the body healing and reacting to the cortisol, adrenaline etc. that the drug interferes with. You should have received a patient info sheet from your pharmacist. I'm truly sorry you're in this situation, but it wasn't your fault. Few doctors realize the damage it can do.
Do good self care as in getting rest, avoid extra stress, eat healthy and if you have good resources such as a therapist that may help. This will get better, just keep reminding yourself of that.
karen00697 casey24574
Posted
This is a VERY nasty drug. I took it for 5 weeks 2400 mg a day. I tapered off but not slowly enough. Once I quit I had 16 side effects. I never thought I would be normal again. It took three to four months but I finally got better. I'm so sorry you are going through this but it will get better, I promise. ❤️
JohnAk casey24574
Posted
Sorry to hear your not well . I cant understand why you took gabapentin for toothache and not a simple pain killer . I think you should get back on gabapentin and then taper off them very slowley
casey24574 JohnAk
Posted
My grandmother gave them to me and said they would help. They did. But now i want to punch her even though its completley my fault.
casey24574
Posted
I took 900mg a day for about a month, if i could go back i would have never taken them. It was the dumbest descision ive ever made. I just want to know that it wont last forever, ive never had any medical issues and i dont take medication for anything either. Those pills have literally stolen my life from me. I have a 4 year old daughter and i feel like the past 2 weeks ive been failing as a mom. I spoke with my cardiologist and she said that gabapentin doesnt cause heart palipations but maybe anxiety. Its constantly beating out of my chest, and im constantly stressed thinking that this will never end and ive permantly damaged something. Someone who has been through the same thing, please tell me that there is an end.
babs99203 casey24574
Posted
Casey, for those of us who have dealt with gab for years, it's difficult to say that doctors are wrong, but they often are. They do NOT read the patient hand-outs, nor do they go to the FDA info OR read the black box warnings on the drug. It states right on the patient info sheets, can cause anxiety. I get my gab from CVS, THE BOTTLE had the notice "causes fear". Clear and simple language. But doctors are busy, feel they don't need to investigate every drug or procedure as they're just sure it's fine. A two second google search shows the results from the US National Institutes of Health results on heart failure and other reports about irregular heart beats.
It's wrong from them to put us in the difficult situation, the better answer is "I'm not familiar with that, let me check into it." Unfortunately when the depression and anxiety start, it's difficult to believe that it WILL go away. But it does, I and millions other are living proof of that. Look up info or contact someone on how to non-medically deal with anxiety. There are many good sources out there. Adding more drugs will just compound the problem.
I've been there, it DOES get better.
casey24574 babs99203
Posted
Did you have heart palapitations? Thats my main worry.
casey24574
Posted
Do they just "get better" or do they actually go away? and if so about how long? Im concerned about heart attack at 24. This is all so crazy!
babs99203 casey24574
Posted
I do get this occasionally, not on a regular basis. None of us is doctors or knows your medical history so it's good you're seeing a doctor. She just may not be aware that gab can cause this. However, for some people it IS an indicator of an underlying cardiac condition. Maybe you can share with her that the drug can cause this. As I said, this is not "internet garbage" as some doctors think, these are from case studies published in medical journals. Yes, anxiety can cause this, as gab increases the anxiousness and the chemicals like cortisol and adrenaline that cause those feelings.
Your doctor could best explain what type of situation is going on and whether it's anything to worry about. You said "your cardiologist" so it sounds as if you're being treated by one, so discuss it with the doctor.
Generally they DO go away, but as we heal from the side effects of gab, these symptoms stop, but all the side effects can take a while to clear up. You may have a good stretch of days or even weeks, and then this stuff pops back up. But you WILL get better. Try and accept it's the drug and at the same time with every day you're getting close to good health.