On low dose of Gabapentin but want to come off it
Posted , 6 users are following.
Hi I was prescribed 100mg Gabapentin 3 X day - which is a low dose compared to some on here. It was for neuropathic pain which I no longer have. Whether it has gone completely or whether it might come back if I quit the gabapentin, I don't know but I want to try. The thing is I feel my breathing is being affected - ie blocked nose and tight chest (both listed as possible side effects). This is unfortunate as I am also being treated for a lung condition. I was putting these symptoms down to the lung condition per se but these things only started after starting Gabapentin. I have only been on it for 3 weeks so wondered if I could safely taper on my own. Not sure if it comes in strengths less than 100mg or if I can split a tablet. Otherwise the only way I can see of tapering would be to start by reducing the dose to 2x day. Just wondered if anyone had any experience of coming off a low dose.
0 likes, 24 replies
chris2
Posted
Thanks folks.I'm waiting to speak to my doctor but I've had a lot of contact with doctors lately and they all seem to hold different views anyway. Yes the gaba has affected me - woolly head and woolly knees! But also on Amitriptyline for the same issue.
babs99203 chris2
Posted
Hi Chris, thanks for the update. I'm glad to see you're hearing from all sides. Those low dose tapers are really hard to predict. I think those of us who have had and who know of bad experiences can't help but warn others. But FYI, Amitiriptyline has similar qualities to the gab. So for some people (remember SOME) who are on several drugs, they have a little harder time. With that said, maybe you want to wait a couple of weeks between the next drop. As I say, I'm an outlier, my bad side effects take 4 weeks to appear, some people do notice it very quickly. The bes advice is, if you notice side effects, don't drop again until they've improved.
I think of my brain as a sprained ankle or scrapped knee. If I keep pushing it while it's healing, it's not going to heal well. But if I wait till it's much better, I can try again.
chris2
Posted
It seems I have an immune condition/connective tissue disorder which has caused some lung damage as well as a recent massive inflammatory flare up everywhere. Plus an unrelated gallbladder issue. Was on a respiratory ward in hospital when I started getting terrible neuropathic burns shooting through me front and back. It was like having a glowing hot poker laid on you and I would be practically hitting the roof with the pain of it. They only lasted 10 seconds or so but once they started, it would be one an hour. Standard maximum pain meds combined with Amitriptyline didn't touch it and oral morphine only took the edge off the next one. The pain team recommended Gabapentin which has done the trick. So I'm cautious about reducing the dose as I can't go back to the way I was. But as the itching/prickling/stabbing which used to precede these episodes has also stopped I'm hoping that the steroids have sorted the cause. Have reduced the dose from 3 to 2. So far so good and no ill effects.
changejobs chris2
Posted
has anyone here on lyrica. i saw a new dr today and he mentioned it as what he would like me on ?
babs99203 changejobs
Posted
Its generic name is pregabalin. Look famliar? It's very similar to gab, but stronger with a little different chemical makeup. Some people tolerate one better than the other, but the possible side effects are nearly identical.