Scary Gabapentin side effects
Posted , 28 users are following.
Hello all
I started taking Gabapentin for a nerve problem in my foot in November 2015 starting at 300mg and working up to 900mg over 6 weeks. At the end of May this stopped having an effect so the doctor doubled the dose - again increasing in 2 weekly amounts. I stopped at 1200mg as this was working for me and still does now.
However, i have had some pretty nasty side effects. The headaches i can cope with (having been on Prozac for depression for nearly 8 years i had them with that too). Loss of appetite and flatulence were okay too.
I've had foot swelling and anxiety attacks - not okay but the latest episode really scared me. I was walking to the shops and felt my balance going (this happens anyway because of spinal problems) but then i had a terrifying spinning sensation and had to grab a post and couldn't let go. The episode lasted for about 5 minutes but seemed much longer. Fortunately i had a friend with me. He said i looked okay. I know this is one of the possible side effects. Has anyone else experienced this?
I will be making a doctor appointment tomorrow.
1 like, 95 replies
Miss_Jewel Meganpooch
Posted
Hi there! Yes I used to have bad anxiety attacks before I was on the Gabapentin. After years of being on the Gabapentin at 3600 mg. I thought that the anxiety was gonet Now that I am withdrawing from the Gabapentin I am getting them back. They seem to hit me suddenly. I usually find that I just start shaking like I used to, and that just makes me experience more anxiety. I was also on Prozac (among other meds including pain medication.) I decided that I no longer wanted to be on these medications...at least the very least possible! I stopped the Gabapentin suddenly because my Dr. had told me that it was not addictive. I had very bad withdrawals and had to start taking it again. When I told my Dr. what had happened she was surprised; she didn't know that it was addictive. I have been trying to go down more gradually, and I know the Dr. is taking me off too quickly. Fortunately, I have had some extra so that I can still go down at my own pace. I have been trying my best to take only 900 mg. daily, but I was still taking one 300mg. capsule extra most days. I have now gotten some 100mg. capsules and I'm taking 1000-1100mg. daily. I would like to go down as quickly as possible without experiencing the side effects so badly. This includes the sudden anxiety attacks. I also find that I am becoming overwhelmed with things that are happening in my life, and I get depression as well. I'm hoping that it's situational depression as I have been off of the prozac completely, and I don't want to have to start taking it again. I will try to go down again after another week by 200mg. if I can. I've also seen another Dr. who told me that 3600mg. is twice the daily recommended daily dose..what a shock! He said that I should never have been on more than 1800mg. daily. He's very good, and has offered to treat me along with my other Dr. as she is quite far away. I plan to move--but would really like to be able to keep him. I'm seeing him tomorrow and plan to talk to him about the anxiety. I will keep you posted. I can't say anything helpful at this point except for "hang in there!" Please let us know what your Dr. says and I will do the same. Are you getting depression at all? And yes, I am getting headaches as well..I'm taking tylenol and that seems to help.
rita52071 Miss_Jewel
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Meganpooch Miss_Jewel
Posted
Hiya Mis Jewel
I was hoping that as i had only been taking this drug for 10 months, that i would be able to come off them quicker. This doesn't seem to be the case.
I've literally just had another spinning sensation episode but found a chair quickly and sitting down seems to calm them down quicker - maybe it's because you don't have to worry about balance whilst seated. 1200mg is the max i have ever been on. i used to get panic attacks and you got a slight warning with them I didn't get anxiety attacks before taking Gaba and they are extra nasty as there is no warning. I still have depression - it's reactive meaning i cannot handle shock - i've lost 6 people in the last 10 years, the last one, a dear friend, only last week. I see a counselor on a regular basis as can no longer store emotions in my head. I have Tylenol 3 (Co-codamol max in the UK where i am) on temporary prescription. I was going to see my doctor this morning but lack of sleep got in the way of that plus i want to find out as much as i can about withdrawl as i have a gut feeling that he won't know.
Thanks for the hang in there. It's all i can do for the time being. At least i now understand what the spinning sensations are which doesn't make me panic, stress and overthink what could be happening.
linda90756 Miss_Jewel
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I am amazed that your dosage is that high! I am on 1800mg a day and think that is just so high. I'm so sorry for your axiety attacks. My former doctor who moved away said 1800mg was the maximum i should take. I worry about long term side effects. I've been on it for 7 years. I hope you will find a dosage that works for you. Oh I also take a low dose lorazapam for anxiety.
jimbourg8 linda90756
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Here is what astounds me about dosages doctors start us on.......they really dont know where to begin.......more is not better ! I suppose high dosing alters your consciousness and then you don't feel the pain. But what is an adequate dose ? What is a therapueutic dose. Perhaps 300 mg is already to high ? You see, nobody really knows. no adquate scientific studies have been demonstrated.........we the patient can tell what is too much .
Meganpooch
Posted
I can't exactly say that my doctor's appointment went to plan. At times he can be very arrogant. He refused point blank after much arguing by me to allow me to reduce in any amount less than 300mg and said try 900mg for 2 weeks and so on. I did say that i had spoken to people on this forum and he said 'they are just people - i've had loads of people that have come off without any problems' and 'your scary episode sounds like vertigo and might not be related to taking Gabapentin' but did not offer to test to see if it was anything else. Grrrrrrr
He said that if you think you will get problems coming off Gaba then you will have problems. What a stupid thing to say - i'm not a little kid and these side effects are real.
There would be no point seeing another doctor either.
So here goes........wish me luck
elizabeth20203 Meganpooch
Posted
Hello GP's can be arrogant, i got told off because i said my pysiotherapist had recommended i see a consultant and i had a letter to that effect!!! My answer to him when you said you had spoken to people on this forum would be..... yes they are people but they have experienced this drug!!! Also you know yoour body better than anybody else.
It could still be worth seeing another GP in the practice as different drs can have different views about the same drugs etc. I hope you get sorted soon. Best of luck.
Elizabeth.
jimbourg8 Meganpooch
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Meganpooch jimbourg8
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I can only go to a doctor within a certain radius of where i live. I have unfortunately experienced some others in the practise and they are no better. As for supporting me, well, that is a joke. It's more a case of 'here are some drugs now go away and manage it yourself'. This and 'i 've sen loads of people that have come off Gabapentin just fine'. That may be a fair point but they were not ME.
patricialcsw Meganpooch
Posted
Hi Ive been on Gabapentin for about 7 months - 600 mg once a day (take it at night) it was prescribed as off label for anxiety - mostly GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) and some insomnia. Anxiety very much improved on it...and no side effects, I thought. So my first question: can one develop side effects after lets say 5/6 months w none? Second question: Ive experienced a few instances of vertigo (one while driving - scary) and also lightheadedness - and balance issues. Ive had middle ear issues in the past - prior to GAba - but this does feel different. Im having an mri on Friday ordered by my neurologist - but since so many times dr's tend to minimize side effects..thought I would reach out and see what others have experienced.
Meganpooch patricialcsw
Posted
Hi Patricia
In reply to your 1st question i would say yes. I've never suffered with middle ear problems. The doc said it might not be caused by the Gabapentin yet offered no other test or referral. I only started getting the vertigo 3 months after increasing my dose from 900mg to 1200mg daily. I had the lightheadedness from day one and have balance issues anyway but they became worse since being on Gaba.
As my severe vertigo attack happened whilst i was out shopping i was scared to go out on my own and that's no way to live.
Good luck with your MRI.
rita52071 patricialcsw
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jimbourg8 patricialcsw
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Yes, one can experience side effects from Gaba. at any time during the course of treatment. Not unusual at all. In my case I've been taking Gab. for 4 years now and believed it was helping me cope with my RLS and anxiety.....however I started having adverse reactions about 2 years into it....mainly with problems in dizziness, balance, dificulty walking sometimes, stumbling around some, irritability, more anxiety and insomnia......all that ! So I was taking 600 to 1200 mg per day mostly in the evening. So the very thing we are taking it for sometimes makes it even worse ie. anxiety. This drug is classified as seizure medication but is seems to be commonly now used more for Pain, and anxiety. What are these doctors doing ? They seem to not be aware of the debilitating adverse side effects or greatly mimimize them. Go look up the adverse effects....do a search and you will see............NOT GOOD !
I'm detoxing myself now (not consulting the Doc's about it anymore as they are no real help. ) One must proceed very very slowly on down-dosing though. Rebound syndrome can be very troubling and discourageing even dangerous if too quickly. Never, never, never quit cold turkey.........can be disasterous. I've proceeded down from 600-900 mg per day to now 300 mg once per day. I' m feeling better but still do get some rebound affects ........now I've figured out to do two 150 mg about 12 hours apart since Gab. has a 1/2 life of 5 to 7 hours...........I'm making progress and determined to get of this horrible substance. Good luck to you...
rita52071 jimbourg8
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YES FROM WHAT i UNDERSTAND when you come off this medicine your symptoms for what you were taking it for could be really bad...Can't wait to come off this med completely and I am only taking now 100 mg once day
jimbourg8 rita52071
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How much were you taking before you tapered off ? Regards, Jim B
gregg_55006 jimbourg8
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Gabapentin as you say awful stuff. I too am backing out by myself SLOWLY.
Still, I have to new scripts for lower dose capsules and knowing the range available ie. 50mg 75mg 150mg etc. It becomes hard to reduce in an equal stages. Wish I never started.
Good luck.
elizabeth2244 rita52071
Posted